Special guest John Murillo joins us for this week’s quaranTEEN voices! The author of Up Jump the Boogie and his most recent collection Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry, John is a poet and educator. Much of his work is centered around the theme of personal identity and family history, and he frequently makes use of both formal and free verse. John grew up in Los Angeles and now lives in Brooklyn.
From John Murillo:
Using Willie Perdomo’s classic poem as a model, write a poem wherein you tell the story of your hometown. Be sure to include imagery that evokes all five senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell). Feel free to use Perdomo’s refrain line, “Where I’m From…” or to vary it (“I’m from…”, etc.), to create your own, or forego the refrain altogether. Pay attention to structure. Notice how the poem turns at the end. Don’t feel as if you need to follow this poem to the letter, but know that it’s there for you to borrow all you need.
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