Collaborative Poem (Day 2)

1. Get into groups of 2, 3, or 4. No one should work alone for this project.

2. After you have chosen your groups, gather together and decide on a topic or theme for your poem. As most collaborative slam poetry, it might be easiest to agree on a political or social problem that you are all concerned with. 

To gather ideas, each person in the group should suggest a topic, write down the topic, then go around the circle adding other options. After you have gone around a few times (and everyone has at least contributed two ideas) look at the list and agree on a topic.

Go no further than this step. Your group should FIRST agree with the topic. When you have decided, go on to step #3.

3. The rules:

A. All group members must speak. Your tone can shift from one PERSONA to the next.

B. All group members must contribute to the poem in some significant way. You will evaluate each other at the end of this process.

C. Help each other. Suggest revisions, give each other advise about performance, etc.

D. Include gestures and "blocking" for your performance. Mark up and score your "scripts."

You may find it helpful to first come up with a REFRAIN (a response line or choral line): a repeated line that all group members recite together or at different times to cue your group members as to where you are in the poem. Write the draft of the poem together first. Once you have a draft, print out enough copies for each of your members, then gather to practice and block the performance.

Begin your writing of the first draft. By the end of class today you should have your poem written. If you have written your first draft, please turn in a copy, keep copies for your group members, and begin rehearsing the poem.

HOMEWORK: Please read the poems in the packet given to you in class. For each poem, identify the TONE. Write the tone down on a slip of paper and hand in for next class. If you did not finish your poem in class, it is late and you should complete it for homework.