This is Just to Say…

http://writingfix.com/Poetry_Prompts/Poems_of_Apology3.htm

· Begin by reading William Carlos Williams poem This is Just to Say. This is a wonderful poem where the poet apologizes for something (eating the plums) that he is secretly glad he did.

QtP

o What do you notice about this poem?

o What is the poet talking about here?

o What do you notice about the way the poet writes?

o Does this poet do anything special with the words?

o Do you think the poet is really sorry?

o What makes you say that?

· Together, read Joyce Sidman’s This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness.

· Invite the students to write their own poems of apology following Kenneth Koch’s poetry idea: Write a poem in which you apologize for something your really secretly glad that you did.

· For a specific plan, think about the student instructions from Writing Fix: http://writingfix.com/Poetry_Prompts/Poems_of_Apology2.htm

· Also, please visit Sidman’s site for additional ideas: http://www.joycesidman.com/thisisjusttosay.html