Mrs. D’Antonio
English 9
Name _________________________
POETRY
The following reading assignments can be found in your poetry packet and the terms can be found in your
Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama textbook. The questions for each assignment will hel
you to think about the poems. Some assignments will have written components that you should complete for
homework.
1. Introduction to Poetry: Read "On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High" by D.C. Berry and
"Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins.
2. Writing about poetry: Assignment #1 Skim through the poetry packet and choose a poem that you like.
Write a journal that is at least one page double spaced in which you explain what drew you to the
poem and why you like it. Don't worry about analyzing it. Just make some observations.
3. Poetic Elements (Figurative Language): Read “Metaphors” by Sylvia Plath, “Castoff Skin” by Ruth
Whitman, and “The Wind” by James Stephens. Complete the handout of written exercises.
4. Poetic Elements (Imagery): Read “The Winter Evening Settles Down” by T.S. Eliot, "The Eagle" by
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "Sindhi Woman" by Jon Stallworthy, and "Cemetery Angels" by Galway Kinnell.
Which physical senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) are activated in these poems?
5. Poetic Elements (Tone): Read “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost, "I Wandered
Lonely as a Cloud" by William Wordsworth, and “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke. For each
poem, write a few sentences in which you describe its “tone” (defined on 757). Which specific words
give you clues as to the tone of the poem?
6. Poetic Elements (Sound Effects and Rhythm): Read “God’s Grandeur” by Gerard Manley Hopkins, “Upon
Julia’s Voice” by Robert Herrick, "Rain" by Emanuel di Pasquale, and "The Splendor Falls on Castle
Walls” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
7. Writing about poetry: Assignment #2 Write a journal that is at least one page double spaced in which
you discuss the poetic elements that are used in the poem that you wrote about in your first journal.
What are the effects of those poetic elements?
8. Poetic Genres (Lyric) Read “Piano” by D.H. Lawrence and "Man in the Moon" by Billy Collins. Are there
similarities in the subject of these two poems? Are there similarities in the form?
9. Poetic Genres (Lyric: Carpe Diem) Read “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick and
“Once Only” by Denise Levertov. Write a theme statement for each poem and state what you think
these two poems have in common.
10. Poetic Form (Lyric: The Sonnet): “Since There’s No Help, Come Let Us Kiss and Part” by Michael
Drayton and “What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why” by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Although
the general subject of these poems is the same (love), what are the different perspectives that the
speakers offer on this subject?
11. Poetic Genres (Narrative): Read “Out, Out—” by Robert Frost. What is the setting of this poem? Who
are the characters? What is the central conflict? Can you use your own words to describe the events of
poem?
12. Poetic Genres (Dramatic): Read "Searcy Foote" and "Mabel Osborne" by Edgar Lee Masters. Try to
characterize the speakers of these poems. Who is each speaker addressing in their poem?
13. Poetic Genres (Open form): Read “Famous” by Naomi Shihab Nye and "in Just-" by e.e.cummings.