EL 210-4
Spring 2009
Instructor: Lily Rabinoff-Goldman
Poem #3: Voice 

Developing a Poetic Voice

Choose one of the following assignments.  
Whichever poem you choose should be no more than 1 page long.
Due Tuesday, 2/17

Things to consider:
-	What poetic strategies are you using to develop a unique voice?  Diction?  Rhythm?
-	How might you incorporate metaphor and image to strengthen your poetic voice?
-	What characteristics of the poetic voice do you want the reader to understand?  What do you want the reader’s attitude towards the poetic voice be?

Poem 1
Following in the model of “You Bring Out the Mexican in Me,” “Here,” or “Song of Myself,” write a poem that addresses a specific part of your identity using a strong poetic voice.  You may choose to write about your ethnic/cultural identity, like Cisneros, your gender/age identity, like Paley, or your personal sense of self, like Whitman.  Be sure to utilize the vocabulary and images that are unique to you and your persona as the poet.  
*** If you choose this option, be sure to write about subject matter that you feel comfortable sharing with members of the class. ***

Poem 2
Following in the model of “Kong Looks Back on His Tryout With the Bears,” develop a fictional persona, and write a poem from that persona’s point of view.  Your poetic persona may be a fictional character (famous or invented), or anything non-human of your choosing.  Try to invent a diction that represents the frame of reference for this persona.  Have fun but don’t forget the fundamental building-blocks of good poetry: imagery, metaphor, and poetic stance.