Open (A Poem) About yourself

Open (A poem) About yourself

English 12

OReilly



It's time to get to know one another. And as this is an English class, what better way to do it than with a rhyme. The only requirement for this poem is that it rhyme. The rhymes can be internal to the line, such as in Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven":

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door —
Only this, and nothing more."

Or the rhymes may come at the end of the sentences as in a limerick with the rhyme scheme AABBA:


The limerick packs laughs anatomical (A)

In space that is quite economical, (A)

But the good ones I've seen (B)

So seldom are clean, (B)

And the clean ones so seldom are comical. (A)



Here's one about me with a rhyme scheme AABBCCDD etc

I Want to Tell You ‘Bout Me

I want to tell you ‘bout me,

It’s not so easy, you see,

For who’s to say what’s the truth

If I’m fine or uncouth

It’s all point of view

Nothing is true

Depends on whom you talk to

One thing I know

Of a few things I’m sho’

I’ve suffered hard knocks.

I think out of the box

Despite nasty rumours

I keep some sense of humor

My bluntness leaves some reeling

‘Cause, to me, truth’s appealing

I say some hard words

To teach of the world

Not to hurt or destroy

But to finally bring joy

When students comprehend

Truth’s a means to an end

To find pathways and roads

‘way from resentment

toward a more peaceful place of peace and contentment.

Here's one with a rhyme scheme of ABCB

My Name's OReilly

Yes, my name's OReilly

And I teach English here

I would rather teach Spanish

Of that I am clear.

I was raised up in Soquel

Of this school I was not fond

The people left me cold

And I wanted to abscond

The story's too long to tell

But here I am now

Teaching at Soquel

Against all my vows

And that’s what’s so funny

That’s what’s so strange

Actually I like it

My whole life re-arranged.

Rubric:

1-5 points a piece: 5 points=yes, perfect, nailed it 4 points=did it mostly, but missed a few elements 3 points=a bit more than half way there 2 points=did it last minute, half asleep, slapped something on the paper 1 point=pathetic attempt 0 points=at the beach, way too sunburned, waves dude

______Write a poem of at least five lines

______Have some kind of rhyme scheme

______ The poem is about you. Be honest. Reveal something about yourself.

______ Mount the poems on a poster and illustrate it OR simply type it up, give me a copy, memorize it, and recite it for the class in an animated and entertaining way.

Please note: Wikipedia has a nice rundown of different rhyme schemes if you would like to peruse alternate patterns for ideas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyme_scheme