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English 9

Poetry Packet

Spring 2010

Mrs. Winter & Mrs. Davis

Zebra zebra Which is right White on black

Or black on white?

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TERM WHAT IT MEANS WHAT IT MEANS TO ME

(my examples) Devices a Poet Uses

1. Alliteration

Repeating the same consonant sound at the beginnings of words. Ex: Phil’s phone’s ring was so funny.

2. Onomatopoeia

The use of words that sound like the ideas they represent Ex: Bang or Woof

3. Repetition

Using the same word or group of words more than once Ex: What did I know, what did I know Of love’s austere and lonely offices?

4. Simile

A comparison between two things that uses like or as Ex: Death stood thin as a scythe.

5. Metaphor

A direct comparison between two things—no like or as Ex: Life is a broken-winged bird.

6. Personification

Giving an object or thing human characteristics; describing a thing as if it were alive Ex: The daffodils danced around the lake.

7. Imagery

Description that creates vivid pictures for a reader by using the five senses. Ex: The snow cracked under our feet as the frosty air burned our cheeks.

8. Meter

The beat or rhythm of the lines in a poem. To identify meter, look at which syllables are accented and which are not. Ex. of a line with a steady meter: Twinkle twinkle little star

9. Rhyme

The repetition of sounds within words. End rhyme is when the rhyme comes at the ends of lines. Internal rhyme refers to words that are in one line and rhyme.

10. Rhyme scheme

The pattern of end rhyme in a poem. To talk about rhyme scheme, you give each sound a letter. Ex: Twinkle twinkle little star A How I wonder what you are.A Up above the world so high B Like a diamond in the sky. B

11. Speaker The person talking in a poem. You cannot assume that the speaker and the poet are the same.

Names for Poem

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Sections 12. Structure

Describes a poem in terms of stanzas and/or meter

13. Stanza

The name for a group of lines in a poem. A stanza is similar to a paragraph in prose.

14. Couplet

A stanza that is made of two lines that rhyme.

15. Quatrain

A stanza that is made of four lines that rhyme.

Poem Forms and Types

16. Verse

Poetry with a definite meter

17. Free Verse

Poetry with no steady meter or rhyme scheme.

18. Dramatic Poem

Poetry in which the speaker is clearly someone other than the poet. Some of the best dramatic poetry consists of dialogue in which more than one character speaks. It may have a setting and a conflict.

19. Dramatic Monologue

A kind of dramatic poetry in which only one person speaks. The speaker is a fictional character who expresses his or her thoughts or feelings about a subject

20. Narrative Poem

Poem that tells a story. Like a short story, it has a plot, characters, setting, and a theme, and it follows the plot triangle.

21. Sonnet

All sonnets have 14 lines, and they have regular rhyme schemes. The rhyming pattern depends on the sonnet type. Shakespearian (Elizabethan) Sonnet ababcdcdefefgg Petrarchan Sonnet (Italian) abba abba cdc dcd The first eight lines, or "octave," do not often deviate from the "abba abba" pattern, but the last six lines, or "sestet," frequently follow a different pattern, such as "cde cde," "cde ced," or "cdc dee."

22. Haiku A poem with three lines and a certain number of syllables. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third line has 5 syllables.

23. Concrete Poem

A poem where the words are arranged in such a way to reflect the content of the poem.

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Types of Meter

Iamb

A foot with one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

Ex: again

Trochee

A foot with a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable.

Ex: wonder

Anapest

A foot with two unstressed syllables followed by one strong stress.

Ex: on the beach

Dactyl

A foot with one strong stress followed by two unstressed syllables.

Ex: wonderful

Spondee

A foot with two strong stresses.

Ex: spacewalk

Numbers of Meter

(based on the number of feet)

Monometer

Verse written in one-foot lines. EX:

All things

Must pass

Away.

Dimeter

Verse written in two-foot lines. EX:

Thomas | Jefferson

What do | you say

Under the | gravestone

Hidden | away

Trimeter

Verse written in three-foot lines. EX:

I know | not whom | I meet

I know | not where | I go

Tetrameter

Verse written in four-foot lines. EX:

And did | those feet | in an | cient time

Pentameter Verse written in five-foot lines. EX:

The sea | awoke | at mid | night from | its sleep

Strategies for Reading Poetry

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Strategy—Description/Definition Example Poem/How It Works

1. Examining the title Look closely at the poem’s title. What does it remind you of? What do you predict about the poem based on the title? What mood does the title set? What does the title tell you?

