We read a poem by Arnold Adoff titled, “Street Music,” in our novel Love That Dog. This poem is full of the sounds from a big city. Since our students mostly live in a rural setting, you get to write a poem about “country” music - the sounds from our country streets.

Assignment:

1. Brainstorm the sights and sounds (maybe smells) from the streets you are familiar with in your composition book.
2. Write a rough draft in poetry format (it should look like a poem).
3. Make sure it has real sentences with correct punctuation and capitalization.
4. Try to use a couple of poetic devices (alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, simile, repetition)

Street Music

by Arnold Adoff

T h i s    c i t y:
t h e
a l w a y s
           n o i s e
g  r  i  n  d  i  n  g
up     from     the
s u b w a y s
u n d e r
   g r o u n d:
slamming from bus tires
and taxi horns and engines
of cars and trucks in all

 v  o  c  a  b  u  l  a  r  i  e  s
of
clash
flash
screeching
hot  metal    l a n g u a g e
c  o  m  b  i  n  a  t  i  o  n  s:
as    p l a n e s
o v e r h e a d
             r o a r
an
o r c h e s t r a
of rolling  drums
and battle blasts
assaulting
               my ears
w i t h
t h e
a l w a y s
    n o i s e   of
t h i s   c i t y: