English 106.05
Introduction to Poetry
Spring 2012
TR 3:30 – 4:45; MHRA 1214
Instructor: Stefanie Silva
Email: srsilva@uncg.edu
Dept. Mailbox: MHRA 3114
Office: McIver 115
Office hours: TR 2:00–3:30 or by
appointment
Emily Dickinson said, “If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know
that is poetry.” But what elements create this “wow-factor” in poems that resonate with the
reader? In this class we will examine a broad range of primarily English and American
poetry and explore the literary techniques that make certain poems memorable and
meaningful. Throughout the semester you will be introduced to tools that will help you
become more attune to the subtleties and complexities of language through close reading
and active discussion. Searching for meaning in certain poems can be a struggle, but
this course will provide many tools to demystify the process and encourage you to find
relevance and pleasure in the pursuit of understanding.
Student Learning Objectives
At the completion of this course, the student will be able to:
 Identify and understand varied characteristics of literature;
 Apply techniques of literary analysis to texts;
 Use literary study to develop skills in careful reading and clear writing;
 Demonstrate understanding of the diverse social and historical contexts in which
literary texts have been written and interpreted.
Required Texts
Kennedy, X.J. and Gioia, Dana. An Introduction to Poetry. 13th ed. New York: Pearson,
2010.
You must bring this textbook to every class.
*You must also purchase the Greensboro Review. I will provide details about how to obtain
a copy and how we will use it later in the semester.
Additional readings may be posted on Blackboard; you must print them out and bring
them to class. It is very difficult to lead a class discussion when you don’t have the course
materials with you. I will check periodically to make sure you have your material in
front of you; failure to bring readings with you will mean you are unprepared for
class, which will affect your participation greatly.
Attendance
In accordance with English Department policy, you are allowed three absences this
semester. I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. You are
responsible for catching up on all assigned readings and assignments. After the third
absence, you will be penalized one-half letter grade per absence. Students who miss six
classes automatically fail the course.
Tardiness Policy
Please watch for tardiness in this course. Three tardies will be considered one
absence. If you are not present within 15 minutes, you will be marked absent.
You are, by state law, allowed two excused absences due to religious holidays, which do not
count toward your total [allowed absences, as defined by your policy]. If you plan to miss
class because of religious holidays, you must notify me in advance of your absence.
For a genuine crisis, such as serious illness or a personal/family emergency, notify me as
soon as possible and contact the Dean of Students Office (Student Affairs) in order to
receive necessary academic support for continued enrollment. If you have recurring
health/personal problems and know that you will not be able to attend class regularly, I
strongly suggest you drop the course.
Course Assignment and Grading
Participation: 10%
Participation is fundamental to this course. I cannot stress how important it is
to read the assigned texts for each class carefully and deliberately so you
can be ready to engage in class discussion. I will keep track of your
participation in class. I strongly suggest you take notes while you read and come in
with questions to further discussion. Any other in-class activities (small group
discussions, free writes, etc.) will also be included in your participation grade.
Your participation will be based on my observation. If you do not participate at all
during the course, expect an F in participation. An A in participation would equal
continuous engagement in class discussion.
Daily Paragraphs/Reading Quizzes: 15%
You will be writing a paragraph after each reading based on a discussion question I
present to you in class. The purpose of this is to have you actively engage and
utilize critical thinking skills after you have read, which will help you to interact with
the material in a more thoughtful and cogent manner. Each class period, I will
choose eight students at random to turn in their papers – only those have to turn it
in that day for credit. If you do not have your paragraph for the day you are called,
you cannot make it up. Paragraphs must be typed, double-spaced in 12 pt. font
Times New Roman or its equivalent, and at least five to six full sentences.
Quizzes will be given based on the strength and engagement of class discussion; if I
suspect the class is not reading, the possibility of quizzes will increase. These
quizzes cannot be made up.
