This is a powerful poetry writing activity for the classroom. Read Farrell Foreman's poem to students and then try the prewriting activities that follow.
 

If I write a poem
a poem I write
should be a strong
poem
a forward poem
a serious poem
a no doubt it's me
poem

My poem can sing
in tune
can dance in rhythm
can rhyme if it wants
can rap
once or twice

My poem can read
& write
like books, magazines
crossword puzzles
& comics
birthday cards
love songs

My poem got clothes
a car
& money
& a nice house
brothers and sisters
that play with you
a mommy and a daddy happy

My poem is
my head up
lookin straight ahead
not scared a nuthin
strong

My poem has changed
this page
my life along with
it
                Farrell Foreman

 

Prewriting Activity

Ask the students what Farrell Foreman is really like. How does he show who he is through his poem?

Have students cluster things that they like and things that they dislike. Categories could include food, favorite places, people, etc.

Now ask students to write their own No Doubt It's Me poem. You are invited to submit the most powerful No Doubt It's Me poems from your class to the e-mail adddress below.  Frank and Farrell will be posting some of these student poems in their new Poetry Gallery.