When telling a story, we usually use a variety of modes such as action, description, inner thought and dialogue.
Your challenge is to tell us a story using only, or primarily, dialogue. This could be a conversation between people or objects, texting or email, or an overheard conversation.
We are open to poetry forms and different ways to interpret this idea and these prompts.
prompt 3: a poem in two voices
We have had great fun with this activity in our workshops- these poems are a great chance to collaborate! ( If you collaborate and win you will have to share the prize!)
Two-voice poems are written from two different points of view on the same topic.
There are different ways to approach this but we love the Venn Diagram method.
Select two voices to explore- they do not need to be human- but they should relate to each other in some way
Brainstorm some similarities and differences between the two. Use a Venn diagram to organise these ideas.
You can choose to write one side’s point of view first or write them as a back-and-forth conversation. Avoid an argument going on too long!
This poem is designed to be read by two voices. Organise your poem so that most of the time one voice is speaking. At times, both voices may speak in unison or across eachother.
When you have your ideas together organise your poem by choosing the BEST words and getting it into the BEST order. Think of the sounds of the words and the tone of the voice speaking. Match vocabulary choices to the respective speakers.
This poem is meant to be read out loud! Practice it - get a friend to help :)
Here's a first draft example from Madison and April in Year 8
What would you suggest they work on to develop this poem?
Bear Desires
Polar Bear | (Unison) | Brown Bear |
Ursus Maritimus | ||
Ursus Arctos | ||
The bear family | ||
The green forest | ||
The cold desert | ||
Different habitats, same family | ||
I long to be cool | ||
I want to be warm | ||
Why don’t we just swap? | ||
It will be fair for us all | ||
But I can’t cope | ||
With what? | ||
Without cool | ||
True I will lose my friends all | ||
I will miss the snow between my paws. | ||
And I will miss the green leaves that tickle my face | ||
I will miss diving in the seas, hunting for fish | ||
And I will miss all the hunting for my meal. | ||
But should we swap? | ||
I think we’re perfect where we are | ||
Let’s not move. | ||
Let’s stay where we are |
Polish up your Poem in Two Voices and submit it to the Write On: In Conversation Competition. Please read all of the terms and conditions here
We will have more prompts up soon!
DEADLINE: FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27 2024
(c) Write On 2024
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