Internal Monologue Poem Draft

Please watch the following poems. These all have a SPEAKER, a PURPOSE, and a specific AUDIENCE. For each poem, consider who is the speaker, who is the speaker talking to (the intended audience), and the reason WHY the speaker is speaking.

1. The Lanyard by Billy Collins
2. Do Not Stand At My Grave
3. Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa

When we write poems, we need to remember:

A. Not all poems are about the poet (while this is common, it is better to consider the SPEAKER in the poem to be a PERSONA: a character the writer uses to explore a human feeling, subject, or event.)

B. Poems use imagery: figurative language, metaphor, simile, personification, allusion, detail

Using the character sheet from Monday's class, please use it and the details you created as the SPEAKER or PERSONA for your poem. This character should be someone fictional, perhaps BASED ON YOU, but NOT YOU specifically! Turn in your character design sheet with your poem draft by the end of class today.

In verse please write a internal monologue poem. Length is up to you. Title your piece the name of the character. Use the poems you read or listened to as models. Use your character sheet to provide details in which you identify the speaker, the audience, and the speaker's goal (i.e., WHO, WHY, and To WHOM (your audience)). Print this out and turn in by the end of class today.

HOMEWORK: I will be collecting your journals during class (Friday). Please leave these with the substitute at the end of class.