2. Identifying the speaker Look closely at the speaker in the poem. Who is speaking? What do you know about the speaker? What information does the speaker provide?

3. Chunking/Explicating

Divide the poem up into “chunks.” Sometimes a stanza is a good chunk. Sometimes it helps to look for periods, places where sentences end, and then figure out what each sentence means.

4. Using Poem Form/Text Structure

If it’s a narrative poem, like “Casey at the Bat” look for the steps in the plot triangle. If it’s a dramatic poem, like “Incident in a Rose Garden,” figure out all you can about who’s talking.

5. Looking for literary devices

Analyze the figurative language (the similes, metaphors, personification) in the poem. Use them to help you visualize and to get a feeling for the mood or tone of the poem.

6. Using Imagery/Visualizing

Find images—description that appeals to the 5 senses—and draw pictures to help you visualize those.

7. Making Word Groups/Concepts

Find words that are connected, and then examine the big ideas. Look for patterns that help you see the themes in a poem.

Suggestions for reading and analyzing a poem. 1. Read the poem carefully SEVERAL times. Read the poem ALOUD at least once. 2. Look up DEFINITIONS of any words that you do not know. Pay special attention to allusions,

proper names, archaic words, regional terms, etc. 3. Identify all the POETIC DEVICES you recognize, mark them on the poem, and label them.

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4. Start looking for WORDS, IDEAS, CONCEPTS, or IMAGES that seem to be related or

connected in some way and circle them. For example, MINUTE, SECOND, DAY, and YEAR, all have to do with TIME. Once you see this in the poem, start looking for other words that connect to time. Perhaps YOUNG, MOST, and MORE would go in this category. Make a list, with time as the heading, of all these words.

5. Continue to identify other CATEGORIES of words, concepts and images. Develop each one as

completely as you can. 6. After you have made multiple lists of concepts, SYNTHESIZE the concepts to state the main idea or

theme of the poem. For each poem assigned, please prepare a response based on the following guidelines. This response is due at the beginning of class. Late work will not be accepted for this assignment.

1. Writing directly on the poem, identify poetic devices, including rhyme scheme, and define any words you do not know. Apply reading strategies identified on each poem.

2. Work through the poem and circle words, concepts, or images that are connected. Make a list of these words, concepts, or images and label the category. (For example, MINUTE, SECOND, DAY, and YEAR, all have to do with TIME.)

3. Decide what you think the poem is about and explain why. What is the poem saying about the topic or major concept?

4. Write a personal response to the poem.

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A Dream Deferred The title makes me think the poem is about dreams that can’t be attained. by Langston Hughes What happens to a dream deferred? Visualize the imagery (reading strategy) Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? simile this is an image of something lifeless Or fester like a sore-- simile this imagery looks gross and feels painful And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? simile; repetition stinky imagery—YUCK! Or crust and sugar over-- (does it) sweet and syrup are yummy, but crusting over like a syrupy sweet? simile seems messy—sometime things are too sweet Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. simile I can feel the burden Or does it explode? repetition (or) dangerous, noisy, 2. CONCEPT AND WORD IDENTIFICATION Negative ideas DRY UP SORE FESTER STINK ROTTEN SAG HEAVY EXPLODE SYRUPY SWEET (sounds nice but it suggests that it is too sweet and, therefore, not enjoyable)

Lifeless DRY UP ROTTEN SAG

Violence EXPLODE HEAVY

3. WHAT THE POEM IS ABOUT This poem is about dreams and what happens to them when they are not achieved and/or cannot be pursued. Everything is pretty negative and kind of gross, which makes me think that it is a big problem if people can’t pursue their dreams. It seems that not achieving or pursing dreams is painful and may even lead to violence (things exploding). 4. PERSONAL RESPONSE I really like this poem. It is short and to the point, but I think the underlying ideas can easily be missed without careful reading. The simple use of similes creates such vivid images which evoke strong reactions from the reader. Langston Hughes is a Harlem Renaissance writer, and his poem references the impact the oppressive nature of American society had on African Americans. The beauty of the poem, however, is its ability to transcend the time and context to speak to all people. Anyone who feels like their dreams are thwarted could identify with this poem. It also helps to remind us that people may act out in violence as a result of feeling powerless and unable to achieve their dreams.

