Concrete Poetry

Just when you thought you couldn’t write poetry, a saving grace.

Quick Example (more to come)

So what is it?

• A poem in which the typographical (vocab review!) arrangement of the words is as important to the meaning of the poem as the words themselves.

• The words of the poem create a shape that expresses the meaning of the poem.

• Let’s look at some more examples!

Sometimes the words just describe or identify parts

What would this poem be about?

Exactly!!I

ama veryspecial

shape I havethree points and

three lines straight.Look through my words

and you will see, the shapethat I am meant to be. I'm just

not words caught in a tangle. Lookclose to see a small triangle. My angles

add to one hundred and eighty degrees, youlearn this at school with your abc's. Practice your

maths and you will see, some other fine examples of me.

What about this one?

Right!!

How could you draw this poem? I’ll give you a flower, motherI’ll give you a flower, dearFor life is but a gardenTo children of 5 years

I’ll give you a flower, motherI’ll give you a flower, dearFor to a bride, they’re lovelyMother, hold your tears

I’ll give you a flower, motherI’ll give you a flower, dearI’ll lay it in your sweet handsFor our time has disappeared

I’ll give you a flower, motherI’ll give you a flower, dearWhen I see you there at heavenWhen my time’s done here 

Now listen as I read this poem and watch the video

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vyRYmWynO4&feature=related

Now you try itThe fireworks have begun their show.So catch your breath and hold your ears.Drops of turquoise give the night a fresh showerAnd pretty-patterned purples paint a dark canvas.Sharp crimson spikes shoot like arrows.Glistening golds scatter glitterWhile blasts of blues burst into the blackness.Fuscia fragments fling themselves,Chasing after twinkling chartreuse puff-balls.Yellows sparkle, stretching their wiggly fingers outTo claw at the skies.The silence is split by cracks and pops.Confetti explosions roar and clatter,Shattering the night.

Now let’s take it to the next level

• You come up with the poem and the shape. • BE PREPARED TO SHARE!!