Week 25

De-Mystifying Poetry

"All my poems are suggested by real life and therin have a firm foundation...No one can imitate when you write of the particular, because no others have experienced exactly the same thing." -- Goethe

We begin our quest to unravel the mystery behind great poetry that spans from 1500 to 1947. Essentially, poetry is ambiguous (as life is), it is subject to multiple interpretations. Consider a poem as being analagous to a piece of art. When interpreting art we bring to it our own experiences; well, this is the same with poetry. Yet, sometimes I come across lines that are beautiful, yet I have no idea what they mean; looking at art, I sometimes feel the same way. We will never really know what a poem really means because the poet is not here to tell us; so we need trust the poet -- do not say "I think he is trying to say" -- the writer will tell you if you listen.

Here are a few more key questions to consider when analyzing and explicating the poems:

• Who is the speaker?
• What is the poem about?
• Why is the first stanza longer than the second?
• Does the poem have a rhyme scheme? If so, what is it and what is its significance?
• Do you notice any sound devices? Alliteration? Assonance? Consonance? What is the significance of the devices you identify?
• How do the devices create meaning?

Continue reviewing your AP Literary terms and tone words.

Have a great week and remember, be empathetic to each other and work diligently...I always notice!! Smile, too!

PROJECT DATES:

FEB 25: final essay due along with draft and outline.
Ongoing: work in Poetry Journals
MAY 8: AP EXAMINATION

Here are your assignments/Agenda for Week 25:

Week 25 MS Word

Week 25 pdf

If you have questions about these assignments, please leave a comment or email me directly. Remember, I will check the blog until 9:59 pm. You know I need my Seinfeld fix.