Poems About BooksAcrostic Poetry to Summarize Plot

In an acrostic poem the title (topic) is printed vertically, letter by letter. Each letter is used in the construction of the phrases or sentences which describe the topic.

Snow Whitenever should have touched thatold apple! The wicked

Witch had her enchanted, butin steppedthe prince and they lived happilyever after.

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Wilting in a life that offered only failure, Waltereased out of reality.

MaybeIt was the only way to stay young and heroic.

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Plan of Action1. Choose a title, preferably not too long.2. Brainstorm words that pertain to the story and start with the appropriate letters.3. See what you can say that summarizes the plot.4. If sustained phrases are too difficult, try this form to analyze setting or character, using each

letter for an adjective that describes the locale or the hero of the story.

Haiku to Study Setting

The haiku tries to capture through word imager the mood or feeling that a scene or natural setting has aroused in the winter. In each of these haiku, note the sensory images.

Pale moon bears witnessTo a savage Yukon scene; Scarlet stains on snow.

Call of the Wild

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The heath clothed in crepedriving rain and gnawing winda lone woman waits.

Return of the Native

Plan of Action1. Select a key scene from a book in which setting is important.2. Re-read the entire passage or chapter, and make a list of all the words or groups of words that

help you visualize the setting.3. Choose two or three images that are most important to visualizing the setting you have chosen

from the book.4. Arrange your choice of word images in the form of haiku. Revise and shape your lines until you

are satisfied.5. Remember that a haiku is always written in three lines, counting syllables—five syllables in the

first line, seven in the second, and five again in the third.

Diamante

A diamante is an arrangement of carefully chosen words about two topics that are the opposite of each other. Each line has an exact number and the same kind of words. It can be thought of as two cinquains, one flipped over and written under the other. Because your must describe your topics in a limited number of words, you should choose words that convey the meaning in a powerful, poetic way. Follow the format below to complete a diamante. The second topic should be the opposite of the first topic.

Line 1: write a noun that namesyour first topic

Line 2: Write two adjectives that describe your first topic

Line 3: Write three verbs ending in “-ing” that show what your first topic does

Line 4: Write two nouns that rename yourfirst topic and tow nouns that rename your second topic.

Line 5: Write three verbs ending in “-ing”that show what your second topic does

Line 6: Write two adjectives that describe your second topic

Write a noun that names yoursecond topic

Examples:

Diamante, a close cousin of the cinquain, is a form of unrhymed poetry. Because its physical appearance on paper resembles that of a diamond, it was christened with the Italian word for diamond. It is often used to explore opposites and works well when exploring a dramatic change in a literary character or in comparing two characters who are complete opposites.

____________

____________ , ____________

____________ , ____________ , ____________

___________ , ___________ , ___________ , ____________

____________ , ____________ , ____________

____________ , ____________

____________

Cinderella

Orphanpoor, lonely

sweeping, scrubbing, longing,stepmother, kitchen—ballroom, godmother

dancing, loving, wining,happy, enchanted

princess

Tale of Two Cities

best of timesfaithful, hopeful

working, wanting, awaking,light, wisdom—foolishness, darkness

spending, stirring, slidingincredulous, desperate

worst of times

Plan of Action for Diamante

1. Name the topic (first line)2. Decide on the antonym (last line)3. Select two describing words (adjectives) for the topic noun.4. Select two describing words (adjectives) for the antonym.5. Generate three action words (verbs) for the topic noun.6. Generate three action words (verbs) for the antonym.7. Decide on four words (nouns are best) two of which fit the topic noun and two of which fit the

antonym, ending noun.8. Put them together in the following pattern:

Topic (noun)Two describing words (adjectives)

Three action words (use the –ing form of the verbs)Two words to capture topic—two words to capture the antonym

Three action words for ending nounTwo describing words for ending noun

Ending noun—antonym

Who-What-When-Where-Why Poetry

This type of poetry allows you to summarize the basic elements in any work of literature.

The Yearling Romeo and Juliet

The boy Jody Two star-crossed loversshot Flag, the yearling, took their livesat the edge of the sin-hole in Capulet’s monumenton the last day of his boyhood. One dark and starless nightA man must “take it for his share in continuance of their parents’ rage.and go on.”

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Plan of Action:1. Brainstorm answers to the five W’s.2. Work the answers into five phrases that seem balanced and pertinent to the work being

discussed.3. Line these up with proper punctuation.4. Give the work a title that indicates the source.

Definition Poetry

Definition poetry is a form of free verse that uses a selection of succinct phrases to define an idea or a concept. It is important to use picturesque sensitive phrases that are brief and have a good balance of images and expressions of feeling.

What have you learned? Work togetherBuild to lastDo it rightMake it goodLock the doorDistrust strangersListen for huffingBeware of wolvesSuffer the consequences

That’s what we’ve learned.

--The Three Little PigsWhat is cold?

A subtle gloomAbsence of sunAll pure whiteSpittle crackling in airSeventy-five below Fine powder of frostNumbness of fingersHands like weightsSentence of death

That is cold.

Plan of Action

1. Select a topic appropriate to the work being studied. The topic could have to do with the setting, character, theme, symbol, or stylistic devices.

2. Brainstorm phrases that fit the topic.3. Arrange these in an effective manner, keeping tone and rhythm in mind.4. Add the introductory and concluding lines at the margin. The other lines are all indented.

Usually no more than nine phrases are used.