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INTRODUCTION
Poets and song writers spin magic with words. The writer' goal is to spark in your imagination a multi-dimensional world of pictures and imagery. In this assignment, you will take these powerful words (text of a poem or music lyrics) and enhance them with pictures or images from magazine clippings or online sources - to create a collage.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Find one poem or song that speaks to you personally and powerfully - that gives you insight into a person who is suffering from a mental illness. Look for words that evoke an striking visual image for you [could be a single word and image ( e.g. mama) - or more general theme (e.g. madness - an exploding head) ].
RESOURCES
- Poetry is best found in books rather than online because of copyright. Luckily we have lots in the Best library - try 811 and 821 on the shelves)
- Poetry and Song Lyrics online
- Information about mental illness
- Here is a superb up-to-date living poetry site
- Mental illness as a theme in art, film and literature
FORMAT - a 2-sided 8" x 11'' piece of paper or card
- SIDE ONE: Visuals
The poem/lyrics must be superimposed on top of the image (with the image in the background), partially or completely. This can be done by hand, or digitally with any graphics program, or in a WORD document (click here for instructions).
- SIDE TWO: Written paragraph of explanation
(a) Explain why the song/poem effectively portrays mental illness.
(b) Explain briefly why you chose the image/collage to accompany your song/poem.
Check out a model for this assignment created by your very own teachers : side one visuals...and... side two written paragraph