Name:______________________________
ENG1D1-Fraser
POETRY ANALYSIS PARAGRAPH
You will write an analysis of two of the following poems:
1. The Look
2. The Pool Players
3. First Ice
4. The Portrait
Remember, you are describing what you see in the poem and what the poem means to you. You
just have to back it up with examples and explanations. Use the paragraph template on the back
of this page to help you write your paragraph. You must hand in this rubric with the completed
template and a good copy of the paragraph!
If you are quoting lines from the poems, your quotations should be in the following format:
In the poem Lineage, Margaret Walker indicates that we are not as tough as our ancestors
due to modern appliances and technology: “My grandmothers were strong. Why am I not as
they?” (Walker)
*Your topic sentence will name the poem, the poet, and what you think the poem is about. Here
is an example of what I’d like to see:
The poem, Mother to Son, by Langston Hughes, is about not giving up in life and working hard
to achieve goals or overcome challenges.
RUBRIC
Is the paragraph properly formatted and follows TEEC.
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(Somewhat)
(Mostly)
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(Completely)
Are transitions used and used properly?
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(Mostly)
Are examples adequately explained with evidence from the poem?
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(Barely)
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Is the paragraph free of errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar?
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(not at all)
(Barely)
(Somewhat)
(Mostly)
(Completely)
_______________/ 20 = ______________%
Name:______________________________
ENG1D1-Fraser
T - : Topic Sentence ______________________________________________________________________________
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E1 (1st Example)________________________________________________________________
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E1-a: (Explanation of Example) _____________________________________________
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E2 (2nd Example)_______________________________________________________________
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E2-a: (Explanation of Example) _____________________________________________
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E3 (3rd Example)________________________________________________________________
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E3-a: (Explanation of Example) _____________________________________________
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C - Concluding Sentence that sums up your paragraph.
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Name:______________________________
The Look
by Sara Teasdale
Strephon kissed me in the spring,
Robin in the fall,
But Colin only looked at me
And never kissed at all.
Strephon's kiss was lost in jest,
Robin's lost in play,
But the kiss in Colin's eyes
Haunts me night and day.
.
ENG1D1-Fraser
The Pool Players: Seven At The Golden
Shovel
By Gwendolyn Brooks
We real cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
First Ice by Andrei Voznesensky
The Portrait by Stanley Kunitz
A girl freezes in a telephone booth.
In her draughty overcoat she hides
A face all smeared
In tears and lipstick
My mother never forgave my father
for killing himself,
especially at such an awkward time
and in a public park,
that spring
when I was waiting to be born.
She locked his name
in her deepest cabinet
and would not let him out,
though I could hear him thumping.
When I came down from the attic
with the pastel portrait in my hand
of a long-lipped stranger
with a brave moustache
and deep brown level eyes,
she ripped it into shreds
without a single word
and slapped me hard.
In my sixty-fourth year
I can feel my cheek
still burning.
She breathes on her thin palms.
Her fingers are icy. She wears earrings.
She'll have to go home alone, alone,
Along the icy street.
First ice. It is the first time.
The first ice of telephone phrases.
Frozen tears glitter on her cheeksThe first ice of human hurt.