TASK: 
Study Maine Poetry and then write a 12-line (or longer) poem (RITUAL, ODE, BALLAD) in the style of a traditional Maine poet.  Capture an authentic voice in your poem.


PROCEDURE:

1. Read these short poems with a partner:

"Talking to the Dog" is a ritual poem about…
"Climbing Katahdin" is a ritual poem about…
"We are the Stars Which Sing" is an ode about…
"Out to Pasture" is an ode about…

Our favorite poem is _____________  because:

2. Read “The Wreck of the Hesperus” (class) and respond to the questions:

Click HERE for the poem and the questions.

 

3. Write a 12-line (or longer) poem (RITUAL, ODE, BALLAD) in the style of a traditional Maine poet. The voice should be authentic and the content should relate to some aspect of Maine.

ASSESSMENT #1  -VOICE
The voice is the heart and soul, the magic, the will, along with the feeling and conviction of the individual writer coming out through the words.

ASSESSMENT #2 - CHECKLIST
(20) Poem is a ritual, ode, or ballad 
(20) Poem has 150 words or more
(20) Poem uses punctuation and stanzas to add to meaning
(20) Poem uses descriptive imagery (simile, metaphor, imagery, personification)
(20) Spelling and capitalization are standard

Print Assessment

MAINE LEARNING RESULTS:
 F1 Edit written work for standard English
G7 Write pieces that use descriptive language

See examples below:

THE RITUAL POEM
A ritual poem describes an action that occurs over and over again
like a habit or a tradition.  Free verse is acceptable.
Example: "Talking to the Dog" (Maine Speaks p. 313)

Student Example:  Green Grass is My Water Lilies" BY CT

As I push the lawn mower down the steep hill,
I feel the wind blowing in my face.
As the temperature is now around 80 degrees,
I begin to sweat and mow faster to finish my job.
When I mow, the hum of the engine
Sounds like a hummingbird.

I mow in lines.
I am very particular about the patterns.
I do not like anyone walking on the grass
And therefore upsetting my artwork.
I consider myself the Monet of lawn mowing.

It is now time to empty the bag of grass.
The mower bag is very heavy and moist.
As I dump the grass on the tarp,
I can smell the freshly cut grass.

It's the end of the day.
I love to mow.
It is peaceful.

THE ODE
An ode celebrates a special place, person, or event. 
Free verse is acceptable.
Examples: "Climbing Katahdin" (Maine Speaks p. 333)
"We are the Stars which Sing" (Maine Speaks p. 127)

Student Example: "My Talent" by KB

Drawing soothes me.
It calms me down.
Gives me focus and direction.

Characters from books I read
Almost come to life
When I shape them and
Shade them in.

I can almost hear them
Breathing...
I can almost see them fly
Across the paper
With every sweep of my hand.

Drawing to me is as good
Or better than eating
My favorite ice cream.

THE BALLAD
A ballad tells a story, often tragic, in a long rhyming poem.
Stanzas exist in lines of 4, with the 2nd and 4th lines rhyming.
Example:  “The Wreck of the Hesperus" (Maine Speaks P. 247). 

Student Example:" The Crucial Storm"

As our ship sails out On the 15th of June,
We passed many ships And saw many loons.
After an hour at sea We started to cook some stew
When out of nowhere A storm started to brew.

Lightning shot down the mast And it set it on fire; we started to sink.
Waves crashed over the bow and We got so scared we didn't even wink.
I jumped into a barrel And fell into the sea.
As it started to get cold, I wished for a hot cup of tea.

When I poked my head out of the cold dark barrel
 saw before me a bloody sea, My mates will never hear another carol.
Then a wave splashed over the barrel And my barrel started to fill,
And it sank to the ocean floor below Where everything lay still.