The World of Poetry through Music and Empathy

Honors

English 10

Unit One,

Part 1:

Poetry

Becoming a Community of

Poets

Session One

“Poetry is the music of the soul, and, above all,

of great and feeling souls.” -Voltaire

Music as Poetry

–

How many of you can recite the lyrics of

your favorite songs—or at least sing

along?

–

How many of you regularly look up and

read the lyrics of songs you hear?

–

You are already reading poetry!

Ms. Cronk’s Favorite Song:

“Atlas” by Coldplay

Some saw the sun

Some saw the smoke

Some heard the gun

Some bent the bow

Sometimes the wire

Must tense for the note

Caught in the fire, say oh

We're about to explode

Carry your world

I'll carry your world

Carry your world

I'll carry your world

Some far away

Some search for gold

Some dragon to slay

Heaven we hope

Is just up the road

Show me the way, Lord

'Cause I am about to explode

Carry your world

I'll carry your world

Carry your world

I'll carry your world

Carry your world (Carry your world)

And all your hurt

Carry your world

Carry your world

So….why does Ms. Cronk

feel so connected to “Atlas”?

–

Fantasy references

–

Euphony (pleasing sounds)

–

Reference to variety of responses to difficulty and

challenge

–

Sense of responsibility to respond to challenges (the world)

–

Choice of response: “I’ll carry your world….and all your

hurt”

–

Empathy/support of others in pain

Session One Short-term

Homework

–

Choose a favorite song that you feel represents who you

are and/or the way you look at the world.

–

Write your full name and the title and artist of your chosen

song on your puzzle piece.

–

Decorate the front of your puzzle piece in a way that

connects to you and/or the song (make sure we can still

read the words!) This can be as simple or detailed as you

like.

–

Bring your puzzle piece and the PRINTED lyrics to your song

to the next class.

Think you can’t write

poetry?

You can! Take some advice from young

contemporary writers:

–

“invitation” by Mackenzie Connellee

–

“Evolution of a Writer” by Lauren Stacks

Session Two

Three grey geese in a green field grazing,

Grey were the geese and green was the

grazing. –Mother Goose

Group Share

–

In your table group, take turns sharing your

chosen song from the homework, reading the

lyrics aloud. You may explain as much or as little

as you like about why you feel connected to the

song and why it represents you and/or your

world view.

–

Turn in your puzzle piece to Ms. Cronk.

Common Poetic Techniques

Used in Music

–

Repetition

–

Refrains

–

Rhyme/Rhyme scheme

–

Meter/Rhythm

–

Simile and/or metaphor (figures of speech)

–

Consonance

–

Assonance

–

Alliteration

Can you find examples of each of these in “Atlas”?

Examining “Atlas” by

Coldplay More Closely

Some saw the sun

Some saw the smoke

Some heard the gun

Some bent the bow

Sometimes the wire

Must tense for the note

Caught in the fire, say oh

We're about to explode

Carry your world

I'll carry your world

Carry your world

I'll carry your world

Some far away

Some search for gold

Some dragon to slay

Heaven we hope

Is just up the road

Show me the way, Lord

'Cause I am about to explode

Carry your world

I'll carry your world

Carry your world

I'll carry your world

Carry your world (Carry your world)

And all your hurt

Carry your world

Carry your world

Alliteration

Alliteration 

is a literary device

that repeats a speech sound

in a sequence of words that

are close to each other.

Alliteration typically uses

consonants at the beginning

of a word to give stress to its

syllable. Alliteration plays a

very crucial role in poetry and

literature.

–

Alliteration provides a work

with musical rhythms.

–

Poems that use alliteration

are read and recited with

more interest and appeal.

–

Poems with alliteration can

be easier to memorize.

–

Alliteration lends structure,

flow, and beauty to any

piece of writing.

Consonance

Consonance 

is a pleasing

sounding caused by the

repetition of consonant

sounds within sentences,

phrases, or in poems.

Typically this repetition

occurs at the end of the

words, but may also be

found within a word or at

the beginning.

–

Consonance is related to

alliteration, and is used

for much the same

purposes.

–

Consonance can

influence, or be part of,

rhyming sounds.

Assonance

Assonance

is the repetition

of vowel sounds in nearby

words. It can occur at the

beginning, end, or middle of

words.

–

Assonance is often used

to reinforce the meaning

of words or to set the

mood.

–

Assonance is inherently

involved in the creation of

rhyming sounds, often in

collaboration with

consonance.

Where can we find alliteration,

consonance, and assonance?

Tongue twisters and nursery rhymes:

–

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled

peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of

pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Peter Piper

pick?

–

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck If a woodchuck

would chuck wood? A woodchuck would chuck all the wood

he could chuck If a woodchuck would chuck wood.

–

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey.

Along came a spider who sat down beside her, and frightened

Miss Muffet away.

Alliteration, consonance, and

assonance in children’s books

Through three cheese trees three free fleas flew. While these

fleas flew, freezy breeze blew. Freezy breeze made these three

trees freeze. Freezy trees made these trees’ cheese freeze. That’s

what made these three free fleas sneeze.

