Poetry Project

To the friend I broke up with

-Lynne Ferguson

Life is a jigsaw puzzle And people are the little pieces-- All different colours And all different shapes and sizes. Sometimes you pick up a piece And match it with another, And the colours blend perfectly, And they fit into each other. But in our case, The colours clashed, And the jagged little edges Just wouldn't fit together, No matter how hard we push them. I guess we could have changed. But isn't it against the rules To cut up the pieces So that they fit together?

Mother to Son

- Langston Hughes

Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor -- Bare. But all the time I'se been a-climbin' on, And reachin' landin's, And turnin' corners, And sometimes goin' in the dark Where there ain't been no light. So boy, don't you turn back. Don't you set down on the steps 'Cause you finds it's kinder hard. Don't you fall now -- For I'se still goin', honey, I'se still climbin', And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

On Monday, Ms. Chase will talk to you about how to create a visual representation of your poem (if that is your choice). It is very important that you have selected a poem (or potential poems) by then. You are welcome to use any of the examples I have shared so far, but I suggest that you take today to do some searching for a poem that really speaks to you.

If you haven't already handed in a paper copy of your synthesis essay, do that today.