4.9 Special Effects and Patterns for Poems

Your Turn

Go To Your Learning GuideComplete the steps as follows in your Learning Guide to write your own five line poem.

Prewriting

1. Choose one of the following situations:

  • You are exploring an empty old house when suddenly a door bangs shut behind you.

OR

  • You are walking through a meadow when suddenly, a strange beast steps out from behind a tree.

2. Follow these steps in your Learning Guide to begin planning your poem:

LINE ONE: Write a word or phrase to tell how you feel.

LINE TWO: Write down a word or phrase to tell what you see.

LINE THREE: Write down a word or phrase to tell what you hear.

LINE FOUR: Write down a word or phrase to tell what you do.

LINE FIVE: Write down a word or phrase to end the poem.

Now, try playing with the words in each line and add to your ideas to create pictures with words. Be sure to use one alliteration, as well as at least one simile and one metaphor. Hint: Don't use these tools on every line. To make your poem interesting, try different ways to paint pictures with words on each line.