+ Copy Change Poems +

When I was taking Writer's Workshop for Teachers we had to do a couple of copy-change assignments. Which in case you don't already know, they just allow writers to imitate certain poets and poems without exactly plagerizing per se. I find that these kinds of assignments end up working fairly well when teaching; not that it means the students enjoy them. It mostly just means it's interesting, kind of fun in general, and it shows how everyone's capable of writing poetry. Plus for the students who are less confident in their writing these kinds of things help give them a chance without feeling so exposed.

These copy change poems are using William Carlos Williams' poems "The Red Wheelbarrow" and "This is Just to Say".

The Deserted Playground

So much deponds
upon

a deserted
playground

frosted with crystalline
snow

across the main
highway.



This is Just to Say

I have deserted
my grill
that was in
[insert old college job]

And which
you were likely
assuming
my attendance

Pardon me
it was imprisoning
so shut-down
and so nazi-regime'd.