Teaching Writing: Poets in the Making

"Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; 

it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality. 

But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things." - T.S. Elliot

Writing poem is an easy lesson to plan if one knows how to conduct it. In my class of Teaching of Writing with Prof. Dr. Jayakaran Mukundan, I learned to create simple poems, which can be utilised in ESL classrooms. Everyone has talent and the teacher need to discover the talents that the students have been hiding or never once noticed all this while. Start with simple forms and move slowly to the higher level depending on the students' language proficiency. Here are some of the examples;

#1 I Wish.

I wish I was a ..........

I wish I had ..........

I wish I could ..........

Free sentence.

Example: Click here.

#2 Hello, Goodbye.

Hello ..........

Goodbye ..........

Example: Click here.

#3 Analogy Poem.

*the analogy could be on anything...fruits, animals, cartoon characters etc. The example below is suitable for fruits analogy. You may alter the form.

When I think of ..........

I can see your ..........

I can smell ..........

I can feel ..........

I can taste ..........

Example: Click here.

#4 Old Enough, Young Enough.

I am old enough to ..........

I am young enough to ..........

Example: Click here.

Click the links below for more examples of simple poem that you can try in your classroom! Happy trying everyone!

1. Shafik (http://akuseorangpoet.blogspot.com/) 
2. Ikram (http://wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow.blogspot.com/)
3. Aliff (http://scribblethatmuse.wordpress.com/)
4. Rizal (http://creativewritingbyrizal.blogspot.com)   <--- MINE!
5. Emily (http://emilychinwriting.blogspot.com/)
6. Izati Zainal (http://grandespoemas21.blogspot.com/)
7. Fatin Lea (http://leasnotebookscribbles.blogspot.com/)
8. Nabilah Wardah (http://nawar91.blogspot.com/)
9. Siti Mariam (http://mariamjerr.blogspot.com/)
10. Farah Zulkefly Balan (http://whenfarahspeaksart.blogspot.com/)
11. Nurzulaika (http://zuiwzuzu.blogspot.com/)
12. Fizur (http://iwriterubbish.blogspot.com/)
13. Lam (http://itswherewritingbegins.blogspot.com/)
14. Dalilah (http://heytheredelilahsays.blogspot.com/)
15. Najwa (http://theonlynajwa.blogspot.com/)
16. Hazman (http://jmlancz.blogspot.com/)
17. Rina Bberi (http://rinabberi91.blogspot.com/)
18. Hema (http://writeasyouwish.blogspot.com/)
19. Khairi (http://poetic-lust.tumblr.com)
20. Qing Yi (http://tissuepaperpoems.tumblr.com/)
21. Zati Zin ( http://zoeyzin.blogspot.com/)
22. Nateesha (http://tshagill.blogspot.com/)
23. Imran (http://imran-160761.tumblr.com/)
24. Nurul Amyra Mohd Saufi (http://icreativewriting.blogspot.com/)
25. Nur Arifah bt Ramli ( http://poetrymaniac91.blogspot.com/ )
26. Muhammad Syahmi Bin Rahim (http://poetinprocesses.blogspot.com)
27. Mohamad Iqram(http://creativewritingbyiqram.blogspot.com)
28. Julianita(http://neverquoteme.blogspot.com)
29. Amalina Sulaiman (http://leensulaiman.blogspot.com)
30. Eirfaan 'Afif (http://efangardenia.blogspot.com)
31. Yazid (http://yazzeidyassein.blogspot.com)
32. Niwa (http://brainthoughtshewrote.blogspot.com/)
33. Mugilan (http://mmugilan.blog.com/) 
34. Precintha (http://precinthajamesincreativewriting.blogspot.com/)
35. Hakimah( http://zilchzenith.blogspot.com)
36. Caryn Lim (http://carynpoetry.blogspot.com/)
37. Adibah K (http://dibawritestoo.tumblr.com/)
38. Mahira (http://mengarutmuchismahira.blogspot.com/)
39. Hasanah (http://blueskyonme.blogspot.com/)
40. Nurul Atiqah Mohd Azmi (http://multitudearts.blogspot.com/)
41. Yong Cun (http://everyone-can-write.blogspot.com/)
42. Dharshiinie (http://relaxpoemterritory.weebly.com/)
43. Jessy Anne (http://poemadeasy.weebly.com/)
44. Waheida Azmy (http://eidahavoc.blogspot.com/)
45. Yomana a/p Chandran (http://writeasyoulike.blogspot.com/)
46. Nur Afiqah Binti Affandi (http://poetryforllife.blogspot.com/)
47. Amirul Syahmee bin Ibrahim (http://amirulsyahmee-creativewriting.blogspot.com)
48. sidqi (http://dqieabdullah.blogspot.com/)
49. Amariah (http://flexiexpressi.blogspot.com/)
50. Hong ( http://kyleyiphongyeng.blogspot.com/)
51. Ann Loke ( http://getextramark.blogspot.com/)
52. Amir (http://mickeymousedead.blogspot.com/?m=1)
53. Fawwazia Firzah (http://poeticdotcom.blogspot.com/)
54. Azham (http://blogginglish.blogspot.com)
55. Alaina (http://wordsandcreativity.blogspot.com)
56. Nelisa (http://tadpohlwritespoems.blogspot.com)
57. Rose (http://twsrose.blogspot.com/)
58. Aiman (http://thingstododuringfinals.blogspot.com)
59. Mardhiah (http://wardatulmusleh.blogspot.com/)
60. Azam (http://alexdennial.blogspot.com/)

credits to all of TESL Terrors of UPM.