Writing about Work: Self Portraits and Homages (weekend writing assignment)

Friday 4-24

Hi Poets…!

Hope you're looking forward to the weekend.  Reminder to those who were present (and those who 

weren't) on Wednesday… that the in-class writing and assignment for this past Wednesday—and the

suggested writing assignment for Monday's homework — were about work this week.

You'll recall that we looked at several work poems in class:

Jeff Tagami's “Song of Pajaro”  (video from The United States of Poetry, and in collated handouts, p. 167)

“Who Burns for the Perfection of Paper,” Martin Espada (handouts, 68)

"The Zen of Housework," Al Zolynas (Addonizio and Laux, p. 20)

Here's a portrait that I wrote of my wife working in the garden—performed here on The Writer's Almanac 

in 2010 by Garrison Keillor. It's called "The Gardener." You have to listen through the few minutes of

that day's stories and events in literature before he reads the poem aloud (that's how the daily broadcast 

of The Writer's Almanac is structured. :)

*

OK, now follow this prompt pasted below (see p. 124 of collated handouts) to use work to write about both yourself and someone else. Write each day and type the best material up for Monday's sharing. 

Really look forward to seeing you as always.

Remember to bring four copies of the work poem about yourself and/or the one about someone else (the homage) to class.

Hope it's a fun weekend.  —kw

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PROMPT: Poems of work… 

Start with a job you’ve had/ work you’ve done…

a.     Describe it concretely (use all the senses)

b.     Be specific, particular

c.     Enjoy the use of workplace diction

d.     Try first person, present tense if you can for immediacy

e.     It’s OK to bring in voices, speech

f.      Show (more than tell) the feeling of the work

g.     Have the poem move from point “A” to point “B” in some way—perhaps shape or   

        develop as a story if you want

h.     Maybe there are contexts you wish to hint at—related to class, gender, oppression, 

        social or cultural setting or tension. Let the poem enlarge in this way if it wants to.

i.      Let the poem widen/ shift/ move as it needs to—you can even “leap” & bring in other 

        images, memories, or characters that come up if you want.

Enjoy!