Reading and Writing Poetry

How do we draft a poem?

You need to write about things that describe you such as, " I run faster than a bullet." Use metaphors and similes to describe yourself. For example use a metaphor - "I'm a hot tomale." Or use a simile - "I'm as strong as a steel girder."

Make a list of these metaphors and similes and use them in your self -portrait poem.

If you have writer's block, refer to self-portrait poems like " Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou, " I, Too, Sing America" by Langston Hughes.

Write a rough draft; read it to a friend. Find out if your friend thinks this is a good description of you. Write and rewrite.

Refer to the website http://poetry.teachingmatters.org.