My Teddy
Photo by Amy LV
Students - The teddy picture you see above is my real old teddy. He was given to me when I was a baby, and I still keep him on my dresser. His one leg is pinned, he is missing parts, and you can see so much love in his eyes.
Today's poem is a two stanza poem which compares one teddy to another teddy - a new teddy to an old teddy. I did not really get a new teddy recently, but looking at this old guy made me think about the difference between him and a brand new bear from the store. A song I learned in Girl Scouts keeps going through my head:
Make new friends
but keep the old.
One is silver
and the other gold.
We can compare two of anything: two kinds of macaroni and cheese, two pigeons on the sidewalk, two trees at the bus stop, two ways of feeling. An easy way to do this in a poem is to use two stanzas, the first one about one idea and the second about the other.
You likely noticed that my poem has a little rhyme -- and that I break it at the end. I did this on purpose. Adding "with me" at the end is a way of stressing how important this teddy is to the speaker, who wants readers to know, without question, that this favorite teddy is close by each night.
Perhaps you could make some different lists in your notebook and then choose two of one type of thing to compare: two cats, two jackets, two books, two moods, two park playgrounds, two anythings.
Your lists might help you write a two-part, comparing poem. Or...maybe you will not write a two-part, comparing poem at all, and the lists will still help you. You know best what will help you as a writer, bu trying out lots of ideas is helpful to me.
Tabatha is hosting the Poetry Friday roundup at The Opposite of Indifference with an adorable poem by Margaret Widdemer...about pussy willows. Please know that all are welcome each Friday as folks share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship.
Do remember that even if a writing idea does not make sense for you on one day, you might wish to tuck it away in your mind for the future. Maybe tomorrow you will observe or think of two fascinating things to compare.
See you next week!
xo,
Amy
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