Title: The Bones of Poetry - Similes and Metaphors

1. Title: The Bones of Poetry - Similes and Metaphors Today’s Objective: to identify similes and metaphors and to defend their usage in poems. Copy these definitions into your NOTES! SimileA figure of speech which involves a direct comparison between two unlike things, usually with the words like or as. Example: The muscles on his brawny arms are strong as iron bands. MetaphorA figure of speech which involves an implied comparison between two relatively unlike things using a form of be. The comparison is not announced by like or as. Example: The road was a ribbon of moonlight.

2. The Origin of All Poems ‘Introduction to Poetry’ I ask them to take a poem and hold it up to the light like a color slide or press an ear against its hive. I say drop a mouse into a poem and watch him probe his way out, or walk inside the poem's room and feel the walls for a light switch. I want them to waterski across the surface of a poem waving at the author's name on the shore. But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with rope and torture a confession out of it. They begin beating it with a hose to find out what it really means. -- Billy Collins Cousin Billy Collins Poet Laureate of the United States 2001-2003 Poet Laureate of New York State 2004-2006 CLASSWORK: Find examples of the five ideas we used to compose our class poem (death, poetry, love, longing, dangerous) in this poem. List three things that seem important to this poet. Extension: Why do you think these ideas are important to him?

3. Simile Starters! Directions: Fill in the blanks for five of the following. Compare each thing to an object or situation that is really different. Be as creative, detailed, and surprising as you can! Example: My street sounds like ______________ My street is always really quiet, so it sounds like the random ruffling of paper during an exam. • My street sounds like… • My father/grandfather snores like… • A spider on an old man’s beard is like… • ____________________ is like muscles stretched taut over bone. • The wind whispers like…

4. A poem should be palpable and mute As a globed fruit, Dumb As old medallions to the thumb, Silent as the sleeve-worn stone Of casement ledges where the moss has grown– A poem should be wordless As the flight of birds. - A poem should be motionless in time As the moon climbs, Leaving, as the moon releases Twig by twig the night-entangled trees, Leaving, as the moon behind the winter leaves. Memory by memory the mind– A poem should be motionless in time As the moon climbs. - A poem should be equal to: Not true. For all the history of grief An empty doorway and a maple leaf. For love The leaning grasses and two lights above the sea– A poem should not mean But be. • Activities/Questions • Underline the similes in the poem • Put a star next to the ones that jump out at you or that you find beautiful. • Why does the author suggest a poem should be “wordless”? • “A poem should be equal to: • Not true” What does that mean to you? • Extension: Do you like this poem? Why or why not? Ars Poetica

5. Wrap it up! • Write a simile for your poem • Write a metaphor for your poem 2)Defend: the use of similes and metaphors in language is vitally important. Why?