- Kim Addonzio, “The First Poem for You (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.“
- William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 130: My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
- John Donne, “The Flea (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.“
- Robert Hayden, “Those Winter Sundays (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.“
- Theodore Roethke, “My Papa’s Waltz (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.“
- Seamus Heaney, “Digging (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.“
- Willam Blake, “A Poison Tree (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.“
- Gwendolyn Brooks,”We Real Cool (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.“
- Emily Dickinson, “Because I could not stop for Death” (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
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Paul Laurence Dunbar, “We Wear the Mask (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.“
Select one of the poems listed above.. Read it and then complete the following response guide.
Name of the poem:
Point One: Explore the Themes of the Poem
- Try to group the ideas in the poem. Is there a story that the poem tells?
- What do you think the poem is about?
Point Two: Imagery used to express themes
- What are the pictures in the poem?
- Are metaphors/similes used to explain ideas?
- Are the five senses used to evoke certain reactions in the reader?
Point Three: Form and Structure
- How is the poem organized e.g. lines, verses, layout and shape.
- Why has the poet decided to structure the ideas in this way e.g. the sequence of ideas, length of lines, patterns etc.?
Point Four: Rhyme and Rhythm
- How does the poem rhyme? E.g. abab or aabb etc.
- What is the rhythm of the poem when read aloud?
- Why has the poet chosen this rhyme and rhythm to express these ideas?
Point Five: Language Patterns
- Think about the sound of the poem and choice of words.
- The poet uses specific words because they have a certain association in the reader’s mind.
Grading:
You will be assessed on how well you completed the assignment listed above. This is about picking a poem apart and getting at the truth of it. Do just that. This assignment is worth 100 points.