1 9 1 2 - 1 9 1 7

IMAGISM

WHAT IT IS

• Poetry that presents an image as a larger statement. • Usually free verse• There were three rules:• Direct treatment of the “thing”—either object or subject• Use no word that is not absolutely necessary• Compose as if it is a musical phrase not song

POETS

• HD (Hilda Doolittle)• Ezra Pound• William Carlos Williams• Amy Lowell

IN A STATION OF THE METRO

The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough.

Ezra Pound

THIS IS JUST TO SAY

I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox

and which you were probably saving for breakfast

Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold

William Carlos Williams

EXAMPLE

Sorry But It Was BeautifulSorry I took your money and burned it but it looked

like the world falling apart when it crackled and burned.

So I think it was worth it after all you can’t see the world fall apart every day.

Andrew Vecchione

EXAMPLE 2

Dear Cat

Please forgivemefor watchingyoureyes gleaminthe night. Lorraine Fedison

EXAMPLE 3

Dear Bird

I am sorry To kill youBut when you’re cookedYou taste too goodWith gravy.

Unknown

EXAMPLE 4THE GOLDEN FLEECE I ATE

me: deargodforgivemeforeatingthegoldenfleeceThousentdowntosaveRolmusandRamous

god: dearboywhoatemygoldenfleeceIshallpunishTheebymakingyousaveRolmusandRamous

EXAMPLE 5 & 6

Last evening we went dancing and I broke your leg. Forgive me. I was clumsy and I wanted you here in the wards, where I am the doctor!

and

We laughed at the hollyhocks together and then I sprayed them with lye. Forgive me. I simply do not know what I am doing

Kenneth Koch

BETWEEN WALLS

the back wingsof the

hospital wherenothing

will grow liecinders

in which shinethe broken

pieces of a greenbottle

William Carlos Williams

EXAMPLE 1

Nothing Made to Something

The garbage I saw was like millions of crayon marks on paper. It looks like firecrackers of the world being shot off,But the best thing was it looked like itself—ugly, but nice in a way.

Andrew Vecchione

EXAMPLE 2

ItwasjustabigfatoldhunkjunkbutIlikeitcausehewasmybrother

Jorge Robles

EXAMPLE 3

Behind the doorthere is a personwith eyes ofblue that shinelike a mirrorwhen it’s clean

Behind the doorthere is a girl who isI’d betternot tell you.

Ileana Mesen

EXAMPLE 4

The ticking of the clockCame from the wall aboveFilled with bricks and wood.The sound of a broken dish filled the air.

Jeannie Turner

YOUR TASK

• Create two imagist poems mocking one of the ones by Pound or Williams. • You must adhere to the rules of imagist poetry. • Please see the Rubric

YOUR RUBRICContent /Your Voice/Word Choice:: ______(10)• Concrete description of an ordinary object, place, experience—something you have

actually seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched (not something from t.v.)• Captures a subject or object (moment in time, idea)• Daily language, but appropriate for school• Minimal words• Descriptive words• No minimum length—however, words chosen must aid the reader to understand

meaning• No sentimentality• No rhyming

Conventions/ Organization /Overall Appearance: ______(5)• Titled (center of page)• Put into stanzas (not essay style paragraphs or full sentences)—can be split artistically• Correct spelling • Punctuation and capitalization can be used artistically• X

Total ____/15