Poem exercise from "Witness" reading

Witness reading linked here

Poem worth 4 points
Explanation worth 4 points

References and Alluions Poem (Maus/Night Reflection)

Write a poem that uses at least 8 references and allusions to Maus and/or Night to express your witness experience of reading those texts. References should be CAPITALIZED, bold or italicized.

Afterwards, include an explanation of what your poem means, where you incorporated your volta, and how you used references and allusions to the texts.

Poem worth 4 points
Explanation worth 4 points

Personal Narrative (meter and rhyme) Witness Poem

For this assignment, cut and paste the verse and chorus of a familiar song into your blog. Scan (label the accented syllables) to establish a meter and rhyme structure.

Next, rewrite that verse and chorus into a narrative witness poem of personal experience that FOLLOWS THE SAME METER AND RHYME.

Link to the original song to cite the actual meter/rhyme
Explain how you use the meter and rhyme to add meaning to you poem.
Required elements:
same meter and rhyme as original
volta

Poem is worth 4 points
Explanation is worth 4 points

See video below for a demonstration of scanning a poem:

Found Poem

Create a found poem that you transform into a statement of witness.

Begin with an article from a periodical (newspaper/magazine) and cut and paste the relevant text into your blog.

Cite this article by including a link or URL to the source.

Next, manipulate the text, so that it forms a poem. You must apply the following poetic terms and discuss in an accompanying explanation:
line
stanza
volta
end stop
enjambment
caesura

You may write about any topic, but some suggestions are listed below:

Trayvon Martin

Presidential Election

Supreme Court Health Care Case

French Shooting

Vikings Stadium Case

North Korea nuclear tensions

War in Afghanistan


Poem is worth 4 points
Explanation is worth 4 points


Example Found Poem (performed, not written):

"Imagine" Witness Poem

Consider John Lennon's "Imagine." What would your ideal world look like? Write a poem that begins, "Imagine..." and let yourself dream. Remember to be concrete and specific. "Imagine no war" sounds great in a song, but is not effective poetry. How would your perfect world look in concrete and specific terms?

The more focused your details, the more effective your imagery will be. For instance, if your vision of a perfect world is that schools are closed, you could say "No school." "Padlocks on the glass entries of door 7" is more specific. "Confetti made from shredded scantrons" is even more specific. You don't have to say everything, just something concrete and specific. No length requirement; write what you feel. Stop when your feeling has been expressed.

Worth 5 points for on-time completion.