IWW Practice Exercise, 5/13/07

Exercise: Emotion Expressed

Based on an exercise by Terri Main
used at Reedley College, California
Posted on: May 13, 2007

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Directions: Use the template below to write a "poem." It will force you to focus
on the sensory manifestations of a particular emotion.

Line One: A one-word title which is an emotion
Line Two: A line that tells what that emotion looks like visually
Line Three: A line that tells what that emotion sounds like
Line Four: A line that tells what that emotion smells like
Line Five: A line that tells what that emotion feels like tactilely
Line Six: A line that tells what that emotion tastes like
Line Seven: A one word emotional synonym for the title

An example:

Fear

Eyes darting, checking beside, behind
Heartbeat drumming a staccato rhythm
deodorant fails
hands tremble; skin itches
the salty taste of sweat on the lips
Prison

Next, take the lines from the "poem" and incorporate them into a scene
that shows the physical actions and responses of a character who
experiences the emotion. Try to include at least four of the five senses
in your scene.


Exercise: Use the seven-line guide below to write a short "poem." Then, in
300 words or less, turn the sensory images in the poem into a short scene
that shows a character experiencing the emotion you chose. Include both
the poem and the scene in your submission.

All IWW Practice Exercises are archived.