poetry writing biography

How to Write a Poetry Bio for Beginners

“ At one point I had no idea what to put in my writer’s bio when I was first published and I had to scramble to find out the best way to go about it.” – dimitrireyespoet.com

One of the most satisfying things that come out of working with my Patreon poets are the ways in which they improve each time we speak to each other. They’re proof that as long as the writer is always looking forward and working on themselves— whether that’s by reading, writing, or creating in a myriad of different ways — there is incremental improvement in their work. Emerging poet, Cathlin Noonan is a great example.

Quite recently, Cathlin has received her first publication acceptance (yay!) and reached out to me seeking counsel on how to create a bio and this brought me BACK! At one point I had NO IDEA what to put in my writer’s bio when I was first published and I had to scramble to find out the best way to go about it. Admittedly, my first few publications went through different versions of my bio until I finally found a template I was comfortable with so I wanted to make sure to cut out the awkward and prepare Cathlin a bio that she’d be able to build upon in time.

Because of technology, I was also able to record our conversation where (of course!) I drop several golden nuggets (which are quite possibly secrets!) about how to navigate a bio and even how to build relationships with publishers. Please watch the full video that shows a bit of the process and thinking behind a well-structured bio. By the end, you’ll know How to Write a Poetry Bio for Beginners.

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How to Write a Biog

So you’re going to have your first poem published, or you’ve been accepted onto a writing programme, or you’re going to perform somewhere, or maybe you’re even setting up your own website… and you need a biog..

What on earth is a biog?

A biog (or bio, or ‘short biographical statement’) briefly introduces you as a writer. The idea is to give a flavour of the person behind the poem, and where else the reader might find your work. As you gain more experience, your biog will grow and change. It’s a bit like a mini, informal poetry CV.

The best way to understand what a biog is is to read some examples. Google some of your favourite poets’ names + biog, flick through a poetry magazine, or look at the end of Young Poets Network features and challenges . Here are a few made-up examples:

Noah is a seventeen-year-old poet from Bangor. In 2020, he was the second-prize winner in the Made-Up Challenge on The Poetry Society’s Young Poets Network, and performed at the Senedd Cymru as a result. Ray James is a Jamaican-British poet who writes about football, cats, and cats playing football. They tweet @PussInFootballBoots Zara is studying Physics at the University of Birmingham. She was a Foyle Young Poet in 2017, is a member of Young Identity, and has performed at the Hippodrome, Birmingham. Her poems have appeared in Really Excellent Poetry Magazine, Wow So Impressive Poetry Journal and An Anthology of Brilliant New Poets (2020). Her favourite poet is Mary Jean Chan. Mohammed Abidal is a sixth former at a local school. He was born in France and grew up in Aberdeen. This is the first time he has ever performed his poetry.

You can see that, depending on the context, you might want to give different information. Mohammed’s biog sounds like it’ll be read out before he goes on stage – so the audience will have some geographical context for ‘a local school’. It’s usually best practice not to name your school or a place more specific than your city or county, to protect your own identity.

Young poet performing at a Young Poets Takeover event

What do I write about?

First of all – shorter biogs are usually preferable, so you don’t need to answer everything we’re about to cover. And if you do have an answer, cherry-pick the most interesting or important details. But here are some ideas…

Include all your writing accolades if you’ve got any – have you won or been a runner-up in any competitions? Have you been published anywhere? Have you performed anywhere?

Include any writing activities you get up to: do you edit a magazine? Do you run a poetry society/club or a night? Are you part of a poetry collective or mentoring programme?

And, if you have space, the more general stuff: what are your interests (poetry and otherwise)? What kind of writing do you do? Are you studying? Are you working? Again – read some other people’s biogs. What do you find it interesting to hear about when poets are introduced?

But I’ve never been published/performed anywhere!

That’s okay! You can still give the audience an idea of who you are – go for the more general stuff. You’ll be able to update it as you go.

How do I present it?

It depends!

Is someone else asking you for a biog? If so, have they specified how they want it to be presented (e.g. is there a maximum word count? Have they specified that they want it written in the first or third person*)? Follow their instructions if so.

If they haven’t given you any instructions, it’s probably best practice to write it in the third person and write around 30-60 words , like the examples above. They’re usually not long at all.

If you’re writing a biog for your own website or blog, it can be as long as you like, and you can include a wider range of details. You can write it in the first or third person. Again, look at your favourite poets’ websites for ideas.

And in terms of structure… well, you’re a poet! As long as it makes sense, flows nicely and sounds as impressive and interesting as you can make it, you’ll have done a great job.

Final pro tip – have a document where you keep versions of your biog of different lengths. Some people might want a one-sentence biog; some people might ask you for 50 or 100 words or want the full works. Having all these to hand in advance just makes your life much easier!

*First person = “ I am a poet from Newcastle, my favourite writer is…” Third person = “ Jasmine is a poet from Newcastle, her favourite writer is…”

Still got questions leave your queries (and your own tips and biogs) in the comments below..

Published June 2021

How To Write A Bio For Poetry Submission

Tips for Writing Poetry Submissions

Writing a bio for a poetry submission can be a challenging but rewarding task. Paired with good poetry, a well written bio showcases an author’s writing style and introduces their work to potential readers. Whether submitting to a competitive magazine, agency, or publisher, your bio should stand out and effectively express who you are as a poet.

First and foremost, be honest and concise. Do not list outdated or exaggerated accolades, particularly those that may look good on paper but don’t represent your true writing personality. Instead, focus on only positive, relevant information that might affect the reader’s opinion of your work. For instance, if you are a semifinalist in a writing contest, be sure to include when, where and for which poem it was awarded.

To ensure that your bio is informative and stand out from the competition, consider including a few facts about yourself. Are you a budding poet? What type of themes or feelings does your poetry reflect? Do you belong to any poetry groups or publications? Provide a unique or interesting background story or attribute that makes you unique as a writer.

Always provide a brief sample of your poetry that exemplifies your writing style. Keep it short and to the point, as you will want the readers to focus primarily on your bio and not the work itself.

Next, include links to your blog, website and social media pages so the reader may explore your work more thoroughly. Also consider adding an image to prevent the reader from automatically discarding your submission. Adding an appealing headshot or a visually-interesting image of your book will help create an impression of who you are and make your work stand out from the crowd.

As you complete your bio and prepare the final submission package, remember that the goal is to make a meaningful connection with the reader. Don’t try and sell yourself in too promotional a fashion – be honest and humble in your writing, but confident in your skills.

Developing Your Poetry Style

To produce truly outstanding poetry, authors must have raw talent, sources of inspiration, and a critical eye. While some may have a natural gift for poetry, others may require honing their skills and working diligently to refine them. Expand your poetic writing skills and develop your style, either on your own or by taking a workshop.

The workshop setting allows for personal interaction and critique from not only peers, but from highly acclaimed poets who can provide first-hand guidance and advice. Utilize this opportunity for gathering constructive criticism and build confidence in your writing.

Take the lessons from each meeting, remember the advising of your peers and mentors, and use those teachings to continuously hone your skills and develop your signature style. It will take time and practice to perfect, so don’t expect to be a master poet instantly. By knowing the techniques and understanding when to use them in your writing, you can slowly instill your own definition of lyricism into your words. The process doesn’t have to be arduous; it merely requires an open mind and a patient heart.

It is important to find an excellent poet or a workshop that can support you in various methods such as through online courses, study groups, and one-on-one teaching. Attend lectures and read the work of other poets to evaluate the influence that each of their individual writing styles have on your own. Assemble an array of thought and artwork to examine, learn from and be inspired by. Always remember to rise above the basic fundamentals to discover where true literature exists.

Marketing Poetry Submissions

The editing and proofreading stages are complete and your bio is in order. After carefully selecting the magazines and contests to which you will submit your work, keep an organized list that includes submission guidelines, fees and deadlines. Utilize social media, particularly Twitter and Instagram, to market your work by capturing an audience that appreciates your style. Additionally, consider co-authoring with professionals or including your poems in anthologies or magazines.

Writing competitions are excellent opportunities to promote your work. Though you are unlikely to win every competition to which you submit, simply participating yields its own rewards, such as getting feedback from judges and readers. The more competitions you enter, the greater the chances of your work being noticed; publishers and agencies often scour writing prize lists for talent. As a result, you may find yourself increasing interest in your work.

Create an online presence by creating a website, blog, or both. Set up a contact form, where readers can inquire about your poems and post comments. Feature a few pieces on your site, explain your talents and interests, and link to relevant services and organizations. Finally, write thoughtful, powerful poetry and develop an impressive portfolio of extraordinary works.

Elements of Poetry Writing

In order to produce proper poetry, you must learn to master the fundamentals of language, such as syntax and diction. Understanding these aspects will help you raise the bar of excellence in your writing and make that connection with your readers. Start by familiarizing yourself with the basics—punctuation, rhythm, imagery and meter.

