Universidad Catlica Ntra.

Seora de la Asuncin Centro Cultural Paraguayo Americano Teachers Certification Program

TERM-PAPER
Subject: Whole Language III Teacher: Lic. Mirtha Insfrn TOPIC: POETRY Student: Jorge Cardozo Echauri.

Year 2011

Introduction
For some people talking about Poetry is a little bit awkward. Partly, because they do not understand it and therefore they can not enjoy it. But Poetry is not all unknown for us. Many people had experienced poetry throughout? the scholar years and some even more freely, writing personal blogs with their thoughts (I don`t understand, this is a run-on sentence), including poetry and other type of expressions. Therefore (is more formal)So, in a way or another we all have encountered poetry in our lives for bad or good Lets try to make this experience positive. In this term-paper the subject that will be discussed is perhaps one of the most challenging among the literature genres. It can be interesting or boring it all depends on how the author present it and the way the reader interprets those ideas. Poetry is mysterious because it does not let us define it completely, every time we try to label a poem by this is about this, This belong to this type of poetry.. a contradiction arises and we are forced to analyse the piece again. Maybe this is due to the fact that Poetry is not as direct and straightforward as a novel or a story can be, we use different kind of resources but the general tone of a poem is always very subjective, strongly attached to the beliefs and points of view of the author. Necessarily we must introduce ourselves into this world, without fear, armed with a lot of patience, to start experimenting what this is all about. From the beginning we will attempt to use a straightforward language, with concise definitions and examples to illustrate the ideas. We are going to analyze the elements of a poem, with examples from interesting authors. Going more deeply we will discuss about the varied purposes that authors have when they write a poem and the rhetorical figures involved. Later we will try to make a guideline for anyone that attempts to read a poem so that he or she wont die in the process and finally we will take a look at the poems of my top 5 favourites authors.

What is poetry?
Poetry is the revelation of a feeling that the poet believes to be interior and personal which the reader recognizes as his own. Salvatore Cuasimodo The poet judges not as a judge judges but as the sun falling around a helpless thing. Walt Whitman Poetry is truth dwelling in beauty. Robert Gilfillan

Definition
Defining poetry is perhaps not an easy task. People and scholars argue about an exact and fixed definition. Lets take a look at what Jackie Kay said: Poetry in my view is little moments of belief in quite intense language. And poetry always loves language, loves the words, is in love with language in some sort of way, and finds a way to get that across, to get the music of language and the love of words across in quite a short and precise way. Poetry loves using images, metaphors, alliteration so theres all sorts of techniques and tricks that people can do: repetitions in poetry that you cant do in prose or if you did do it in prose, it would seem very mannered prose. But poetry, yes, its almost a moment of belief for me. Its a moment ... When you write a poem, you have to have a certain amount of conviction. You have to believe in that poem and you have to get your reader to believe in it too. Youre almost writing the poem and youre saying to the reader or the listener, Come into my world and see what I see.

What is the purpose of poetry?

The universe of poetry is really vast, so it is the purpose of each poem. Depending on the authors intention the poem can acquire a variety of purposes, related to the language used by an author to convey an idea or emotion. It may or may not be the author's intention to evoke the same emotion/reaction in others, it may be a purely personal exercise for the author. Most of the time is the effort to convey and idea or a line of though relevant to the author. Other times, readers can get ideas that were not initially intended by the author. There are many kind of poetry, not only about love. Much poetry also has nothing whatsoever to do with love - some is political, humorous, angry,

reflective, observational. Whatever strikes a chord with the author may be a subject for poetry.

Poetry in the English language.

The term English Poetry can be a little bit ambiguous, because some may get confused and only think about poetry that was wrote in England. What we mean by English Poetry is poetry that uses the English language as their code of communication. English Poetry comes not only from England, but from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and many others.

Famous and influential writers.

The list of poets what wrote in English is quite vast and it includes people from many countries. Including all of them in a single list would be impossible, the following list is subjective and represents some of the most influencial authors I know and enjoy.

