To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,—
One clover, and a bee,
And revery.
The revery alone will do
If bees are few.

–Emily Dickinson

This poem about the power of the imagination invites imitation. I wonder how it would work if it were used as a model?

To make ____(A)______ it takes ____(B)______ and ____(C)______ —
____(B)______ and ____(C)______ ,
and ____(D)______ .
____(D)______ alone will do
if ____(C)______ are few.

• C and D rhyme.
• A is a concrete noun, with B and C as components, also concrete nouns.
• D would be an abstract noun revealing a truth about A.

To make Thanksgiving it takes pumpkin pie and a turkey.
Pumpkin pie, a turkey,
and family.
Family alone will do
If pies are few.

Hmmm … that’s weak but it’s a start.

Would this work with your students?

Posted Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:01:05 and filed under Poetry. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.