When writing poetry, keep in mind the amount of inspiration necessary to maintain its creativity and originality. It can be easy to become misdirected and dependent on others when writing poetry. To ensure this does not occur, find a reliable source of inspiration that you can turn to when in need. It may come in the form of nature, books, movies or dreams.

To produce a masterpiece, cultivate an analytical attitude and approach the concept of building words with a critical diligence. The accuracy and clarity of the language used should reflect vividness and emotion, and not just the mere summarization of what is said. Leverage a wide breadth of vocabulary to construct, accentuate and portray the desired effect of each individual piece.

Combining structured form and compelling language should be the goal for any poet attempting to make their work entertaining. Ideally, a poem should maximize its poetic features, like figurative language and sound, without reducing its grip on the reader. It’s also important to tweak an old standby to make it new and exciting. Try to find inventive ways to get an audience to engage with a timeless style.

Penning a Unique Poem

In order to stand out from the crowd, poets should strive to make unique or unusual choices. This includes topics, language and form. By creating a unique viewpoint or impressively new ideas, your poem will capture the reader’s attention and I’m sure, thrill them.

For instance, focus on undiscovered situations or incidents that you believe may have been overlooked. Incorporate cultural nuances and distinctive terminology so that the reader views and grasps the full potential of the poem.

Experiment with tone and shift in and out of standard poetic forms. Take risks and challenge conventions – don’t be scared to experiment with a line break, a pause, an unexpected rhyme, or works that tell stories instead of following a specific rhythmic structure.

Once the poem has been written, take the time to read it aloud and record it to be sure the rhythm, emphasis, and words fall into the pattern that you originally intended. If you are having difficulty developing your writing, sometimes it can help to read your poem out loud several times, making adjustments whenever necessary.

No matter what style of poetry you choose to write, never forget that the goal is to make a meaningful connection with readers and the core of your poem should be the creative focus. Crafting a poem that is unique and entertaining is among the most satisfying accomplishments a poet can realize.

Minnie Walters

Minnie Walters is a passionate writer and lover of poetry. She has a deep knowledge and appreciation for the work of famous poets such as William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and many more. She hopes you will also fall in love with poetry!

augmented’s journey

From Reader to Fan: How to Use Your Author Bio to Build a Following for Your Poetry

Creating an impactful author bio: a must-have tool for poets.

Write the Perfect Author Bio: A Step-by-Step Guide

From reader to fan: it's the dream of every poet. But how do you make that transition? How do you build a following of passionate readers who can't wait to get their hands on your next book? The answer lies in your author bio. Here's how to use your bio to build a following for your poetry

What is an author bio?

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How to Write a Biopoem

Last Updated: September 5, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was reviewed by Annaliese Dunne . Annaliese Dunne is a Middle School English Teacher. With over 10 years of teaching experience, her areas of expertise include writing and grammar instruction, as well as teaching reading comprehension. She is also an experienced freelance writer. She received her Bachelor's degree in English. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 71,120 times.

A biopoem is a poem with a very specific formula. It describes a person, and it is 10 lines long. You can write a biopoem about yourself or about someone else; the formula works either way.

Constructing a Biopoem

Step 1 In the first line, use the person’s first name.

Fierce unyielding brave tall
Son of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln, husband of Mary Lincoln
Lover of freedom, tall hats, and good speeches
Who felt patriotism for his country and who felt grief at a divided nation
Who feared what would become of a divided country, feared the south would win, feared the costs of war
Who issued the Emancipation Proclamation and who won the Civil War
Who wanted to see the nation whole again
Born in Kentucky, died at Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC

Writing and Formatting a Biopoem

Step 1 Think about what characteristics make a person unique.

Sample Biopoem

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↑ https://www.readwritethink.org/sites/default/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson398/biopoem.pdf
↑ https://www.canteach.ca/resources/english-language-arts/poetry/how-to-write-a-bio-poem/
↑ https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/bio-poem-connecting-identity-and-poetry
↑ https://www.dyslexiasupportservices.com.au/pdf_files/BioPoem.pdf
↑ https://www.pebblego.com/sites/default/files/files/Bio%20Poem.pdf

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How to Write a Biography for a Poet

As with any biographical account, a poet's biography must include the basic--birth, childhood, mark of independence, major life events and death. Poet-specific notable points include inspirations, quality progression and vices.

Birth and childhood

A poet may be faced with the tragic loss of his parents at a young age, and you should cover the factors involved and how deeply the poet was affected.

Mark of Independance

Many poets had vastly diverse jobs or educational pursuits, such as enlisting in the military before turning to poetry. Build a foundation to how their collegiate and working experiences influenced later work.

Major Life Events and Inspirations

Earlier you touched on the events that occurred during the poet's childhood; now provide more detail and note works where this trauma may be prevalent. Also cover what inspire her poetic flair to create verse--weather it be the glance of a woman or the cries of war, for example.

While not all poets suffered from a weak will towards alcohol, women or gambling, many had other issues that were not as evident. Touch on how their weaknesses and flaws influenced their poetry.

Death and Beyond

Be sure to note the writer's popularity (or notoriety) in the era of his passing. If the poetry gave relevant insight, tell what the poet would expect to encounter in the afterlife. Also, tell how widely circulated the poetry is today.

This article was written by the CareerTrend team, copy edited and fact checked through a multi-point auditing system, in efforts to ensure our readers only receive the best information. To submit your questions or ideas, or to simply learn more about CareerTrend, contact us [here](http://careertrend.com/about-us).

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Bio-poem: Connecting Identity and Poetry

Published: February 24, 2008

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What Is a Bio-Poem?

“Who am I?” is a question on the minds of many adolescents. This activity helps students clarify important elements of their identities by writing a poem about themselves or about a historical or literary figure. Bio-poems help students get beyond the aspects of identity that are often more obvious and familiar (such as ethnicity, gender, and age) by asking them to focus on factors that shape identity, such as experiences, relationships, hopes, and interests. By providing a structure for students to think more critically about an individual’s traits, experiences, and character, bio-poems are a way for students to demonstrate what they know about historical or literary figures. Having students share their bio-poems is a great way to build peer relationships and foster a cohesive classroom community.

Save this resource for easy access later.

Lesson plans, how to write a bio-poem.

Select the focus of the bio-poem. Students typically write bio-poems about themselves, but the poems can also be written about historical or literary figures. You can assign students a specific individual to use as the focus of the bio-poem or you can allow students to choose an individual relevant to the current unit of study.
Adjectives that you would use to describe yourself
Relationships in your life (e.g., friend, brother, daughter)
Things you love
Important memories
Accomplishments
Hopes or wishes
Home (location)
You can adapt this format to include other items, such as important moments, heroes, beliefs, and special sayings or words.

Students Brainstorm

Before they begin writing, it is helpful to give students an opportunity to brainstorm ideas they might include.

Students Write Their Poems

Explain the format of a bio-poem to your students. You can also share with them a sample bio-poem, such as the one included in the example section.

Students Share Poems

There are many ways that students can share their bio-poems. They could post them around the room as part of a gallery walk, for example, or share them with a partner. Or you might want to try one of these sharing strategies:

Students can read their poems to the whole class. Each reader is assigned a “responder.” After the bio-poem is read aloud, the responder has to comment about something he or she heard that was particularly interesting or surprising.
Ask students to pass their poems to their neighbor. Give time for a thorough reading. Have students silently write comments or questions in the margin. Every three to five minutes, have students pass the poems on to the next person. Repeat as time allows. At the end of the allotted time, students should have a poem filled with comments and questions. Be sure to remind students about expectations for appropriate comments.

Student Bio-poem Example

A bio-poem highlights biographical information about a subject, including their experiences, relationships, hopes, and interests.

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How to Teach Your Students to Write Biography Poems

Students can tell their stories in a playful way

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B.A., Sociology, University of California Los Angeles

Biography poems, or Bio poems, are a quick and easy way for young students to learn poetry . They allow students to express their personality and introduce themselves to others, making them a perfect activity for the first day of school. Bio poems can also be used to describe someone else, making them perfect for history lessons or other subjects where students might be studying key historical figures. You will see in the examples below that students can research someone like Rosa Parks , then create a Bio poem on her.

What Are Bio Poems?

Below, you can read three examples of Bio Poems. One is about a teacher, one is about a student, and one is about a famous person that students researched.

