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"Wright-ing" Prompt:
Concrete Poetry

Concrete poetry is an artistic expression of written language. Concrete poets make designs out of letters and words. Even though the visual pattern (shape) can really catch our eye, it is the language itself that makes a poem poetic. There are different kinds of concrete poetry. We will try a type of concrete poetry that combines two couplets with a visual image. A couplet has two lines in which each line ends with words that rhyme. Read the two couplets below:

A click, a sputter, a whoosh- to roar! line 1
A flick, a shudder, a push- to soar! line 2
The wings held steady; the nose held high; line 3
The plane is ready to touch the sky! line 4


In the first two lines, the words roar and soar rhyme. In the second two lines, the words high and sky rhyme. Lines one and two form the first couplet. Lines three and four form the second couplet. These are then grouped on the page in such a way that it appears the plane is starting its engines, moving down the runway and then lifting up into the sky. See the concrete poem below.

poem drawing


Words in shape of drawing


Writing Your Own Concrete Poem

1. Draw a sketch of a simple image that comes to your mind when you think of the Wright Flyer's historic flight.

2. Write the first couplet about the Wright Flyer. Make sure that the words at the end of each line rhyme.

3. Write the second couplet about flight. Make sure that the words at the end of each of these lines rhyme.

4. Now combine your two couplets (four lines) and shape them like your sketch.


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