Free Verse

1
Free Verse

• No Rules Allowed

2
History

• Free Verse appeared in 1915
• Walt Witman and Emily Dickenson are well known
  for being early writers of free verse poetry.

3
History continued

• In the 20s and 30s the writers of the Harlem
  Renaissance were well known for the use of free
  verse in poetry
• Beatniks of the 50s and 60s helped to
  popularize free verse
• Some important writers from these two groups are
  Allen Ginsbourg, William S. Burroughs, Jack
  Kerouac, E.E. Cummings, and Langston Hughes

4
A Quote!

• Richard Aldington said
• We do not insist upon 'free-verse' as the only
  method of writing poetry. We fight for it as for
  a principle of liberty.
• What is the significance
• of this quote?

5
Your Turn!

• At your table, come up with your own definition
  of free verse
• Be sure to include its purpose (what this form is
  used for)
• You have four minutes

6
Langston Hughes

• An important writer during the Harlem Renaissance
  
• His work spoke to the feelings of people in
  Harlem community, as well as African Americans
  all over the country.
• Wrote six childrens books
• Published over 30 books of poetry, fiction, and
  non fiction
• Has written 13 major plays

7
Juke Box Love Song

• I could take the Harlem nightand wrap around
  you,Take the neon lights and make a crown,Take
  the Lenox Avenue busses,Taxis, subways,And for
  your love song tone their rumble down.Take
  Harlem's heartbeat,Make a drumbeat,Put it on a
  record, let it whirl,And while we listen to it
  play,Dance with you till day--Dance with you,
  my sweet brown Harlem girl.

8
Allen Ginsburg

• A well known writer of the Beat Generation
• Like many authors of this time period, he was
  known as a political activist
• Wrote over 20 books of poetry

9
Fourth Floor, Dawn, Up All Night Writing Letters

• Pigeons shake their wings on the copper church
  roof
• out my window across the street, a bird perched
  on the cross
• surveys the city's blue-grey clouds. Larry Rivers
  
• ll come at 10 AM and take my picture. I'm taking
  
• your picture, pigeons. I'm writing you down,
  Dawn.
• I'm immortalizing your exhaust, Avenue A bus.
• O Thought! Now you'll have to think the same
  thing forever!

10
You be the Author!

• Write a free verse poem
• It must be at least two quatrains long
• You will have the rest of the class to finish
  your work