Poetry: Starting from Scratch : A Two Week Lesson Plan for Teaching Poetry Writing

by Michael Carey

The job is not to get nice little poems out of people. It's to get the process started. Carey uses the two week lesson plan in this book to teach students of all ages. He uses it successfully in schools, workshops and even prisons. Creative thinking is emphasized through unexpected association. Use all six sight, sound, smell, hearing, tough and what you feel in your heart. Put a quarter in your ear, press a finger to your nose, open your eyes and repaint the picture on paper. Vivid imagery makes a picture come to life. Do not write it -- repaint it with words, capturing the images, mood, thought and colors. The students know they are poets when they see their words making people laugh or ry or sit in awed silence.

120 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1989

About the author

Michael Carey has been published in fine literary magazines across the US, Ireland and Great Britain. He is the author of 5 books of poetry, a teaching manual, and two plays. He is founder and editor of Loess Hills Books and Carrauntoohil Books. He hosts a syndicated Public Radio program "Voices from the Prairie" sponsored by Humanities Iowa. He is also Artistic Chair of the Des Moines National Poetry Festival and Past-President of the Omaha Chapter of the Irish American Cultural Institute.

Reviews

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carey's book is one of my go-to texts when getting students excited to write poetry. The student and adult mentor texts are fantastic, and Carey's poems are powerful and evocative. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for ways to make poetry writing fun and approachable.

[Albert Bookmonch]

Excellent guide to the process of writing poetry. Very direct. Has none of the florid prose you often see with this kind of book. Gets right to the heart of understanding simile and metaphor as well as other key devices. I think a newcomer could write a credible poem after reading this book.

[Teresa Lawler · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you teach poetry or write poetry, this book is for you.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and effective. There is a lot of good insight.

[Owain Sé · Rating 2 out of 5]

Paralysingly dull. The author’s mediocre poetry invalidated any authority he had on the matter. However, this serves as an acceptable tool for any child interested in writing poetry.