-- “Fox in Socks” by Dr. Seuss

I'll swing by my ankles.

She'll cling to your knees.

As you hang by your nose,

From a high-up trapeze.

But just one thing, please,

As we float through the breeze,

Don't sneeze.

--”Acrobats” by Shel Silverstein

Alliteration, consonance,

and assonance in poetry

‘T was later when the summer went

Than when the cricket came,

And yet we knew that gentle clock

Meant nought but going home.

‘T was sooner when the cricket went

Than when the winter came,

Yet that pathetic pendulum

Keeps esoteric time.

 --”’T was later when the summer

went” by  Emily Dickinson

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage, against the dying of the light. . . .

Grave men, near death, who see with

blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be

gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

--”Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”

by Dylan Thomas

Alliteration, consonance, and

assonance in a single line…

“And the silken sad uncertain rustling

of each purple curtain”

--from “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe

Finding alliteration,

consonance, and assonance

Read “Birches” by Robert Frost and use a

highlighter and pen to mark examples of

alliteration, consonance, and assonance.

Note how their use influences the way you

read and interpret the poem. Be prepared

to discuss as a class.

Try it on your own…

Try writing a few lines or even a short poem that

use alliteration, consonance, assonance, or even a

combination of all three. It can be as silly or serious

as you like. Be prepared to share with a partner.

If you’re stuck, try thinking of a single letter sound

(consonant or vowel)  and write a series of words

that use the same sound. Then see if you can fit

some of those words together with bridging words

in order to make a coherent sentence/poem.

Partner Work

Share your writing with your partner. Partners, see

if you can identify the use of alliteration,

consonance, and/or assonance in your partner’s

work. Give feedback on what works and what could

be improved.

Session Two Homework

–

We often associate the use of alliteration, consonance, and

assonance with children’s poetry, although it is also used

very effectively in adult’s poetry. When starting out in using

these techniques, it may be helpful to approach them from

a child’s perspective.

–

Think of an emotional event in your childhood (fun, happy,

sad, confusing, etc.) and write about the event using

alliteration, consonance, and assonance to relate the story.

Break it up into lines in order to create a poem. You may

find yourself rhyming—that’s fine! Just don’t force it too

much. 

Write a poem of at least ten lines this way.

Session Three

To the swinging and the ringing

of the bells, bells, bells-

Of the bells, bells, bells, bells

Bells, bells, bells-

To the rhyming and the chiming of the bells! –Edgar Allan Poe

Repetition

Repetition

is repeating

words, phrases, lines, or

stanzas.

[

Stanzas

 are lines that are

grouped together in

separation from other

stanzas or lines.]

–

Repetition is used to

emphasize a feeling or idea,

create rhythm, and/or develop

a sense of urgency.

–

We hear repetition all around

us: commercials repeat sales

and slogans to intensify what

they're saying and to burn

them into our brains. Song

lyrics often repeat lines and

have catchy choruses that we

can easily sing along to and

remember.

Repetition in poetry

–

“I Think I’ll Call It Morning” by Gil

Scott-Heron

–

“One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop

–

“The Rhythm of the Tomtom” by

António Jacinto

Independent Practice

–

Choose a phrase of at least three words (or a full sentence)

you would like to use repeatedly in a poem. Write a poem of at

least fifteen lines in which that phrase appears repeatedly

(though it doesn’t have to be in every line.)

–

Ideas if you’re stuck:

–

I remember when…

–

I should be…

–

There was a time…

–

You told me…

–

Now I realize…

Rhyme

–

Rhyme

 is a repetition of

similar sounding words,

occurring at the end of

lines in poems or songs. A

rhyme is a tool utilizing

repeating patterns that

bring rhythm or

musicality to poems.

–

A rhyme is employed for

the specific purpose of

rendering a pleasing

effect to a poem, which

makes its recital an

enjoyable experience.

Moreover, it offers itself

as a mnemonic device,

smoothing the progress

of memorization.

Rhyme in poetry

–

“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy

Evening” by Robert Frost

–

“His and Hers” by Diane Gilliam

Fisher

–

“Recess” by Maria Hummel

Independent Practice

Try your hand at a rhyming poem. Choose a

simple rhyme scheme and work with simple

rhyming words, to begin. Write a poem of at

least eight lines.

Free Verse

–

Free verse

 has no set

rhyme or meter; that is to

say there is no rhyming

scheme present, and the

poem doesn’t follow a set

pattern.

–

For some poets writing in

free verse serves as a

handy tool for the

purpose of camouflaging

their fluctuation of

thoughts, whereas others

think that it positively

affects the quality of work

being presented, since

the poet is not forced into

rhyme and/or pattern.

Free verse in poetry

(most contemporary poetry)

–

“Clearly Through My Tears” by Susan Love

Fitts

–

“Kindness” by Naomi Shihab Nye

–

“Photons” by Nicole Guenther

Independent Practice

Try your hand at a free verse poem. Don’t

let yourself be controlled by rhyme, meter,

or pattern. Just let your thoughts flow, using

line and stanza breaks to add meaning and a

certain amount of rhythm to your words.

Write a poem of at least ten lines this way.

Session Three Homework

–

Take a look at the three poems you worked on

today. Work with them further to either finish or

extend them.

–

Pick the one style you prefer between rhyming

and free verse poetry. Write an additional poem

in that style, also using some sort of repetition, of

at least fifteen lines.

Session Four

Metaphors have a way of holding

the most truth in the least space.

― 

Orson Scott Card

Metaphors and Similes

–

Metaphors

 are direct

comparisons between two

things that state one thing

is another, in order help

explain an idea or show

hidden similarities.

Because poems are meant

to impart complex images

and feelings to a reader,

metaphors often state

comparisons poignantly.

–

Similes

 have a similar

concept to metaphors—

they also are comparisons

between two things—but

they use the words “like”

or “as” for the comparison,

rather than being direct.

Metaphors in poetry

I’m a riddle in nine syllables,

An elephant, a ponderous house,

A melon strolling on two tendrils.

O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers!

This loaf’s big with its yeasty rising.

Money’s new-minted in this fat purse.

I’m a means, a stage, a cow in calf.

I’ve eaten a bag of green apples,

Boarded the train there’s no getting off.

--”Metaphors” by Sylvia Plath

More metaphors

“Hope” is the thing with feathers --

That perches in the soul --

And sings the tune without the words --

And never stops -- at all --

And sweetest -- in the Gale -- is heard --

And sore must be the storm --

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm --

I’ve heard it in the chillest land --

And on the strangest Sea --

Yet -- never -- in Extremity,

It asked a crumb -- of me.

--“Hope is the Thing With Feathers”

by Emily Dickinson

Similes in poetry

What did we say to each other

that now we are as the deer

who walk in single file

with heads high

with ears forward

with eyes watchful

with hooves always placed on firm ground

in whose limbs there is latent flight

--”Simile” by N. Scott Momaday

More similes

Poised between going on and back, pulled

Both ways taut like a tightrope-walker,

Fingertips pointing the opposites,

Now bouncing tiptoe like a dropped ball

Or a kid skipping rope, come on, come on,

Running a scattering of steps sidewise,

How he teeters, skitters, tingles, teases,

Taunts them, hovers like an ecstatic bird,

He's only flirting, crowd him, crowd him,

Delicate, delicate, delicate, delicate—now!

--”The Base Stealer” by Robert Francis

Independent Practice

Practice creating metaphors and similes by creating five

metaphors and five similes out of the following concepts.

Consider: what comparison could you make to bring the

concept to life for your reader?

* The sun

* Writing

* A book

* Your bed

* A baby

* A cat

* A [sport] game

* [Your favorite food]

* A sports car

* A tree

Share

Volunteers share their favorite metaphor or

simile from the exercise. Discuss as a class

what makes a metaphor or simile

successful.

Session Four Homework

Write a poem of at least ten lines that

explores the concept of your choice using

metaphors and/or similes. Try to extend at

least one metaphor or simile beyond a

single line, elaborating on the comparison.

You may use one of the metaphors or

similes you created in the exercise, or you

may make up (a) new one(s), as you prefer.

Session Five

Images are the heart of

poetry…You’re not a poet without

imagery. –Anne Sexton

Imagery

–

Imagery

 is descriptive language that has the

ability of appealing to the five senses. However,

that does not necessarily mean that imagery

applies to all five senses collectively.

–

There are seven types of imagery: visual,

auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, kinesthetic

and organic

Types of imagery: the five

senses

–

Visual imagery

 appeals to

the sense of sight, and

plays the largest role in

imagery in literature. It

describes what a scene or

character looks like.

–

Auditory imagery

describes specific sounds

that are happening within

the story.

–

Olfactory imagery

describes a particular

scent.

–

Gustatory imagery

describes the way

something tastes.

–

Tactile imagery

 describes

the way something feels

to the touch.

Types of imagery: beyond

the senses alone

–

Kinesthetic imagery

is a

type of visual imagery that

specifically deals with the

movement or actions of

something or someone.

–

Organic imagery 

is the

most difficult form of

imagery to write, because

it deals with creating a

specific feeling or emotion

within the reader. Phrases

that make the reader feel

sad, fearful, nostalgic,

elated, even lost are all

extremely effective organic

imagery.

Imagery in poetry

–

“Preludes” by T. S. Eliot

–

“Fourth or fifth love” by Mary Selph

–

“Sunflower” by Rolf Jacobsen

Independent Practice

–

Choose at least one type of imagery and write a descriptive

paragraph about a strong memory you have. Think carefully

about how you are appealing to the senses, or (if using one

of the last two types) going beyond the senses with your

descriptive language. Feel free to incorporate metaphors

and similes, but go beyond the simple comparisons to fully

describe the moment.

–

Now transform your descriptive paragraph into a poem.

You can do this simply by adding appropriate line breaks, or

you can transform the prose further into poetic language.

Personification

–

Personification

 is a type

of metaphor and a

common literary tool. It is

when the writer assigns

the qualities of a person

to something that isn't

human or that isn't even

alive, like nature or

emotions.

