NaPoWriMo Day 8 – re-creation

Day 8 Prompt

And now for today’s (optional, as always!) prompt. Today, let’s rewrite a famous poem, giving it our own spin.

This is an idea I often used with my students. It provides a frame of reference, when the brain or one's creativity needs some structure in order to jump into writing. It helps the kids to find the structure of rhythm and metre. It need not be a famous poem, but one that might spark their interest. This was a poem I used during the first week of school.

"The Worst!"

The Worst

This is a time of dread
Our long weekend of woe
As come Tuesday
Back to school we go

But the worst is to come
It stands to reason
When Brown's Ice Cream Stand
Will close for the season!

Here is another frame poem!

I fondly recall my young gr. 3 special education student who came up with a brilliant explanation to differentiate between nouns and adjectives (both crucial to excellent poetry):

"Nouns are thing you can hold in your hand. 

Adjectives, well, they fly off of your pencil!"

William R. Espry

HOW ABOUT YOU AND ME ALLITERATING?
Alliteration's artful aid–
That is what the poet said:

"Sing a song of silliness":
"King and queen and court caress":
"Babies blow bubbles in a box":
"Seagulls sing when sewing socks":
"Down the drain the donkeys dive":
"Lions leap on lambs alive":
See? You needn't be a great
Genius to alliterate.

     –Willard R. Espy (From Words to Rhyme With - 1986)

HOW ABOUT YOU AND ME ALLITERATING?

Alliteration's artful aid,

This is what the poet said.

NaPoWriMo necessitate,

Exact envoy excavate.

Boldly bringing broncos, brayed
Duties daily dropped, delayed.

Greatly gifted gonging glocks,

Clever clanging, quickly clocks

Time to be tomorrow touted,

Formal function ever flouted.

Wielding witty rhyming, waited

Silly songs sublimely sated.

See? You needn't be a great

Genius to alliterate.