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if up’s the word by ee cummings if up's the word; and a world grows greener minute by second and most by more-- if death is the loser and life is the winner (and beggars are rich but misers1 are poor) --let's touch the sky: with a to and a fro (and a here there where)and away we go in even the laziest creature among us a wisdom no knowledge can kill is astir2-- now dull eyes are keen3 and now keen eyes are keener (for young is the year, for young is the year) --let's touch the sky: with a great(and a gay and a steep)deep rush through amazing day it's brains without hearts have set saint against sinner; put gain over gladness and joy under care-- let's do as an earth which can never do wrong does (minute by second and most by more) --let's touch the sky: with a strange(and a true) and a climbing fall into far near blue if beggars are rich(and a robin will sing his robin a song)but misers are poor-- let's love until noone could quite be(and young is the year, dear)as living as i'm and as you're --let's touch the sky: with a you and a me and an every(who's any who's some)one who's we

1 people who have a lot of money but won’t spend 2 moving 3 sharp, perceptive

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Incident in a Rose Garden Examine the title: what does it tell you? What do you think the poem is about? By Donald Justice The gardener came running. An old man, out of breath. Fear had given him legs.

Sir, I encountered Death Just now among the roses. Thin as a scythe1 he stood there. Visualize the image I knew him by his pictures. He had his black coat on, Black gloves, a broad black hat. I think he would have spoken, Seeing his mouth stood open. Big it was, with white teeth. As soon as he beckoned, I ran. I ran until I found you. Sir, I am quitting my job. I want to see my sons Once more before I die. I want to see California.

We shook hands; he was off. And there stood Death in the garden. Visualize the image Dressed like a Spanish waiter. He had the air of someone Who because he likes arriving At all appointments early Learns to think himself patient. I watched him pinch one bloom off Visualize the image And hold it to his nose— A connoisseur2 of roses— One bloom and then another. They strewed3 the earth around him. Visualize the image

Sir, you must be that stranger Who threatened my gardener. This is my property, sir. I welcome only friends here.

Death grinned, and his eyes lit up Visualize the image With the pale glow of those lanterns That workmen carry sometimes To light their way through the dusk. Now with great care he slid The glove from his right hand

1 an implement consisting of a long, curved single-edged blade with a long bent handle, used for mowing or reaping. 2 a person with expert knowledge or training, especially in the fine arts 3 were scattered

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And held that out in greeting, Visualize the image Sir, I knew your father, And we were friends at the end. As for your gardener, I did not threaten him. Old men mistake my gestures. I only meant to ask him To show me his master. I take it you are he?

Identify the poem form and text structure: what kind of poem is this? Who are the speakers in the poem?

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Theme for English B Examine the title: what does it tell you? What do you think the poem is about? By Langston Hughes The instructor said,

Go home and write a page tonight. And let that page come out of you— Then, it will be true.

I wonder if it's that simple? I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem1. Who is the speaker in the poem? I went to school there, then Durham, then here to this college on the hill above Harlem2. I am the only colored student in my class. The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas, Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y, the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator up to my room, sit down, and write this page:

It's not easy to know what is true for you or me at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you: hear you, hear me—we two—you, me, talk on this page. (I hear New York too.) Me—who? Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. I like to work, read, learn, and understand life. I like a pipe for a Christmas present, or records—Bessie, bop, or Bach3. I guess being colored doesn't make me NOT like the same things other folks like who are other races. So will my page be colored that I write? Being me, it will not be white. But it will be a part of you, instructor. You are white— yet a part of me, as I am a part of you. That's American. Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me. Nor do I often want to be a part of you. But we are, that's true!

1 Winston Salem…Durham: cities in North Carolina. 2 Columbia University in New York City. Harlem, a district in upper Manhattan, is home to an important African-American community. 3 Bessie Smith was a leading jazz and blues singer of the 1920s and early 1930s. Bop is a style of jazz that became popular in the 1940s. Johann Sebastian Bach was an 18th-century German composer of classical music.

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As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me— although you're older—and white— and somewhat more free.

