Teaching your child how to write a concrete poem can be a great activity for you to do together. A concrete poem is also known as a visual poem or shape poem. In this type of poem, the words form a picture. The words and the shape of the words work together, to convey the theme, meaning and emotion of the poem. Exploring this art form along with your child can be a lot of fun. The combination of drawing and words opens up many creative possibilities.
Getting Started
Begin by showing your child examples of concrete poems. Check your local library for books of concrete poems, or look online; many poets are now publishing poems online, so you are likely to find quite a few. Reading a few of these poems together will give your child a feel for how concrete poems work.
When you are ready to write your own poem, begin by thinking of a theme that will lend itself to a visual poem. For example, a poem about autumn could be done in the shape of a leaf. A poem about playing in the snow could be in the shape of a snowman. A poem about love could be in the shape of a heart.
Finding the Right Words
Once you've chosen a theme, it's time for you and your child to brainstorm words and phrases that come to mind when you think of your chosen theme. Keep in mind that you are not yet constructing your poem, but simply making a list of words that go along with, or are inspired by, your theme.
When you have a good list of words and phrases, it's time to begin putting it all together. Sketch out the shape you'd like your poem to have in pencil. Begin constructing your poem, using your list of words to guide you. Stick to simple shapes for younger children, or have them write the words around the outline of the shape rather than inside it.
Keep a thesaurus or dictionary nearby, in case you need a longer or shorter word to fit into the shape. Concrete poems typically don't rhyme, so you won't need to look for rhyming words unless you want a fun challenge. The most important thing in this poetry form is that the words and shape work together to evoke the desired emotion. Keep arranging and rearranging the words until you've achieved the desired effect.
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