Intro to Poetry Wisdom & Pleasure in words

What is Poetry?

A genre of writing chosen and arranged to create a certain emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm.

Poetic Devices in Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySqyQAs1XtM

Outline for Our Poetry Section

To understand something, you have to see it within yourself.

To Learn you must DO We’ll be writing poems and analyzing the poems of the greats.

First: Understand Poetic Vocab Second: Present a poem in class Essay on a Poem (either compare and

contrast or on particular poetric device)

How Do I Read Poetry?

Approach it with a positive attitude- and a willingness to understand.

Begin by reading it aloud- Rhyme and rhythm work in subtle ways to emphasize key words and clarify meaning.

Remember Poetry is meant to be spoken, it is essentially Oral Literature.

Get Literal Meaning First

Before you begin interpreting the poem, make sure you understand the literal meaning.

Part of the fun in poetry stems from the unusual ways in which poets put words together. Poet Thomas Hardy Writes:

“And why unblooms the best hope ever sown? Means: Any why does the best hope ever sown

NOT bloom”

Make Associations for Meanings

Once you understand the literal meaning, you can expand into the interpretative part. Emily Dickinson:

“Rowing in Eden- Ah, the Sea! Might I but moor – Tonight- In Thee!”

Can she literally row in Eden? What do you associate with Eden?

Persona & Tone Who is speaking? Poets often adopt a persona, that is they speak

through the voice of a character they have created.

What is the Tone of the poem? The attitude of the writer and atmosphere of the

poem.

Example: If a friend finds you in tears and asks “You certainly look cheerful today.” The tone is ______

“We Real Cool” By Gwendolyn Brooks

We Real Cool

The Pool Players. Seven at the Golden Shovel.We real cool. WeLeft school. WeLurk late. WeStrike straight. WeSing sin. WeThin gin. We

Jazz June. WeDie soon.

Audio Visual http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

_3kF6MGBjzk

Questions Where does the poem take place? Who makes up the “we”? How would you describe the voices or

identities? What is the tone of the poem? Rhyme & Rhythm? Did the poem remind

you of a musical?

Metaphors http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=A0edKgL9EgM&list=PLyB5k0iC1kzVJ4AtT1qIlj0SYbymIEKVT

Metaphor Activity- Groups of 4- Come up with as many metaphors for these

words:- The Moon- The Sun

Last Part Take a Sheet of Paper between group Write one line each and pass it around…

until you have a complete poem full of metaphors.