Analyzing Poetry
Who cares?! Poetry is stupid...… Poetry is rich with figurative language, so learning how to read it is really helpful in understanding how to decipher what an author is really saying. This helps us understand it when it’s used in other forms of literature as well.
… Poetry uses a lot of emotion. It’s easier to identify the mood and tone of a poem. It can help you learn how to identify the mood and tone of other selections as well.
… Songs are poetry. You like songs? You’ll like poetry. You don’t like all songs, so you won’t like all poetry… but you’ll still like some.
… Poetry brings us together. Being able to feel the author’s emotions in what they write makes us better understand where they’re coming from. It can make us better human beings.
… Because someone in Raleigh said you had to for the test. Sorry.
“Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins
Read through the poem.
Jot down any interactive thoughts you have (there must be at least 2).
You have 2 minutes (It’s not that long, you can do it. If you finish before then, re-read it).
Modeling...
“If” by Rudyard Kipling
The first time through, put down your pencils and just listen. Close your eyes and let images pop into your mind (interactive ones, not distractive ones). Poetry is
like music. It’s meant to be spoken out loud and heard.
Background Knowledge...… Kipling was a British Nobel laureate (the Nobel Prize for literature… it means he was *really* good at writing)
… He wrote the poem “If” in 1895 as a tribute to Leander Starr Jameson whom he felt had great character.
… Leander Starr Jameson was a British politician that many people looked up to.
Modeling Continued...This time as we read, follow along with me and my color coding.
Pink = Words we don’t really know
Yellow = lines that really stand out to us
Blue = any figurative language we find
For this poem, you’ll highlight what I highlight. For later poems, you’ll highlight what YOU want to highlight as long as it fits the guidelines above.
Brain Break #1
Would You Rather...
“The New Colossus” vs “Lady Liberty Needs Glasses”
We’re going to start by doing a cold reading.
This means we will read them straight like they are with no background knowledge.
Write down any thoughts you have (if you have them) on your paper as we read.
Background Knowledge… “The New Colossus”
… Was written by Emma Lazarus
… Was written to raise money for the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty
… She was convinced to write the poem when she was told that the statue would be of great significance to immigrants sailing into the harbor
… The first two lines of the poem refers to the Greek Colossus of Rhodes. It is said that the Statue of Liberty is modeled after the Colossus and stands as tall as the Colossus once did.
Background Knowledge… “Lady Liberty Needs Glasses”
… Was written by Tupac Shakur (2Pac)
… 2Pac was a rapper, poet, activist, actor, and record producer
… Many of his songs/poems revolve around the theme of violence/hardships in inner cities, racism, and other social problems
… References within “Lady Liberty Needs Glasses”
“The New Colossus” vs “Lady Liberty Needs Glasses”
Now that you have some background knowledge, we’re going to read through the poems a second time using our highlight color coding:
Pink = Words we don’t really know
Yellow = lines that really stand out to us
Blue = any figurative language we find
Finally, for our 3rd reading, you will use your Double Entry Diary (DED). *Hint: You will more than likely be writing down anything highlighted in yellow in the first
box.*
Discussion...What did you highlight in Pink? What context clues can we use to help define
them?
What did you highlight in Blue? How does the figurative language affect the poem?
What did you highlight in Yellow and write in your DED?
Brain Break #2
An apartment building has two floors, with three apartments on each floor. The Grays live in the top middle apartment.
The Blues live directly above the Browns. If the Greens live on the top floor, then they live next door to the Blues. The Whites live to the left of the Greens, either on the top or
bottom floor. The Blacks live on the top floor. Which family lives in which apartment?
Brain Break #2 Answer
Top floor, left to right: Blacks, Grays, Blues
Bottom floor, left to right: Whites, Greens, Browns
Answer each of the following for both poems:1. What is the author’s overall tone? Explain how you know.
2. What is the poem’s overall mood? Explain how you know.
3. What is the central idea of the poem?
4. What is the theme of the poem? What clues in the poem lead you to believe this?
5. How does the author’s word choice affect the overall tone/mood of the poem?
6. How do the 2 poems “speak" to one another?
Brain Break #3
Shake Down
"I Hear America Singing" vs "I, Too"
You will work with a partner to read/decipher these 2 poems.
For your first reading, you are ONLY reading.
The 2nd time through, you need to write down any thoughts you have while you
read.
The 3rd time through, highlight using your color coding and use your DED.
Pink = Words we don’t really know
Yellow = lines that really stand out to us
Blue = any figurative language we find
Brain Break #4
Free Rice
Discussion...What did you highlight in Pink? What context clues can we use to help define
them?
What did you highlight in Blue? How does the figurative language affect the poem?
What did you highlight in Yellow and write in your DED?
Answer each of the following for both poems:1. What is the author’s overall tone? Explain how you know.
2. What is the poem’s overall mood? Explain how you know.
3. What is the central idea of the poem?
4. What is the theme of the poem? What clues in the poem lead you to believe this?
5. How does the author’s word choice affect the overall tone/mood of the poem?
6. How do the 2 poems “speak" to one another?
Brain Break #5
Crack the Safe
"Caged Bird" - Your time to shine!You will be reading/analyzing this poem on your own.
You will also be answering 10 multiple choice questions.
When you are finished, I should see evidence on your paper that you have used all of the strategies we’ve gone over/discussed.
Remember:
Pink = Words we don’t really know
Yellow = lines that really stand out to us
Blue = any figurative language we find
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