Breathing Big, Breathing Slow: Baby Whale Poetry Reflection


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Watch & Read Buyima Yuuraaruurra - Breathe Slow by Worimi poet Kara Tuck.

Poetry Prompt: Breathe Big, Breathe Slow
a poetry prompt by Kara Tuck

A baby whale has been born in warm, calm waters. Mother whale has taught baby whale how to breathe big and how to breathe slow.

As you take some long deep breaths, in and out, breathing big and breathing slow, Imagine this baby whale swimming the currents of the ocean.
Will the young whale make friends with other sea creatures?
Does the whale like jumping out of the water, or do they prefer to dance beneath the waves?
Can the whale spot our campfires flickering along the coastline at night, or does the whale prefer to watch stars dance in the sky before falling asleep?
When sleep comes, what does the whale dream of?

Consider the following:

  • Start your poem with "The Whale..." and then poetically describe what the whale is doing - Singing? Surfacing? Sleeping?)
  • Line two, try starting with "It carries..." what does the whale carry? Song? Breath? Wisdom? Joy?
  • Write some sensory lines: about what your whale sees, hears, feels and learns as it makes its journey back down the coast with mum.
  • Add some poetic devices: Dont forget to add in some poetic devices such as simile, metaphor, imagery and alliteration

    Example:
    The whale surfaces gently under the moon.
    It carries the breath of the sea
    learning to move slow with the seasonal tides

    singing like a dreaming flute...