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NZ Poetry Songwriting Module

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NZ Poetry Songwriting Module

Explore a short original poem, notice how its words work, then plan and write a verse of your own. Use your own ideas; sample answers are provided for questions with many possible responses.

Read: “Harbour Morning”

The harbour yawns beneath the sky, A silver waka slips on by. Wind combs the flax; gulls call out, The hills hold mist like folded cloud. I carry morning in my chest, A small bright song that will not rest. When evening paints the water gold, I’ll keep this place inside my soul.

1.In “Harbour Morning”, name two details that help you imagine the setting. Quote or describe the words.

2.Which phrase uses alliteration—the repetition of an initial consonant sound?

“The hills hold mist”
“inside my soul”
“paints the water gold”
“beneath the sky”

3.The speaker says, “I carry morning in my chest”. What does this suggest about how the speaker feels?

4.Match each tool to its meaning.

Imagery
Repetition
Metaphor
Alliteration

Repeating a word, phrase, or sound for effect
Repeating an initial sound in nearby words
Describing one thing as if it were another
Words that appeal to the senses and help readers imagine

5.The line “The hills hold mist like folded cloud” contains a simile because it compares the mist to cloud using the word “like”.

TrueFalse

6.Complete this original line with a sensory detail: “Along the shore, the cold waves __________.” Include a precise verb or image.

Plan your own Aotearoa song or poem

Choose a place, moment, or idea that matters to you. You could write about a windy walk, a busy city street, a family celebration, caring for the environment, or another experience. You do not need to use rhyme.

7.Pick one focus for your poem or song verse, or invent your own: a place in Aotearoa, a memory, a person who inspires you, or a change you hope to see. State your choice.

8.For your chosen focus, write one detail you could see, one you could hear, and one you could feel, smell, or taste.

9.Choose a mood for your writing—such as peaceful, excited, thoughtful, or determined—and give one word or phrase that will help create it.

10.Write four to six original lines using your chosen focus. Include at least one sensory detail and one poetry tool, such as imagery, repetition, metaphor, or alliteration. Add a title if you wish.