Day 26 - Let's Write an "If You Were" Poem

Day 26 - If You Were Poem

On day 17 we did an “If I Were” Poem – today we will do one very similar called “If YOU Were”

This is a fun little poem that is actually a quatrain (4 lines) in which the last sound of lines 2 and 4 rhyme. It also has two metaphors (remember, a “metaphor” is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to draw a comparison). It is not the same as a simile. A simile uses the word like or as in order to make a comparison, whereas metaphors use is or are. So if you say “If I were” or “If you were” and named the thing (noun), it is a metaphor.

A simile: Your hair is like golden flax.

A metaphor: Your hair is golden flax.

So, there’s a little grammar lesson for ya’ – sorry, it’s the teacher in me. OK, back to the instructions: one metaphor is for the “I” part of the poem and the other metaphor is for the “you” part of the poem.

Here are some instructions taken from Charles Ghinga’s site (with his permission – I suggest you GO TO HIS SITE for more details and other fun stuff pertaining to poetry:

Instructions: Think of a person you like. Compare that person to some thing (inanimate object). Now compare yourself to some thing associated with the first object.

Giggle poetry class for kids by Charles Ghinga ~ Great site on fun poetry, for all ages, especially for kids from Charles Ghigna

 Example:

If you were a candle

And I was a match,

I’d light your wick brightly

And some shadows we’d catch.

                                © 2001 Stephanie Abney

Yeah, not great, but you get the idea.

YOUR TURN!!!