–

can be used as a method

of describing something

so that others can more

easily understand it.

–

can be used to emphasize

a point.

–

can be used to help paint

a picture in your mind.

What personification is NOT

Personification is NOT anthropomorphism, which

means making an object or animal act and look like

they are human, as in many children’s books.

Personification is a type of imagery/descriptive

language, instead of a transformation.

Personification in poetry

–

“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William

Wordsworth

–

“Having It Out With Melancholy” by Jane

Kenyon

Independent Practice

–

Think of a nonhuman concept or thing that could be described

using human actions or attributes. You may use one of the

concepts listed below, or choose your own. Brainstorm ways to

describe the concept using personification.

–

Now write a poem of at least ten lines describing the concept

using personification.

* Joy

* A storm

* Anger

* A tree

* A season (i.e. spring)

* Death or Life

* The wind 

* Justice

* The moon

* A city

Session Five Homework

This week, we have focused on various

forms of descriptive language. Using the

tools you have learned, write a poem of at

least twenty lines about the topic of your

choice. Do your best to evoke an emotional

response in your reader.

Long-term Homework

–

Write a 400-500 word essay in MLA format in

which you identify at least two key poetic

techniques used in your chosen song from the

beginning of the unit and how they help create

meaning. Explain why the song is meaningful to

you personally.

–

Turn in the essay to Turnitin.com before midnight

on Sunday, September 23

rd

.

Session Six

Poetry isn’t an island, it is the bridge.

Poetry isn’t a ship, it is the lifeboat.

Poetry isn’t swimming. Poetry is water.

― 

Kamand Kojouri

Slam Poetry

–

Slam poetry

  is mostly defined by its 

lack of traditional poetry

features. 

First of all, 

it doesn't follow any particular rhyme scheme

.

Parts of the poem might rhyme, particularly if the poet wants to draw

attention to that section, but some slam poets don't rhyme at all.

Slam poems also don't follow any particular structure, as far as line

or stanza length

.

–

This type of poetry is meant to be performed and listened to, not read

off a page. 

The main feature of slam poetry is the design for oral

performance

. It often centers on deeply emotional topics, such as

politics, bullying, or social current events. 

It can be about any topic,

but slam poems are supposed to carry an emotional impact

, and this

is easier to do if you start with an emotional topic.

–

Another important feature is that 

the poem must be original

material

. You cannot, for example, recite a Robert Frost poem as a

slam poem. It has to be a poem you wrote yourself.

Quick Write

What are five problems or things you

would change about the world if you

could?

Performance: “Touchscreen”

by Marshall Davis Jones

–

The first time through, just listen and watch.

–

The second time through, take notes in your

Writer’s Notebook about key lines or aspects of

his performance that stand out to you.

–

“Touchscreen” Performance

More Slam Poetry

–

“Shake the Dust” 

by Anis Mojgani

–

“Totally, Like, Whatever, You Know?” 

by Taylor

Mali

–

“For Teenage Girls” 

by Clementine von Radics

Group Discussion

–

Discuss the aspects of the four performances you

watched that stood out to you the most.

–

What makes slam poetry powerful?

–

What characteristics did the poets have in

common?

–

In what ways were they different?

Independent Practice

–

Take a look at the five ideas you wrote down in

the Quick Write. Star your favorite one.

–

Using either some of the sentence starters on the

next slide or some of your own, write your own

slam poem on that topic. Think about how you

might perform it, and make line breaks and

stanza breaks to help you with a potential

performance.

Sentence Starters

1.

Describe a made-up world where the problem is

extreme (like “Touchscreen”):

•

“Introducing…”

2.

A nostalgic question to a time when the

problem didn’t exist

•

“What has happened to ______”

3.

A story illustrating the problem

•

“There’s a man I know who…”

4.

A phrase you’ll repeat

•

“This poem is for…”

Session Seven

Come on in, I’ve got a sale

on scratch and dent dreams,

whole cases of imperfect ambitions

stuff the idealists couldn’t sell. –Eric Darby

Exploring poetic

performance

–

Go onto Ms. Cronk’s website to the Important Links page.

Scroll to the Poetry Performance section. Take some time

to explore the poetic performances in the links there. Take

notes on the following:



What topics interest you the most?



What are the common characteristics of the performances you

like the most?



If you were to perform a slam poem, what topic(s) and style of

performance would you want to explore?

Session Seven Homework

–

Take a look at the slam poem you wrote last session.

Reassess it, taking into account what you learned from your

exploration today. Make notes in the margins about

changes you would like to make.

–

Practice performing your poem in front of a mirror,

determining what would make the performance shine. 

If

you are interested in actually performing your poem in

class, talk to or contact Ms. Cronk BEFORE next Thursday,

September 27th!

Session Eight

Find your authentic voice, become

vulnerable, and then put yourself out there.

― 

Meredith Brooks

Group Share

In small groups, read/perform your slam

poem. Get feedback from your group

members on your poem and performance.

