Name: ________________________________ #:____

Date: _________________________________
Period: _____ Section: WRITING

“I AM” POEM
OVERVIEW
 An “I Am” poem is one written BY you and ABOUT you.
 The “I Am” poem expresses the way you feel, what you hope, think, dream, enjoy and so on.
 Each “I Am” poem contains specific elements in common.
 The lines in each poem begin the same way: I am, I wonder, I feel, I hear and so forth.
 Some sentences in the poem describe imaginary sights, sounds and experiences. (That is – they are
figurative language!) Other sentences express actual, literal feelings.
 The first line in your poem – the “I Am” line – is repeated at the end of each stanza.

TAKE A LOOK AT THESE EXAMPLES…

I am a carefree girl who loves horses.

I wonder if there was ever a horse that could fly.
I hear the pages of a book whispering its words to me.
I see a friendly alien hovering outside my bedroom window on a cool fall evening.
I want to glide wingless over a fresh garden meadow.
I am a carefree girl who loves horses.

I pretend to win an Olympic gold medal.

I feel the sands of the Sahara stinging my skin.
I touch the soft fur of a genetically altered cat-dog.
I worry that I’ll never ride again.
I cry when animals are abused or neglected.
I am a carefree girl who loves horses.

I understand that I may not always be able to do exactly what I want to do.
I say let all forests remain standing so that wildlife will not perish.
I dream about the day I am grown and have children of my own.
I try to be the best big sister I can possibly be.
I hope to be a veterinarian some day.
I am a carefree girl who loves horses.

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 Here is another example:

I am a nutty guy who likes dolphins.

I wonder what I, and the world, will be like in the year 2020.
I hear silence pushing in the middle of the night.
I see a dolphin flying up to the sky.
I want the adventure of life before it passes me by.
I am a nutty guy who likes dolphins.

I pretend that I am the ruler of the universe.

I feel the weight of the world upon my shoulders.
I touch the Milky Way Galaxy at its farthest boundary.
I worry about the devastation of a nuclear holocaust.
I cry about all the misery and poverty in the world.
I am a nutty guy who likes dolphins.

I understand the frustration of not being able to do something easily.

I say that everyone is entitled an opportunity to do his or her best.
I dream of traveling to other points on the Earth.
I try to reach out to the poor and starving children through my community service.
I hope that mankind will find peace and not die out.
I am a nutty guy who likes dolphins.

NOW…. IT’S YOUR TURN!

YOU, TOO, CAN WRITE AN “I AM” POEM!

Begin by describing two things about yourself – special, unique qualities. Avoid the obvious and the
ordinary. Think of qualities about yourself that are distinctive (unique!). For example, thousands and
thousands of people have brown hair. Thus, the statement, “I am a 13-year-old-girl who has brown hair”
contains nothing interesting or unique about that person. That I AM statement could describe – literally –
millions of people.

However, when the author re-thought and re-write her I AM line, she came up with, “I am a chestnut-
haired daydreamer who bruises easily and believes in astrology – when the stars are right.” WOW! What a
strong, powerful statement she created when she strove to find some truly interesting and unique qualities
about herself. This revised statement tells us so much more about this seventh-grade girl! It gives us a much
better sense of the writer and how she is different from others. DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE DIFFERENT!

Once you have an opening line, you’re ready to take off. Look at the next page to see the line-by-line
guide you must follow…

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 “I AM” Poem Structure

FIRST STANZA:
I am…. (remember what you just read about creating a powerful, creative statement about the unique and different you!)
I wonder (something about which you are actually curious)
I hear (MUST be an IMAGINARY SOUND – use figurative language here)
I see (MUST be an IMAGINARY sight – you can use figurative language here)
I want (an actual wish or desire)
I am (repeat the same I am line that is in the first line of this stanza)

SECOND STANZA:
I pretend (something you actually pretend to do)
I feel (must be imaginary – something you could not literally do)
I touch (again, must be imaginary – something you could never actually touch)
I worry (something that really bothers you and that you really worry about)
I cry (something that makes you very sad)
I am (repeat the same I am line that is in the first line of your poem)

THIRD STANZA:
I understand (something you know is true)
I say (something you strongly believe in)
I dream (something you actually dream about being, doing or having)
I try (something you really make an effort to do or accomplish)
I hope (something you sincerely hope for)
I am (repeat the same I am line that is in the first line of your poem)

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 “I AM” Poem Pre-writing
Due date: ______________________________
Directions:
 Answer the following questions about yourself as precisely and completely as possible.
 DO NOT put down the easy answer. Go for the unusual.
 You may not use all of the following answers in your poem, but your work here will provide some “food for
thought” as you create your “I Am” poem.

1. What makes you different from other seventh graders? _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Complete this statement: I wonder… ________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Create two imaginary sounds (example: silence pulsing in the middle of the night)
1. _______________________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

4. Create two imaginary sights (example: dolphins flying up to the sky)

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

5. For what would you wish if you were granted three wishes?
1. _______________________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________________

6. What do you actually pretend to be or do at times? ____________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. What four items could you only imagine touching?

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________________________________
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8. What really bothers you? _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. What makes you sad? ____________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. What makes you happy? _________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

11. Complete the following statement: “I understand…” (This is something you know to be true, such as a definition or
an observable fact of life.)
I understand ______________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

12. What do you dream of doing some day? _____________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

13. For what do you hope? (example: no homework for the rest of your life) ___________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

14. The three words that best describe you are:

_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________

15. Lastly, find a picture of the real you! Bring it to class!

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 “I AM” Poem Rough Draft
Due date: ______________________________

Directions:
 Use these pages to create the rough draft of your “I Am” poem

FIRST STANZA:
I am _____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I wonder _________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I hear ___________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I see ____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I want ___________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I am _____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

SECOND STANZA:
I pretend _________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I feel ____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I touch __________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I worry __________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I cry _____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I am _____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

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THIRD STANZA:
I understand ______________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I say ____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I dream __________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I try _____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I hope ___________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I am _____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________