Oscar Wilde (October 16, 1854 November 30, 1900)

He was an Irish poet and writer. His writings such as Dorian Gray with homoerotic themes brought much controversy for him but he was part of the movement of 'decadents' who advocated pacifism, social reform, and libertarianism. Le Jardin Des Tuileries This winter air is keen and cold, And keen and cold this winter sun, But round my chair the children run Like little things of dancing gold. Sometimes about the painted kiosk The mimic soldiers strut and stride, Sometimes the blue-eyed brigands hide In the bleak tangles of the bosk. And sometimes, while the old nurse cons Her book, they steal across the square,

And launch their paper navies where Huge Triton writhes in greenish bronze. And now in mimic flight they flee, And now they rush, a boisterous band-And, tiny hand on tiny hand, Climb up the black and leafless tree. Ah! cruel tree! if I were you, And children climbed me, for their

sake

Though it be winter I would break Into spring blossoms white and blue!

Emily Dickinson (December 10, 1830 May 15, 1886) She was a prolific American poet, but unfortunately only a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime, and the works that were published were often altered by the publishers. Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality. You Left Me You left me, sweet, two legacies, A legacy of love A Heavenly Father would content, Had He the offer of; You left me boundaries of pain Capacious as the sea, Between eternity and time, Your consciousness and me. Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 October 7, 1849) He was a controversial author because he wrote macabre and horror stories. He is considered to be the father of the detectives novels, because of his works of mystery and death. He wrote poetry too, focusing on a dark romantic style, with themes such as isolation, sadness and love. Actually, many of his poems are aimed at women he loved. Anabbel Lee ( extract ) For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride, In her sepulchre there by the sea-In her tomb by the side of the sea. Walt Whitman (May 31, 1819 March 26, 1892) He was an American poet, essayist and journalist. Considerend a humanist, parf of a transcendentalist and realist line of though, he wrote many controversial pieces, including Leaves of Grass, considered obscene at his time.

He is called the father of free verse and with no doubts he is one of the most famous and influential american poets of all time. A child said, What is the grass? ( Extract) A child said, What is the grass? fetching it to me with full hands; How could I answer the child?. . . .I do not know what it is any more than he. Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 April 27, 1882) He was the American essayist, lecturer, and poet who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. In this writing, Emerson gradually moved away from the religious and social beliefs of his contemporaries, formulating and expressing the philosophy of Transcendentalism He wrote on a number of subjects developing ideas such as individuality, freedom, the ability for man to realize almost anything, and the relationship between the soul and the surrounding world. Fate ( extract) That you are fair or wise is vain, Or strong, or rich, or generous; You must have also the untaught strain That sheds beauty on the rose. There is a melody born of melody, Which melts the world into a sea.

Elements of poetry
Rhythm: we can compare it to the sound in a song that is made by the statements of the poem and includes the syllables in the lines. One of the best methods of understanding this is to read the poem aloud. The reader must listen for the sounds and the music made when we hear the lines spoken aloud. The things you consider while studying the rhythm of the poem can be resume in these questions: How do the words resonate with each other? How do the words flow when they are linked with one another? Does sound right? Do the words fit with each other? Meter: This is the basic structural make-up of the poem. Do the syllables match with each other? Every line in the poem must adhere to this structure. A poem is made up of blocks of lines, which convey a single strand of thought. Within those blocks, a structure of syllables which follow the rhythm has to be

