Poetry Writing

Poems rhyme some of the time; oftentimes they don’t. But what distinguishes a poem from other herds of words is how a poem combines rhythm and precision to make meaning and move us: capturing a moment of beauty, sharing an insight, or even just twisting and turning words to make us laugh. Explore the magic and music of poetry and discover how to write poems of your own through these direct links on The Times Launch Point Web site: https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint

Here are the best sites for getting your schoolwork done or for just having fun.

Level 1

Giggle Poetry: Write limericks, nursery rhymes and giggle raps, enter poetry contests and act in poetry theater, read poetry surprises and get helpful advice from such real-life poets as Robert Scotellaro, who says that poetry ideas are everywhere.

https://www.gigglepoetry.com/

Poetry Writing with Jack Prelutsky: Develop your writing muscles through synonym silliness and find out tips for writing and revising poems. Try writing about what you know and experimenting with different perspectives. You can submit a completed poem to be published online with other students’ work.

https://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetwit/index.htm

BBC Education: Listen and Write: Discover the power of wonderful words from the slime green The Saurus, make your poems sizzle by visiting the Simile Satellite, and rev up your writing by learning about rap rhythms through this site, which will also publish your work online.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/listenandwrite/home.htm

Level 2

The Poetry Zone: Read interviews with famous poets, write reviews of poetry books that you have enjoyed and submit your own poems to be published online.

https://www.poetryzone.ndirect.co.uk/index2.htm

Poetry 4Kids: Read 40 funny poems like “Homework Harold” and “I Left Our Rhino in the Rain” and find out how to write funny poetry of your own through online chapters such as “Choosing a Topic” and “How to Rhyme.”

https://www.poetry4kids.com/

Earth to Kids: 10 Poetry Exercises: Lewis Carroll used fantasy to write his poem “Jabberwocky.” He wrote about “whiffling through the tulgey wood.” Discover 10 powerful techniques you can use in writing poems.

https://www.earth2kids.org/teachers/poetryguide.html

Level 3

Poetry Magic : A Theory and Craft Resource: Do you have a passion for poetry? Need help getting started? Learn about various types and forms of poetry as well as helpful techniques through this site’s extensive resources.

https://www.poetrymagic.co.uk/index.htm

WriteNet: Virtual Poetry Workshop: Enhance your poetry-writing skills through this series of exercises led by poet Hoa Nguyen of Austin, Texas. Gain inspiration for poems through such activities as making artwork, conducting historical research or exploring poetic forms.

https://www.writenet.org/virtualpoetrywrkshp.html

Teen Ink: A Magazine Written By Teens for Teens: This site not only offers a great place for publishing your poetry but also offers resources for improving your writing and finding out about writing contests and publishing opportunities.

https://TeenInk.com/

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This column was designed by Alyson Richards, Damian Corradino and Anna Manring.

EXPLORER’S QUEST

The answer to this Internet quiz can be found in the sites at right.

How can similes create pictures in a reader’s mind?

CLUE: See Listen and Write

Find What You Need to Know: Have a project on California history? Need help doing a math problem? Launch Point covers more than 150 topics for getting your schoolwork done. Go to https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/ for the full list of subjects and direct links to the best Internet sites.

Answer to last week’s Quest: Cesar Chavez said that “Every person is an impact” in his speech, “The Power of the Boycott.”