Exploring Identity Through

Poetry

–

The teen years can be full of fun, or angst, or joy, or

heartbreak, or all of the above. For almost every teen,

these years are a time to figure out who they are—as a

child of their parents, as a student, as a member of a

group, as an individual. It’s a time of growth and change.

–

Poetry can be an excellent way to express this exploration

of identity. The poems we are reading today are all about

this topic. As we read, take notes on the different aspects

of identity the poets explore, as well as the different ways

they do so.

Poems about identity

–

“Uncle Sam” 

by Joshua Abah

–

“What I Mean When I Say Farmhouse” by Geffrey Davis

–

“lessons” by Jacqueline Woodson

–

“Victory” by Sherman Alexie

–

“Revelations in the Key of K” by Mary Karr

–

“where I live,” by Lauren Espinoza

–

“poem for my name” by Emma Shaw Crane

Session Eight Homework

–

Brainstorm adjectives and nouns that describe/state

aspects of your identity. Write down as many as you can.

–

Write a paragraph in which you explore how you feel about

who you are and how you “fit” in the world.

–

Using the work you did brainstorming and writing the

paragraph, write a poem of at least fifteen lines about at

least one aspect of who you are and/or how you or others

see “you.”

Session Nine

“My heritage has been my

grounding, and it has brought me

peace.” –Maureen O’Hara

What is “heritage”?

–

“Heritage” can mean physical possessions that are passed

down from one generation to another (or a series of

generations, in some cases.)

–

However, the meaning we are focusing on is less tangible:

“the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of

the history of a group or nation.” This is similar to

“identity,” but generally has a broader application.

–

Everyone has some level of heritage, however short or

lengthy it is. Heritage is often tied with ethnicity,

nationality, a certain region, and/or a specific family.

Heritage in poetry

–

There is a rich tradition of poetry that explores the poet’s

heritage.

–

Reading this poetry can serve two major purposes:

1.

The reader may connect personally to the heritage in the

poetry, and therefore feel a sense of “belonging.” This is

especially important for people who tend to be marginalized

in their society.

2.

The reader may learn more about a different heritage than

their own. This broadens their perspective and

understanding of others and the world around them.

Heritage in poetry cont.

–

Writing poetry about one’s heritage serves several purposes:

1.

It gives the poet an opportunity to explore what they find

valuable about their heritage.

2.

It gives the poet an opportunity to explore what they find

difficult or even unlikeable about their heritage.

3.

It gives the poet an opportunity to connect with others who

share the same or a similar heritage.

4.

It gives the poet an opportunity to share their heritage with

those who have a different heritage, leading to greater

understanding and connection between different people.

Poetry exploring heritage

–

“In the City” by Chen Chen

–

“We All Return to the Place Where We Were Born” by Oscar

Gonzales

–

“Amphibians” by Joseph O. Legaspi

–

“For My People” by Margaret Walker

–

“Peaches” by Adrienne Su

–

“Upon Arrival” by Tala Abu Rahmeh

–

from “A Sailor’s Memoirs” by Muhammad al-Fayiz

–

“distance” by Marisa Cronk

Session Nine Homework

–

Write a paragraph or two in which you explore aspects of

your own heritage—linked to your ethnicity, nationality,

region, and/or family—and how you feel about them. What

traditions, beliefs, and/or history are most important to

you? Which aspects do you perhaps feel pressured to

follow, but feel like doing otherwise? What aspects do you

want to pass down to further generations?

–

Using the thoughts you have gathered, create a poem of at

least fifteen lines exploring at least one aspect of your

heritage and how you feel about it/them.

Session Ten

“...and then, I have nature and art and

poetry, and if that is not enough, what is

enough?”

― 

Vincent van Gogh

Nature in poetry

–

Some of the most famous and enduring poems

center on the topic of nature. There is a long

tradition of expressing one’s reactions to and

observations of aspects of nature through poetry.

–

Don’t just think of cute little poems about

sunshine and butterflies, however! Just as nature

is varied and sweeping and powerful, so are the

poems that explore it.

Poetry exploring nature

If the weather is nice, let’s go outside and read there!

–

“Wind’s Foam” by Ali Mahmud

–

“The Birth of a Stone” by Kwang-kyu Kim

–

“The Moon Rises Slowly Over the Ocean” by Xu De-min

–

“A Late Walk” by Robert Frost

–

“Fall” by Mary Oliver

–

“weakness” by Marisa Cronk

Session Ten Homework

–

Sometime in the next few days, as weather permits (or

even in the rain, if you enjoy that!) spend some time

outside, either taking a walk or sitting in a place where you

feel surrounded by nature.

–

Take notes about what you observe and feel in your Back to

Nature experience.

–

Based on your notes and experience, write a poem of at

least ten lines centered around nature.

Session Eleven

“The world is becoming a global village

and we have to understand these

different cultures. ” ― 

Enock Maregesi

What is “culture”?

–

According to Merriam Webster, culture is “the customary

beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial,

religious, or social group…

also

: 

the characteristic features

of everyday existence (such as diversions or a way of life)

shared by people in a place or time”

–

Culture can vary by ethnicity, by nationality, by region, and

even by generation. People can belong to multiple cultures

simultaneously.

