All posts in Timothy David Rey

‘Being alone but feeling accompanied’: ‘If I were…’ Poems

After reading Michael Salinger’s poem ‘ If I Were A Gear, ‘ students experimented with metaphors and extended metaphors. Lesson Note: “The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor. It […]

‘Memories left in a bind:” Elegies

Students wrote elegies on lost people, places, things, and feelings. Lesson Note: “…research reveals the role of elegy writing in acknowledging and nurturing ongoing bonds with lost loved ones.” – The Literature of Loss: […]

‘And I understood sadness…’: Elegies

Students wrote elegies on lost people, places, things, and feelings. Lesson Note: “…research reveals the role of elegy writing in acknowledging and nurturing ongoing bonds with lost loved ones.” – The Literature of Loss: […]

In the Black: Blackout Poetry

Blackout Poetry: A blackout poem is created when a poet takes a marker (usually black marker) to already established text–like that from a newspaper–and starts redacting words until a poem or image is formed. […]

‘jellyfish, sharks, and sea anemone’: Aimee Nezhukumatahil Imitation Poems

What were our favorite TV shows when we were young? What did they teach us? What makes a hero (both real and imagined), and how can we learn from them (even the villains) and […]

‘For fortitude fills each word that I speak.’: How We Talk Poems

Students read Langston Hughes’ poem, ‘Motto,’ and then wrote their short poems using modern slang.  “Motto” by Langston Hughes I play it cool And dig all jive That’s the reason I stay alive. My […]

‘It felt like a trip I wanted/ to go back to:’ Meditaiton Poems

Students participated in a short meditation and breathing exercise. I read them. I Close My Eyes by David Ignatow. After the meditation, they were asked to write whatever came to mind. Classwork was conducted […]

‘To be hapcited’: Emotion Poems

Students talked about and then wrote poems about emotions using personification and other poetic devices. Some students created new emotions to write about by combining two existing emotions. Lesson Note: “Developing creativity in students […]

‘I take a big, deep breath’: Meditation Poems

Students participated in a short meditation and breathing exercise. I read I Close My Eyes by David Ignatow.  After the meditation, they were asked to write whatever came to mind. Classwork was conducted in […]

‘A family is…’: Abecedarians

Students wrote “Abecedarian” poems that use the entire alphabet as the lefthand spine of the poem. Lesson Note: Abecedarian poetry offers a structured framework to explore complex ideas. It allows the poet to navigate […]

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I’M FROM THE CITY LIGHTS / STREAMING OUT IN THE NIGHT / AND HUGE SKYSCRAPERS / TOWERING OVER THE LAKE – MELISSA E., 7TH GRADE POET