Poetry for ESL leads:

Three Poetry Exercises

December 31, 2008 Nijma If you want to exercise your creative muscles more in the new year, here are some poetry exercises:

Cinquain
This French poetry form can be used with any cultural group or skill level of English. My beginning ESL students love it. The format is: Line 1: States a subject in one word (usually a noun) Line 2: Describes the subject in two words (often a noun and an adjective or two adjectives) Line 3: Describes an action about the subject in three words (often three infinitives, or a three word sentence) Line 4: Expresses an emotion about the subject in four words. Line 5: Restates the subject in another single word that reflects what has already been said (usually a noun) Example (in French and English): Chien Optimiste perpetual Attend son maitre Il entend des pas Joie! Dog Perpetual optimist Waiting for his master He hears steps Joy

Form Poems
(from Zee)

Compression channels ones creativity. Its a syllabic poem, 2-4-6-8-2 syllables per line. Example: The Courtship of Medusa He came up behind her and braided her wild locks. Who are you? She turned to see him harden.

Poetry slams
Zee: Nijma, Im not a typical slammerIve slammed sonnetsyes, trust is key. We found starting with ones name helps. Also, a fellow poet friend of mine has an awesome breathing exercise. Inhale nose, exhale nose = air inhale mouth, exhale nose = fire inhale nose, exhale mouth = water inhale mouth, exhale mouth = earth Each energy has its benefits Each in turn is a good warm up.

United Kingdom

Attila the Stockbroker Francesca Beard Pete Brown Craig Charles John Cooper Clarke Jegsy Dodd Matt Harvey John Hegley

HKB FiNN Linton Kwesi Johnson Anthony Joseph Liverpool Poets Roger McGough The Medway Poets Ted Milton

Jeremy Reed Lemn Sissay Rod Summers Verbswish Tony Walsh Seething Wells Luke Wright Peter Wyton Murray Lachlan

Adrian Henri Michael Horovitz

Andrew Motion Brian Patten

Young Benjamin Zephaniah SuperPennie Scroobius Pip