Sample Bio Poem of a Teacher

Kind, funny, hard-working, loving

Sister of Amy

Lover of Computers, Friends, and Harry Potter books

Who feels excited on the first day of school, sad when she watches the news, and happy to open a new book

Who needs people, books, and computers

Who gives help to students, smiles to her husband, and letters to family and friends

Who fears war, hunger, and bad days

Who would like to visit the pyramids in Egypt , teach the world’s greatest third graders, and read on the beach in Hawaii

Resident of California

Sample Bio Poem of a Student

Athletic, strong, determined, fast

Son of Janelle and Nathan and brother to Reesa

Loves the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, sports, and Baked Beans

Who feels happy when playing with friends, and happy when playing sports and being with his family

Who needs books, family, and Legos to by happy in life

Who makes people laugh when someone is sad, who likes to gives smiles, and loves hugging

Fears the dark, spiders, clowns

Would like to visit Paris, France

Resident of Buffalo

Sample Bio Poem of a Person Researched

Determined, Brave, Strong, Caring

Wife of Raymond Parks, and mother of her children

Who loved freedom, education, and equality

Who loved to stand up for her beliefs, loved to help others, disliked discrimination

Who feared racism would never end, who feared she wouldn't be able to make a difference, who feared she wouldn't have enough courage to fight

Who changed history by standing up to others and making a difference in equality

Who wanted to see an end to discrimination, a world that was equal, and respect was given to all

Born in Alabama, and resident in Detroit

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How To Write A Biography Poem

A biography poem is a type of poem that summarizes the life story of a person in verse. It can be a fun and creative way to explore the life and accomplishments of a person, whether it be a famous celebrity or a loved one. Writing a biography poem can be a great way to honor and remember someone special. In this guide, we’ll go through the steps for composing a biography poem, including brainstorming ideas, writing the poem, and revising it.

Understanding Biography Poetry

Biography poetry is a unique form of expression that blends creative writing with the life story of a person. It is often used to capture the essence of someone’s life, their accomplishments, and their impact on the world. Writing a biography poem can be a great way to creatively explore someone’s life and honor their legacy.

When writing a biography poem, it is important to have a clear understanding of the subject’s life. Research their life story and look for key moments that could be used to create a strong narrative. Gather information about their life, interests, and accomplishments. Use this information to create a vivid image of the person.

Once you have gathered all the information, it’s time to start writing. Choose a structure for your poem, such as a sonnet, villanelle, or free verse. Consider the tone of the poem and what kind of emotions it should evoke. Think about how to capture the essence of the person in the poem and use vivid language to create a lasting impression.

Incorporate different types of imagery and symbolism into the poem to give it more depth. Consider how to make the poem engaging and memorable. Take your time to refine the poem and make sure that it accurately reflects the person’s life.

Writing a biography poem can be an incredibly rewarding experience. It can be a great way to honor someone’s life and capture the essence of their legacy. By taking the time to research their life and incorporating vivid imagery and language into the poem, you can create a truly unique and meaningful tribute.

Choosing a Subject for Your Poem

When writing a biography poem, the most important factor to consider is the subject. Choosing the right person can make or break your poem. Consider the person’s life, their accomplishments, and their impact on the world. Who do you want to immortalize with your poem?

Think about the person’s life story and how you can make it shine in your poem. When writing a biography poem, it is important to focus on their unique qualities that made them stand out from the crowd. You may want to focus on their accomplishments or their struggles, or the experiences they faced.

You should also consider the impact that the person had on the world. How did they change the lives of those around them? What legacy did they leave behind? You can use this information to craft a powerful poem that will truly capture the essence of the person.

Finally, think about the format of the poem. Do you want to write a traditional biography poem? Or would you prefer to write an ode or an elegy? You can also experiment with different poetic forms to create a unique and creative poem.

By carefully considering these factors, you can craft a powerful and meaningful biography poem that will truly capture the life and legacy of your chosen subject.

Brainstorming Ideas for the Poem

Creating a biography poem can be a unique and meaningful way to tell the story of someone’s life. But before you can begin writing your poem, you must first come up with ideas. Brainstorming is a great way to generate ideas for your biography poem, so here are some tips to help you get started.

Start by gathering information. Research the person’s life and make sure you have all the facts. Be sure to include dates, places, and other important information. You can also jot down any words or phrases that come to mind as you think about the person.

Next, create a timeline of events. This will help you organize your thoughts and give you an overview of the person’s life. Writing down key events and milestones will also help you come up with ideas for your poem.

Finally, think of different ways to tell the person’s story. Brainstorming is all about exploring different ideas, so don’t be afraid to be creative! You can also look at other biographical poems for inspiration. Once you have some ideas, you can start putting your poem together.

BIO Poems - Biography Poem - Creative Writing

Writing the Poem

Writing a biography poem is an interesting way to celebrate a person’s life. Whether you’re writing about a friend, family member, or historical figure, it’s important to create an engaging poem that captures the essence of the person’s life. To create a successful biography poem, start by researching the person’s life, focusing on important events and experiences. Once you’ve gathered enough information, start writing the poem. Think of the poem as a story, and use poetic techniques like imagery, metaphor, and alliteration to bring the story to life. Make sure to include the person’s name in the poem, as well as any other details that you think will make the poem more memorable and unique. Finally, when you’ve finished the poem, read it out loud to get a better sense of how it flows and to ensure that it conveys the message you’re trying to get across. With a bit of research and creativity, you’ll be able to craft a beautiful biography poem that celebrates the life of a special person.

Editing and Refining the Poem

Editing and refining a poem is an important part of the writing process. After the poem is written, the poet should take a step back and review it objectively. Questions to ask include: Does the poem make sense? Is there anything that can be clarified or improved? Have I used the best word choices? Is the poem’s structure effective? In addition to considering the poem’s structure and word choice, the poet should also consider the grammar, punctuation, and other details. Editing and refining a poem can make all the difference between a good poem and a great poem. Once the poem is edited and refined, the poet should read it aloud to see how it sounds. Reading the poem out loud can help the poet determine if the poem’s rhythm is effective and if any changes need to be made. After the poem is finalized, it can be shared with friends and family or posted online.

Publishing Your Biography Poem

Publishing your biography poem can be an exciting journey of self-discovery and creativity. There are several options for getting your work out into the world, including submitting it to literary journals, self-publishing, and having it published in a book.

When submitting to literary journals, be sure to read their submission guidelines carefully and follow them to a T. If your poem is accepted, you’ll likely receive a modest honorarium and a few free copies of the journal.

If you want to self-publish your work, you’ll need to decide whether you want to go the traditional route (printing and distributing physical copies) or make your work available digitally. For the traditional route, you’ll need to decide on a printer and a distribution plan. For the digital route, look into eBook publishers, such as Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing.

If you’d rather have your poem published in a book, you’ll need to research potential publishers and submit your work to them. This route requires patience, as it can take a long time to hear back and even longer for it to actually be published.

No matter which route you take, make sure that you’re comfortable with the terms and conditions of any agreement. Finally, make sure to promote your work as much as possible and turn your poem into a memorable experience for your readers.

FAQs About the How To Write A Biography Poem

1. What is a biography poem? A biography poem is a type of poem that tells the story of a person’s life. It is usually written in the first person and includes facts about the person’s background, accomplishments, character, and other interesting details.

2. How do I start writing a biography poem? When writing a biography poem, it is important to start by researching the person that you are writing about. Collect facts about their life, including dates, places, and important events that shaped their story. Use this research to create a timeline of the person’s life and decide which details you want to include in the poem.

3. What should I include in a biography poem? A biography poem should include the person’s name, date of birth, and a brief description of their life. It should also include details about their character, accomplishments, and any interesting anecdotes or stories that will make the poem more memorable. Be sure to use vivid imagery and language to bring the poem to life.

Writing a biography poem can be a great way to capture the life of a person in a unique and creative way. It can be a rewarding experience that will make the subject of the poem feel appreciated and remembered. To get started, think about the person’s life, their accomplishments, and the moments that made them special and write a poem that captures that. Consider using imagery, metaphor, and symbolism to craft a poem that expresses the essence of the person’s life. With a bit of creativity and dedication, you can create a meaningful poem that will honor the person’s life and provide them with a lasting tribute.

Alexandra Dovgan Biography

Alexandre Cabanel Biography

Alexa Dellanos Biography

Gwendolyn Brooks

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Gwendolyn Brooks is one of the most influential and widely read 20th-century American poets. The author of more than 20 books, she was highly regarded even during her lifetime and had the distinction of being the first Black poet to win the Pulitzer Prize. She was also the first Black woman to hold the role of Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, a position now referred to as the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry, and served as the Illinois poet laureate for 32 years. Her body of work gave her, according to critic George E. Kent, “a unique position in American letters. Not only has she combined a strong commitment to racial identity and equality with a mastery of poetic techniques, but she has also managed to bridge the gap between the academic poets of her generation in the 1940s and the young Black militant writers of the 1960s.”

Brooks was born in Topeka, Kansas, but her family moved to Chicago when she was young. Her father was a janitor who had hoped to become a doctor; her mother was a schoolteacher and a classically trained pianist; both supported their daughter’s passion for reading and writing. Brooks was 13 when she published her first poem, “Eventide,” in American Childhood ; by the time she was 17, she was publishing poems frequently in the Chicago Defender. After attending junior college and working for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), she developed her craft in poetry workshops and completed her first collection, A Street in Bronzeville (Harper & Brothers, 1945).

