December 07, 2012

a writing assignment

Due to the personal preferences of their teacher, my kids spend a lot of time writing and reading in home school.  It could be worse, right?  I could be a fanatical hairdresser, teaching them to give the perfect perm.

Anyway.

Yesterday's assignment was so much fun that I thought I'd share the idea.

Think of a color.  It can be any color.  Get that color in your head.
The first three lines will be things of that color.   
The fourth line will be how that color tastes, preferably compared to something of that color.
Then how it smells, preferably compared to something of that color.
Then how it feels to the touch,
and how it looks,
and how it makes you feel, all preferably compared to things of that color.

For example, here is the poem that Zion wrote. 

GREEN
by Zion
Green is Brave's shirt.
Green is an olive.
Green is a flag.
Green tastes like celery.
Green smells like the woods.
Green feels like an old book.
Green looks like a monster.
Green makes me feel awesome.

Now here's the one I wrote.  Between the two poems, I like Zion's a whole lot more.  The voice of a child has a freshness and a purity of tone that adults just cannot replicate.

BLUE
by Zion's Mom
Blue is a bruise.
Blue is a baby's bib.
Blue is a daydream.
Blue tastes like Kool-Aid.
Blue smells like fresh paint.
Blue feels like ice.
Blue looks like a mirage.
Blue puts me at ease.
photo by Bright