Virtual School. Information Technology. Lesson 5.

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Instant Poems You can use a novel or story which has some interesting passages of description and make it into a poem. Just type out a descriptive paragraph, save it, copy it, then edit it and lay it out in a different way to make it look like a poem. Here is an example made by adding "returns" to make a new line and missing out some words to emphasise the pattern of the remaining words. From the story: The flagstone floor was covered with a brown carpet square, and lino edges. The rag rug stood in front of the leaded range, with oven, coal fire and hob. In one corner, behind a faded curtain, there was a sink with a square Ascot geyser. The window was over the oak dresser, and the street door led straight into the room. An army blanket hung over this door, to keep out the draught. Another door led down into the cellar. A tin bath with a handle at each end hung on this door. There was a battered mahogany sideboard, and an anonymous table. Over the mantelpiece there fitted an over-mantel. It was decorated with oak leaves and acorns. There were cracks in the walls and loose plaster hung threateningly from the ceiling. Condensation and rats were frequent visitors. [from Second From Last In The Sack Race, by David Nobbs] As a poem: Flagstone floor, brown carpet square, lino edges. Rag rug, leaded range, oven, coal fire and hob. Faded curtain, army blanket over the street door, keeping out the draught. Cracks in the walls, loose plaster hangs threateningly from the ceiling. Condensation. Rats. By choosing some words and leaving out others the description is changed. Perhaps it's more concentrated. Can you do better? 1. Try first with the story above - copy the original text to a new file; save it, copy it a second time in the same file and change this second one. this way you have two versions one after the other. 2. Choose your own story. Something you've read recently, it could even be from a newspaper or magazine. It should have detailed description, maybe of a person or place. Choose the most important words, delete the unnecessary words and use returns to make it look like a poem. Send the result to a friend. Do they like it? Are they surprised that you wrote it? Tell them where you got the idea from. TOP