The poems in A Street in Bronzeville and the Pulitzer Prize–winning Annie Allen (Harper & Brothers, 1949) are “devoted to small, carefully cerebrated, terse portraits of the Black urban poor,”commented Richard K. Barksdale in Modern Black Poets: A Collection of Critical Essays (Prentice-Hall, 1973) . Several critics welcomed Brooks as a new voice in poetry. Fellow poet Rolfe Humphries wrote in the New York Times Book Review that “we have, in A Street in Bronzeville, a good book and a real poet,” and Langston Hughes , in a review of Annie Allen for Voices, remarked that “the people and poems in Gwendolyn Brooks’ book are alive, reaching, and very much of today.”

In the 1950s, Brooks published her only novel, Maud Martha (Harper & Brothers, 1953), which details its title character’s life in short vignettes. Maud suffers prejudice not only from white people but also from lighter-skinned African Americans, something that mirrored Brooks’s experience.

Her later work took on politics more overtly, displaying what National Observer contributor Bruce Cook termed “an intense awareness of the problems of color and justice.” Toni Cade Bambara reported in the New York Times Book Review that at the age of 50

something happened to Brooks, a something most certainly in evidence in In the Mecca [Harper & Row, 1968] and subsequent works—a new movement and energy, intensity, richness, power of statement and a new stripped, lean, compressed style. A change of style prompted by a change of mind.

This shift or change is often attributed to Brooks’s attendance at a gathering of Black writers at Fisk University in 1967; however, more recently, scholars such as Evie Shockley and Cheryl Clark e challenge the idea that Brooks’s career can be so neatly divided. Clarke, for example, described In the Mecca as Brooks’s “final seminar on the Western lyric.” Brooks herself noted this shift as quoted in The New York Times : “Those young black writers seemed so proud and committed to their own people. The poets among them felt that black poets should write as blacks, about blacks, and address themselves to blacks.”

She later wrote, “If it hadn't been for these young people, these young writers who influenced me, I wouldn't know what I know about this society. By associating with them I know who I am.” From that time forward, Brooks thought of herself as an African determined not to compromise social comment for the sake of technical proficiency.

Essayist Charles Israel suggested that In the Mecca ’s title poem, for example, shows “a deepening of Brooks’s concern with social problems.” A mother loses her small daughter in the block-long ghetto tenement, the Mecca; this long poem traces her steps through the building, revealing her neighbors to be indifferent or insulated by their own personal obsessions. The mother finds her little girl, who “never learned that black is not beloved.” Critic R. Baxter Miller, writing in Black American Poets between Worlds, 1940-1960 (University of Tennessee Press, 1986) , observed, “ In the Mecca is a most complex and intriguing book; it seeks to balance the sordid realities of urban life with an imaginative process of reconciliation and redemption.” Other poems in the book, such as those occasioned by the death of Malcolm X and the dedication of a mural of Black heroes painted on a Chicago building, express Brooks’s commitment to her community’s awareness of itself as a political as well as a cultural entity.

Brooks’s activism led her to leave major publisher Harper & Row in favor of fledgling Black publishing companies. In the 1970s, she worked with Dudley Randall ’s Broadside Press to publish her poetry collections Riot (1969), Family Pictures (1970), Aloneness (1971), Aurora (1972), and Beckonings (1975) and the first volume of her autobiography, Report from Part One (1972). She also edited two collections of poetry— A Broadside Treasury (1971) and Jump Bad: A New Chicago Anthology (1971)—for the Detroit-area press. The Chicago-based Third World Press, run by Haki R. Madhubuti , a young poet Brooks met during the 1960s, also brought many Brooks titles into print. Brooks was the first writer to read in the Broadside Press original Poet’s Theatre series and the first poet to read in the second opening of the series when the press was revived under new ownership in 1988. Brooks, however, felt that Riot, Family Pictures, Beckonings, and other books Black publishers brought out received only brief notice from critics of the literary establishment because they “did not wish to encourage Black publishers.”

Among Brooks’s major prose works are her two volumes of autobiography. When Report from Part One was published, some reviewers expressed disappointment that it did not provide the level of personal detail or the insight into Black literature they had expected. “They wanted a list of domestic spats,” remarked Brooks. Bambara noted that it “is not a sustained dramatic narrative for the nosey, being neither the confessions of a private woman/poet or the usual sort of mahogany-desk memoir public personages inflict upon the populace at the first sign of a cardiac. … It documents the growth of Gwen Brooks.” Other critics praised the book for explaining the poet’s new orientation toward her racial heritage and her role as a poet. In a passage she presented again in later books as a definitive statement, Brooks wrote

I—who have ‘gone the gamut’ from an almost angry rejection of my dark skin by some of my brainwashed brothers and sisters to a surprised queenhood in the new Black sun—am qualified to enter at least the kindergarten of new consciousness now. New consciousness and trudge-toward-progress. I have hopes for myself… I know now that I am essentially an essential African, in occupancy here because of an indeed ‘peculiar’ institution… I know that Black fellow-feeling must be the Black man’s encyclopedic Primer. I know that the Black-and-white integration concept, which in the mind of some beaming early saint was a dainty spinning dream, has wound down to farce… I know that the Black emphasis must be not against white but FOR Black… In the Conference-That-Counts, whose date may be 1980 or 2080 (woe betide the Fabric of Man if it is 2080), there will be no looking up nor looking down.

Brooks put some of the finishing touches on the second volume of her autobiography at the age of 68 while serving as Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. Of her many duties there, the most important, in her view, were visits to local schools. Similar visits to colleges, universities, prisons, hospitals, and drug rehabilitation centers characterized her tenure as poet laureate of Illinois. In that role, she sponsored and hosted annual literary awards ceremonies at which she presented prizes funded, as related by Reginald Gibbons in the Chicago Tribune, “out of [Brooks’s] own pocket, which, despite her modest means, is of legendary depth.” Because of the wide recognition of her service and achievements, several schools were named for her, and she was similarly honored in 1970 by the founding of Western Illinois University’s Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center. In 2017, the centenary of Brooks’s birth was celebrated at the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where her papers are held. “Brooks Day” is celebrated annually in her hometown of Chicago.

An Aspect of Love, Alive in the Ice and Fire

The ballad of rudolph reed.

Appeared in Poetry Magazine The Bean Eaters
See All Poems by Gwendolyn Brooks

Gwendolyn Brooks: A Chicago Legacy

Poems of protest, resistance, and empowerment, celebrating black history month, labor day poems, celebrating women’s history month, after the night years: on "the sun came" by etheridge knight and "truth" by gwendolyn brooks, ariana benson vs the field, ashley m. jones and ashlee haze in conversation, ashley m. jones and jacqueline allen trimble in conversation, ashley m. jones and marcus wicker on afrofuturism, outkast, and living in the american south, another life.

Art, Artifice, and Artifact

Before We Begin

The choice of constraint, “the children of the poor” by gwendolyn brooks, taylor behnke reads “my dreams, my works must wait til after hell”, we real cool, persistence of vision with gwendolyn brooks.

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Bibliography

The bean eaters, the blackstone rangers, boy breaking glass, the children of the poor, gay chaps at the bar, jessie mitchell’s mother, kitchenette building, the life of lincoln west, a light and diplomatic bird, the lovers of the poor, mayor harold washington, my dreams, my works, must wait till after hell, of de witt williams on his way to lincoln cemetery, of robert frost, a penitent considers another coming of mary, primer for blacks, the rites for cousin vit, sadie and maud, the sermon on the warpland, a song in the front yard, "still do i keep my look, my identity...", strong men, riding horses, the sundays of satin-legs smith, a sunset of the city, the third sermon on the warpland, the vacant lot, when you have forgotten sunday: the love story, young afrikans.

A collection on the work and impact of a legendary poet

Why poetry is necessary and sought after during crises.

Poems, articles, and podcasts that explore African American history and culture.

Poems reflecting on work, responsibility, and the end of summer.

Poems, articles, podcasts, and blog posts that explore women’s history and women’s rights.

Poetry and Feminism

Tracing the fight for equality and women’s rights through poetry.

Poetry and the Civil Rights Movement

The struggle for social justice remembered through poetry.

The Black Arts Movement

An introduction showcasing one of the most influential cultural and aesthetic movements of the last 100 years.

It’s Complicated: Love Poems

Love, I’m done with you!

Poetry and Racial Justice and Equality

Witnessing the struggle for freedom, from the American Revolution to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Poetry and Form

Educational resources on poetic forms curated by Poetry Foundation staff

Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Herman Beavers, Tracie Morris, and Josephine Park.

Terrance Hayes and the poetics of the un-thought.

On today’s episode, Brittany and Ajanae speak with 2023 Ruth Lily fellow and author of Black Pastoral , Ariana Benson. Join them for this episode as they discuss nature, artistic influences,...

Appeared in Poetry Magazine Art, Artifice, and Artifact

On rap's delights.

Ashley M. Jones says she has never met an Ashley she hasn’t liked. This week, the feeling was mutual. Jones caught up with Ashlee Haze, a force of a poet...

