Cow Mug - Poem #14 for April 2014 Poetry Project

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Learn about this, my April 2014 Poetry Project, HERE!

Cow Mug

Photo by Amy LV

Students - I decided early in the day that today would be "Cow Mug Day."  But when it came time to write, I still did not know where to begin.  I did know, though, that writing about a mug was important. Because, you see, no matter which thrift store you visit, you will always find lots of mugs.

More Mugs

Photo by Amy LV

Even More Mugs

Photo by Amy LV

See what I mean?

You can see in the draft below that I began writing by comparing shelves full of mugs to other things. I wrote the first stanza and then moved over to the right side of the draft page below, searching for what the poem should say.

Then, I remembered the field trips that my own fifth grade class used to take with kindergarteners.  We went to a pumpkin farm and we could all pet the animals.  This made me think about how petting cows is everyday life for some children, and for other children, riding the subway is a more everyday experience.  This seemed like a fun avenue to explore.

Cow Mug - Draft Page Spread #1

Photo by Amy LV

I wanted this poem to use very simple words and short phrases.  Many times, as in yesterday's "Mall Store Shirt," I write in quite a conversational tone, with one line flowing right into the next.  For today's poem, I kept each sentence more controlled, fitting just the length of each line.  I am not sure why I did this, but I like it.  For me, it makes the poem sound as if it comes from a younger voice, perhaps the first grade voice from the memory.

You might want to consider this with your poems.  What does the voice of your poem sound like? Who do you want to read your poem?  Knowing this will help you think about the voice in which to write.  Write in the voice that matches your reader's ear.  Think of a foot and a shoe.  Your shoe of writing should match the foot of your reader's ear.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

Fine Antique Plates - Poem #7 for April 2014 Poetry Project

LIVE!

Learn about this, my April 2014 Poetry Project, HERE!

Flowery Plates

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Today's drafts were written in the car.  Our family was going visiting, and so I wrote from the passenger seat.  You can see that the minutes of notebooking tally up to thirty-five, but this poem did take longer.  I spent a lot of time, eyes closed, just thinking and not timing myself at all.  Daydreaming the poem into life.  I also spent a lot of time playing with this poem in the typing stage.  In fact, these last two stanzas did not appear until I typed.

For today's verse, the fun came  in imagining walking around the rims of plates. This was my spark.  And then, making the flowers disappear...well that just made me giggle a bit.

Challenges included finding spring flowers with the correct number of syllables. This sent me to a bit of research as I didn't want to include late summer or fall flowers at all.

You may have wondered why those last two lines are so short, shorter than the rest of the non-flower lines.  I did consider keeping as one line.  But somehow, the punch line of the dishes being "simply white" felt like more fun with a longer pause.

Here are today's drafts.  You can see that I spent a little time trying to decide which object to choose.

Fine Antique Plates - Draft Page Spread #1

Photo by Amy LV

Fine Antique Plates - Draft Page Spread #2

Photo by Amy LV

Did you notice that the dishes in today's poemphoto are the same dishes as those in the THRIFT STORE LIVE logo?  

Yes.

I bought them.

March 31, 2014 Shopping Cart - AmVets

Photo by Amy LV

Please share a comment below if you wish.