Today, we read Steve Guppy's tips for editing poetry, edited our own poems and practiced the workshop method. We'll use day 4 (period one) classes for our future workshop.
That means next day four we'll workshop sooooooooooooo you'll need to have three copies of your poem ready for your group a few days before. I'll remind you. We'll get used to the routine.
Two poems due next day 1.
Make sure that you edit them using Guppy's sheet before you hand it in for marks.
If you are having trouble editing your own poems, find some poetry buddies, people in our class willing to tell it like it is, " I'm so sorry, M'am, but that baby of yours is UGLY."
Don't let politeness interfere with getting to the good writing. Cliches? Cut. Dull adjectives? Cut. No context? Add some. Dull title? Change it. No sense of sound? Add some. No so what? Surprise yourself. If you are writing about something you already know and you learn nothing from the writing, chances are . . . your reader will agree and no one will want to read your poems, including you!!
One of the best ways to improve is to read, read, read modern poetry that appeals to you. Try to imitate it. Ask what is happening? How are they working with sound? Shape? Theme? Titles? Imagination? Metaphors? Line break?