Can you think of examples of cultures to which you belong?

Culture in poetry

–

Writing poetry is an excellent way to explore and

express aspects of cultures with which the poet

identifies.

–

Reading poetry is an excellent way to explore and

experience cultures of all kinds, learning and

growing in understanding of the world around us.

Poems expressing aspects of

different cultures

–

“Under This Sky” by Zia Hyder

–

“The Prison Cell” by Majmud Darwish

–

“Jerusalem” by Yehuda Amichai

–

“Greenland’s History” by Sven Holm

–

“The Indians” by Roberto Sosa

–

“Translation for Mamá” by Richard Blanco

–

“We Should Make a Documentary About Spades” by

Terrance Hayes

Session Eleven Homework

–

Brainstorm the different cultures with which you identify.

Under each culture category, list elements that you identify

as being essential aspects of that culture. What makes that

culture unique? How do you feel about those aspects of

culture—which do you love, which do you dislike?

–

Using ideas from your brainstorming, write a poem of at

least ten lines about at least one aspect of at least one

culture with which you identify. You could also write about

the various different cultures to which you belong, how you

feel about them, etc.

Session Twelve

“Everyone becomes a poet when he or

she suddenly falls into the ocean of love”

― 

Debasish Mridha MD

Themes vs. Topics

–

Themes and topics are important elements in fictional and

nonfictional literary pieces, but each plays a unique role in

telling a story.

–

A topic is an objective explanation of the subject matter,

whereas a theme represents the deeper underlying

message.

–

Even though the two are interconnected, themes and

topics answer different questions. Topics answer the

question, "What's the story/poem about?" and themes

answer "Why was the story/poem written?“

Themes vs. Morals

–

However, the theme is NOT the “moral” of the text—it may

connect to a lesson to be learned, but is not itself the “moral.”

–

The 

moral

 of a story is generally an implied lesson you can

learn from a character's experience, and a 

theme

 is an

overarching message communicated through setting,

characters and action—generally an insight about life or

human nature.

–

Moral example: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

–

Theme example: “First impressions may be misleading and

miss hidden depths.”

Themes vs. Topics vs.

Morals

–

Example from 

The Hunger Games

:

–

Topic(s)

: Fear, Courage

–

Theme

: Uncontrolled fear leads to violence and regret.

–

Moral

: You should stand up for what you believe in no

matter what your circumstances are.

–

Example from 

The Fault in Our Stars

:

–

Topic

: Love

–

Theme

: Unconditional love withstands any obstacle.

–

Moral

: Channel your inner curiosity and learn from

others.

“Love” as a topic; elaboration

as a theme

–

An example of a common topic in poetry is

“Love.” However, the way the topic is handled is

different in every poem: thus, different poems

have different themes.

–

Read “i carry your heart with me(i carry it in” by

e. e. cummings. The topic is fairly obviously

“love”, but what is the theme? Jot down some

ideas, then prepare to share with the class.

Love themes in poetry

Read the following poems. For each one, determine

what the underlying theme(s) is/are.

–

“A Glimpse” by Walt Whitman

–

“Poem for My Love” by June Jordan

–

“The Quiet World” by Jeffrey McDaniel

–

“pieces” by Marisa Cronk

Session Twelve Homework

–

Brainstorm at least three different themes connected to

the topic of Love. Choose your favorite, and write a poem

of at least ten lines that explores/demonstrates that

theme.

–

Remember: Love poems do not always have to be from first

person perspective, or about the self. If you don’t have a

romantic experience to write about, or don’t feel

comfortable writing about your own experience, consider

writing about another example of love that you have

witnessed (parents? siblings? a friend?)

Session Thirteen

“we ended like a supernova,

in an explosion that was slow and fast

at the same time.”

― 

Catarine Hancock

The topic of Heartbreak

–

For every poem about the joys of love, there is

probably a poem about heartbreak. Sometimes

love doesn’t last, or turns sour, or the object of

our love passes from our lives.

–

Just as there are varying themes for the topic of

Love, there are varying themes for the topic of

Heartbreak. Read “Poem for Haruko” and

determine, as a class, what the theme/themes

may be.

Poetry about Heartache

–

“Litany in Which Certain Things Are Crossed Out”

by Richard Siken

–

“Neutral Tones” by Thomas Hardy

–

“reverb” by Marisa Cronk

–

“beginning and ending” by Marisa Cronk

Session Thirteen Homework

–

Brainstorm at least three themes about the topic

of Heartbreak. Choose your favorite and write a

poem of at least ten lines

exploring/demonstrating the theme.

–

Remember: just like Love, poems about

Heartbreak do not have to be based on personal

experience.

Session Fourteen

 “Be patient and tough; some day

this pain will be useful to you.”

— 

Ovid

Dealing with difficult topics

–

Many people feel afraid to discuss topics that can cause

discomfort, such as dark emotions and mental illness. This just

leads to greater misunderstanding on the part of those who do

not experience such issues, and greater isolation on the part

of those who do. Another group that is frequently

misunderstood and isolated are people with disabilities,

whether physical or otherwise. Many people react towards

people with mental illness and/or disability out of ignorance

and even fear.

