Figurative Language A

metaphor is a type of fi gurative

language that makes a direct

comparison. The poet extends this

dog-sea comparison throughout

the poem, creating an extended

metaphor in which the stones

are seen as the dog’s bones.

Reading a Poem Pay attention

to punctuation as you read the

poem aloud. Don’t stop at the ends

of lines that have no punctuation.

Here, the poet wants you to keep

reading without pause until you

reach the comma after stones.

SKILLS IN ACTION P O E M

Read with a Purpose Read to discover one poet’s unique way of

describing the sea.

SeaThe

Th e sea is a hungry dog, Giant and gray.He rolls on the beach all day.With his clashing teeth and shaggy jawsHour upon hour he gnawsTh e rumbling, tumbling stones,And “Bones, bones, bones!”Th e giant sea dog moans, Licking his greasy paws.

by James Reeves

652 Unit 3 • Collection 7

Re-reading and Questioning When you fi nish the poem,

re-read it. Jot down your

observations and questions,

such as words or images that

you don’t completely understand.

Finally, re-read the poem a third

time—or more—to answer

your questions.

Rhyme and Sound Eff ects Notice that the rhyme scheme

for this stanza is a-b-c-c-b.

The poet uses onomatopoeia

(words that sound like the actions

they represent) to create sound

eff ects. Roars is one example.

Listen for others.

And when the night wind roarsAnd the moon rocks in the stormy cloud,He bounds to his feet and snuff s and sniff s,Shaking his wet sides over the cliff s,And howls and hollos long and loud.

But on quiet days in May or June,When even the grasses on the dunePlay no more their reedy tune,With his head between his pawsHe lies on the sandy shores,So quiet, so quiet, he scarcely snores.

Read with a Purpose What characteristics of the sea does Reeves

describe? How do these descriptions bring the sea to life?

Reading Model 653

Reading Model

M E E T T H E W R I T E R

James Reeves(1909–1978)

An Englishman of LettersJames Reeves was born in a suburb of London, but he grew up in the small county of Buckinghamshire, England. As a child, Reeves loved reading, and he started writing poetry when he was only eleven years old.

Reeves attended Cambridge University and then taught for many years before becoming a writer and editor. Reeves wrote poetry and edited books for a series called the Poetry Bookshelf. Even though Reeves is known primarily for his poetry, he also had a particular interest in folk tales and myths. As a result, he wrote various adapta-tions of traditional tales and classics.

“A Continuing Craving for Poetry”When he was forty-one years old and already established as a respected author of books for adults, Reeves turned his attention to writing for children. He edited various prose and poetry anthologies for children that proved popular. Critics praised his original poems for children, which had widespread appeal. As Reeves once declared:

Why might Reeves have startedwriting poetry for children after he had already been writing it for adults?

“We must always provide poetry in such a way that it creates and nourishes a continuingcraving for poetry and does not kill it bymaking poetry seem something childish.”

The Giant (1923) by N. C. Wyeth (1882–1945).Collection of Westtown School, Westtown, PA.

Photography courtesy of Brandywine River Museum.

654 Unit 3 • Collection 7

SKILLS IN ACTION

Into Action: Re-reading and QuestioningFill in a chart like this one with your observations and questions about “The Sea.” Re-read the poem, and think about what’s clearer to you the second time. Continue re-reading until you can answer all your questions, or as many as possible.

Questions Observations Answers

How are the sea and a dog similar?

The sea is compared to a large, hungry gray dog.

Both the sea and a dog roll on the beach.

Talk About . . . 1. Discuss with a partner how you could

extend the metaphor in “The Sea” even further. In how many other ways could the sea be compared to a dog? For example, what might happen when the napping dog wakes up? What if the dog sees something, such as a ship, that interests him? Try to use each Academic Vocabulary word listed on the right at least once in your discussion.

Write About . . . Answer the following questions about “The Sea.” For defi nitions of the underlined Academic Vocabulary words, see the column on the right.

2. Which visual images in the poem did you most appreciate, and why?

3. How many examples of onomatopoeia did you detect in the poem? List all the words you found.

4. Which poetic device did you feel most contributed to the poem’s meaning: onomatopoeia, extended metaphor, or rhyme? Explain.

Academic Vocabulary for Collection 7

Talking and Writing About Poetry

Academic Vocabulary is the language you use to write and

talk about literature. Use these words to discuss the poetry

you read in this collection. The words are underlined throughout

the collection.

appreciate (uh PREE shee ayt) v.: understand and enjoy the good

qualities or value of something. Careful reading can help you

appreciate poetry.

detect (dih TEHKT) v.: notice or discover, especially something that

is not easy to see, hear, and so on. Listen to detect how the rhyme

scheme changes in a poem.

device (dih VYS) n.: way of achieving a particular purpose.

Figurative language is a device for creating imaginative poetry.

visual (VIHZH oo uhl) adj.: related to seeing or to sight. Color words

are visual and help you imagine an object more clearly.

Your TurnCopy the Academic Vocabulary words into your Reader/Writer Notebook. Use

each word in a sentence about your personal thoughts on poetry.

Th ink as a Reader/WriterThe Writing Focus activities in Collection 7 will draw your attention to each poet’s style. You’ll then be given the chance to write about and practice the same elements of poetry used by these poets.

Literary Skills Analyze elements of poetry; analyze fi gurative language in poetry; analyze the use of imagery in poetry; analyze sound eff ects in poetry; analyze rhyme and rhyme scheme. Reading Skills Use re-reading; use questioning.

SKILLS FOCUSSKILLS FOCUS

Wrap Up 655