This is my page for English B.

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The Writer Examine the title: what does it tell you? What do you think the poem is about? By Richard Wilbur In her room at the prow 1of the house Visualize the imagery in stanzas 1-3 Where light breaks, and the windows are tossed with linden2, My daughter is writing a story. I pause in the stairwell, hearing Who is the speaker in the poem? From her shut door a commotion of typewriter-keys Like a chain hauled over a gunwale3. Young as she is, the stuff Of her life is a great cargo, and some of it heavy: I wish her a lucky passage. But now it is she who pauses, As if to reject my thought and its easy figure4. A stillness greatens, in which The whole house seems to be thinking, And then she is at it again with a bunched clamor Of strokes, and again is silent. I remember the dazed starling Visualize the imagery in stanzas 6-10 Which was trapped in that very room, two years ago; How we stole in, lifted a sash And retreated, not to affright5 it; And how for a helpless hour, through the crack of the door, We watched the sleek, wild, dark And iridescent creature Batter against the brilliance, drop like a glove To the hard floor, or the desk-top, And wait then, humped and bloody, For the wits to try it again; and how our spirits Rose when, suddenly sure, It lifted off from a chair-back, Beating a smooth course for the right window And clearing the sill of the world.

1 the forward part of a ship 2 a shade tree with heart-shaped leaves 3 the upper edge of the side of a ship 4 figure of speech (such as a simile or metaphor) 5 scare

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It is always a matter, my darling, Of life or death, as I had forgotten. I wish What I wished you before, but harder.

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I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud Examine the title: what does it tell you? What do you think the poem is about? By William Wordsworth I wandered lonely as a cloud Who is the speaker? That floats on high o'er vales and hills, Visualize the images in each stanza When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly1 dance. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund 2company: I gazed--and gazed--but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive3 mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.

1 lively, like elves 2 happy 3 deeply thoughtful; dreamily thoughtful

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The Journey Examine the title: what does it tell you? What do you think the poem is about? by Mary Oliver One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice -- though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles. "Mend my life!" each voice cried. But you didn't stop. You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy1 was terrible. It was already late enough, and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones. But little by little, as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do -- determined to save the only life you could save.

1 great sadness

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Song of the Open Road Examine the title: what does it tell you? What do you think the poem is about? By Walt Whitman Afoot1 and light-hearted I take to the open road, Healthy, free, the world before me, The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose. Henceforth I ask not good fortune, I myself am good fortune, Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more,

need nothing, Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous2 criticisms, Strong and content I travel the open road.

1 on foot, walking 2 given to complaining

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A Narrow Fellow in the Grass Examine the title: what does it tell you? What do you think the poem is about? By Emily Dickinson A narrow Fellow in the grass Occasionally rides— You may have met Him—did you not, His notice sudden is— The Grass divides as with a Comb— Visualize the imagery A spotted shaft is seen— And then it closes at your feet And opens further on— He likes a Boggy 1Acre A Floor too cool for Corn— Yet when a boy, and Barefoot— Who is the speaker? I more than once at Noon Have passed, I thought, a Whip lash Unbraiding in the sun Visualize the imagery When stopping to secure it, It wrinkled, and was gone— Several of Nature's People I know, and they know me— I feel for them a transport Of cordiality2— But never met this Fellow Attended, or alone Without a tighter breathing And Zero at the Bone— Visualize the imagery

1 wet 2 friendliness

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Casey at the Bat Examine the title: what does it tell you? What do you think the poem is about? By: Ernest Lawrence Thayer Chunk each stanza of the poem

It looked extremely rocky for the Mudville Nine that day; The score stood two to four, with but one inning left to play. So, when Cooney died at second, and Burrows did the same, A pallor1 wreathed the features of the patrons of the game. A straggling few got up to go, leaving there the rest, With hope which springs eternal within the human breast. For they thought: "If only Casey could get a whack at that." They'd put even money now, with Casey at the bat But Flynn preceded2 Casey, and likewise so did Blake, And the former was a pudd'n, and the latter was a fake. So on that stricken multitude a death-like silence sat; For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to bat. But Flynn let drive a "single" to the wonderment of all. And the much-despised Blakey, "tore the cover off the ball." And when the dust had lifted, and they saw what had occurred, There was Blakey safe at second and Flynn a-huggin' third. Then from the gladdened multitude went up a joyous yell. It rumbled in the mountaintops, it rattled in the dell; It struck upon the hillside, and rebounded on the flat; For Casey, Mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat. There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place, There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face; And when responding to the cheers he lightly doffed3 his hat, No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat. Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt, Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt; Then when the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip, Defiance glanced in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip. And now the leather-covered sphere came hurling through the air, And Casey stood a-watchin' it in haughty4 grandeur there. Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded 5sped; "That ain't my style," said Casey, "Strike One," the Umpire said.

