You’ve been using language all semester, but have you ever thought about what the sounds of words can do? All good writers respect language—not only the meaning of words, but the sheer beauty of their sound. Perhaps after doing this exercise, you will see your use of words in a new way.

This lab is asking you to be creative, even silly. I can’t believe I am saying this, but the point of this is not to think logically or carefully. The point of this lab is to open your mind to possibilities of language that you might not have thought of before. If you think of an essay as a musical composition, the words are the notes. They each have their own rhythm, tone, pitch, and meaning aside from the meaning we’ve assigned to them.

You have two things to do to make this exercise work:

1) think of thirty words that sound good to you (and that aren’t just typical, easy words)

2) write a poem using all of those words and only those words

Make a list of thirty words that you most like the sound of, on a purely musical level. Don’t worry about meaning. Notice the sounds that roll off your tongue or float around in your mouth. Get silly. The words you choose should be varied in length and sound, and above all, should be interesting to you. You may, for example, want to avoid words you use everyday unless they hold some particular value to you on a sound level.

Possible ways to get started:

·          Write out the alphabet. Say aloud each letter. Circle six letters you like the best. Look in the dictionary, if you wish, for words you like that with these letters or sounds or have these letters or sounds somewhere in the words. Or look around (on the internet?) for words you like.

·          Start with a one syllable word. Coke, for example. List words that rhyme or sound similar as fast as you can write. Stoke, bloat, float. Move to two syllable words, changing the vowel sounds. Peacock, kiosk. Move to three syllables. And so on. When you have a list of about 60 words, look back and select the ones you like best. Look for fresh and interesting words. No boring words allowed.

Then write a poem using all thirty words and only those thirty words. Put the words on your list in an order that sounds good. Play with the sound of particular words together. Change them around until you are satisfied. (You will want to convince me, the reader they sound good together.) The poem must not make any sense whatsoever; the purpose of this assignment is to write a poem paying absolute attention to the sound of words, absolutely no attention to the meaning of them. However, punctuate your poem as if it does make sense. With sound, try to introduce and end your poem.

Ah, you knew this was coming!

1)      Reflect on what sounds you like best and what particular sounds sound good together to your ear. Are you repeating certain sounds, vowels and consonants? Are you repeating certain sounds in particular lines? Tell me where. Consider how you broke the lines, or where you ended lines. Poets, even prose writers, think carefully about each of these things I am asking you to consider. Write to contemplate your sounds, the above questions, and anything you see in language you may not have before.

2)      The sounds of words can bring life and energy to your essays. Is there anything you might consider rewording or rephrasing in any final drafts you might do in this class?