Misspelling Bee (Grades 9-12)

Today’s prompt is the opposite of a spelling bee. We’ll look at poems wherein the poet intentionally gets standard English spelling or grammar wrong. They might do this in order to tell a story about how some people relate to the English language, or to draw attention to language as a material that poets work with, just as a painter’s material is paint. 

First, make some lists:

• Five words you always spell wrong.
• Three moments when the English language wasn’t your friend.
• Five words you’ve invented (also known as neologisms) you think should be in the dictionary, and their definitions.

Now, read Mother of All Balms by the poet Aria Aber, who is the daughter of Afghan refugees. What might be significant about language to someone who is a refugee? What might be significant about memory? In what ways can language be both a balm and a bomb?

Next, read an excerpt from feeld by Jos Charles, a book which in part laments (or elegizes) the disproportionate deaths and murders of transgender women in the United States. It’s also written in a style informed by Middle English, a predecessor to standard English that was spoken until the late 15th century. Why might this poet feel at odds with, or misrepresented by the English language? Why might transforming, or even breaking English feel freeing?

Finally, read ABC for Refugees by Monica Sok, a poet and daughter of Cambodian refugees. This poem tells the story of learning to read in English. What kinds of personal language, both playful and difficult, have been invented in this poet’s family? How are words like birds in this poem? How are they different?

Now, using your lists, write a poem that misspells or uses incorrect or invented words.