The Language of Poetry - LanguageArts-NHS

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poetic form: lyric poetry A lyric poem is a short poem in which a single speaker expresses personal thoughts and feelings on a subject. In ancient Greece, lyric poets expressed their feelings in song, accompanied by a lyre. While modern lyric poems are no longer sung, they still retain common characteristics such as: • a sense of rhythm and melody • imaginative language • exploration of a single feeling or thought Reading the lyric poems on the following pages aloud will help you appreciate these characteristics. literary analysis: figurative language Figurative language is an expression of ideas beyond what the words literally mean. Three basic types of figurative language, or figures of speech, follow: • A simile compares two unlike things that have something in common, using like or as. (bats, sailing like kites) • A metaphor compares two unlike things by saying that one thing actually is the other. (bats, snub seven-pointed kites) • Personification lends human qualities to an object, animal, or idea. (bats, performing a graceful ballet) Poets use figurative language both to convey abstract thoughts and to offer a fresh outlook on everyday things. As you read the following poems, use a chart like this one to record and analyze examples of simile, metaphor, and personification. Example Type Two Things Compared “I dwell in Possibility—/ A fairer House than Prose–” metaphor poetry/possibility and a house reading skill: compare and contrast Ideas Suggested Comparing and contrasting the poems—identifying the similarities and the differences between them—will help you understand each poem’s central theme. As you read, compare the feelings expressed and the figurative language used. Emily Dickinson: Passionate Poet As an adult, Emily Dickinson rarely left her father’s home or welcomed visitors. Yet she managed to write poems that are remarkable for their originality and awareness of human passion. Using unusual imagery and syntax, she explored such powerful emotions as love, despair, and ecstasy. Denise Levertov: A Poetic Vocation Denise Levertov’s view that writing poetry should be like a religious calling was influenced by the early 20th-century poet Rainer Maria Rilke, whom she claimed as a role model. Levertov often used her art in service of political ideals, tackling such issues as the Vietnam War and the nuclear arms race. Lucille Clifton: Honoring Heritage Lucille Clifton’s poetry honors African heritage and expresses optimism about life. Clifton is a professor of humanities at St. Mary’s College, which boasts a premier varsity sailing program. Sailboat races there may have inspired “blessing the boats.” Emily Dickinson 1830–1886 Denise Levertov 1923–1997 Lucille Clifton born 1936 more about the author For more on these poets, visit the Literature Center at ClassZone.com. 705
706 unit 7: the language of poetry 5 10 I dwell in Possibility— emily dickinson I dwell in Possibility— A fairer House than Prose— More numerous of Windows— Superior—for Doors— a Of Chambers as the Cedars— Impregnable 1 of Eye— And for an Everlasting Roof The Gambrels 2 of the Sky— b Of Visitors—the fairest— For Occupation—This— The spreading wide my narrow Hands To gather Paradise— 1. Impregnable: unconquerable. 2. Gambrels: a type of roof with two slopes on each side. a FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE The speaker is not literally living in a House of Possibility. What idea is really being conveyed in this metaphor? b FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE An extended metaphor compares two unlike things in more than one way. The house metaphor continues from the first stanza to the next. In lines 5–8, what is Dickinson saying about the size and scope of this house? Detail of Cape Cod Morning (1950), Edward Hopper. Oil on canvas, 34 1 /8˝ × 40 1 /4˝. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. © Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper, licensed by the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Page 1 and 2: unit 7 Literary Analysis Workshop C
Page 3 and 4: Part 2: Poetic Elements What gives
Page 5 and 6: imagery and figurative language I c
Page 7 and 8: Part 3: Analyze the Literature Appl
Page 9 and 10: 696 Before Reading There Will Come
Page 11: There Will Come Soft Rains Sara Tea
Page 14 and 15: The Sound of Night Maxine Kumin 5 1
Page 16 and 17: Reading-Writing Connection Broaden
Page 20 and 21: ANALYZE VISUALS In what way does th
Page 22 and 23: 20 5 10 blessing the boats (at St.
Page 24 and 25: Reading-Writing Connection Broaden
Page 26 and 27: poetic form: free verse Most modern
Page 28 and 29: 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 and the
Page 30 and 31: 25 30 For the rest of the day, I co
Page 32 and 33: After Reading Comprehension 1. Reca
Page 34 and 35: literary analysis: sound devices In
Page 36 and 37: Fifteen William Stafford 5 10 15 20
Page 38 and 39: Puedo Escribir Los Versos . . . Pab
Page 42 and 43: poetic form: sonnet The sonnet has
Page 44 and 45: selection title 731
Page 48: Lord Randall Anonymous 5 10 15 20
Page 51 and 52: 5 10 15 20 Gabriela Mistral El pas
Page 55 and 56: 10 20 FOREWORD BY KEVIN YOUNG There
Page 57: Comprehension 1. Recall According t

The Language of Poetry - LanguageArts-NHS

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