Writing a List Poem Based on "A Note"
Beginning with "Life is the only way," write your own list poem using "A Note" as a model. Your poem must use the same (with minor variations) number of words and structure as Szymborska's. Use what you learned this week to compose a stronger poem.
Try to find a rhythm to the words you choose (note the number of syllables as well as the number of words). Be careful to punctuate exactly the same way and be aware of how the poet has used punctuation to divide and compare ideas. Post a copy of your poem to the blog before coming to Wednesday's class.
Be prepared to do a recital of your poem (please practice ahead of time!) and speak for one to two minutes on the process you followed and any difficulties you experienced. Marks will be assigned as follows: quality of poem—50%; recital—25%; remarks on process—25%.
Class Tips for Writing a Poem
NOTE: Check your formatting carefully after copy and pasting poem. You'll need to add spacing. Try to have your poem look exactly the same as the original handout if you can!
Class Tips for Writing a Poem
NOTE: Check your formatting carefully after copy and pasting poem. You'll need to add spacing. Try to have your poem look exactly the same as the original handout if you can!
23 comments:
Here's the pattern of syllables and punctuation.
6 syllables
6,
6,
3;
4,
5;
3
6;
6,
4,
11.
8
8
5
5;
4
7
11,
7;
12;
7
5.
Another Note
Life is the only way
to crunch leaves underfoot,
see your breath in sea air,
bring a gift;
to find a friend,
or lose them one day;
to tell truth
from the charlatans who lie;
to marvel at the news,
confirm a bias,
to tell all who want to know the whole truth.
A fabulous opportunity
to consider that one time
a conversation could
be a private part of life;
and if only once
to cry out freedom for all,
let all hear our voices ringing loud and clear,
leave your home for a better place;
and to gather flowers in a meadow at dawn;
and to press on not caring
for any barrier.
—Brad Hyde; December 8, 2013
Life is the only way
to walk along the beach,
slip and fall on the ground,
get back up;
to be a light,
or live in darkness;
to tell pride
from everything it’s not;
to spend a day at home,
think of plans,
to seek for success and triumph over all.
An extraordinary chance
to remember one good day
A beautiful girl with blue eyes
who became a friend;
and if only once
to come up with the wrong words,
end up close but never will be,
Learn from all sorts of mistakes;
and to follow the words of wisdom taught;
and to keep on hoping for
something wonderful.
Life is the only way
to get buried in sand,
catch your wave on the sea,
rise on swells;
to be a cat,
or have its fur coat;
to tell joy
from everything that’s rot;
to sneak into movies,
loiter in halls,
to see the best of all currently released.
And antithetically when
we consider all the timing
to educate takes
the best intent too;
and of money spent
we hurry until our end,
caught in webs on phones today or forever,
prepay your plans in the stores;
and to reshare a sale on the net with your peeps;
and to hold on to receipts
nothing forgotten.
Life is the only way
to lie upon the roof,
counting the shiny stars,
on clear nights;
to be a mom
or live a cool life;
to watch crimes
done by those in control;
to wait for fading hope,
scared by new facts,
to seek the freedom lost through false promises.
A phenomenal swift instant
to remember the special scent
of the soft wet earth
after summer storms;
and if only once
to lose beloved neighbors,
end up lonely with overwhelming feelings,
accept your life in new lands;
and to achieve your dreams despite a heavy life;
and to keep on praying hard
for a peaceful world.
Life is the only way
to run behind the desired wants,
enjoy to scroll down bad days,
reach the heights;
To be a caregiver
or seek care from others;
To find love
from everything it’s not;
To hug new paths,
plans for future,
to seek the best opportunities in your life.
An extraordinary feeling
to remember for a while
studying late nights
to get the highest grades in class;
And if only once
to make a mistake,
end up regretting for our whole lives,
To forget putting N sign on;
and to fear getting a ticket from the cop;
and to keep on not knowing
something important.
My Second Note
Life is the only way
to light the oil lantern,
read the war letters for moms,
feel the tears;
to be some dust,
or turned off for centuries;
to add one
from everything it’s not;
to becalm your heart,
take deep breaths,
to spend the rest for someone you love.
An extraordinary triumph
to remember for a moment
a musical method
from my first performance;
and if only once
to begin a new life,
end up disappointed by one smirk or another,
review your moments in your mind;
and to choose the best one in all of your days;
and to keep on not deciding
something delightful.