–

The best start to understanding and embracing people with

mental illness and/or disabilities is to start real conversations,

and to not fear the topics. How can you know if you refuse to

learn?

Difficult topics in poetry

–

Poetry can be both an outlet and a means for learning when

addressing these difficult topics, just as it is for other topics

and themes.

–

Many people who struggle with dark emotions and even

harder issues find writing poetry about their struggles

cathartic and even healing. However, if no one ever reads the

poetry and learns how to connect with struggling people, they

are left alone yet again.

–

Readers can gain insight to and understanding of living with

mental illness or disabilities in a way they may not otherwise.

Poetry about dark emotions

and/or mental illness

–

“Acquainted With the Night” by Robert Frost

–

“Alone” by Edgar Allan Poe

–

“Tulips” by Sylvia Plath

–

“The Rider” by Naomi Shihab Nye

–

“How I Am” by Jason Shinder

–

“Please Hear What I’m Not Saying” by Charles C. Finn

–

“whispers in the dark” by Marisa Cronk

Poems about disability

–

“45s, LPs” by Barbara Crooker (parent of boy with autism)*

–

“Window Box” by Thomas Scott Fisken (autism)*

–

“Passing” by Ona Gritz (cerebral palsy)

–

“(blindness)” by Beverly Katherine (blindness)

–

“The sun rears” by Jennifer Barlett (cerebral palsy)

–

“Symptoms” by Laurie Clements Lambeth (multiple

sclerosis)

*please note the difference in perspective between a person who is a loved

one/caregiver for someone with a disability, versus a person with a disability.

These two poems pair well.

Session Fourteen Homework

–

Write a paragraph about one of the three topics explored

today that you or a loved one has experienced. Describe

what your/their experience was/is like.

–

Write a poem of at least fifteen lines based on this

experience you have described. You may write it from a

first-person perspective or the perspective of an

observer/loved one.

Session Fifteen

“The thought of hope is the seed to

healing.”

― 

Shilpa Menon

Topics of hope and healing

–

When expressions of dark emotions, depression, anxiety,

and even despair are made, it can be all too easy for people

to respond with trite clichés, or to not know how to

respond at all. If one doesn’t know how to respond, just

saying you are listening and supporting that person is a

good start.

–

However, there are real and valid messages of hope and

healing as well. Perhaps not so oddly, most of the best

messages come from those who have been through

hardship , heartbreak, sorrow, and pain themselves.

Messages of hope and

healing in poetry

Poetry is not all about darkness. It is also about light—and

when it comes from a real and sincere place, can be a source

of hope and healing for those who are struggling. It’s not

about easy ways out, or plastering a smile on one’s face, or

pretending the hard times are not hard. It’s about finding the

light in the darkness. It’s about, as Emily Dickinson wrote in

her famous poem about hope, realizing that it is “in the

chillest land—/And on the strangest Sea—” and does not

require that one do or give anything to “deserve” it.

Poetry about hope and

healing

–

“Disease’s Gifts” by Joy Ladin

–

“Little Stones at My Window” by Mario Benedetti

–

“The Conditional” by Ada Limón

–

“nobody but you” by Charles Bukowski

–

“new” by Marisa Cronk

Session Fifteen Homework

–

Consider a time when you were dealing with a difficult issue,

or facing hardship; or, if you haven’t experienced that yourself,

consider a time when someone you love was doing so. Write a

paragraph briefly describing that time.

–

Then brainstorm things that other people could have (or did)

say or do that would have helped you or your loved one as

you/they faced that hardship. Make sure these are not

platitudes or clichés, but instead come from a sincere place.

–

Write a poem of at least fifteen lines centering on a message

of hope and healing that could be effective.

Session Sixteen

“That’s the magic of revisions – every cut is

necessary, and every cut hurts, but

something new always grows.”

― 

Kelly Barnhill

The Importance of Line

Breaks

The line is the most important unit of meaning in

a poem. Poets revise line breaks to explore

emerging poems. Line breaks add emphasis to

important words that impact the poem’s

meaning. Poets create line breaks to help a

reader read the poem. In some ways, the line

breaks are like the notes on a musical score,

which show a musician how to sing or play the

music.

Line break usage

Line breaks emphasize words. These words

include the last word on the line, first word on

the line, single (or few words) on a line, and

repeated words consciously placed at the

beginning, end, or middle of a line

.

Line break usage cont.

–

The last word on the line has power. It is the most

important word on the line. Therefore, most

poets use nouns and verbs. Specific words are

best. Instead of 

flower

, use 

carnation

. Instead of

car

, use 

Mustang

–

Using one word on a line creates even more

emphasis and power. Some lines that are shorter

than others have more emphasis.

Line break usage cont.

–

Repetition adds emphasis.



Poets often use the repeated word at the

beginning of the line (as in litany poems).



However, poets can bury the repeated

word or change the placement of the

words.

Line break usage cont.

Poets use line breaks to create patterns.