When Ashley M. Jones first heard the poetry of Jacqueline Allen Trimble, Jones says she heard something “Southern, unapologetically Black, fierce, sweet, and strong.” This week, Jones and Trimble talk...

This week, Ashley M. Jones speaks with Marcus Wicker about a project he began early in the pandemic while looking for sources of calm in books and music. Many of...

Frameworks for introducing poetry to the elementary classroom.

Carl Phillips vs. the Erotic

Carl Phillips swings by the zoodio (zoom studio) for a ticklish and insightful convo on this episode. The poet and professor talks about the power of interiority, how his relationship...

A Change of World, Episode 1: The Wilderness

The first episode in a special series on the women’s movement

Chicago Cultural Center

Originally the Chicago Public Library, the Cultural Center provides an ideal atmosphere for this brief history of Chicago poetry, featuring a variety of the city’s poets. Need a transcript of this...

Read by Naomi Beckwith

by Gwendolyn Brooks (read by Quraysh Ali Lansana)

How not getting to do everything leads to doing what you want.

Derrick Harriell vs. the Clock

Franny and Danez kick it with Derrick Harriell, poet and Director of the MFA program at the University of Mississippi, where this episode was recorded. They talk remaking masculinity, flipping...

Stephanie Burt on girlhood, Twitter, and the pleasure of proper nouns.

Echo and Break

Megan Fernandes’s I Do Everything I’m Told is a formally promiscuous enactment of distance and desire.

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Evie shockley vs gathering.

Evie Shockley is ready to bring us together. The poet, critic, and professor breaks down how she builds spaces to gather and exchange in her poems, the lineages she pulls...

Experience, Experiment

Using Black poetry in creative writing classes.

The Fire This Time

Gwendolyn Brooks, Elizabeth Alexander, and Haki Madhubuti on America’s perennial struggle to recognize that Black Lives Matter.

Fred Sasaki Interviews Ashley M. Jones

This week, Fred Sasaki had the very special honor of interviewing his friend and colleague, Ashley M. Jones. Jones guest edited the late spring and summer issues of Poetry magazine during a remarkable time...

From the Archive: Gwendolyn Brooks

Two of Brooks's now-classic poems that first appeared in Poetry magazine.

George Abraham vs. Returning

George Abraham is ready to return. The Palestinian-American poet and professor talks with Franny and Danez about the experience of revisiting their first book Birthright, carving a past and future...

Jamila Woods debuts her new music video.

Golden Shovels

In the February 2017 Poetry , digging into the legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks.

Gwendolyn Brooks speaking in 1990 at Poetry Day in Chicago.

Gwendolyn Brooks at 100

The life and influence of one of America’s most celebrated poets.

Gwendolyn Brooks: Essential American Poets

Archival recordings of former poet laureate Brooks, with an introduction to her life and work. Recorded January 19, 1961, Recording Laboratory, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Gwendolyn Brooks: “kitchenette building”

The Chicago poet transports readers into a dream deferred.

Gwendolyn Brooks: Selections

Classic poems from a Chicago poet.

Gwendolyn Brooks’s “the mother”

What does it mean if a poem is “neither pro nor con abortion”?

Hall Library

One of the 20th century's most significant poets, Gwendolyn Brooks wrote about race in America, often from the perspective of her Bronzeville neighborhood.

Harold Washington Library

Harold Washington was elected as Chicago’s first African American mayor in 1983. Gwendolyn Brooks, Edward Hirsch, and Albert Goldbarth read an array of poems celebrating progress and the pleasures of...

Hear the Essential American Poets

Former U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall picked over 100 of the century's best poets–now listen to them read their best work in a new PF podcast series.

Histories of the Future Frontier

Rio Cortez on Afropioneerism out West.

Ilya Kaminsky vs. The Republic

Ilya Kaminsky can weave beautiful sentences out of thin air, then build a narrative tapestry from them that is unlike any story you’ve ever read. The author of Dancing in...

Appeared in Poetry Magazine Introduction: The Golden Shovel

John murillo vs. the business.

Danez and Franny hop on the ole zoom zoom with legendary poet and beard icon John Murillo. John talks about his new book Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry , learning how to focus...

Kemi Alabi vs. Divinity

In today’s episode, Kemi Alabi talks about poetic practice, pleasure, and play as it presents in their collection Against Heaven , winner of the Academy of American Poets First Book Award...

Kevin Young and Cindy Juyoung Ok on All the Things Poetry Does

This week, Cindy Juyoung Ok speaks with Kevin Young, who has authored or edited over twenty books including the poetry collection Stones (Knopf, 2021) and the nonfiction investigation Bunk: The Rise...

By Gwendolyn Brooks

Leila Chatti and Sharon Olds in Conversation

When we asked Leila Chatti who she wished to speak with most, she chose one of the poets who gave her permission to be a poet herself: Sharon Olds. And...

The Life and Poetry of Carolyn Marie Rodgers, with Nina Rodgers Gordon, Andrew Peart, and Srikanth Reddy

Delve into the life and poetry of one of the chief architects of the Black Arts Movement in Chicago, Carolyn Marie Rodgers (1940-2010), with a very special guest: Carolyn’s sister, Nina...

Looking Animals in the Eye

Poems from Yusef Komunyakaa, V. Penelope Pelizzon, Kathy Nilsson, and Anthony Madrid, plus Patricia Smith on Gwendolyn Brooks.

The Mama and the Papa

Hear Gwendolyn Brooks read "the mother" and Theodore Roethke read "My Papa's Waltz," with insights by ex-US Poet Laureate Donald Hall. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

Marilyn Chin vs. Fierceness

On this episode, we get to talk on this episode with the legend, superstar, and self-proclaimed “baby yoda” Marilyn Chin. We talk about her long journey toward building Asian-American poetics,...

Marilyn Nelson and Nikki Grimes in Conversation

This week: thoughts on form. Both Marilyn Nelson and Nikki Grimes agree, playing with poetic constraints can create an expansive world to write within. Listen as two of the most...

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Naomi Shihab Nye vs. Secret Lives

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No Square Poet’s Job

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Two new genre-bending books by Terrance Hayes find freedom in individuality.

Not Detainable: A discussion of Gwendolyn Brooks’s “Riot”

Hosted by Al Filreis and featuring Amber Rose Johnson, Tonya Foster, and Davy Knittle.

On the Other Side of the Alphabet

In Customs, Solmaz Sharif excavates the fraught political and cultural inheritances of language.

Ours Is No Bedtime Story

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Parneshia Jones vs. 2020

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Poetry Magazine Weekly Podcast for June 5, 2017: CM Burroughs Reads Two Poems

The editors discuss CM Burroughs's "Gwendolyn Brooks as Lover" and "Our People I" from the June 2017 issue of Poetry . Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

The Poetry of Close Quarters

On Gwendolyn Brooks's “kitchenette building”

Positive Rigor

A conversation with Adrian Matejka, Poetry ’s new editor.

Randall Horton vs. the i

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Reading a Dysfunctional World

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Recasting Gwendolyn

Poetry magazine's Danielle Chapman wants Gwendolyn Brooks to get her due. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

Renaissance Woman

For more than half a century, Chicago’s Margaret Burroughs revolutionized Black art and history.

Appeared in Poetry Magazine The Roads Taken

Gwendolyn Brooks is with me every day.

Sharper with a Border

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Srikanth Reddy and CM Burroughs on Margaret Danner

This week, guest editor Srikanth Reddy and poet CM Burroughs dive into the world of Margaret Danner. Danner was a contemporary of Gwendolyn Brooks and Langston Hughes, whom she knew...

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Subway Poetry is Back

Alice Quinn discusses the return of the Poetry in Motion program in New York. Need a transcript of this episode? Request a transcript here.

Appeared in Poetry Magazine Sweet Bombs

Taylor Behnke reads the Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “my dreams, my works must wait til after hell”.

torrin a. greathouse vs. the Truth

torrin greathouse is in the VS house! The author of Wound from the Mouth of a Wound, Torrin talks about queering form with the utmost intention, examining what community actually...

Using simple, illuminative paper-cut puppetry, this enchanting video imagines the moment of witness that inspired Gwendolyn Brooks to write her landmark poem, “We Real Cool.”

by Gwendolyn Brooks (read by D.A. Powell)

Write the Way You Feel

Homeless poets find an outlet in street newspapers.

An X-Ray of the Soul

Remembering the poets of Attica Correctional Facility.