included. This is the meter or the metrical form of poetry. Rhyme: A poem may or may not have a rhyme. When the writer decides to use it, it means that the last words of the lines match with each other in some form. Either the last words of the first and second lines would rhyme with each other or the first and the third, second and the fourth and so on. Rhyme is basically similar sounding words like cat and hat, close and shows, house and mouse etc. Most of the time, when people use a free verse poetry, though, it is not neccesary to follow this system. Poem without rhyme, is the greatest crime." - Dr. Hitesh Sheth Alliteration: We use this resource as a way to add rhyme to a poem. It is basically the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in the same line. These are very common in nursery rhymes. Twinkle Twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are, Up above the sky so high, Twinkle twinkle little star Metaphor: It is a method of comparison where there is some similarity or correlation between the two concepts that are being compared. By using a metaphor, we suggest that both concepts are the same. The words like and as are not used. All metaphors consist of two parts: the vehicle and the tenor. The vehicle is the figurative expression, that is the concept, idea, or thing that is being used to make the comparison. The tenor is the idea that is illustrated or illuminated by the vehicle. The girl was a helpless bird waiting for its mother.
Tenor vehicle

Simile: Is a way of comparison, like a methaphor, but it is different from the latter in the sense that when you compare two things in a simile, each one retains its own characteristic, while in a methaphor we suggest that boths are actually the same. We can compare objects, feelings, emotions, just about everything. We often use the words like, as, or than in a simile. Your feet smell so bad Just like limburger cheese That Im holding my nose tight Between my two knees. Denis Rodgers Theme: This is what the poem is all about. The theme of the poem is the central idea that the poet wants to convey. It can be a story, or a thought, or a description of something or someone anything which is what the poem is all about. Symbolism: Often poems will convey ideas and thoughts using symbols. A

symbol can stand for many things at one time and leads the reader out of a systematic and structured method of looking at things. Often a symbol used in the poem will be used to create such an effect. Allegory: It is related to symbols. Within a narrative form, which can be either in prose or verse, an allegory tells a story that can be read symbolically. You may have encountered The Faerie Queen by Edmund Spenser, or a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne such as Rappacinis Daughter, or maybe youve heard that The Wizard of Oz was originally an allegory. Interpreting an allegory is complicated because you need to be aware of what each symbol in the narrative refers to. Allegories thus reinforce symbolic meaning, but can also be appreciated as good stories regardless of their allegorical meaning. Mood: In order to understand mood we need to read poems that have a powerful feeling attached to them. The mood is what the reader feels while reading. When we read a story and felt an overwhelming emotion that we couldnt explain, that is the mood.An author can bring out in us a varied set of emotions such as sadness, anger, joy, or surprise. The best way to explain mood is to recall the feeling we had the first time we heard a ghost story. And share those feelings in order to understand them. Good poets evoke strong moods from their writing that readers cant deny. Mood is a good concept to teach using poetry because it is right to the point.

How to read poems

The educacional website English Companion suggests: Poems can be read many ways. The following steps describe one approach. Of course not all poems require close study and all should be read first for pleasure. Look at the poems title: What might this poem be about? Read the poem straight through without stopping to analyze it (aloud, if possible). This will help you get a sense of how it sounds, how it works, what it might be about. Start with what you know. If the poem is difficult, distinguish between what you do and do not understand. If permissible, underline the parts you do not immediately understand. Check for understanding: Write a quick first-impression of the poem by answering the questions, What do you notice about this poem so far? and What is this poem about? Look for patterns. Watch for repeated, interesting, or even unfamiliar use of language, imagery, sound, color, or arrangement. Ask, What is the poet trying to show through this pattern? Look for changes in tone, focus, narrator, structure, voice, patterns. Ask: What has changed and what does the change mean? Identify the narrator. Ask: Who is speaking in the poem? What do you know about them? Check for new understanding. Re-read the poem (aloud, if you can) from start to finish, underlining (again) those portions you do not yet understand. Explain

the poem to yourself or someone else. Find the crucial moments. The pivotal moment might be as small as the word but or yet. Such words often act like hinges within a poem to swing the poem in a whole new direction. Also pay attention to breaks between stanzas or between lines. Consider form and function. Now is a good time to look at some of the poets more critical choices. Did the poet use a specific form, such as the sonnet? How did this particular form---e.g., a sonnet---allow them to express their ideas? Did the poet use other specific poetic devices which you should learn so you can better understand the poem? Examples might include: enjambment, assonance, alliteration, symbols, metaphors, or allusions. Other examples might include unusual use of capitalization, punctuation (or lack of any), or typography. Ask. How is the poet using punctuation in the poem? Check for improved understanding. Read the poem through again, aloud if possible. Return to the title and ask yourself what the poem is about and how the poem relates to the title.

