Concrete Poem. A concrete poem, or shape poem, is one with a shape that suggests its subject. Poets develop concrete poems as visual images of the words they contain. Concrete poems can convey powerful images using few words. What image does the shape of “The Sidewalk Racer or On the Skateboard” suggest?
Imagery. Taken together, the images in the poem make up the poem’s imagery. What imagery is created in “The Sidewalk Racer, or On the Skateboard”?
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• History Connection. Skateboards have gone through many changes in the past century. In the early 1900s, a typical skateboard was made of roller skate wheels, a two-by-four wood plank, and a milk crate with handles—resembling a scooter. In 1963, Larry Stevenson’s company, Makaha, designed the first professional skateboards, and a team was formed to promote the design. Now there are skateboarding parks all over the United States. The popularity of skateboarding has had its peaks and valleys. Safety concerns have highly contributed to the valleys. However, the sport remains much safer than football, rollerblading, or hockey, when looking at the percentage of participants injured.
• The most basic move in skateboarding is called the Ollie. If you can’t do the Ollie, you can forget about competitive skateboarding. The Ollie is done while skating along on a flat surface at a moderate speed. You hit the tail, or end of the board, on the ground with your feet. At this time, your body and board are lifted in the air for a brief moment. As you come down, bend your knees and skate on.
The following is an example of a simple concrete poem. Using a simple word or passage, create a concrete poem of your own.
How does it feel to be moving really fast with the wind on your face, as when on a bicycle, skis, or a roller coaster?
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