Lesson Introduction
Lyrical? Prose? Experimental? What’s the difference, if there is any? This lesson explores the different sub-genres that exist within Poetry using a model that leans towards inquiry. It is directly inspired by the expectations found in the Gr. 11 and 12 English curriculum which asks educators and students to explore different forms of genre in reading and writing. This lesson will explore various works by contemporary poets like Liz Howard, Dionne Brand, Brandi Bird, Joshua Whitehead, Anne Carson, and Selina Boan. Through this lesson, students will deepen their understanding of the codes and conventions that define a poem as prose, a poem as lyrical, a poem experimental. It is advised that students have had past experiences with reading and analyzing poetry.
Learning Objectives
- Identify and explore the different text features and conventions of a prose, lyrical and experimental poem
- Explore how the conventions of a prose, lyrical and experimental poem are use to convey meaning and connect with the reader
- Apply specific text features and conventions to their own writing
- Develop an awareness and appreciation for different types of poetry
Materials and Resources
Lyrical
Selina Boan’s “breakup”
Jordan Abel’s “From Injun”
Brandon Wint’s poem “From Incantation: Memory of Water”
Hoa Nguyen’s “blousy guitar”
Alicia Pirmohamed’s “On My Tongue”
Prose
Dionne Brand’s “Verso 3.1”
Claudia Rankine’s “From Citizen”
Jessica John’s “How Not To Spill”
Noor Naga’s “Sharing”
Liz Howard’s “1992”
Experimental
Joshua Whitehead’s “Full Metal Oji-Cree”
Anne Carson’s “From Red Doc”
Kaie Kellough’s “people arrived”
Therese Estacion’s “The ABG (Able-Bodied Gaze)”
Jody Chan’s “aubade for the BPD subreddit who wrote can people with BPD love?”
- various graphic organizers (see Appendices)