Tuesday, April 8, 2014

DAY EIGHT!! "I Am" Poem for "30 Poems in 30 Days"


How to write an "I Am" poem ~

This "formula" form poem was one of my favorites to use as a teacher because it ended up giving me some interesting insight about my students. Some were very serious and tender,
others were silly. For example ~ one boy wrote for the "I Am" line (which gets repeated over and over): "I am an honest young man who loves the Lord." (Yep, right there in school, then he went on to fill in the other lines with the type of person he tried to be ... because he was a young man who loved the Lord). However, another student wrote "I am a happy boy who loves pizza." The rest of the poem was hysterical. You can go anywhere, depending on WHO you say you ARE. Here's the form - YOU fill in the blanks BUT you must follow the instructions for each line!! 


IF this feels TOO personal - make up a character or if you are writing a book, use one of your characters for this poem ~ the easiest way is to copy and paste the format onto a document page and then read the instructions and replace them with YOUR words:

Now, to make things MUCH EASIER, I will be sending you to an “I AM” POEM GENERATOR ~ where you can simply fill in the spaces with your words and hit the “Create my ‘I Am’ Poem Now” button but before I do, I want you to understand what the poem is, so: 

Below is the line-by-line set-up for this version of the "I Am..." poem:

“I Am”

I Am…

1st Stanza

I am (two special characteristics you have)
I wonder (something you are actually curious about)
I hear (an imaginary sound)
I see (an imaginary sight)
I want (an actual desire)
I am (the first line of the poem is repeated)  


Stanza 2

I pretend (something you really pretend to do)
I feel (a feeling about something imaginary)
I touch (something you imagine you touch)
I worry (a worry that is real to you)
I cry (something that makes you very sad)
I am (the first line of the poem is repeated)

Stanza 3

I understand (something you know is true)
I say (something you believe in)
I dream (a dream you actually have)
I try (something you make an effort to do)
I hope (something you really hope for)
I am (the first line of the poem is repeated)


Here is the link which makes writing this style of poem MUCH easier ~ 
"I AM" Poem Generator


But, before you go there - here is my poem ~

OK, I'm such a paradox personality anyway - so I used two random traits but they both play powerful parts in my daily life so, at the risk of being more vulnerable than I care to be, here's my poem:

I Am…

I am creative and compassionate.
I wonder if I make a difference.
I hear hope parting the heavens.
I see light swirling in my mind.
I want to fulfill my life's mission.
I am creative and compassionate.

I pretend to have things all together more than I do.
I feel like I am always "on the verge" of something.
I touch the part of me that's waiting.
I worry that I could die with my music still inside me.
I cry when I think my motives have been misunderstood.
I am creative and compassionate.

I understand that we are here on earth for a purpose.
I say we are here to love and serve one another.
I dream of helping others with my words.
I try to understand what others are feeling.
I hope they will do the same thing for me.
I am I am creative and compassionate.



                                   © 2014 ~ Stephanie Abney

YOUR TURN!!! Have fun with it. Maybe discover something new about yourself. Cheers!!




4 comments:

Tanya Parker Mills said...

"I Am..."

I am insightful and calm.
I wonder if I can ever truly love.
I hear the beating of heaven's wings against my
door.
I see the inner beasts of men devouring the poor.
I want the suffering of children to cease.
I am insightful and calm.

I pretend to know how to mother.
I feel their psyches reaching out to grasp mine.
I touch the Asperger waves inside my son.
I worry that I will never make him ready for life.
I cry whenever my daughter spirals down.
I am insightful and calm.

I understand perfection is not for this life.
I say that only He can make us perfect.
I dream of the day I will hold a grandchild.
I try to be ready for that day.
I hope it will come in this life.
I am insightful and calm.

Vicki said...

I am happy and loving
I wonder if I'll touch many lives
I hear angels singing
I see them on the wing
I want to be the best I can
I am happy and loving

I pretend to be confidant
I feel that I really am
I touch the stars in the heavens
I worry I haven't done enough
I am happy and loving

I understand that God lives
I say I love my Lord
I dream I am a leader
I try to help each person
I hope I can do my best
I am happy and loving.

Jewelianna said...

I am teachable and learning
I wonder what lessons my trials will teach me
I hear heaven rejoice with me in my victories
I see demons double their effort to drag me down
I want self-mastery and governance; a disciplined life
I am teachable and learning

I pretend I've got it all figured out
I feel the house of cards on the verge of collapse
I touch the core of my frailty and grow in humility
I worry that I'll never change
I cry when I feel powerless and need help
I am teachable and learning

I understand strength comes from consistently making choices that bring me closer to God
I say mistakes are okay, they facilitate growth
I dream of living true to my authentic self
I try to love unconditionally, to see my worth even when I've fallen
I hope I am enough
I am teachable and learning.

Stephanie Abney said...

These are such great poems, ladies!! Thanks for sharing your talents. All three so far - are quite powerful and offer a look into your souls. Nicely done!!