Monday, September 08, 2014

Monday Poetry Stretch - Polysemantic words

I'm always inspired and a bit in awe when I read a poem that uses the same word in multiple ways. I often wish I were this clever. However, I've begun to think that like many things, getting better is a matter of practice.

Polysemantic words are words that have multiple, diverse meanings. I often share these words in math and science to highlight just how confusing content vocabulary can be for students. Think about the word scale. Scale can be:
  • an instrument used to measure weight or mass
  • the outer covering on a reptile or fish
  • a proportion between two sets of dimensions
  • a series of musical tones in ascending or descending order
  • the act of climbing 
I'm sure you can think of many words that have multiple meanings. Your challenge this week is to pick a polysemantic word and use it in multiple ways in a poem of any form. I hope you will join me. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

6 comments:

  1. Somehow, the word blew in, Tricia!

    I’ve learned patience with the string,
    un-winding a few turns at a time.
    When the kite nibbles on the breeze,
    I take off running until I’m winded,
    until the kite, higher, higher
    catches the wind,
    sails on like freedom must feel.
    Linda Baie © All Rights

    Terrific exercise!

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    Replies
    1. Yay, Linda! I'll have to work on this...

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    2. Thanks, Kate. It really did just appear after reading Tricia's challenge. Now I'll always be on the lookout!

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  2. Thinking about how nouns lead to verbs with this one. We had a tremendous storm yesterday, but I thought it worked better as an October day.

    October

    The thunder thunders,
    the wide waves wave.
    The lightning lights
    the dark sky-cave.
    The storm clouds storm
    and the gray day grieves.
    October glowers
    as the leaves leave.

    —Kate Coombs, 2014
    all rights reserved

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    Replies
    1. Like that the storm helped create your poem, Kate

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    2. Thanks, Linda! It was raining so hard I could hardly see while driving to work. Thunder's great but so is visibility. :)

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