Finding Inspiration to Write Poetry
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As a writer, I'm constantly learning to find inspiration rather than intimidation in the works of others. It can be challenging to read beautiful poetry but constantly feel like my own written words could never compare! To avoid feeling discouraged, I like to find ways I can mimic the writing style of poets and authors that I admire. I have always been a fan of George Ella Lyon, who is well-known for Where I'm From poem. With its beautiful and comforting style, this poem can serve as the perfect mentor text for beginning poets because of its simple yet impactful format. It's no secret that nearly everyone likes to talk and write about themselves, making this the ideal topic that would appeal to a wide range of students.
George Ella Lyon. Retrieved from https://www.nowaterriver.com/national-poetry-month-the-poetry-friday-anthology-for-middle-school-poet-a-palooza-part-1/.
Something that makes Where I'm From poems unique is the way they challenge the poet to consider all the small things that have molded them into the person they are. Writers can find inspiration in an object, photograph, memory, or even a scent when they think about writing their poem (Lyon, n.d.). This artist chose to create their poem in a visual format. Click on the YouTube link to the left to view the video.
Brown Girl Dreaming
by Jacqueline Woodson
When I saw Brown Girl Dreaming on this list of books for this semester, I was instantly excited. This novel is written in verse and tells about the childhood of Jacqueline Woodson, the author, as she grew up in South Carolina. As evidenced by the multiple award stickers on the cover, Brown Girl Dreaming has received the National Book Award, Newberry Honor Award, and several others. I have heard great things about this novel for years and I'm so excited that it is surpassing my expectations.
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A page that stood to me is pictured to the right. I feel like I know her father just by the way she describes him so intimately and vividly here. Although she doesn't describe what he looks like, her choice of words creates a mental image of who is as a person and talented football player.
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There are many things I love about Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming, but my favorite is the way her words seem to melt across the page as I read them. Her words are smooth and effortless and unsophisticated, and they inspire me to write, too.
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Citations
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Lyon, G. E. (n.d.). Where I'm From. Retrieved from http://georgeellalyon.com/where.html