Lesson 2.1 - The Essence of Poetry
Specific Expectations:
Reading for Meaning - 1.2; 1.3
Understanding Form and Style - 2.2; 2.3
Reflecting on Skills and Strategies - 4.2
Learning Goals:
In this lesson you will receive exposure to what deep reading and analysis of poetry can teach us, and how poetry can prepare us for the study of longer forms of fiction such as short stories, novels and plays that you will encounter later in the course.
The focus in this lesson will be to develop a personal response to poetry – what poems say to us as close readers. This lesson’s goal is to make you aware of the value of poetry beyond its academic purpose.
These are the key words you will need to learn that are related to this Lesson.
You must view and learn these vocabulary in order to complete this activity to move on to the next activity.
The goal of this activity is to help you understand how poets make you see and feel what they imagine while writing their poems. Writers face the challenge of “pulling you into” their world using only words—no visuals, music, or sound effects. Every word they choose matters a lot!
Imagery is a way poets help you imagine their world by appealing to your five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. This enhances your experience and makes the writing come alive.
Instructions:
Read the Poem
- Slowly and carefully read London’s Summer Morning by Mary Robinson.
- Notice that each line has 10 beats. Try reading it out loud with that rhythm in mind.
- Observe that the poem does not rhyme. During the 19th century, most poems followed rhyme schemes, so this poem was very unique for its time.
Read the poem again, answer these questions:
What do you notice about the setting described in London’s Summer Morning? Can you picture it clearly?
Is there a specific line or image in the poem that makes you feel connected to what the narrator sees or feels? Why does it stand out to you?
Is there a story or progression happening in the poem? Write a short summary of what is happening.
Read the poem a third time, and answer the following questions:
What do you like most about London’s Summer Morning? Why?
Is there anything you find confusing or less enjoyable about the poem? Explain.
How does the poet use imagery (appeals to your senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) to help you understand what they are feeling or experiencing? Write down at least two examples of vivid imagery and explain their impact.
What is the mood (the feeling or atmosphere) of London’s Summer Morning? How does Mary Robinson create this mood?
Imagine turning this poem into a painting. What key elements or details would you include in your artwork?
For this activity, reread Acquainted With the Night. Each grouping of lines (3/3/3/3/2) is known as a STANZA. In poetry, as in the paragraphs used in fiction, each stanza has a separate meaning and purpose. It could be based on a different tone, setting, idea, etc.
Acquainted With the Night by Robert Frost
I have been one acquainted with the night
I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street.But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the skyProclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
Answer the following questions:What distinguishes one stanza in this poem from the other?
There are four groups of words in the poem that rhyme. For example, there are two words that have the “y” ending (cry and sky).
Group 1: cry / sky / bye
Now group the rest as:
Group#2: beat /
Group #3: rain /
Group#4: night /
Submission: Submit your answers to the above questions in PDF format. (Your file can't be more than 20 MB)For your homework assignment, read Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. The poem can be found in Unit 2 - Resource Folder.
There are a number of questions required for you to answer. The teacher is expecting about 400 words in total for the 8 questions.
- Can you identify any common theme or similarity between this poem and Frost’s other poem Acquainted With the Night? Your answer should be, “Yes.” In what ways are they similar?
- How can you connect the poem to some experience in your own life ... Past or Present?
- What can you praise about the text?
- What problems do you find with the text?
- What is your favourite sound imagery?
- Why do you think Frost repeats the last line?
- Identify one example of the use of alliteration.
- Frost’s poems are never just about the event he describes. They can be considered as an allegory (look up the meaning of the word in today’s GLOSSARY). What could this poem really be about?
Please take 5 minutes to answer the questions in the Exit Card. This is a requirement after every lesson.