One of ours goal this year i s not to r emove the mystery of poe t ry; instead, our goal i s for you to d i scover t he pleasures and v a lues of poe t ry even if , or even t hough, poet r y i tself is inexplicable . This year we will approach or "come nearer to "poetry in t wo ways. We wil l s tu dy poe t ry through a fo r mal or struct u red st u dy in class; we w ill also study poe t ry informa l ly th rough poet r y responses. The goal of bo t h methods wi ll be for you to "come nea r er to" poetry.
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Three elements of a poetry response:
Experience - what was your initial emotional response
Analysis - how does the poet achieve the tone, theme, etc. that you found, literary devices
Extension - relate the poem to the world at large, the author's biography, or the historial period
Read all the poems from t he list over the course of the quarter. Although you only r espond to one poem per assignment, you will become familiar wi t h each of the poems on the list . Here are some suggestions for reading poetry:
Remember to listen to the poem.
Read slowly. Take your time. A poem isn’t meant for speed reading any more than you would speed listen to your favorite CD.
Read straight through the first time, getting a feel for the poem, without worrying about what you do not know.
Read the poem several times, just as you listen to as song several times, getting to know it, feeling the life within it, each time discovering something new in it.
Notice the title . Titles are not labels. They can sometimes offer an entry point, can be a part of the poem. They can set a tone or atmosphere, create tension, even interact with the poem itself.
Work through the sentences, if the poem uses them, to get the subjects, verbs, objects, and other elements straight.
Read the poem aloud at least once. Because sounds and rhythms are crucial parts of poetry, it helps to hear poems, not just “say them in your mind.” Sometimes the sounds and rhythms bring out aspects you will not notice in silent reading. And you’ll be enticed to slow down and may feel the words and rhythms, even the life in the poem, in your mouth.
Remember!!
Grading is based on punctuality, completion, and the quality of your effort moreso than getting the poem "right." Misinterpreting the poem will not hurt your grade, but not doing the response at all will. Focus on what you DO understand about it, not what you did not understand.

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Due at the beginning of class. If you are absent, you should email your poetry response or turn it in a day early.
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Must be typed and MLA formatted. Points WILL be subtracted for formatting errors.
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Turning in the responses early is fine, but is not extra credit. They will not be returned early, but saved until the actual due date.
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From the White Textbook
“On My First Son” by Ben Jonson, p 297
“We are Seven” by William Wordsworth, p 299
“Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes, p 304
“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, p 307
“Rite of Passage” by Sharon Olds, p 313
“The Hammock” by Li-Young Lee, p 319
“Cousins” by Kevin Young, p 321
* Assigned Poem: “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden, p 309
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