(From What If? By Ann Bernays and Pamela Painter, contributed by Suzy Spraker)

Objective: This exercise is for writers to incorporate details and specifics into a poem.

Directions:

1. Bring in a specific object into class that has an interesting history or a story to tell.
2. As the object is being passed around, tell the story of your object to the class.
3. Classmates should take "notes" about each object. Write down interesting facts, phrases, words about the object. Don't worry about if what you're writing will make sense. Just write.
4. Make a poem out of your notes, using the objects and the descriptions in any manner or order you chose.

You may structure the poem in any way you wish. Maybe the objects are the focal point or maybe the poem will have a narrator. Maybe the objects will have a "voice" or their own.