Random autobiography poems poetry

We&#;re kicking off the school year by introducing to students this lovely thing we call a &#;mentor text.&#;  We look closely at a piece of good writing, observe its various moves and strategies, and then write our own piece of good writing inspired by the mentor text, mimicking as best we can the moves of the master.

In this case, with our IB Juniors, we&#;re looking at a poem by Mary Ann Larson called &#;Random Autobiography.&#; Philosophically speaking, I think that if it&#;s a worthwhile thing for students to be doing, it&#;s a worthwhile thing for me to do as well&#;as long as I am not yet buried in paper.

I am not yet buried in paper. What follows are the results of my labor.

Another Random Autobiography

(After Mary Ann Larson)

I was unexpected,
a surprise, my mother says,
not a mistake.
I’ve held a dying dog,
And I kissed my dying father.
In the fourth grade, I heard Elton John
and my life changed.
I’ve lost teeth, lots of teeth.
I’ve lost girlfriends.
M