“ “Genuine poetry can communicate Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood”before it is understood”

T.S.Eliot 1888-1965T.S.Eliot 1888-1965

Unseen PoetryUnseen Poetry

What does “Unseen” mean?What does “Unseen” mean?

It will be a poem you have probably It will be a poem you have probably never seen beforenever seen before

You are being tested on your ability You are being tested on your ability to “read and respond” thoughtfullyto “read and respond” thoughtfully

You are thinking about what the You are thinking about what the writer is trying to saywriter is trying to say

Every word of the poem will countEvery word of the poem will count

The QuestionThe Question Write about the poem and its effect Write about the poem and its effect

on you.on you.You may wish to include some or all of these You may wish to include some or all of these points:points:

The poem’s content – what it is aboutThe poem’s content – what it is about The ideas the poet may have wanted us to think The ideas the poet may have wanted us to think

aboutabout The mood or atmosphere of a poemThe mood or atmosphere of a poem How it is written – words or phrases you find How it is written – words or phrases you find

interesting, the way the poem is structured or interesting, the way the poem is structured or organisedorganised

Your response to the poemYour response to the poem

ContentContent

What it’s aboutWhat it’s about What happens in each sectionWhat happens in each section Is there an order or sequence?Is there an order or sequence? Who’s speaking?Who’s speaking? Story or idea?Story or idea?

IdeasIdeas

What did the poet want us to think What did the poet want us to think about?about?

Is it a story Is it a story or an idea or an idea or an expression of an emotion?or an expression of an emotion?

Is there a message?Is there a message?

Mood and atmosphereMood and atmosphere

What is the tone of the poem?What is the tone of the poem? How does it make you feel as you How does it make you feel as you

read it?read it? Think about the 5 sensesThink about the 5 senses Think about the settingThink about the setting

How it is writtenHow it is written

Don’t just list or spot techniquesDon’t just list or spot techniques Pick out words or phrases that you Pick out words or phrases that you

find effective and try to say whyfind effective and try to say why Think about the sound and rhythm of Think about the sound and rhythm of

the poem. Does it have a beat? Or is the poem. Does it have a beat? Or is it disjointed?it disjointed?

Look at repetition of sounds or wordsLook at repetition of sounds or words

Imagery: a quick reminderImagery: a quick reminder

An image in poetry (or in writing generally) is a An image in poetry (or in writing generally) is a picture in the reader’s mind created by the words picture in the reader’s mind created by the words used. used.

Literal images can be effective ; “roses in snow”. Literal images can be effective ; “roses in snow”. The reader sees this in an uncomplicated way.The reader sees this in an uncomplicated way.

Similes and metaphors are Similes and metaphors are figurativefigurative images – images – they are built on comparison :they are built on comparison :

SIMILE – “The pigeon bursts like a city”SIMILE – “The pigeon bursts like a city” METAPHOR – “The sun died” - this is also an METAPHOR – “The sun died” - this is also an

example of example of personificationpersonification

How it is written 2How it is written 2

Think about the structure or formThink about the structure or form Is it regular, uneven, awkward or Is it regular, uneven, awkward or

easy to read. Does that tie in with easy to read. Does that tie in with the content?the content?

Look at the first line of each stanza Look at the first line of each stanza to see how the meaning developsto see how the meaning develops

Look at the title and last line to give Look at the title and last line to give you a clue as to what the writer you a clue as to what the writer intendedintended

Your ResponseYour Response It’s perfectly acceptable to say you find a It’s perfectly acceptable to say you find a

poem confusing or misleading if you can poem confusing or misleading if you can explain whyexplain why

Try to be positive about some aspect of Try to be positive about some aspect of the poem or explain how you relate to an the poem or explain how you relate to an idea or event in itidea or event in it

Uses phrases to show your sadness, Uses phrases to show your sadness, surprise, enjoyment, anger, frustration, surprise, enjoyment, anger, frustration, empathy……empathy……

The examiner basically wants to know you The examiner basically wants to know you have read and thought about this poemhave read and thought about this poem

Things you should NEVER write!Things you should NEVER write!

