Poesy, therefore, is an art of imitation, for so Aristotle termed it in his word, mimesis, that is to say, a representing, counterfeiting, or figuring forth; to speak metaphorically, a speaking picture, with this end, -- to teach and delight.
                                     Sir Philip Sidney, "The Defense of Poetry" (1579)

mimesis n. The imitation or representation of nature, especially in art and literature: "The earliest theory of art . . . proposed that art was mimesis, imitation of reality." (Susan Sontag)
                                   The Heritage Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin Co. 1979

1- For 1 minute listen to the sounds about you and write whatever you hear.

2- For 2 minutes observe the area about you and write whatever you see.

3- For 3 minutes write whatever you recall happening this morning (from midnight until now).

4- For 4 minutes write anything you recall about one person you know.

5- Write one line describing where were you at 9 am yesterday; write another line describing where you were at noon yesterday. For 5 minutes write about whatever experiences connect the first line to the second line.

6- For 6 minutes write about a day (24 hours) in any community where you have ever lived.

7- For 7 minutes write about anything you can recall that you experienced in the last seven days.

8- For 8 minutes write a description of a relative.

9- Listen to someone in your class speak for three minutes about an experience they had. Take notes while they are speaking. For six minutes rewrite what you heard to give an impression of the speaker and her/his experience.