TRY THIS TOMORROW: REPETITION IN POETRY
Writing poetry can be daunting, which is why mentor texts are a powerful tool. Poems with a clear structure provide a scaffold for writers who might not know how to get started. Mentor poems in which repetition features prominently make it easy for them to warm up their poetry-writing muscles. Writers can rely on the same or similar repeated words or phrases while adding their own ideas. Don’t forget to share your own version with your students as another model!
Here are a few examples of poems with repetition that might get you and your writers started:
Why I Write Poetry by Leah Kindler
Students can follow Kindler’s lead and create their own “Why I Love” poem and begin every line with “Because…”
Mountain Dew Commercial Disguised as a Love Poem by Matthew Olzmann
Students can borrow Olzmann’s opening line “Here’s what I’ve got, the reasons why…” and follow the same format Olzmann uses to list the reasons.
Possibilities by Wislawa Szymborska
The repetition of “I prefer” at the beginning of each line is a terrific model to share their likes and interests.
Using poetry mentors with repetition is a quick and fun way to inspire students to get started with their own poems.