POETRY ASSIGNMENT
DUE DATE ______________________
25 points
Please follow all directions so that you will receive full credit for this major assignment. Please ask whatever questions you have during this time.
· Report is to be typed and must include full poem with title and author.
· There is no need to retype it! Simply copy and paste from the Internet into your word processing program. A nice copy – not just a printout from a web page.
(3 points)
· Discuss 4 of the most important lines or phrases.
· Provide at least a 4-sentence description of what you think the line or phrase means and/or why it is important. Define key words that you don’t understand. Analyze literary devices. What does it all mean?
(8 points – 2 points each)
· Write one paragraph (200-word minimum) describing what the poem means to you and how you can relate it to your own life.
(10 points)
· Proper conventions – obvious (right?) (4 points)
POETS YOU MIGHT LIKE
Emily Dickinson
Walt Whitman
Langston Hughes
Maya Angelou
William Shakespeare
Carl Sandburg
Gwendolyn Brooks
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Billy Collins
E.E. Cummings
Rita Dove
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Seamus Heaney
Rudyard Kipling
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Edgar Allan Poe
Ezra Pound
Phyllis Wheatley
William Carlos Williams
William Butler Yeats
USE THE WEBSITE
www.poets.org
to find a poem if you are having trouble finding one.
(Or ask me – I’ll have plenty of suggestions!)
You may not choose a poem from our packet or any poem that we read as part of class.
SAMPLE
“I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman
(See our handout)
The varied carols I hear
When I think of “carols,” I think of festive holiday singing. I believe this line explains that the voices of all Americans combine to form a joyous chorus. This chorus is an inviting one, calling for all who hear it to join in and make a difference. One song is not better than the others; they all work in harmony.
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be, blithe and strong
I believe the poet is saying the mechanics “should be” happy and lighthearted. If people really enjoy their job, they will most likely do better work and make a better contribution to society. I have had jobs in the past that I have hated, and that makes the job a tough one to perform.
The delicious singing of the mother
Parents influence the lives of their children. A loving, caring parent, like that of the mother in this poem, provides a nurturing environment for his or her children. This environment is inviting, comforting, and “delicious.”
The young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing
This line puts women – homebound women – on the same level as workers in the community. This demonstrates the important role that homemakers play in our society. Taking care of a family and a home is difficult work and we should respect those who choose to follow this path in life.
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows
Our days are filled with important responsibilities (work, school, etc.). Nights, however, are the times when workers have an opportunity to let loose and enjoy themselves with loved ones. It is a time to celebrate an honest day of hard work. We need time to unwind, but I believe it is time that should be earned, earned after hard work and dedication to a task.
This poem should hold a special meaning for all Americans. This poem makes me proud to be the person that I am. I believe the speaker is saying that all people, regardless of their occupation or role in life, play an important part in the social fabric that is America. The “song” of each person is the special contribution that he or she makes to society. In our own world, every individual has a chance to make a difference; every individual has the opportunity to touch someone else in a unique way. I’d like to think that as a teacher I have the ability to inspire, to share knowledge, and to help students enjoy learning. That is my song. That is my contribution to the American voice.
This poem also makes me reflect on those people who may look down on others because of their social position or occupation. However, what they fail to realize is that each occupation is part of the spoke that enables our great wheel of a world to roll. Without one, the rest of the spokes are forced to work harder until the strain of the weight breaks them. I cannot fix my own car, heal my own illnesses, or grow my own produce. I rely on the people who can and thank them for the service they are able to provide. It makes me proud that I live in a world where I can access these and other services I need. Along with this, I am proud to offer my own talents to make my country a better place.