Found+Poetry+Assignment+-+Mountains+Beyond+Mountains

= FOUND POETRY ABOUT //MOUNTAINS BEYOND MOUNTAINS -// 20 points =

= 20-40 lines, blending your own words with lines and phrases from the text = = =

= = = Choose a __focus__ for your poem. This may be a topic related directly to Dr. Paul Farmer, or it may be a broader topic about the book, such as poverty, Haiti, health care, or international relations. =

= Go into the text and your notes, gathering good lines and phrases related to your topic. Be sure to write them word for word initially, though you may change them slightly when you use them in your poem. Look for lines that have a "musical" rhythm or sound if you can, and many good CONCRETE DETAILS. =

= Choose a POINT OF VIEW for the poem. Whose "voice" will be speaking? Choose to discuss Dr. Farmer as "he" using an omniscient voice, or use "I" from Dr. Farmer's point of view. Be consistent with the voice throughout the poem. =

= Begin to craft your poem, weaving your own lines with those from the book. =

= = = GRADING: Your poem will be graded on 2 basic elements: = = - the use of quotes and specific details from the book, blended effectively with your own phrases = = - the effectiveness of the poem to create emotion and a clear meaning for the reader =

=Helps for creating an effective poem:=

== - __Organization__: Think about whether your poem calls out to be one long stanza or to be broken down into multiple stanzas. Be purposeful with this choice. ==

== - __Effective use of lines__: Remember, poems are not paragraphs. Break the lines in ways that will help guide your reader to a full appreciation of the poem. Let our eyes focus on one key point or image at a time. Use interesting line breaks for emphasis or surprise. ==

== - __Lots of good imagery__: Choose lines from the text that provide concrete details -- things we can see, hear, touch, smell. Add a few of your own where necessary. ==

== - __Sounds and rhythm__: Once your poem is written, go back and listen for effective sounds and rhythms. They should help create the tone your poem needs. Try to avoid "clunky" sounding lines or phrases that trip up the tongue. Switch out words, phrases, placement of lines, or images to strengthen the poem. Consider interesting uses of alliteration,assonance, repetition, and even internal rhymes or near-rhymes. ==