Sarno - Art of Poetry Mini Paper #1 – Due September 24
1) Download and read the document on our class webpage entitled “Poems for the first
paper fall 2010.”
2) Choose two poems from two different authors (i.e. you can not choose two poems by the
same author)
3) Write a three page essay juxtaposing both works.
4) Your essay should include:
a. A summary of each work, describe what is happening on the ‘surface’, that is, in a
literal sense
b. A discussion of the work’s POV (point of view), tone and language
c. A description of the narrator’s or subject’s role
d. Examples of figurative language: images, symbols, metaphors, similes, allusions,
etc
e. A discussion of thematic elements, what are the underlying meanings, emotional
truths
f. Your reasons for selecting these poems. Why/how did they engage you?
g. Direct and specific references/quotations from the poems
5) Your paper should be double-spaced, prepared in Times New Roman 12 point font;
margins should be one inch top, bottom, left and right
Some things to remember:
 First drafts are usually obvious. You have been provided one week to prepare a 3 page
paper. Do not wait until the last minute to write your essay; it is usually best to develop a
draft and let it ‘sit’ for a day or so before beginning the first of several revisions.
 Avoid contractions
 Please read your essay out loud to eliminate unnecessary repetition as well as
grammatical errors
 Summary should be one to three sentences at most; your paper should focus on YOUR
OWN sub textual analysis and interpretation, i.e. not that of a critic, reviewer or
professor, etc.
 If I discover evidence of plagiarism, you will be asked to withdraw from the course
and/or receive an F.
 Think about pacing and try to separate overly long paragraphs
 Leave some ‘blood’ on the page; focus on your passions and on what moves YOU
 Develop a strong thesis about the relationship between the similarities and differences of
the two poems. This should be the main thread running through your paper, giving it a
cohesive point of focus. Your thesis should be introduced in your first paragraph and
supported by examples throughout the rest of the paper.
 Juxtapose the poems you are working with in a balanced manner.
 Whether you are comparing, contrasting, or both, you must use both texts to support your
argument. You will give each text equal "time" in order to strengthen your thesis.
Summary versus Interpretation and Analysis:
In your papers, you will be expected to emphasize INTERPRETATION, and
ANALYSIS, while keeping summary at a minimum. Following are some examples of Summary,
Interpretation, and Analysis based on the following lines from Linda Pastan's poem: "Marks"
My husband gives me an A
for last night's supper,
an incomplete for my ironing,
a B+ in bed. (1-4)
1. Summary: gives an explanation of the "meaning", literal or symbolic.
Example: Her husband gave her an "A" for her cooking, but only an "incomplete" for her
ironing.
2. Interpretation: uses the text itself to draw further conclusions about the meaning.
Example: Despite the fact that author of the poem is a great cook, and pretty good in bed,
the "incomplete" in ironing suggests she's not a professional housewife.
3. Analysis: breaks down parts of the text as a way of understanding the whole.
Example: The grammatical omission of the word "and" at the end of line three would
have added a balance to the rhythm of the poem that might suggest that cooking, ironing, and sex
are all of the same importance to the author. This omission creates a bluntness of tone that
suggests that the author is disappointed in both the "grade" she received, and her home life in
general. This claim is reinforced by recognizing that she is an adult who is not literally being
graded like a schoolchild by her family, but it is clear that she feels that she has been
marginalized as one.
Tips for quoting poetry:
Fewer than four lines:
In Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself," he uses the pronoun "I" at the beginning of his
stanzas in a way that was unconventional at the time. For example: "I loafe and invite my soul, I
lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass" (4-5). (NOTE: THESE ARE LINE
NUMBERS FROM THE POEM, NOT PAGE NUMBERS)
Four or more lines:
Sometimes the poems themselves are structured like a kind of reflective conversation, as
in Langston Hughes' "Theme for English B":
The instructor said,
Go home and write
a page tonight.
And let that page come out of you -Then it will be true.
I wonder if it's that simple? (1-6)