sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Hot Writing Link: poetry Writing with Jack Prelutsky

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If you have ever tried writing poetry for kids you’ll know that it isn’t as easy as it looks. Actually that’s not completely true – it is easy to write a poem – but it isn’t easy to write a GOOD poem, one likely to get published. Today’s link is a to an online poetry workshop which is aimed at kids, but which is a lot of a fun and a great way to get inspired. Jack Prelutsky is the US Children’s Poet Laureate and you’ll find his workshop here.
Enjoy!

Poetic Pemberthy

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Pemberthy, the singing, blogging bear has written another poem. This time he’s been quite adventurous and written a triolet. This is a French poetic form with eight lines, and the challenge of repeating lines, but Pemberthy likes challenges. You can read his new composition here.

Rhyming Bear

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My friend Pemberthy has written a new poem – this time a diamante. Check it out!

I have said it before, but I’ll say it again. Writing in different poetic forms is good discipline for developing writing skills, and it’s fun, too.

Why not write a diamante of your own?

Another Useful Site

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Pemberthy decided to write a haiku this morning, and I helped him find some information about the form to include his blog.

The search led me to a site which has a listing of over 500 poetic forms. You can see the list here. Each poetic term is a clickable link which leads you to an explanation of the form and, in many cases, further links to examples of the form. It’s fun to experiment with different poetic forms. It can also be great for discipline.

Writing a haiku requires you to bare everything down to just 17 syllables. Abbreviated haiku, I’ve just discovered, have even less – just nine syllables. Other forms need very specific rhyme or rhythm patterns.

Even if you don’t think you’re a poet, why not have a go? You could start with something relatively simple (and fun) such as a limerick, or might want to challenge yourself with any of the other 500 forms. Pemberthy and I will certainly be exploring further.

Let me know how you get on.

sallymurphy.com.au