
How to grow a Poet Tree? flickr photo by NomadWarMachine shared under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license
Last year I bought myself Kate Clanchy’s How to Grow Your Own Poem and I have been gradually working through it, writing my thoughts into a special notebook which I keep by my desk. So when I saw today’s TDC I reached for this notebook and flicked through it.
When you read a ‘Frankenstein poem’ you get the sense that it’s been composed from bits and bobs stitched together, most likely from lines and images the writer has found in their notebook. Lines that seemed too bloody good not to use somewhere. Magi Gibson
Here’s two frankenpoems made up of lines from other unfinished poems in my notebook.
I wish I could hang my mind on the washing line
Carry three pints without spilling a drop
Hopping like a dunnock across the grassI love Glasgow in the rain
The cold wind at the bus stop
And the peace that snow brings


Hi Sarah,
That is a great book. I used it quite a lot getting deas for teaching children, with, IMO, very good results.
Whoops, I forgot to add the comment I came to add, love the local references, I think I’d know it was hereabouts even if Glasogw was missing.