"Petals" A Writing Project

 

“Petals” Writing A Poem Project

Read "Petals" and reflect on Pat Mora's poem (see below). Then

Brainstorm - Thinking about mom or grandmom or significant person in their lives students will describe:

1.    a distinctive feature

2.    her eyes, nose, face

3.    hair, how she wears it, texture, color

4.    an activity she would typically do at work

5.    an activity she would typically do at home
6.  something funny that she does

7.    what she wears

8.    a memory from her childhood

9.    a favorite object

10.    one word to describe her

Next, play with the words, rearrange them to get good sensory details, metaphors, and alliteration.  Write a draft, revise with your writing partner, then publish it on good colorful paper. Adorn the border with art work you draw.

Petals
Pat Mora
 

have calloused her hands,

brightly colored crepe paper: turquoise,

yellow, magenta, which she shapes

into large blooms for bargain-hunting tourists

who see her flowers, her puppets, her baskets,

but not her - small, gray-haired woman

wearing a white apron, who hides behind

blossoms in her stall at the market,

who sits and remembers collecting wildflowers

as a girl, climbing rocky Mexican hills

to fill a straw hat with soft blossoms

which she'd stroke gently, over and over again

with her smooth fingertips.

Reflection

Name the sensory images this poet uses.

What is her relationship with her mom?

Is this a circle poem? Why or why not?