Heart of a Canuck
Life is the only way
to stop heart from beating,
watch a wild game period,
sit in suspense;
to be a ref,
or make biased calls;
to hear calls
disclose very little truth;
to walk around bleachers,
locate the seat,
to wish the best of luck for the dear home team.
An extraordinary feeling
to remember for a moment
the second Stanley
despite the loss to Bruins;
and if only once
to see Vancouver Canucks
go deep in the playoff run only to lose,
expect them in the golf course;
and to follow another hockey team, for sure;
or to keep on believing in
something marvelous.
A Note of Life
life is the only way
to breath deeply in the grass,
have coffee on a cold day,
relax on beach;
to be a flake,
or see its melting in hands;
to tell true
from everything it’s not;
to inspire your closer,
give hug with sincereness,
to seek the best way of all possibilities.
An extraordinary feeling
to remember for a moment
the time you shared
with family overcome hardship;
and if only once
to pursuit every dream you have,
end up by a lesson from the society,
forget the mistakes you had in the past;
and to embrace a brand new day with your smiling;
and to keep on not regretting
for a defeat.
A Note
Life is the ony way
to melt in summer rain,
how harsh it can be,
wait in rain.
to be a fish
or swim in the stream;
to see you
as love turn into hate;
to hold you in my arms
never let you go,
to look for everlasting love everyday,
An extraordinary thought,
to remember for quite a while,
the first kiss i still held
till the end of time;
and if just one time,
to approach the god of love,
end up not realizing is a dream come true;
mislay your watch in the wood,
and to follow a spark in the dark with your eyes,
and to keep staying neutral,
something important.
Life is the only way,
to get exposed in nature,
see your breath in morning dew,
bring a smile;
to find love,
or lose them in a second;
to share pain
from life’s tangle journey;
to walk along with someone,
linger in sights,
to search for the never ending road of life’s puzzle.
an amazing opportunity
to ponder for a moment
a time seized
with the stars shining bright;
and if only once
to hold on to that moment,
let all the fear brush by the current of the waves ,
lay all down your strength ;
for you only love someone as intense that it can be;
and to savor what you have left
for someone you love
Another note
Life is the only way
to stroll upon auburn leaves,
search for identical pairs,
steal a grin;
to be a light bulb,
or shine my way through the night;
to find solutions
from everything it’s not;
to fumble for words
in an assignment,
and regret all the time wasted;
An extraordinary chance
to remember in a moment
the occasional conversation
with an old and respectful soldier;
and if only once,
to be thrown into a barrier,
will hold tight to store a proud leap,
enduring the plain of a day,
and simply wither off the dry old thoughts;
and keep on being conscious of
something important.
My Wee Note
Life is the only way
to explore what is hidden,
set your tracks in fresh snow,
change with age;
to be an adult,
or pretend for others;
to tell bliss
from everything it’s not;
to thoroughly embrace love,
cradle emotions,
to seek the minimal amount of hardship.
An extraordinary chance
to remember for an instant
a life unraveled
to a child of a child;
and if only once
to alter with the truth
end up stuck spewing layers of lies or fiction,
expel your thoughts to a stranger;
and to follow the glow in the distance with your eyes;
and to keep on not feeling
anything human.
A Challenge
Life is the only way
to break down into tears,
wipe up your frustrated face,
pull self up;
to be a fighter,
or surrender under great pressure;
to find faith
from everything it’s not;
to wish for the best,
do it right,
to seek all the possibilities in your life.
A glorious experience
to remember for a moment
handling multiple tasks
without whining too much
and if only once
to struggle with a decision,
end up stuck in slough of nowhere,
lose your confidence while striving;
and to question yourself if it’s time for a change;
or to keep on with trying
something challenging.
A Note
Life is the only way
to embrace the moment,
breathe deeply to the lung,
grin on lips;
to be a bud,
or swell its sweet petals;
to feel free
from everything it’s not;
to bungee from the cliff,
shut the eyes tight,
to fling every feeble mind into the wind.
An extraordinary chance
to remember for a moment
the first heavenly gift
with its fragile body,
and if only once
to slip into a wrong way,
end up wandering off in the dark and deep;
delude yourself easily;
and to seek endless desires in the limited life;
and to keep on not knowing
something meaningful.
