Honors English II – Poetry Challenge

1. NO Clauses Poem

Write a gorgeous poem that is 14-20 lines long and contains no clauses (in other words, no sentences!) You may punctuate fragments with periods if you wish. Focus on a single subject.

Examples

A Perfect Circle
Pure abstraction. Nothing. Zero.
A coin. A ball. A wheel.
The sun, a whirling fiery orb
On the edge of this galaxy
Surrounded by absolute darkness.
The earth spinning around it
Peacefully. A glassy
Water drop shattering
Into hundreds of translucent
Beads,
Each one reflecting the sun.
The pupil of the eye.
The cornea. The retina.
The whole magical ball.
Everything. All of it.
Beautiful. Infinite. / Tumor
By Becca Harper
Washing careful hands.
Sterilizing life prolonging tools.
Onto the bright white table.
Breathing steadier and steadier.
Picking up the knife.
Cutting carefully down the dotted lines.
Fixing the mangled inners
Around the deadly cancer.
Slicing the evil out.
Out of the body.
Knife back on the steel tray
Sewing dotted lines together.
Coming back to consciousness.
  1. Parts of Speech Poem

Follow the pattern below to create an imaginative parts of speech poem focusing on a single subject.

Example:

Title
Adjective, adjective noun verb adverb
Simile
Adjective, adjective noun verb adverb
Noun verb; noun verb
Noun, noun, noun verb adverb
Simile
Present participle, present participle, present participle
Adjective, adjective noun verb prepositional phrase
Adjective noun verb
Adjective noun verb
Adjective noun verb adverb
Optional free line / Cloud
Wavering, spectral cloud wanders aimlessly
As a lost and lonesome traveler.
Slow, gentle form glides softly.
Rain falls; thunder purrs
Hailstones, snowflakes, raindrops huddle together
Like unborn creatures crowded in a womb
Waiting, growing, tossing
Heavy, burdened cloud hovers like a troubled thought
Glistening droplets cascade,
Drifting wind whispers,
Gentle storm begins quietly,
The cloud rolls on its way.
  1. Fear/Phobia Poem

Generate a list of things that lurk in the dark corners for you: fear of sharks, dark water, spiders, public speaking, or dentists. Using lots of sensory imagery (sight, smell, touch, sounds. . . anything to make your poem creepy), write about a phobia or fear you have experienced. Do not rhyme. Include at least 3 instances of figurative language (personify that fear!). Feel free to use variations of any poetry forms from class or come up with your own “rules” for structuring your poem. 14-28lines. P.S. Remember to use your poetic license!

4. Dependendent/Subordinate Clause Poem

Dependent/Subordinate clause - a group of words with a subject and a verb that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. Example: because she can sing well

Subordinate conjunctions – words that introduce subordinate clauses

SUBORDINATE CONJUNCTIONS

TIMECAUSE AND EFFECT OPPOSITIONCONDITION

afterbecausealthoughif

beforesincethoughunless

whennow thateven thoughonly if

whileaswhereaswhether or not

sincein order thatwhileeven if

untilsoin case (that)

CLAUSE POEM INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Write 4-5 stanzas of five lines each.
  2. The first four lines of each stanza must be a dependent/subordinate clause (not a complete sentence) and begin with a subordinate conjunction.
  3. The last line of the stanzas cannot begin with a subordinate clause and must be a complete sentence/independent clause.
  4. Begin each line with a capital letter.
  5. Put a comma at the end of each of the first four lines.
  6. The last line ends with a period.
  7. Include gorgeous images!

Twilight Hours

by Christina McNichols

After the lazy afternoon dwindles away,

Before the luminous moon creeps into the sky,

While it looms half-transparent like a specter,

As the wind stalks the unfamiliar world, humming,

The world is beset by twilight.

After the children abandon battered toy trucks,

Even though they still long to play,

While their shadows hang over like loyal dogs,

Since they cannot leave the children’s heels,

Their shadows dream of twilit play.

While the streets are absent of all noise

Until the sun returns to shine

Even if no one may see it with me

While I sit out here in this fresh world

I listen to the twilight give her silent serenade