“The difference between the almost right word and the

right word is the difference between

the lightening bug and lightning.” ~Mark Twain

Soak your sponge of a brain in this…

Discussion Questions: 1) How can we apply Twain’s quotation to poetry? 2) How would Polonsky respond to Twain’s quote? Make an inference!

Connotation:

The suggested meaning of a word; the meaning associated with a word; the emotional attachments

Ex: mother: unconditional love, nurturing, etc.

Denotation:

The straight, literal meaning of a word; the dictionary definition of a word

Ex: mother: a female parent

Why is connotation important when studying & writing poetry?

Poets are aware of the fact that words carry deeper meanings than those found in a dictionary.

Words have the power to create emotions or evoke memories in readers

As a writer, you need to be aware of the fact that certain words have stronger connotations than others. If you want to suggest a specific emotion in a poem, choose words that are associated with that emotion.

RED

BLACK

BLUE

WHITE

GREEN

LAWYER

SNAKE

FRIEND

CRONY

RAIN

TEST

GRAVE

GLITTER

DUST

WINTER

SUMMER