Welcome to my 2018 National Poetry Month Project! I love projects!
It is wonderful to find so many folks are joining in at blogs and elsewhere.
All are welcome!
This year at The Poem Farm, I will be writing a new poem every day about the constellation Orion. Every day I will highlight a new poetic technique, a technique used by poets and by writers of other genres as well. After all, the techniques of poets are the techniques of all writers. I will be using my Fall 2017 Heinemann book, POEMS ARE TEACHERS, to lead me as I write all April long.
My hope is that some readers might also choose to dive deeply into writing about 1 Subject 30 Ways, to stick with one subject for a few days or for a whole month, approaching it from a variety of perspectives, in a multitude of structures, and with many playful word explorations.
Here is a list of this month's poems so far:
And now...today's technique.
Ask WHAT IF? Drafting
Photo by Amy LV
Students - If you have been following along this month, one thing you will have noticed is that most all of these poems could have fit into more than one poetic technique category. I am thinking of another poem which fits the WHAT IF? category right now. Do you know which one it is? (Hint: It's on the list above, between April 9 and April 11.)
Last evening, when I began my draft, I did something that I often do. I listed. I listed possible WHAT IFs. Doing this is a way to free up my brain, to consider many possible ideas - some workable, some less so. Coming up with several possibilities lets me off the hook of feeling that my FIRST idea must be my BEST idea as this is seldom if ever true.
So go ahead! Before you write your poem - or your anydraft - go ahead and diddle around in your mind and in your notebook awhile. Come up with many possibilities before selecting one to draft. Free your brain!
Has Orion ever spoken to you? No? Listen harder.
In my book POEMS ARE TEACHERS, I highlight finding ideas by asking WHAT IF?, with a poem by Kenn Nesbitt. The title of her poem (page 25) is "A Rumble in My Bedroom." The two student poet mentors (page 27) are Lilia L. with "Snow Day at the Beach" and Jenelle with "Math on Mars." Thank you to these poets, and thank you to the teachers of the student poets in this book!
Remember, you can connect with all kinds of poetry goodness happening throughout April 2018 at my introductory National Poetry Month post HERE.
See you tomorrow...with starting with a startle!
xo,
Amy
xo,
Amy
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