Writing from Non-Human Speakers

''This activity was created by Stephanie Burt (website, Twitter). She shared it with us during Mission Creek 2019. Please credit her when you do this with your group!''

Writing Poetry from Non-Human Speakers is a sit-down, group writing activity that requires blank note cards.

Introduction
To introduce the activity, you might look at some poems that are spoken by non-human speakers. In Stephanie's workshop, for example, we looked at Elizabeth Bishop's "Giant Toad" and Jane Yeh's "On Being an Android." If you use this introduction, make copies of the poems or use a powerpoint so that you can share the poems with all participants.

Materials
You will need a set of blank note cards and enough writing materials for all participants. In a pinch, half- or quarter-sheets of blank paper can substitute for the note cards.

Exercise 1.
Give each participant two blank note cards. On one, they should write an object, animal, plant, or other non-human entity that they think would be a good speaker for a poem. On the other, they should write a feeling or attitude that they think would be interesting or valuable to hear about (whether or not it is a feeling that they have ever had). The Object card should be labeled with an "O" on the back and the attitude card should be labeled with an "A".

One volunteer collects the cards from everyone into two piles and hands them back out, so that everyone has a new pair of cards.

Ask the participants to write 5-10 lines of a poem spoken by the object on the O card that express, or are inspired by, the attitude on the A card, and then take time to share.

Exercise 2.
Collect all the cards again. Give each participant one new blank note card. They should write two words on it that they would like to see in a poem, and put a "W" on the back.

A volunteer should collect all the W cards, and pass out one O and one W card to everyone.

Ask the participants to write 3-6 lines from the perspective of their new object that either use, or are inspired by, the two words on their W card, and then take time to share.