A Street in Bronzeville (also see below), Harper (New York, NY), 1945.
Includes the poems " The Children of the Poor " (first published in Poetry ), " the rites for Cousin Vit ," and " truth "
The Bean Eaters (also see below), Harper (New York, NY), 1960.
In the Time of Detachment, In the Time of Cold, Civil War Centennial Commission of Illinois (Springfield, IL), 1965.
In the Mecca (also see below), Harper (New York, NY), 1968.
For Illinois 1968: A Sesquicentennial Poem, Harper (New York, NY), 1968.
Riot (also see below), Broadside Press (Highland Park, MI), 1969.
Family Pictures (also see below), Broadside Press (Highland Park, MI), 1970.
Aloneness, Broadside Press (Highland Park, MI), 1971.
Aurora, Broadside Press (Highland Park, MI), 1972.
Beckonings, Broadside Press (Highland Park, MI), 1975.
Primer for Blacks, Black Position Press (Chicago, IL), 1980.
To Disembark, Third World Press (Chicago, IL), 1981.
Black Love, Brooks Press (Chicago, IL), 1982.
Mayor Harold Washington; and, Chicago, the I Will City, Brooks Press (Chicago, IL), 1983.
The Near-Johannesburg Boy, and Other Poems, David Co. (Chicago, IL), 1987.
Gottschalk and the Grande Tarantelle, David Co. (Chicago, IL), 1988.
Winnie, Third World Press (Chicago, IL), 1988.
Children Coming Home, David Co. (Chicago, IL), 1991.
In Montgomery, and Other Poems, Third World Press (Chicago, IL), 2003.

COLLECTED WORKS

Selected Poems, Harper (New York, NY), 1963.
(With others) A Portion of That Field: The Centennial of the Burial of Lincoln, University of Illinois Press (Urbana, IL), 1967.
The World of Gwendolyn Brooks (contains A Street in Bronzeville, Annie Allen, Maud Martha, The Bean Eaters, and In the Mecca; also see below), Harper (New York, NY), 1971.
(Editor) A Broadside Treasury (poems), Broadside Press (Highland Park, MI), 1971.
(Editor) Jump Bad: A New Chicago Anthology, Broadside Press (Highland Park, MI), 1971.
(With Keorapetse Kgositsile, Haki R. Madhubuti, and Dudley Randall) A Capsule Course in Black Poetry Writing, Broadside Press (Highland Park, MI), 1975.
Young Poet's Primer (writing manual), Brooks Press (Chicago, IL), 1981.
Very Young Poets (writing manual), Brooks Press (Chicago, IL), 1983.
The Day of the Gwendolyn: A Lecture (sound recording), Library of Congress (Washington, DC), 1986.
Blacks (includes A Street in Bronzeville, Annie Allen, The Bean Eaters, Maud Martha, A Catch of Shy Fish, Riot, In the Mecca, and most of Family Pictures ), David Co. (Chicago, IL), 1987.
The Gwendolyn Brooks Library, Moonbeam Publications, 1991.
Maud Martha (novel; also see below), Harper (New York, NY), 1953.
Bronzeville Boys and Girls (poems; for children), Harper (New York, NY), 1956.
Report from Part One: An Autobiography, Broadside Press (Highland Park, MI), 1972.
The Tiger Who Wore White Gloves: Or You Are What You Are (for children), Third World Press (Chicago, IL), 1974, reissued, 1987.
Report from Part Two (autobiography), Third World Press (Chicago, IL), 1996.

Stories included in books, including Soon One Morning: New Writing by American Negroes, 1940-1962 (includes "The Life of Lincoln West"), edited by Herbert Hill, Knopf (New York, NY), 1963, published as Black Voices, Elek (London, England), 1964; and The Best Short Stories by Negro Writers: An Anthology from 1899 to the Present, edited by Langston Hughes, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1967. Contributor to poetry anthologies, including New Negro Poets USA, edited by Langston Hughes, Indiana University Press, 1964; The Poetry of Black America: Anthology of the Twentieth Century, edited by Arnold Doff, Harper, 1973; and Celebrate the Midwest! Poems and Stories for David D. Anderson, edited by Marcia Noe, Lake Shore, 1991. Author of broadsides The Wall and We Real Cool, for Broadside Press, and I See Chicago, 1964. Contributor of poems and articles to Ebony, McCall's, Nation, Poetry, and other periodicals. Contributor of reviews to Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Daily News, New York Herald Tribune, and New York Times Book Review.

Example 1: A Bio Poem Celebrating Strength

Example 2: a bio poem reflecting on life's journey, example 3: a bio poem celebrating creativity.

Miranda Courageous, determined, and resilient Lover of adventure, seeker of the unknown Who feels exhilaration in the face of challenge Who fears conformity and mediocrity Who would like to see a world united in compassion Resident of a heart filled with wanderlust Smith

In this example, Miranda presents herself as a person filled with strength and determination. She embraces her love for adventure and seeks to push her boundaries. Miranda's poem also reveals her desire for a more empathetic world, emphasizing her longing for unity and compassion.

Liam Dreamer, philosopher, eternal student Lover of books, melodies, and starry nights Who feels the weight of time's passing moments Who fears the regrets of an unlived life Who would like to see a world connected by empathy Resident of a mind always seeking knowledge Johnson

Liam's bio poem reflects his introspective nature and thirst for knowledge. The poem suggests that he cherishes the beauty of literature, music, and the cosmos. By highlighting his fear of an unlived life, Liam emphasizes the importance of seizing opportunities and making the most of each passing moment.

Amelia Imaginative, artistic, free-spirited soul Lover of colors, melodies, and blank canvases Who feels joy in each stroke of a paintbrush Who fears the silence of a creative block Who would like to see a world where art is valued Resident of a heart that beats to a creative rhythm Anderson

Amelia's bio poem celebrates her creative spirit and passion for artistic expression. The poem suggests that she finds immense joy and fulfillment in the act of painting. Her fear of a creative block highlights the vulnerability and sensitivity that often accompanies the artistic process.

Bio poems offer a beautiful and concise way to express one's identity, aspirations, and fears. Through carefully chosen words and structured lines, individuals can create poetic snapshots of their lives. Whether celebrating strengths, reflecting on life's journey, or honoring creativity, bio poems provide an opportunity for self-reflection and connection. So why not give it a try? Write your own bio poem and embrace the power of poetry to tell your unique story.

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by-og-ruh-fe

A biography is an account or description of a person’s life, literary, fictional, historical, or popular in nature, written by a biographer.

E.g. In the poignant biography of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, the author delves into the complex life of the Apple co-founder, unraveling the intricacies of his visionary mind and creative genius.

Related terms: Dialogue , first person point of view , irony , critique

Depending on the biography, it can consist of simple, direct facts such as those anyone can get access to. This would include information about a person’s birth, family, and family history. There would also be information about a person’s education, friendships, and defining life events and relationships. Other biographies focus on one period of a person’s life, usually one that was particularly important in the wider history of their life.

If a writer has special access to the person they’re writing about, information about that person, or contacts that knew that person, one biography might be more personal and intimate than another.

All the information in a biography is usually conveyed in chronological order. Although it is not unusual for the book to start with an important moment and then go back in time, tracing the person’s important life events.

Types of Biographies

There are several different kinds of biographies that fall under the larger category of “biography”. These include historical biography, fictional, literary, reference, and popular. Fictional biography is one of the most creative. It tells the story of a fictional character as if they were a real person. Examples include The Real Life of Sebastian Knight by Vladimir Nabokov and Nate Tate by William Boyd.

Examples of Biographies

Example #1 orlando by virginia woolf.

This book is one of the best examples of fictional biography. It was published in October of 1928 and tells the story of a poet who changes sex from a man to a woman and lives a lifetime over centuries.

Example #2 Alice Walker: A Life by Evelyn C. White

Alice Walker: A Life is a wonderful example of a traditional literary biography. It traces the life and accomplishments of the activist and author of The Color Purple Alice Walker.

Autobiography

An autobiography is the largest of the categories. This is is the story of someone’s life written by the person who lived it. Sometimes the writer will need assistance from a ghostwriter, or a professional writer who helps them get the writing in order while they provide the information. There are many different kinds of autobiographies . Some, such as David Copperfield by Charles Dickens are semi-autobiographical or include characters and events that closely mirror the events of a writer’s life.

Example of an Autobiography

The diary of a young girls by anne frank.

This slightly unusual autobiography is a compilation of personal writings from the young Anne Frank in Dutch. It was written during the period that Anne and her family were in hiding for two years during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. While she died in 1945 in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, her diary was retried and published. It has since been translated into more than 60 languages.

Example of a Semi-Autobiographical Novel: Burmese Days by George Orwell

In this book, Orwell takes a look at his life through the story of a fictional character in a very real place that the writer knew well. It is set in 1920s British Burma and follows John Flory. The novel was inspired by the time that Orwell spent in the Indian Imperial Police in the same region, between 1922 and 1927.

A memoir is similar to an autobiography as it is written by the person whose life it is about. But, a memoir focuses on memories rather than life facts. it might take a narrower view, focusing only on one period of time with a particular intent.

Example of a Memoir

Dreams from my father by barack obama.

This famous memoir was published in 1995 long before Obama became president of the United Staes or even before he was elected to the Illinois senate. He recounts his upbringing and how it set him apart from his contemporaries.

Home » Genre » Biography

The Definitive Literary Glossary Crafted by Experts

All terms defined are created by a team of talented literary experts, to provide an in-depth look into literary terms and poetry, like no other.

