Have you ever made a list so you will remember to do something? Well, did you know your list can become a poem? All you have to do is add a beginning and and ending!
A list poem is a poem that lists things or events. They can be long or short. They can be rhymed or unrhymed. It's completely up to you!
| Maybe your list looked something like this: | A poem from your list might read like this: |
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1. Have a snack. 2. Call mom - tell her I'm home. 3. Math homework - p. 254 4. Science homework - read ch. 5 5. English homework - list poem 6. Call Sara |
I'm home from school,
Whew, I'm done! |
Now, not all list poems are about things that you have to do. You can write a list poem about anything! Look at this example!
List poems tell about everyday things that happen in your life ... or that happened in history. They are pretty easy to write, but beware! They can also get boring. To keep your poem interesting, think of the things you do in new ways and be sure to used interesting and unique words!
Writer's Toolbox
Before you begin writing, you may want to gather some tools to help you as you search for just the right words. Here is a list of materials you might need:
- something
to write on — notebook paper, adding machine tape, file cards,
graph paper...
- something
to write with — pencils, crayons, typewriter, computer, markers...
- drawing
paper ... sometimes it helps to draw a picture first!
- art supplies
(colored pencils, crayons, and other fun stuff!)
- word lists
(Click HERE for
an example or HERE
for a blank list!)
- a thesaurus
- a dictionary
Your
Turn!
OK, let's get started. First, decide what you want to write about. You might even make a list of possible topics! Wait! Could that list become a poem? Hmmmm....
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Think about these topics:
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Now it's time to make your list. Write down everything! You don't have to use your whole list. The more ideas you have on paper, the more choices you will have to choose from. You might even decide to work on your list for more than just a few minutes ... or for more than a day.
Once you have your list, you can work on the beginning and ending. You also need to decide how you want to arrange your list in your poem. What lines do you want to use? What should come first?
Let's look at the list poem from the top of this page...
|
I'm home from school,
Whew, I'm done! |
The list for this poem was all about what needed to be done after school. So, the author chose a starting line that would give the reader a setting. The items on this list gave more information than the lines in the poem. The author decided that the lines sounded better when they were short. So, she didn't include all of the information! On the list, there was an assignment about writing a list poem. Since the author was doing just that, she chose to put that line last. Once she had included the list poem item on her list, she was finished with her list AND her list poem! The ending line tells the reader that the list is finished. |
Work on your poem. When you have finished your rough draft, read it to a friend, your mom or dad, or your teacher. Ask them to give you some feedback about the words you have chosen. If you think that their suggestions will help your poem, add them.
When you have your poem just the way you like it, it's time to publish it. You can publish any way you like. You can write it on paper used for lists (like a grocery list), tape it to the refrigerator, put it in a card, use a computer application (like PowerPoint, HyperStudio, or even Flash), read it out loud, or you may even choose to keep it to yourself!
Click the button below for your journal page!
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