Using Sensory Imagery

Definition:  An image is a picture.  Imagery is the use of pictures.  Sensory has to do with the five senses:  taste, touch, smell, sound, and sight.  So then, sensory imagery is the use of words that bring up pictures about how something tastes, feels, smells, sounds, or looks.

Example:  The metal bucket squirmed with juicy, brown, earthworms. 

Try It:  Add sensory imagery to the following sentences and phrases: 

The breeze blew into the open window.

He groomed his horse.

She ate her dinner.

She looked out the car window.

He was trying to sleep but...

 Hint:  How did the breeze feel?  How did the barn smell?  What was she eating and how did it taste?  What did she see out of the car window?  Describe the noise that woke him up.

 P.S.:  You may completely rearrange the sentences or you may think of your own sentences using sensory imagery.

Challenge:  Now write a poem that is full of sensory imagery.  It might be about a particular meal you like to eat, a certain time of the year, or the smell of your mom's perfume.  How do these things make you feel? 

Let your ideas pour out on BLANK paper like cereal out of a box.  They will have no particular order.  Don't worry about spelling now.  Sound words out.

Next, draw circles around words and phrases that seem to go together.

Now write numbers on each group of circled words or phrases to order your groups.  Decide which idea you want to use first and write a number one on that circle.  Decide which idea you want to use second, and write a number two on that circle and so on until you have all the circles numbered. (These can always be rearranged later).

Now write your poem in its order with each group of ideas on a separate line. 

TaDa!  You have a poem full of sensory imagery.  Read it out loud to hear how it sounds.

Now revise!

Take out non-power words.  That means you will cross out plain words and replace them with picture words.  EX: Instead of The kitten was cute, write "The kitten looked like a rag doll with its head hung over her arm."  

Check to see if your words are spelled correctly.  

Play with the lines of the poem to see how it looks on the page.  For example, you might write a line that looks like this:

i let the stinky green slime

slide down my throat

and you might change it to look like this:

i let the stinky

green slime     s  l  i  d  e

down 

my throat!  

Read your poem out loud to someone.  Ask for comments.  Consider the comments and make changes you think will improve your poem.

Rewrite and polish! 

Write your poem again neatly on nice paper with changes, correct spelling, & new ideas.

Now, with your parent's permission,  post your poem under comments below.  Be sure to include ONLY your first name and your age.  And invite your friends who like to write to try this writing challenge.  Write on!  

from:  Young Writer's Idea Box, © D. Ellis Phelps (work in progress), 2013, www.dellisphelps.com.  You may use and distribute this page for educational purposes with the above reference.