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Baldwin, Emma. "Biography". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/genre/biography/ . Accessed 30 June 2024.

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2:27 pm By Proud to be Primary Leave a Comment

Poetry Writing for Kids: Bio Poems that Kids Love

This post details how to teach poetry writing for kids. It describes the steps to teaching this style of poetry, from the discussion to the planning, to the display piece — a lesson for your primary classroom for poetry month or during your poetry unit.

How-To Teach Biography Poetry to Kids

You might wonder why it is beneficial to teach poetry writing to kids. I ask why not? Children are never too young to be exposed to poetry. I have childhood memories of my father reading poetry nightly, and I still vividly remember the poems and how they made me feel.

Poetry allows us to have new experiences and to make sense of our emotions. It can connect children to literature that other resources cannot. Studying poetry has turned a struggling reader in me into a lover of literature who still reads, shares, and actively teaches poetry today.

Why teach poetry writing to kids, planning bio poetry, biography poetry writing for kids, creating a bio poetry display, free biography poetry activity, poetry writing unit, more poetry ideas and activities.

Poetry teaches children to visualize and experience things in their imagination. Poetry geared for children often rhymes and is fun to read. It is crucial and can be used to teach children to read, write, listen, and speak.

Chanting poems together with a class can be an enjoyable experience. I teach a different poem of the week that we repeatedly read to build our reading fluency. We discuss the lyrics, how they make us feel, and what thoughts they provoke. Read more about our poem of the week activities and the poems and activities we use throughout the year .

Poetry writing helps children who may find creative writing difficult. Poems follow patterns and have a structure that children need and find comforting. After building confidence through poetry writing , it can be a gateway to different styles of writing. It also allows children to develop their vocabularies, word use, and grammar.

Introduction to Bio Poetry Writing for Kids

Before teaching a specific style of poetry writing , I like to share poems from my favorite children’s poetry. I have collections of poetry on display from the authors Shel Silverstein , Jack Prelutsky , Denis Lee , and many more. My absolute favorite children’s poem of all time is Alligator Pie . I learned it as a young girl and taught it to my class each year.

To start our bio poetry writing lesson, I read a book by Jamie Lee Curtis called ‘Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day.’ This book is excellent at eliciting character trait vocabulary. We share our connections and brainstorm the different words on a chart.

To teach kids the style and form of bio poetry writing, I created an anchor chart to complete together. We went line by line, giving and sharing ideas with our neighbors on the carpet and then orally to the class. I wrote down one idea as an example. This chart is helpful for students needing extra support with their writing.

Students get a blank planning sheet to write their bio poems. They write about themselves at their desks using the template seen below. This template is available for free at the end of the post.

Before the initial activities, stories, and examples, students are relatively confident and independent in writing their poetry drafts. For a lot of writing with young children, usually, one draft is enough, but with poetry writing , I like to have a way of writing a polished, edited piece and creating a display.

As a display for our bio-poems, we re-wrote our poems on a folded white tagboard to look like an envelope. To create the same look, cut large squares in heavier card stock and fold the corners inward. Students are taught to use a ruler to draw straight lines of the appropriate length. They copy their edited poems on the lines inside of their envelope shape.

After re-writing their poems, they trace their writing with skinny markers. They decorate the outside of the envelope shape with designs of their creativity.

It creates a unique display when they are up on the bulletin board. The bio poetry writing display is titled ‘Who I Am!’ and invites readers to take a closer look inside.

poetry writing for kids - who I am bulletin board

Students feel great success and see themselves as poets after this activity.

Poetry Writing for Kids Resources

Try a biography poem in your classroom with this FREE Biography Poem resource! It includes everything you need to teach bio poems, including brainstorming, drafting, & writing sheets.

Click the image below to grab a copy.

Try the Poetry Writing Unit by Proud to be Primary. Easily teach over 20 poetry vocabulary terms and 13 different types of poetry with this all-in-one resource for teachers! Find helpful planning sheets, practice pages, engaging templates, and posters!

If you like this resource, you’ll love my poetry activity mats and poem of the week .

Poem of the Week

How to write a poem

Poetry Books for Kids

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Pride and poetry, according to emilia phillips.

Posted on June 25, 2024

Person stands at a podium with a mic in a bookstore and addresses a seated crowd.

On a dreary Thursday night in February, a group gathered at Scuppernong Books in downtown Greensboro for a reading of a new collection of poetry by Emilia Phillips . Phillips had just released their fifth collection of poetry, entitled “Nonbinary Bird of Paradise,” but this was no typical book reading.

Phillips gathered UNCG students and alumni to read original works and selected text that inspired their latest poems. All in attendance raved about how the reading was a celebration of voices and art and the flow of inspiration. For Phillips, all of this is intertwined.

An Artist Spreads Their Wings

A UNCG professor since 2017, Phillips is an associate professor of creative writing where they teach poetry workshops and serve as core poetry faculty for the Masters of Fine Art in Creative Writing . Phillips also has cross-appointments in the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and English departments teaching the Queer Poetry and Poetics class and the Women’s Health and Bodies class to undergraduates.

Being a poet, a teacher, and a voice for the LGBTQIA+ community is all part of the creative process for Phillips. “I can’t teach poetry unless I’m writing it and vice versa,” she says. “My constant dialogue with students informs my work.”

Book cover for Nonbinary Bird of Paradise with an illustration of birds nesting with flowers and a snake striking from inside the nest.

“Nonbinary Bird of Paradise” is a prime example of Phillips’ exploratory style of poetry, but this latest collection focuses on gender and the ways cultural, religious and mythological narratives support heterosexuality as “the norm”.

In “Nonbinary Bird of Paradise,” Phillips’ challenge of compulsory heterosexuality cuts right to the chase. The first section includes twelve poems in the voice of Eve from the Bible. It imagines if Eve wasn’t born straight and was never desiring of Adam but had no other choices of partners.

“My writing is definitely informed by my own worldview, experience, gender journey and sexuality,” says Phillips, who was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “I couldn’t have written the Eve sequence without getting to a certain point of my own reflections and self-work, but I was nervous when the book came out because it does deal so explicitly with sex and gender and sexuality.”

The poem that inspired the book’s title is also extremely personal. “It’s a love poem for my partner,” Phillips explains. “I imagined if I was a bird of paradise, how would I woo my partner without the fancy plumage.”

Phillips admits that most of their poetry is part autobiographical and part creative, but its fiction label opens doors for creative freedom, a principle they encourage in the classroom as well.

Birds of a Feather Writing Together

Phillips’ classes provide a safe space for building art and students appreciate the sense of community they find at UNCG’s English department.

“Emilia prioritizes community not only in the classroom but outside of it too,” second-year MFA student Liz Bruce explains. “We are constantly sharing resources and opportunities and celebrating each other.”

Student stands at a podium and reads for a group at a book store.

Recent MFA graduate Kay Zeiss is a private practice therapist working with adults who have experienced trauma. They are particularly dialed into using writing to process trauma. Self-identifying as genderqueer and nonbinary, Zeiss was particularly interested in working under Phillips’ mentorship and thrived in the department.

“My goal isn’t to become this famous writer,” Zeiss confesses. “I just hope my writing can be of service to someone. Folks are really interested in being able to articulate their experience and find language for something that they didn’t have before. There’s a community and compassion there that I want to help facilitate.”

Attracting creative minds like this to UNCG is exactly what Phillips had in mind when they joined the English department in 2017. Establishing a close-knit community within a larger campus community, which serves minorities and has historically been a safe place for LGBTQIA+ youth, provided the perfect environment for Phillips’ poetry to take root.

“Having representation in the classroom and also having representation in my work out in the world is very important to me,” Phillips says.

Artistic Reflections

This high regard for representation and community made it natural for Phillips to invite students to share inspirational text at their book reading. “My students are among the most important people in my life,” they said. “Including them made it really festive.”

“I’ve been to multiple readings at Scuppernong and this one was definitely different in that there was a huge crowd of people there to celebrate,” said Bruce, who read “[Poem about Naomi; unsent]” by Rachel Mennies at Phillips’ book reading.

Zeiss read an original poem publicly for the first time at Phillips’ reading. “Hymnal to Transqueer Futures” reflects on grief following the death of Nex Benedict and ponders hope for the future of nonbinary and transqueer children. Zeiss dedicated it to Maddie Poole, another writer in attendance. “I was so honored to be a part of this group,” they said. “It was very tender and sweet to have other people in the MFA program that I care about in this line-up of incredible poets. Reading my poem felt like an offering to the community.”

Student stands at a poem and reads to a group at Scuppernong Books.

Bruce, and others who participated in the event, felt similarly grateful to be a part of Phillips’ unveiling of “Nonbinary Bird of Paradise.”

“Because of Emilia’s decision to platform multiple voices and multiple authors, they recognize that writing isn’t created in a vacuum,” Bruce says. “It was a celebration of the community as much as the book, because the community influenced the making of the book in so many ways.”