At first I didn’t understand the poem but At first I didn’t understand the poem but after reading it a couple of times I think…after reading it a couple of times I think…

The poem has no rhythmThe poem has no rhythm I think the poem needed to rhyme more I think the poem needed to rhyme more

because I like poems that rhyme…because I like poems that rhyme… I think the poet has done a very good job I think the poet has done a very good job

of writing this poem and they obviously of writing this poem and they obviously thought carefully about it…thought carefully about it…

Ok – so let’s try an exampleOk – so let’s try an example

It is absolutely essential to get into It is absolutely essential to get into the habit of reading the poem at the habit of reading the poem at least twice before even trying to least twice before even trying to think of what you will write.think of what you will write.

Try to hear the poem aloud in your Try to hear the poem aloud in your head – notice how it makes you feel head – notice how it makes you feel and which words felt important as and which words felt important as you read it.you read it.

TRAMP TRAMP By William MarshallBy William Marshall

He liked he saidHe liked he said

rainbows and the skyrainbows and the sky

and children who passed him in the and children who passed him in the

streetstreet

without staring.without staring.

And he liked he said the And he liked he said the

ordinary thingsordinary things

likelikeroses in snowroses in snowand the way he and the way he rememberedrememberedthe first timethe first timethe first time hethe first time hereally smelt thereally smelt therain on rain on a green hillsidea green hillsideback homeback homejust before the sun diedjust before the sun died

And he liked he saidAnd he liked he saidthinking about thinking about who slept beneath the redwho slept beneath the redbrick roofs he brick roofs he walked by in thewalked by in theearly part of the dayearly part of the dayfrom Land’s End to John O’Groats.from Land’s End to John O’Groats.but he said but he said as a full time tramp with noas a full time tramp with noother place to go heother place to go hewas worried was worried where he would die - where he would die - Land’s End or John O’Groats.Land’s End or John O’Groats.

Start by annotating ….Start by annotating ….

TrampTramp

He liked he saidHe liked he saidrainbows and the skyrainbows and the skyand children who and children who passed him in the passed him in the streetstreetwithout staringwithout staring..

Any tramp – no name

The speaker is someone reporting The tramp’s opinions

Like a child – a simple treat

Most children stare - likes the ones who don’t – why?

Using P-E-EUsing P-E-E

Making sure you always use P-E-E-L Making sure you always use P-E-E-L statements in the poetry questionstatements in the poetry question

How to scoreHow to score

sustained response to situation/ideas sustained response to situation/ideas or author's purposes or author's purposes

effective use of details to support effective use of details to support answer answer

explanation of features of language explanation of features of language interest interest

explanation of effects explanation of effects achieved/authors' purposes achieved/authors' purposes

How to scoreHow to score

qualified, developed response, exploring qualified, developed response, exploring writers' ideas or methods writers' ideas or methods

details from poem linked to authors' details from poem linked to authors' intentions and purposes intentions and purposes

exploration of effects achieved/authors' exploration of effects achieved/authors' purposes purposes

qualified/exploratory response to writers' qualified/exploratory response to writers' ideas or methods ideas or methods

Check your responseCheck your response

Have you explained?Have you explained? Have you used details?Have you used details? Is your writing on the poem Is your writing on the poem

sustained?sustained? Are you beginning to explore?Are you beginning to explore? Do you evaluate the writer’s Do you evaluate the writer’s

techniques?techniques?

Remember:Remember:

Read the poem carefully more than Read the poem carefully more than onceonce

Annotate the poem quicklyAnnotate the poem quickly In the exam, you have 45 minutes in In the exam, you have 45 minutes in

totaltotal Spend 5 mins reading the poem and Spend 5 mins reading the poem and

annotatingannotating Think about the poem. Think about the poem.

Writing your answerWriting your answer

Use P-E-E-L throughoutUse P-E-E-L throughout Don’t panic if you don’t get it all – it Don’t panic if you don’t get it all – it

is not a trick!is not a trick!

Practice makes perfectPractice makes perfect

Practise annotating poems. Practise annotating poems.

Remember to annotate in different ways: Remember to annotate in different ways: questions, points, meanings, links, questions, points, meanings, links, language techniques, poet’s ideaslanguage techniques, poet’s ideas

Thinking about the poems and questioning Thinking about the poems and questioning the ideas in them will help you be more the ideas in them will help you be more confident in the exam.confident in the exam.