1 grim, gray appearance 2 came before 3 tipped 4 arrogant 5 ignored; disregarded

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From the benches, back with people, there went up a muffled roar, Like the beating of the storm waves on the stern and distant shore. "Kill him! Kill the Umpire!" shouted someone in the stand; And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage 1shone; He stilled the rising tumult, 2he made the game go on. He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew; But Casey still ignored it, and the Umpire said, "Strike Two." "Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and the echo answered "Fraud!" But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed; They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain, And they knew that Casey wouldn't let the ball go by again. The sneer is gone from Casey's lips, his teeth are clenched in hate, He pounds with cruel vengeance his bat upon the plate; And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he let's it go, And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow. Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright, The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light; And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout, But there is no joy in Mudville. Mighty Casey has struck out.

Examine the title: what does it tell you? Identify the poem form and text structure: what kind of poem is this? Who is the speaker of the poem?

1 face 2 noisy uproar

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Falling Action

Climax

Exposition

Resolution

Rising Action

Explication of Stanza 1 Things were not looking so hot for the Mudville nine (baseball team) There was just one inning left and the team was down 4-2 So, when the players Cooney and Burrows were tagged out at second A sadness covered the faces of the fans at the game.

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Sonnets

XLIII by Elizabeth Barrett Browning How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of everyday's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. I love thee with a passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. XVIII by William Shakespeare Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate1: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion2 dimmed3, And every fair4 from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed: But thy5 eternal6 summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st, Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st, So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

1 marked by moderation; not extreme 2 the natural color, texture, and appearance of the skin, especially of the face. 3 lost brightness 4 of pleasing appearance, especially because of a pure or fresh quality 5 your 6 endless, timeless

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Creative Response Please select a poem that is interesting for you for this assignment. This can be a poem we read in class, a poem you read in the poetry read around, or a poem you have found somewhere else. Here are a few expectations: do not use children’s poetry and only use published poetry (but not poetry.com). After selecting the poem, read the poem carefully several times and write a response to the following prompts.

1. Write a personal response to the poem. Why did you choose it? What does it mean to you? What do you like about it?

2. Identify all the major concepts in the poem and list the words for each concept. (This is like the analysis

activity we’ve practiced in class.) What is a theme of the poem or what do you think the poem is saying?

3. What images do you find in the poem? Identify the specific lines of text and explain the images.

4. When you read the poem, what colors do you think of or are you reminded of? What words or lines in

the poem help create these colors?

5. When you read the poem, what sounds do you think of or are you reminded of? What words or lines in the poem help create these sounds?

6. When you read the poem, what emotions do you think of or are you reminded of? What words or lines

in the poem help create these emotions?

7. What idea you want to express in your creative project? Why do you want to express this idea? What lines in the poem directly connect to this idea? Try to go beyond a literal interpretation of the poem if you can.

8. Design your project. What are you going to do? How are you going to do it? What materials do you

need to complete the project?

9. Write an explanation of your project. What did you do? Why did you do it? Explain the different parts of the project, why they are included, and what they show about the poem. Evaluate the quality of your final project. What are you pleased with? What turned out better than expected? What turned out as expected? What didn’t turn out quite as well as expected?

Here are some ideas that I’ve seen in the past—you are not limited to these: Write and perform a song of the poem Sing the poem a capella Perform an interpretive dance Draw a visual interpretation Create a sculpture Create a picture book based on the poem Paint a picture Make a video Create a visual montage

Your project should be neat, appropriate, and professional. It should be evident that you dedicated thought and effort to your project. If you are performing, it should be clear that you practiced. If you are presenting to the class, please let me know so I can schedule time appropriately.