UNCG has nothing but pride for communities like Emilia Phillips’ that bring art into the world to spur curiosity and impart understanding. We celebrate this during Pride month, as we do throughout the year.

Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications. Photography courtesy of Felipe Troncoso

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Dana Bash sits at a table, looking back over her shoulder, during a 2020 debate between Joseph R. Biden and Bernie Sanders.

By Michael M. Grynbaum

June 27, 2024

Dana Bash is one of the two moderators of Thursday’s presidential debate, along with Jake Tapper, CNN’s chief Washington correspondent. Their ability to guide and navigate the event may be crucial to how President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump — and CNN, which is hosting the debate — are received by the public. Here is what you need to know about Ms. Bash.

Job: Chief political correspondent, CNN. Anchor, “Inside Politics.”

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IMAGES

Biography Poem Template
How to Write Poetry: A Beginner's Guide to Poetry
4 Reasons to Write Bio Poems to Kick off AND Wrap up Your School Year
Types of Poems for Kids
Jibanananda Das Biography Writing 120 Words
Guided writing

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2015 PEN Literary Awards Ceremony
Life Writing
Episode 45 with Terese Svoboda, Fiction Writer, Memoirist, Poet and Video Artist
Poetry Writing Process: Inspiration

COMMENTS

How to Write a Poetry Bio for Beginners
I drop several golden nuggets (which are quite possibly secrets!) about how to navigate a bio and even how to build relationships with publishers. Please watch the full video that shows a bit of the process and thinking behind a well-structured bio. By the end, you'll know How to Write a Poetry Bio for Beginners. How to Write a Poetry Bio for ...
How to Write a Biog
Follow their instructions if so. If they haven't given you any instructions, it's probably best practice to write it in the third person and write around 30-60 words, like the examples above. They're usually not long at all. If you're writing a biog for your own website or blog, it can be as long as you like, and you can include a wider ...
How To Write A Bio For Poetry Submission
Elements of Poetry Writing. 5. Penning a Unique Poem. Writing a bio for a poetry submission can be a challenging but rewarding task. Paired with good poetry, a well written bio showcases an author's writing style and introduces their work to potential readers. Whether submitting to a competitive magazine, agency, or publisher, your bio should ...
Write an Author Bio for Poetry Book. Author Bio examples
Examples of author bios. A good author bio can help sell your book, and there are plenty of great examples of author bios out there to learn from. For example, Amanda Ripley writes books that make you feel smarter. Her lifetime collection of books includes stories that make you feel something.
How to Write a Biopoem: 14 Steps (with Pictures)
4. In the fourth line, add a couple of things the person appreciated or loved. It can be people, as well. For example: "Lover of freedom, tall hats, and good speeches". [4] 5. For the fifth line, write about feelings that person had in his or her lifetime.
William Wordsworth
He began writing poetry as a young boy in grammar school, and before graduating from college he went on a walking tour of Europe, which deepened his love for nature and his sympathy for the common man: both major themes in his poetry. ... A Biography, 2 volumes (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1957, 1965; New York: Oxford University Press, 1957, 1965).
PDF How to Write a Biopoem
Biopoem Sample. Rosa. Determined, brave, strong, loving. Wife of Raymond Parks, mother of all children. Who loved equality, freedom, and the benefits of a good education. Who hated discrimination, loved to stand up for her beliefs, and loved to help others. Who feared that racism would continue, feared losing the opportunity to make a ...
Bio Poem
A bio poem, or biographical poem, is a poem about a person, often a literary character or historical figure. Students are often taught to write bio poems as a way to demonstrate their ...
How to Write a Biographical Poem
Just like a regular biography (a book written by an author about another person), biographical poems explain key details, characteristics, and personality traits about a person. Many biographical ...
Bio Poem
A bio poem, also called a biographical poem, is a writing exercise that serves to illustrate the most important points about a living person, a historical figure, or a fictional character. A ...
How to Write a Biography for a Poet
How to Write a Biography for a Poet. As with any biographical account, a poet's biography must include the basic--birth, childhood, mark of independence, major life events and death. ... If the poetry gave relevant insight, tell what the poet would expect to encounter in the afterlife. Also, tell how widely circulated the poetry is today.
Bio-poem: Connecting Identity and Poetry
Bio-poem: Connecting Identity and Poetry. Students clarify aspects of their identity or the identity of a historical or literary figure by writing poems that focus on deeper elements of personal makeup like experiences, relationships, hopes, and interests. Published: February 24, 2008. facebook sharing. x sharing.
How to Teach Your Students to Write Biography Poems
Sample Bio Poem of a Teacher. Beth. Kind, funny, hard-working, loving. Sister of Amy. Lover of Computers, Friends, and Harry Potter books. Who feels excited on the first day of school, sad when she watches the news, and happy to open a new book. Who needs people, books, and computers.
How To Write A Biography Poem
Understanding Biography Poetry . Biography poetry is a unique form of expression that blends creative writing with the life story of a person. It is often used to capture the essence of someone's life, their accomplishments, and their impact on the world. Writing a biography poem can be a great way to creatively explore someone's life and ...
Gwendolyn Brooks
Gwendolyn Brooks is one of the most influential and widely read 20th-century American poets. The author of more than 20 books, she was highly regarded even during her lifetime and had the distinction of being the first Black poet to win the Pulitzer Prize. She was also the first Black woman to hold the role of Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, a position now referred to as the ...
PDF Bio Poems Made Easy (Printable and Digital)
1. Before the lesson, write your own bio poem following the example on the next page. You'll need this to share with your students when you start the lesson. 2. Begin by telling your students that they are going to create simple poems about themselves called "bio poems.". Display and read your example to the class. 3.
Expressing Identity Through Bio Poems
Bio poems offer a beautiful and concise way to express one's identity, aspirations, and fears. Through carefully chosen words and structured lines, individuals can create poetic snapshots of their lives. Whether celebrating strengths, reflecting on life's journey, or honoring creativity, bio poems provide an opportunity for self-reflection and ...
4 Reasons to Write Bio Poems to Kick off AND Wrap up Your School Year
Because bio poems follow a strict pattern, students of all writing abilities succeed, especially struggling writers. The prompts of bio poems are straight forward, yet open ended, allowing students to add as much or little information and detail as they want or feel comfortable writing, making it the perfect self-differentiated writing task!
Biography
A biography is an account or description of a person's life, literary, fictional, historical, or popular in nature, written by a biographer. ... If a writer has special access to the person they're writing about, information about that person, or contacts that knew that person, one biography might be more personal and intimate than another ...
PDF Bio Poems Made Easy
predictable pattern. Bio poems generally don't rhyme, and they can be autobiographical or biographical. It's best to have students begin by writing Bio Poems about themselves, but later they can write about famous historical figures or story characters. Pages 3 though 6 in this packet deal specifically with Bio Poems about oneself, but I ...
Bio Poetry for the Classroom
Bio poemsare simple poems that give biographical information about one person. This type of poem follows a specific pattern of writing, which includes responding to given prompts to describe the focus person of the poem. Bio poems can be written any time during the year and in various ways to meet different writing objectives.
PDF Perfect for
Bio poems generally don't rhyme, and they can be autobiographical or biographical. Begin by having your students write bio poems about themselves, and later they can write about other people or characters. In this packet you'll find two ready-to-use graphic organizers, a sample poem, a planning page, and decorative writing paper. Bio Poem ...
Poetry Writing for Kids: Bio Poems that Kids Love
Try the Poetry Writing Unit by Proud to be Primary. Easily teach over 20 poetry vocabulary terms and 13 different types of poetry with this all-in-one resource for teachers! Find helpful planning sheets, practice pages, engaging templates, and posters! If you like this resource, you'll love my poetry activity mats and poem of the week.
Writers on writers: why literary friends make the best biographers
When a writer befriends a younger writer, the talent flows first one way, then the other. In My Man in Antibes, his 2023 memoir of his long friendship with the much older novelist Graham Greene ...
Pride and Poetry, According to Emilia Phillips
A UNCG professor since 2017, Phillips is an associate professor of creative writing where they teach poetry workshops and serve as core poetry faculty for the Masters of Fine Art in Creative Writing. Phillips also has cross-appointments in the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and English departments teaching the Queer Poetry and Poetics ...
Thom Gunn: A Cool Queer Life by Michael Nott, review: poetry on a Harley
When Kitay returned to America for the draft, Gunn followed him west and spent "the most important year of my writing life" as a graduate at Stanford, where his adolescent poetry developed ...
Rep. Thomas Massie announces death of his wife
Rhonda Massie, wife of Rep. Thomas Massie, died Thursday, according to a post shared by the Kentucky Republican on X. "Yesterday my high school sweetheart, the love of my life for over 35 years ...
Who Is Dana Bash, Tonight's Presidential Debate Moderator?
Bio: Ms. Bash is a CNN lifer, starting as a producer shortly after graduating from college. She became a lead congressional and White House correspondent and then a fixture of the network's ...