Meechal Hoffman – English 2850
Museum Assignment
The assignment: Go to the Met and walk around. Take your time, but eventually, find a piece of art that calls to you. Using that piece of art, write an ode. You’ll turn that poem in to me, along with a page (at least) of analysis of your own poem. I want you to tell me why you wrote the poem you wrote. For example: Why are the line breaks are where they are? Why did you repeat a particular word? Why you reveal that piece of information at that moment? Why did you choose to rhyme or not rhyme?
Okay, but how should I do this assignment?
Choosing a subject:
What did the Odes we read do?
-reflect on something outside the poet (an urn, a nightingale’s song).
-reflect on how that relates to the poet, what it makes the poet think about.
-use the senses (in “Ode on a Grecian Urn” it was sight, in “Ode to a Nightingale” it was sound) to think about something abstract (i.e. mortality, truth, beauty, art, artifice).
You might find that a painting or sculpture, the more you look at it, reminds you of your loved one. Or it reminds you of yourself as a child. Or it makes you think about weather, or nature, or your hatred of authority. Go with it. Once you find something that makes you reflect, take notes, think some more, bring a buddy and talk to them about the artwork to sharpen your thoughts. Then, take a photo of it, and work on the ode at home. Or work on the ode in the museum itself.
Form: Your ode can be in any poetic form (rhyming or not, in meter or not) but think about your choices. I recommend you experiment. And remember that sometimes using a form helps you structure your thoughts – it can sometimes be more help than hindrance. So, you might find that putting your thoughts into a tight, strict form like a sonnet helps you organize your thoughts. If it turns out too strict a form for your liking, you can try blank verse (regular meter but without rhymes). Feel free to use any form that works for you.
How will I grade you?
You won’t be graded on how “good” the poem is. Instead, I’ll be looking for a poem that makes thoughtful choices. If I can see that you’ve considered your poem carefully, and that you’re thinking “poetically” (what are you choosing to say/do/not do AND and why are you choosing to say/do/not do it?) then you’ll do well. The page that accompanies the poem will give you a chance to explain some things to me, and to work some things out for yourself.
5: excellent, thoughtful analysis of poem that addresses how and why choices were made
4: good and thoughtful analysis that addresses how and why choices were made
3: adequate analysis but more summary
2: analysis could use more work,mostly summary
1: analysis could use more work, all summary
0: didn’t do assignment
Museum logistics:
-The Met is closed Mondays.
-Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday: 9:30am–5:30pm; Friday and Saturday: 9:30 am–9:00 pm
-You only need to make a small donation. DO NOT pay the whole “suggested donation.” $1 is perfectly sufficient. In fact, I think Baruch students might even get in free
-See directions/full information on visiting