Recitations 5%
You will be memorizing and reciting a poem of your choice from the “Poems for
Further Reading” section in An Introduction to Poetry. The purpose of this is for you
to become intimately acquainted with a poem and all its elements, allowing you to
understand the poet’s choices when composing
Group Presentations: 15%
You will form groups and present on a poet of your choice. Part of your grade will
come from your group discussion (you will be graded as a group, not individually, so
make sure everybody pulls their own weight!); the other half will come from your
individual formal close reading (2-3 pages) of a poem. I will give you more
information about the group presentation in the first weeks of the course.
Exams: First Exam 15%; Second and Third Exam 20% each
You will have three exams in this course. They will vary in form, but I will make up a
study guide before each exam to help you prepare.
General Course Guidelines
I do not accept late work. All work and papers must be turned in at the beginning of
class. If you anticipate missing a class the day a written assignment is due, make
arrangements to get the work to me ahead of time.
“Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty,
trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include cheating, plagiarism, misuse of
academic resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be
gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty.
Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this
academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy).
To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the
guidelines and list of violations at <http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu>. I expect you to
abide by the Academic Integrity Policy.
The penalty for failing to abide by the integrity policy, and specifically the penalty
for plagiarism, will be at best a failure of the assignment, and at worst failure of
the course. I will judge these situations individually, and alert appropriate members of
English Department and University Administration.
Furthermore, any instance of plagiarism will result in failure of the assignment
and may result in failure of the course. A second offense of any kind will result in
failure of the course.
Accommodations for students with disabilities
Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about
accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such
accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Disability Services on campus
before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the second floor of the
Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to 5pm, Monday Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: ods@uncg.edu.
Be Prepared!
In this course, I aim to challenge you academically and creatively, and if you accept this
challenge, you must be fully prepared for class. Show up with paper and a writing
apparatus, and be ready to discuss the material that you have diligently read. If you
don’t accept this challenge and fall asleep instead, your participation grade will suffer and I
reserve the right to mark you absent.
I will assume that everybody will respect each others’ comments and contributions to class
discussions. I have little toleration for disrespect – it is not cool. I respect each and every
one of you and have great faith in your abilities, and I plan on treating you all like adults.
I will make every effort to respond to your e-mail message within 48 hours. If I have
not replied to your message after that time frame, then please re-send the message.
Electronic equipment
Keep your cell phones out of sight. Not only are they a distraction in the classroom,
they also send a signal that you don’t care about my class, and I reserve the right to
lower your participation grade or kick you out of class. Just say no to texting
during class time! Don’t have it in your hand, in your pocket, on your lap, on the desk, in
your shoe, tucked in your jeans – keep it away!
Laptops may be used in class only by students having a special need for purposes
of note-taking or other classroom activities. Students with such a need should make
specific arrangements with me. No student may use a laptop in class without a prior
arrangement with me.
Paper Format
All papers you turn in this semester must
 have one inch margins on all sides;
 be double-spaced;
 BE STAPLED;
 include your name, date, and class (106-05) on the top left side
Any outside sources you incorporate should be documented according to MLA style. For
information about MLA style, consult the online resources posted on our course page, visit
the University Writing Center, check out Owl: The Purdue Writing Lab
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/, or ask me.
Additional Resources
The purpose of the Writing Center is to enhance the confidence and competence of
student writers by providing free, individual assistance at any stage of any writing project.
Staff consultants are experienced writers and alert readers, prepared to offer feedback and
suggestions on drafts of papers, help students find answers to their questions about writing,
and provide one-on-one instruction as needed. Located in MHRA 3211.
The Learning Assistance Center offers free services to the entire UNCG undergraduate
community and is located in McIver Hall, rooms 101-104, and 150. For help with study
skills, contact Erin Farrior, Academic Skills specialist: 336-3878; lac@uncg.edu
Course Schedule
*The readings below are all from your main textbook, An Introduction to Poetry, unless
indicated otherwise.
*The poems listed indicate which poems you should pay particular attention to in the
chapter. We will be focusing on those poems during class. However, you should read ALL
the poems in the chapter.
*BB=Blackboard
*I reserve the right to alter this schedule with written notice
Week One
(T) January 10: Introduction to Course/What is Poetry?
