POETRY FOR DUMBIES

[Pypermarru1]

I facilitate a gay youth group every Friday night. The kids come and chill and we try and have some creative, fun things for them to do. One of my fellow facilitators is a champion slam poet. She recently represented the State of New Mexico in a Slam competition. Needless to say, she has street cred.
Last night she conducted a poetry workshop. She handed out these forms to each of us, kids and facilitators alike, and told us that we have 20mins to fill it out. I had some trepidation because I am not a poet and no form is going to make me one.
We were told to just jot down what we wanted and not worry about following the form to the letter. We could move lines around...etc, after 20mins we would share with the group.

The form is as follows:

I am from ____________________________(specific ordinary item)

from ____________________________(product names)

I am from the _______________________________(home description)

_________________________________________________________________________
(adjectives, details)

I am from the ___________________________(plant, flower, natural item)

And the _____________________________________(describe the weather where you live)

I'm from _______________________ and __________________(family traditions or hobbies)

From ___________________and ________________(family members)

I'm from ___________________ and __________________(adjectives to describe your family)

I'm from ___________________________and__________________(things you hear daily)

I'm from ___________________________ and _________________________
(favorite day of the week) (favorite holday)

I'm from ________________________________(place of birth)

and ____________________________ and ________________________(food that represents family)


From ______________________________________(specific family story)

_________________________________________________________________________________


It turned out to be a great tool. The kids loved it and begrudingly, so did I. If any of you are interested, you should take 20mins and fill out the form and then share it with us here on the Ark. I for one never thought of myself as a poet, but it turns out, I'm a poet and didnt know it....:) Here's mine:

Where I'm From

I am from the sound of the record before the song plays
from hamburgers being made in a frying pan and powdered milk.
I am from the upstairs corner bedroom with the Janet Jackson poster and half empty cans of soda.
I am from the bails of hay on my grandpas farm, tall sunflowers and ivy.
chilly mornings into sunny days.
I'm from bingo, rag tag, and sitcoms
from burping uncles and loudmouth neighbors
I'm from talkative, affectionate and funny.
I'm from "put that seatbelt on or santa aint come'n" and "ahh, come here hillbiliy it's gonnna be alright"
I'm from Sunday mornings and Tuesday nights.
Ketchup and beans and homemade breads.
From double feature drive-in movies in my wonder woman underoos
I'm from California and summers in New Mexico

I hope some of you give it a try. I was suprised at how much we all enjoyed listening to each others. The kids had some really outstanding poems, made me feel uber inadequate. Fuck it, I did it and I'm glad I did. Now I have one poem in my book of ..well I dont have a book, but that poem got me some major cool points with the kids. Well worth it.

[spacemonkey1310]

This is great. I feel a video coming on. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Jim]

Okay, here's mine. I wrote it before I read yours, Pyper. Yours is excellent.


Where I'm From

I'm from dog leash,

From Ipana, Kent, and Burgie.

I'm from checkerboard hall,

Chaotic, crazy, happy.

I'm from rubber tree, from sweet pea,

From foggy summer.

I'm from horseback riding, pogo sticking,

From Eleanor, from Jean,

Conversation, food-consumption,

"I'm on the phone!", "Get off the phone!"

From Saturday, from Christmas,

From Baghdad-by-the-Bay,

Corn on the cob, and oh, that yummy spaghetti.

I'm from a city slicker/country bumpkin, one-to-two, male-to-female,

The younger you are, the taller you are, world.

[NatureJunkie]

No, I didn't know you were a poet. But now I know all about you.

[SydTheSkeptic]

Well I ain't no slam poetry champ but I do this with my kids at the start of each year. Fun stuff.

[Pypermarru1]

@SM - cool...go...be inspired.
@JIm - thanks for play'n. Not bad mister...not bad
@deb - thanks lady
@NJ - Shit. I was working the mysterious angle and now I have blown it with a poem.:0)
@syd - she is also a teacher. That explains the standard form thingy.

[JustDee]

I am from egg whiskers
I am from arm & hammer
I am from the center hall ranch with the crazy colored shag carpeting and the bad linoleum tile and the dark brown paneling and the crazy flowered sheets on the walls...
I am from aloe, the peace lily and brown dried up leaves that crunch as I walk up the steps to my house.
And the crisp spring morning
I'm from Christmas Eve pajamas and Sunday morning brunches
From Aley, Kim, Katelyn, Amanda and Joe.
I'm from crazy and laughing.
I'm from "I love you" and "can I go to Jacob's on Saturday?"
I'm from Sunday and mother's day
I'm from West Islip
and Spaghetti and meatballs
From "this string walks into a bar"

Well, I tried to answer with the first things that came into my mine, I don't know how much sense it will make, but it seemed like an interesting project...

[SydTheSkeptic]

Dee, that was AWEsome!!

[NatureJunkie]

I wouldn't think that you'd need to be a poet to make "major cool points." You facilitate a gay youth group. How cool is THAT!

[Pypermarru1]

@Dee - good stuff lady. Thanks for try'n it. I enjoy reading people versions
@NJ - I think they are lucky that we are in a time that allows for such groups. Could have used this kind of reaffirming group when I was a young'n.

[gabrielized]

I am from the the far-flung Isles of Langerhans, where the sun always rises, and we're all too high.

I am from the daisychain of laughter, and the chilly wind from the north.

I'm from procrastination and sleepy afternoons, and from John and Sylvia.

I'm from stubbornness and verbal sparring,

I'm from frustration station and it is what it is.

I'm from Saturday, and Halloween, and

I'm from Harvey, home to tall rabbits and the Odd Fellows Hall,

and I'm from Kouzou Kzartma, harvest bake and the best apple pie I will never taste again.

I'm from the milkman who decked his horse when the horse bit him, and the soldier in the brig for telling the truth. I'm from the railroad telegrapher who finally could take no more.