Conclusion
The world of Poetry is vast and offers a lot of possibilities for the avid reader. If someone decides to enter inside this world, he should keep in mind that we read poetry in order to enjoy ourselves or at least that is the ultimate objective. We should not read poetry as an obligation or to please another person, we should do it as a free choice, and approach it with patience, willing and delicateness. That is the secret to enjoy reading and feeling poetry. The new poet reader can start with well-know poets, but there is a whole world of possibilities to explore and enjoy. I believe there is a poem for every one, and if there is no one we can always create it. Quoting Professor Hector from the movie History Boys; The best moments in reading are when you come across something a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things that you'd thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you've never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it's as if a hand has come out and taken yours. Reading and writing poetry can be a beautiful and moving experience for us, we should give it a try without hesitate or fear of being wrong.

a. McDougal, Little. Reading Literature. Yellow level. USA: McDougal, Little & Company, 1986. b. Pickeringm, James, and Jefferey Hoeper. Literature. 5th ed. USA: Prentice Hall, 1997. c. Roberts, Edgar, and Henry, Jacobs. Literature; An Introduction to Reading and Writing. 3rd ed. USA: Prentice Hall, 1992. d. Ghare, Madhavi. Basic Elements of Poetry. Buzzle.com. April, 2010. e. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/basic-elements-of-poetry.html> f. Alex Preminger, and T V F Brogan. The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. Princeton, N.J: Princeton UP, 1993. E-book. g. Persoon, James, and Robert R. Watson. The Facts on File Companion to British Poetry, 1900 to the Present. New York: Facts On File, 2009. E-book. h. Biographies; William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman and i. Ralph Waldo Emerson are from http://www.wikipedia.com.html> j. Lesson Plan: http://www.siue.edu/SIPDC/Library

Bibliography

Annex LESSON PLAN

Lesson Plan ESL (for intermediate to advanced students) Title: I CAN WRITE A POEM Objectives: In this lesson, students will: 1. learn words that describe themselves. 2. practice language skills. 3. gain knowledge of poetic form. 4. recognize that their experiences and perceptions have value. 5. demonstrate ability to write a poem by filling in the blanks with words that they have chosen and that are meaningful to them. Session Time: 30-45 minutes Materials: paper, pencils, pens Methods: Individual participation; teacher guidance Procedure

It is important for students to recognize and understand that their experiences shape who they are and that these experiences have value and are worth sharing. The following lesson provides an opportunity not only for students to recognize that they can write a poem but that what they have to say has value and relevance. Activity 1. Read this sample poem to students: I, Bob, A boy, tall, funny, happy Son of Mom Lover of animals, sports, food Who feels nervous Who needs money, another vacation, less homework Who fears spiders, heights, aliens Who would like to see Dr. Phil, Jennifer Lopez, and Jim Carrey Am a resident of Sesser, Illinois Welcome you to my poem. 2. Discuss the poem with the students. Ask these questions: What kind of person is Bob? What did you find most interesting about him? What surprised you about him? Do you think you would like Bob, or not? What is it about his poem that makes you think so? 3. Provide students with this format and explain that they are to fill in the blanks with words that they have carefully chosen to describe themselves. 4. Explain that students will be asked to share their poems at the end of the activity. I, ____________________________ (my first name) __________, _____________, ____________, ______________, (four adjectives that describe me) (Son, daughter, wife, husband, mother, father, sister, brother, friend) of Lover of..(three things, people or ideas) Who feels..(up to three descriptive words) Who needs(up to three descriptive words) Who fears.(up to three descriptive words) Who would like to see..(up to three people, ideas or places) Am a resident of .(city, state) Welcome you to my poem.