The other side of a riverGlenn Colquhoun

Glenn ColquhounDr. Glenn Colquhoun, born in Papakura, Auckland in 1964, is a New Zealand poet and general practitioner.

He practices medicine on the Kapiti Coast. He lives in Waikawa Beach with his young daughter Olive.

Gathering

THE OTHER SIDE OF A RIVER

We live on either side of a river.

She sits in the day beneath the sun.It seems to orbit her.Her feet are grass soft.

At night I lie on the ground.I am shivered by the stars.My eyes are moon round.

Some days she spins in long grass.Her hands stretch outwards.Her hair is blown. She is a small storm.

Some days I stand very still.The world breaks open.The sky shakes her hips in front of me.All the shades of green dance and I am flattered.

Sometimes I think she speaks to me.Before I have heard the words fall into the waterand curl away in small pools.

 

AlliteratioAlliterationn

AlliteratioAlliterationn

MetaphorMetaphor

PersonificatioPersonificationn

SimileSimileRhymeRhyme

AssonancAssonancee

RepetitioRepetitionn When I try to talk there is so much to say

it sticks in one long sentence which catchesin the wind and blows away.

She shades her eyes from the sky as if she is looking.

When she swims I place my feet in the water.My arms float like small branches.

Sometimes I think she will come to me.At night the moon makes a bridge on the water.

Sometimes I think I will go to her.When the wind blows I leanon the edge of the shore like a birdwith my arms out.

We live on either side of a river.

Gathering

Imagine...Create a picture or series of images of what you imagine is happening in this

poem..

There is no right or wrong, that is the beauty of poetry, we can imagine what

we want.

There is no right or wrong, that is the beauty of poetry, we can imagine what

we want.

Use an app that suits you. You may import photos or

draw your own to create your image.Processing

Themes in the poem

This poem has 2 main themes: love and nature.

Record a quote from the poem for each theme.

The author has a deep admiration for his love on the other side of the

river. It seems as though they are destined to be

apart.

Nature is spoken of all the way through this poem suggesting that it is the recipient of

the author's love and admiration. He even compares his arms to "small branches" as if

he would like to be part of nature.

Gathering

Types of techniques

Simile, metaphor and personification help the reader to visualise the poem.

Gathering

Simile: comparing 2 things by using the words 'like' or 'as'.

The purpose of a simile is to create a word picture in the reader's mind to help them imagine what the subject/object being described looks like.

"My arms float like small branches."

1. Identify the 2 things being compared.2. Record another simile from the poem and identify what 2 things are being compared.3. Which theme/s do these similes relate to?

GatheringProcessing

Metaphor: compares 2 things by saying 1 thing is another.

The purpose of a metaphor is to create a word picture in the reader's mind to help them imagine what something looks like.

"She is a small storm."

1. Who or what do you think 'she' might be?2. Describe what 'she' looks like.3. Explain what is happening in the poem at this time.

Processing

Personification: gives a non- human object human characteristics.

The purpose of personification is to help the reader visualise and understand the characteristics of a subject/object.

"the sky shakes her hips in front of me."

1. Explain what you think the sky would be doing by shaking her hips.

2. Describe what this line helps you to imagine.

3. Which theme is this technique linked to? Explain why you think this.

Processing

Write a visual poem

Using at least 1 simile, 1 metaphor and 1 personification, write a 4 line poem using one of the pictures to give you an idea.

Use Educreations.

ProcessingApplying

Types of techniques

Alliteration, assonance and rhyme are sound effects that help the reader hear the sounds in a poem.

Alliteration: the repetition of the consonant at the beginning of consecutive words.

Alliteration is a sound effect that sounds pleasing to the ear. It can help the reader hear the sounds in the setting of the poem.

"Some days I stand very still"

1. Describe the setting of the poem. What do you think it looks like? How do you know this? Include a quote.

2. What sort of sounds might you hear? Describe them. Does the alliteration in the poem help to make these sounds? Explain how.

Write your own alliteration poem.

Choose a letter of the alphabet and write a 4 line poem about one of the pictures.

At least 3 words in each line must start with the same letter.

Use Educreations.

Assonance: the repetition of vowel sounds in consecutive words.

The purpose of assonance is to create a rhyming sound in a line of poetry. This helps the language flow well and sounds pleasing to the ear.

"Sometimes I think she speaks to me."

1. Record 2 other examples of assonance from the poem.

2. Read these lines out loud to the people next to you. Can you hear the rhyme and the flow?

3. Explain which theme this technique is linked to. How do you know this?

Rhyme: words that have similar sounds.

The purpose of rhyme is to help the language flow and to add rhythm to a poem. It sounds pleasing to the listener.

"At night I lie on the ground.I am shivered by the stars.My eyes are moon round."

1. Underline the words that rhyme in this stanza (verse).2. Explain what you think the author means by 'I am shivered by the stars'.3. Identify and record another example of rhyme.4. Explain why rhyme is effective in this poem.

Write a Rhyme!

Write a poem of 6-8 lines where every second line rhymes.

Use the pictures as inspiration.

Use the 'mystical' category on the Poetry Magnets app

Repetition: to repeat a word or phrase.

The purpose of repetition is to emphasise or make something clear.

"We live on either side of a river."

This line is repeated at the end of the poem.

1. Identify what the author wants the reader to know in this poem by using repetition.

2. Explain who 'we' might be. Why do you think this? Include a quote from the poem.

3. Record any other examples of repetition that you can find in the poem.

Essay

Explain how the author of a poem that you have studied helped you to enjoy their poem.

Write at least 250 words.

Introduction

The author...helped me to enjoy his poem...by using poetic techniques such as...

The themes in this poem include...

Body paragraphs 1, 2

& 3

The first technique used was ...

An example from the poem is...

This technique helped me to enjoy the poem because...

This technique is linked to the theme of...because…

Conclusion

The poem...by...was made enjoyable through the use of...

I learnt that these techniques are useful because...

The themes in this poem were interesting because...