Occasional or Place Poetry

The goal of Week 5 is to introduce students to two genres of poetry: occasional poetry and place poetry. Occasional poetry memorializes a significant occasion in the life of a poet while place poetry recreates a scene or setting that is special to a poet. This week, there is only one poem to explore, but it is a powerful poem written by an amazing poet. Amanda Gorman, America’s first ever National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, wrote the poem, “In This Place: An American Lyric” for the inaugural celebration of Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith on September 13, 2017. Gorman wrote this poem as an occasion poem – memorializing the celebration of Smith’s accomplishment. Gorman also wrote this poem as a place poem – giving honor and tribute to the Library of Congress, where the inaugural celebration was hosted. Gorman’s poem offers students a prime example of both genres while serving as a powerful mentor text into their own poetry. Students will engage in free writing, analysis, and imagery as they craft their own occasional or place poetry.