Then they break the patterns. They use this

system to create surprise and to emphasize

key words and details.

Poetry patterns

Poets create patterns with complete sentences and phrases on a line,

controlling the syllabication of the last word on the line, and creating

consistent stanzas (number of lines, length of lines).

–

Use complete phrases or complete sentences on a line. This creates a

control over the subject, giving power to whatever the poet is talking

about.

–

BREAK THE PATTERN

: 

Break a phrase, putting part on one line and part on

the next line.

–

Add emphasis to the first word on the next line by breaking the phrase with

a preposition (of, by, in, through); an article (the, a, an); or a conjunction

(and, but, so, for).

–

Add surprise by using an unexpected word as the first word of the next line.

Poetry patterns

–

One-syllable words at the end of the line: Poets can control

their works, too, by using one-syllable words at the end of

lines.

–

BREAK THE PATTERN: Use two- or three-syllable words.

–

A three-syllable word in a line break will have more emphasis

since it breaks the previous pattern (one-syllable words at the

end of lines).

–

Consistent number of lines in a stanza.

–

BREAK THE PATTERN: Inconsistent number of lines in stanzas.

–

This can once again add emphasis and speed up reading.

Independent practice

Select a poem from your writer’s notebook and

redraft it two times with line breaks that

emphasize words and create patterns. Try the

breaks one way and then re-draft the poem

trying the line breaks a different way.

Session Sixteen Homework

Choose and Copy Your Revision Poem

Choose one poem from your notebook

that you would like to revise for your

poetry portfolio. Make  at least 3 copies of

the poem you want to gather feedback on.

That way each group member will have a

copy to read and write comments on.

Session Seventeen

Even if you write it wrong, write and finish

your first draft. Only then, when you have a

flawed whole, do you know what you have

to fix." ―  

Dominick Dunne

Writer-response groups

1.

Pass out copies immediately to the group.

2.

Identify a timekeeper.  Every writer gets an equal amount

of time for response.

3.

Identify a first writer/reader.

4.

First writer/reader reads entry and remains silent during

response, taking notes on others’ comments.

5.

Move on to the next student.

Revision plans

Poets create revision plans using a repertoire of

decisions (sensory details, imagery, metaphor,

simile, repetition, line breaks, etc.).

Poets generally select 2-3 revision decisions and

commit to trying them. Remember, an

unsuccessful revision can always be undone.

Independent practice

Reread your response group notes. Write

a revision plan based on your notes as

well as your own ideas.  Make sure to

label it as “Revision Plan”!

Editing Poems:

Universal/Traditional  decisions

Most common decisions. These are found in poems that are more

traditional, or which were written before 1960.

Punctuation

–

Poets punctuate sentences using periods and commas. Rarely use

colons, semi-colons and question marks. Avoid using exclamation

points.

–

Use periods at the end of a stanza to complete a thought or before a

shift.

–

Do not use periods at the end of the stanza, if they need to connect

the stanzas.

–

Use quotation marks and other traditional punctuation in quotes to

indicate speech.

universal decisions cont.

Capitalization

–

Capitalize the first word of each line even if it doesn’t start

a new sentence.

–

Or capitalize only the first word of a sentence or proper

nouns.

Unique/Contemporary

decisions

More contemporary poets know the rules of punctuation

and grammar, but they choose selectively which rules to

apply (correctly, not haphazardly).

Punctuation

–

Can follow or break the rules.

–

Create emphasis and new meaning.

Unique decisions cont.

White space

–

Selectively increase white space. Might look like an editing

error, but is actually a conscious choice to include too

many—or not enough—spaces between words. [Example is

poetry by e. e. cummings)

Unique decisions cont.

Capitalization

–

Alter or reduce capitalization to create emphasis.

–

Altered capitalization can change a poem’s emotional

impact.

–

Altered capitalization can also change the poem’s pacing.

Independent practice

What decisions about punctuation,

capitalization and white space will you be

making that will affect your editing work?

Create an editing plan for your poems.

Remember, different poems can use

different plans and approaches!

Independent practice

Revise and edit your poem draft, given

your revision and editing plans. Also

annotate your text to show what you’ve

changed. For these annotations, you can

underline, highlight, or label the changes.

Remember—never erase what you have

already done! Rewrite!

Continuing work

Create a response group and move on to a

second and eventually third poem using the same

revision and editing process you just completed.

Summative assessment: Poetry

portfolio

After reading poems and experimenting with the habits,

strategies, and attitudes of poets, write and revise a series

of five poems that demonstrates the use of the universal

and unique techniques used by poets who write for

publication. Revise and edit early poems to meet a

publishing standard. Each poem entry should show 

and

original version, one

 revision draft, and a finalized version

(three total). After each final poem entry, write a sentence

or two explaining what the purpose was for your revisions.

Upload the portfolio to Turnitin.com.

Class Poetry Book

–

Type up your favorite poem (that YOU have written) in a

Word document and email it to Ms. Cronk. These poems

will be put together in a booklet and handed out to all

students in the class. Make sure it’s a poem you feel

comfortable sharing! Don’t forget to identify your class and

hour in the email you send.