3.  They’re our signal that a text is poetry, not
prose.
 They can create rhythm.
 They control the pace/speed of a poem.
 They can emphasize words or ideas.

4. William Carlos Williams’
“This Is Just to Say”
in Varied Forms

5. This is just to say I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox
and which you were probably saving for breakfast. Forgive me;
they were delicious – so sweet and so cold.
This Is Just to Say
I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox
and which you were probably saving for breakfast.
Forgive me; they were delicious – so sweet and so cold.
What’s the difference between these two poems?

6. This Is Just to Say This Is Just to Say
I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox I
and which you were probably saving for breakfast. have
Forgive me; they were delicious – so sweet and so cold. eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were
probably
saving
for
breakfast
Forgive me
they were
What’s the difference between these two delicious
poems? so sweet
and so cold
What effect do the shorter lines have?

8.  Stanza is Italian for “room”
• Think of stanzas of a poem as rooms of a house
 Indicates a pause
 Often coincides with the rhythm of a
poem/song.
 Used strictly in forms
 Prevents confusion (through organization)/
boredom in readers
 Poem’s form of a paragraph
 Best thing? There’s no right or wrong way to
divide one of your own poems.

9. This Is Just to Say This Is Just to Say
I I
have have
eaten eaten
the plums
that were in the plums
the icebox that were in
and which
you were the icebox
probably
saving and which
for you were
breakfast probably
Forgive me saving
they were
delicious for
so sweet breakfast
and so cold
Forgive me
they were
delicious
How do the stanza breaks influence the so sweet
reading of the poem? and so cold

10. This Is Just to Say This Is Just to Say
I I have eaten
have the plums
eaten that were in
the icebox
the plums
that were in and which
you were probably
the icebox saving
for breakfast
and which
you were Forgive me
probably they were delicious
saving so sweet
and so cold
for
breakfast
Forgive me
they were How do the stanza breaks influence the
delicious reading of the poem?
so sweet
and so cold

11.  What happens when you break a
line/stanza mid-sentence?

12.  “This is Just to Say”
• William Carlos Williams
 Youdetermine the line breaks & stanza
breaks.

15.  Justification (left, right, center)
 Font
• Typeface
• Size
• Bold/italics/underline
 Shape of poems
 Tabs
 Space between words

16.  See Natalie’s poem.