Fusing the Words of Others

No, this post's title does not refer to plagiarism! Earlier this year, in class we fused together words that came from famous quotes about war and crafted them into our own original poems. Here is Lizzy's effort; it's a good one!


War

War determines the end of mankind,
Marching our brothers into battle,
With honor and liberty.
Prisoners of battle,
Eye to eye with death watching all men.
A cry for peace with the enemy,
But we are only blinded by the rifles.

A Creative Approach

I always love it when students surprise me with an approach to an assignment that I didn't anticipate. When we wrote poems inspired by Linda Gregg's 2005 poem, "Whomever" I assumed most people would write about a person in their life. Marc chose to write about an animal.

The Lonely Stranger

You are not even human, except to your owner maybe.
I saw you again as I walked across the bridge.
You were lying down in your capacious cage.
Outside in the cold, all alone, dressed in black fur.
I bet you are warmer than I.
With the time passing by and the sky turning to black, I am hoping you will go inside, for it is also getting colder.
I’m glad you have someone to care for you, because others do not.
I think there is a kindness in you, although I am told to stay away,
Like the way bullies act tough to hide what they are really feeling inside.
Other times I think you are tough,
The way you sit up in alert as my footsteps pound against the wooden bridge.
Always it is a joy to see you, until a man takes you inside
leaving your cage alone and cold in the night.