bugs5

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Bug Activity #5: Things that "Bug" Me Poems

Many wonderful inventions were developed as the inventor pondered the following question..."You know what really bugs me?" What does this have to do with poetry? This activity helps you to write a poem about things that bug you.

This activity is condensed from an activity "How to Write a 'What Bugs Me' List Poem," by Bruce Lansky, the activity in its entirety can be found at http://www.poetryteachers.com.

Your Assignment:

Brainstorm a list of a least 20 things that bug you (dad's snoring, dog's breath, people who talk to themselves, etc)
You might want to list the people/animals in your life and then list what bugs you about them. Here's how the list would look.

"My mother:

She makes me take the garbage out.
She makes me practice the piano.
She makes me turn off the TV and do my homework.
As soon as I go to my room, she turns on the TV and watches it.
and so on.

Then add similar details for other people and animals on the list including:

My father:
My sister:
My best friend: cat2.gif (9578 bytes)
The neighborhood bully:
My brother:
My dog:
My cat:
My hamster:"

©Bruce Lansky

Read the information written by Bruce Lansky in the box below.

"A list poem is one of the easiest kinds of poems to write because it doesn't require either rhythm or rhyme. But that doesn't mean you should write anything down helter skelter. Here's a list of elements that makes a list poem a poem instead of just a list:

1) The writer is telling you something--pointing something out--saying, "Look at this," or, "Think about this."
2) There's a beginning and end to it, like in a story.
3) The list is arranged with stylistic consistency and the words are arranged to create a parallel structure." ©Bruce Lansky

In other words, the poem needs to make sense and have some kind of flow to it.

Go to the bottom of webpage listed below http://www.poetryteachers.com/poetclass/lessons/bugsme.html and read Bruce Lansky's list about his brother. Then read the poem he wrote from his list. See how he made the list into a poem.
Open a Word document.
Look at your list and write a poem about the things that "bug" you.
You can add clipart before you print or print and then illustrate your poem.
Don't forget to turn it in.

Wanna read some other poems that were written from list?

Shel Silverstein's poem "Sick" is written from a list of ailments.
"How to Torture Your Teacher" by Bruce Lansky also looks like it started from a list.

Go to Bug Activity #6:

Do you have any questions? Comments?
E-mail Nancy Bosch
nbosch@aol.com, web editor
Last update 09/19/08 01:39 PM
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(excluding "Effective Practices for Gifted Education in Kansas")

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