What to write an ode about
Write an ode poem in ten minutes – fun step by step lesson (Simon Mole x National Literacy Trust)
hi i'm simon mole and i am a poet in
about ten minutes time you will have
written a poem a poem about something
you really really love so that could be
your favorite food or a friend or a
family member that you want to bigger
maybe your favorite then a week or time
and a day favorite season a sport that
you love playing or watching a band that
you love to be clear if you think the
popcorn is okay don't write your poem
about popcorn this needs to be something
you are passionate about and for me it's
much so weird but for me that is
porridge you see breakfast it's the best
bit of the day and the best breakfast is
porridge pause the video to think what
you're going to write your poem about
and then put that as a title at the top
of your page hit play when you're ready
to move on
first of all you're going to note down a
few visual details about your thing what
does it look like or if it's a time of
day where are you what do you see around
you if it's a sport where do you play
that what do you see around you when you
play that sport so for me
porridge I'm gonna say it's kind of OT
bubbly lava
i'ma say it in a pan maybe there's some
steam in the air above it because it's
cold in the kitchen so pause the video
now to note down a few of your ideas and
then hit play when you're ready for the
next thought
next up does it make any sounds or what
sounds do you hear when you are there if
it's about a person what's their voice
like or what kind of music do they make
you think of I'm thinking that when
porridge is in the pan it kind of
gurgles and pops so I'm gonna note those
words down sometimes I kind of grumble
in to myself whilst I'm cooking and
maybe once I get in line mmm so much as
well pause the video to note down a few
sounds linked to the thing you're
writing about and then hit play when
you're ready to move on
cool how does it make you feel and what
would you do to celebrate that feeling
maybe pizza makes you feel so fabulously
full that you will build a stack of
pizza boxes at our higher than your
house you get up there and you do a
little piece of dance for porridge it
makes me feel warm but also sign a bit
like how I feel when I meet up with an
old friend from home who I haven't seen
for ages so I might like down something
to do with that pause the video once you
get a few ideas onto the page and then
hit play when you're ready to move on
can you remember the first time you saw
it the first time you visited or
experienced or played or met this person
or thing or place that you're writing
about and if you can't then maybe just a
memorable experience for me I can't
really remember the first bowl of
porridge I had but I do remember one
time when my Heon was broken and the
house was cold and dark I could even say
the dark house of winter and the only
thing that saved me then was a bowl of
porridge so pause the video to note down
a few ideas of your own and then hit
play when you're ready for our final
prompt
what would your life be like without it
okay so you might start this one without
pizza my life would be or without
porridge I would be a grumpy belly
I reckon that my hopes for the day my
plans just would never gets tired so
I've made you write site down about that
pause the video to get your ideas down
about what your life would be like
without that thing and then hit play
when you're ready to turn the answers
you've got so far into a poem
okay so you've done the hard work now
well done it's time to have some fun
with your asses what way that you could
turn this right and you've got into a
poem would be to take some of your
favorite answers or shorter sections
from them and then just arrange them in
the order that you think will sound good
sometimes but I'm doing this I put a
separate line or section on a different
post-it note and that way when I come to
redraft it's easier to chop and change
things or take this out and add new bits
of course you're free to just come up
with new ideas as you go at this stage
and if you're just putting on paper
that's fine too
remember part of what's exciting about
reading or listening to poetry is a
chance to make connections for ourself
as we do that so don't feel you always
need to write in full sentences or that
you must have a clear beginning middle
and like you might do with a story
however your poem turns out I would
absolutely love to read it so once
you're done please do whack it up in the
comments under the video and I'll be
more than happy to give you some
feedback on that my little poem about
porec it sound out like this porridge my
bubbling breakfast lava the day starter
the one glowing window in the dark house
of winter by grumble hum quiet you
gurgle and pop in the pan my breath in
the air your steam as it rises
consistent sweet warmth old friend from
my home town there's no need to talk
just fill my grumpy belly my hopes for
today rub their back in return my next
act
a celebration of you and get up head out
to the world nice off thanks so much for
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thanks for watching