My Simple Note
Life is the only way
to touch a hummingbird,
catch dry earth with the eyes,
sleep by desire;
to be a sponge,
or select everything you know.
to feel apart
from someone who is not.
to overlook a clock,
forget a protocol,
to find a better move for obey without protest.
A marvellous event
to evoke from time to time
a pyramid climbed
with absent clouds above;
and if only once
to stumble through a hard task,
stop knowing the vivid meaning of distress,
lose the skill to see simplicity;
and to be unsure if anything is praiseworthy;
and continue not discovering
something relevant.
A Note
Life is the only way
to play “hide and seek,”
go deep into the earth,
reach a peak;
to be a viewer,
or play a role on stage;
to tell right
from everything is not;
to enjoy life with others ,
share the moment,
to look for the best possible answer now.
An extraordinary chance
to come back to the distant days
being a child once again
feeling the mother’s care;
and if only once
to encounter new thoughts,
end up confused by one idea or another,
smile at the mirror once a day;
and to follow the dreams that come from a heart;
and to keep on believing in
something marvellous.
A Note
Life is the only way
to bury your feet in snow,
catch a falling snowflake,
breathe in deep;
to be a lion,
or fear its' presence;
to feel love
from everything it's not;
to squish through the sticky mud,
hang from a cliff,
to strive for greatness and the peace within it.
An extraordinary adventure
to remember for a lifetime
the warmth of the bed
during cold winter nights;
and if only once
to reignite a friendship,
end up realizing they never left at all,
have your mended heart rebroken;
and to pick up the pieces all over again;
but to keep on smiling
because it's worth it.
A Note
Life is the only way
to explore big mountains,
chasing pretty butterflies,
smiling widely;
to be hero,
or be saved by one;
to tell wrong
from everything it’s not;
to see a miracle,
the least expected,
to seek the possible opportunities.
And extraordinary time,
to remember for a moment,
the joy of a child’s,
face while playing a game;
and if only once
to stumble upon a lie,
end up reproaching yourself for other’s fault’s,
find your purpose in life;
and to gather all the dissolutions in life;
and to keep aspiring for,
something important.
Adela Corvera
English 12 61609
Another note
Life is the only way
to mind the rising sun,
looking down as you sway,
raise your arms;
to lift yourself,
or sing no longer;
to have fun
from pillaging the farms;
to explore new found lands,
with my own hands,
to see a future for me and my band.
A strange and nostalgic feeling
to be drawn towards a new friend
a feeling of fear
for the days to come;
and if only once
to survive long enough,
breathe life into your humble nest,
protect your fragile chests;
and don't rest easy for your job is not done;
and always give them your best
until your last breath.
A Note
Life is the only way
to pray before the cross,
hide your voice in the crowd,
dive without oxygen;
to be a judge,
or tremble his grim verdict;
to make jokes
from everything it already is;
to swear before the public,
believe your capability
to seek the highest of all possible achievements.
An extraordinary chance
to remember a moment
a fluffy buster
with your responsible for your whole life;
and if only once
to make a movie,
end up named all villains with your enemy’s names,
throw your cell phone into the sea;
and to follow the a plane on the sky with your eyes;
and to keep on not being convincing
nothing important.
A definition
Life is the only way
to get covered in dirt,
for soul to leave the body,
rise above;
to be content,
or feel dismay;
to tell truth
from everything it’s not;
to sit in solitude,
contemplate views,
to reflect upon all of your accomplishments.
The thrill of a new challenge
to skim the top of the ocean
being pulled by a boat
on two water ski’s;
and if only once
to feel the pain of heartbreak,
to end up sopping in tears like a raging waterfall
looking down from a mountain top;
realizing that your journey is over;
the feeling of fulfillment
this life is short.
Life is the only way
to see cold northern lights,
catch its violet glow that day,
and raise your eyes;
to be a scientist,
or explore the unknown;
to talk sincerely
about everything it’s not;
to share most cherished,
hesitate throughout,
to realize treasured dreams vanished..
A believability gesture
to promise each January
to start a life
from the white sheet;
and if only once
to abandon a hope,
vainly hiding desires deep in the soul,
get your dreams come true;
and to open the coveted door impatiently;
and to keep on not deciding
stopping there.
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