Poetry Friday: Don't Be Listless, Part 2

For this middle school (and up) lesson in list poems, we've looked at a "found" model and a list-poem by master poet Laura Boss. See the previous post for these models and instructions.

Now it's time to write!

Here are the steps for your students:

1. Prewrite. Choose a topic and brainstorm loosely.
2. Find a rhythm and/or poetic order to your ideas.
3. Build to a surprise ending, or leave your reader with something to think about.
4. If you're stuck, go back to the first line. Use it as a refrain and begin a new idea or stanza from there.

Starter ideas:

• Things I want
• I remember
• I'm not/I have never
• I used to be, but now I am

I am partial to "not-poems." Teens get the idea that telling others what or who we are not is as revealing (sometimes more so) as stating who we are.

If you try the lesson, let me know how it goes. Hope your students enjoy it as much as mine did.

Thanks again to the wonderful Laura Boss for agreeing to share her poem. I hope you'll check out more of Laura's work.

Our host for Poetry Friday is Amy at Art of Irreverence.