“The Red Wheelbarrow” William Carlos Williams
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
5
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens.
What is theme of the poem? What literary
significance does this poem hold?
Imagism
Poetry based off of imagery- it speaks to your five senses
◦How do you create that?
◦Diction
◦Imagery
◦Theme
Imagism
Goal: Present objects as they actually are- no additional words necessary (not
verbose!)
Wants poem to be exact representation, not an approximation
Use common language
Rejects the abstract, overly complex style of the Romantics
Tenets (according to Ezra Pound)
“I. Direct treatment of the “thing," whether subjective or objective.
II. To use absolutely no word that does not contribute to the presentation.
III. As regarding rhythm: to compose in sequence of the musical phrase, not in sequence of
the metronome. ”
Info from: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/brief-guide-imagism
Imagism Poets
ee cummings
• Born to liberal parents, encouraged him to develop his creative gifts
• France to serve in the French Army’s volunteer ambulance corps.
• Stayed in France after the war. Studied art.
• Returned to America and was famous after the publication of two
books of poetry.
• Didn’t work much- mostly wanted to paint
• Poems criticized for not having depth.
• Natural, unpretentious and unique—he celebrated a positive
affirmation of life.
• He rejected the forces in society that said conform and standardize
and gave little thought to acquiring material possessions or wealth.
• Poetry:
• Simplistic view of the world, a creative style, and a playful sense of
manipulating language.
• Used verbs as nouns (a technique known as anthimeria), invented
words when he couldn’t find a word that expressed what he
wanted to express, and rarely punctuated or capitalized like he was
supposed to.
• Common motif: celebration of life in all forms
Robert Frost
•He was born in San Francisco.
•Moved to Massachusetts after his father died when he was 11
•He started writing poems around 1900, and he also tried to
raise chickens on a farm.
•The poetry thing worked out well; the chicken thing not so
much.
•He moves to England
•He wrote traditional-sounding poems using American
vernacular.
•On this, he said, “The ear does it. The ear is the only true writer
and the only true reader.” So he tried to capture in verse what
he heard in life.
•He moved back to America when WWI began.
•And he basically wrote poems for the rest of his life.
•Poetry is well received.
•His poetry, in its complication of tone and its delicate balancing
of gravity and wit, asks for constant vigilance on the reader's
part.
Robert Frost & ee cumming’s Biography
Write 5 facts you learn about Robert Frost’s life and influence!
http://youtu.be/o2stTH-rtq8
Now 5 facts you learn about e.e. cumming
http://bcove.me/897o9nq1
Frost “The Road Not Taken”
The Road Not Taken
BY ROBERT FROST
Two roads diverged in a yellow
wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And having perhaps the better claim, Yet knowing how way leads on to
way,
Because it was grassy and wanted
wear;
I doubted if I should ever come back.
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the
same,
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
And looked down one as far as I
could
Two roads diverged in a wood, and
I—
To where it bent in the undergrowth; And both that morning equally lay
I took the one less traveled by,
In leaves no step had trodden black. And that has made all the difference.
Then took the other, as just as fair,
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
http://youtu.be/KUaQgRiJukA
e.e. cumming “dive into dreams”
“dive for dreams
or a slogan may topple you
(trees are their roots
and wind is wind)
trust your heart
if the seas catch fire
(and live by love
though the stars walk backward)
honour the past
but welcome the future
(and dance your death
away at this wedding)
never mind a world
with its villains or heroes
(for god likes girls
and tomorrow and the earth)”
― E.E. Cummings
Diction, Imagery, Theme Venn Diagram
Compare and Contrast the images, diction, mood of these two poems
1.Pull out specific words of diction that helped to create the author’s tone
2.What imagery is created, pull out two examples of clear images they speak
about in their poems. What sense are they appealing to?
3. What figurative language is used, is it similar, what is the effect?
3.What is the theme of the two poems? Are they similar?
Snapchat your life!
Looking at the theme from these two poems create a poem that
mirrors either EE Cumming’s or Frost’s Style; It should be a about
YOU!
This should contain IMAGISM techniques we have
discussed….diction, imagery, theme should be clear in 10-12 lines
Create a snapchat visual of your poem (What would the reader be
able to see in a 10 second view of your poem?)
Warm Up:
Journal:
https://youtu.be/NEvjS2JhpdA
https://youtu.be/iRUSQm5ZskQ
Have you ever had to face an unpopular or hard decision in your life? What choice
did you make?
How did this choice effect you (Negative/Positive)?
Would you looking back (hind sight is always 20/20) make the same decision?