READ: Chapter 1-Reading a Poem
 Hayden, “Those Winter Sundays”; Rich, “Aunt Jennifer’s
Tigers”; Frost, “Out, Out—“
(R) January 12: Discuss Chapter 1
READ: Chapter 2-Listening to a Voice pp 19 - 32
 Roethke, “My Papa’s Waltz”; Tretheway, “White Lies”; Hughes,
“Hawk Roosting”; Kim, “Monologue for an Onion”; Wordsworth,
“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”; Sexton, “Her Kind”; Williams,
“The Red Wheelbarrow”
Week Two
(T) January 17: Discuss Chapter 2
READ: Chapter 2 pp 33-end
 Creeley, “Oh No”; Olds, “Rite of Passage”; Fried, “The Measures
Taken”; Owen, “Dulce et Decorum Est”
(R) January 19: Discuss Chapter 2
READ: Chapter 3-Words
 Williams, “This is Just to Say”; Moore, “Silence”; Longfellow,
“Aftermath”; Ryan, “Chemise”; cummings “anyone lived in a
pretty how town”; Collins, “The Names”; Valdes “English con
Salsa”
Week Three
(T) January 24: Discuss Chapter 3
READ: Chapter 4-Saying and Suggesting
 Blake, “London”; Stevens, “Disillusionment of Ten O’Clock”;
Frost, “Fire and Ice”; Thiel, “The Minefield”
(R) January 26: Discuss Chapter 4
READ: Chapter 5-Imagery
 Pound,”In a Station of the Metro”; Roethke, “Root Cellar”;
Bishop, “The Fish” Simic, “Fork”; Toomer, “Reapers”; Gluck
“Mock Orange”; Prufer, “Pause, Pause”
Week Four
(T) January 31: Discuss Chapter 5
READ: Chapter 6-Figures of Speech pp. 104 – 112
 Shakespeare, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”;
Moss, “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day”; Dickinson,
“My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun”; Plath, “Metaphors” Raine,
“A Martian Sends a Postcard Home”
(R) February 2: Discuss Chapter 6
Review for Exam #1
Week Five
(T) February 7: EXAM #1
READ: Chapter 6 pp. 113-end
 Stephens, “The Wind”; “Atwood, “You fit into me”; Sandburg,
“Fog”, Simic “My Shoes”; Ryan, “Turtle”; Stevenson, “The
Demolition”; Jefferson, “Hands”
(R) February 9: Discuss Chapter 6
READ: Chapter 8 – Sound
 Plath, “Daddy” (p 448); Joyce, “All Day I hear” (and more TBA)
Week Six
(T) February 14: Discuss Sound
READ: Chapter 7 – Song
 Bring lyrics to discuss
(R) February 16: Discuss Chapter 7
READ: Chapter 9 – Rhythm
 Brooks, “We Real Cool”; Millay, “Counting-out Rhyme”;
Houseman, “When I was one-and-twenty”;
Week Seven
(T) February 21: Discuss Chapter 9
READ: Chapter 10 – Closed Form pp 183-197
 Millay, “What lips my lips have kissed…”; Frost, “Acquainted
with the Night”
READ: Sonnet Packet BB
(R) February 23: Discuss Closed Form; Sonnet
READ: Open Form pp 204 - 214
 cummings, “Buffalo Bill’s” and “in Just-“; Williams, “The
Dance”; Crane, “In the Desert”; Stevens, “Thirteen Ways of
Looking at a Blackbird”
Week Eight
(T) February 28:Discuss Open Form
READ: Chapter 11: pp 214-end
 Forche, “The Colonel”; Simic, “The Magic Study of Happiness”;
Stalling, “First Love: A Quiz”
READ: Prose Poem Packet (BB)
(R) March 1: Discuss Chapter 11; Prose Poems
Prepare for Exam #2
Week Nine
(T) March 6: Spring Break
(R) March 8: Spring Break
Week Ten
(T) March 13: EXAM #2
READ: Chapter 12 – Symbol
 Dickinson, “The Lightning is a yellow Fork”; Thomas Hardy,
“Neutral Tones”; Frost, “The Road Not Taken”’ Oliver, “Wild
Geese”; Stevens, “The Snow Man”
(R) March 15: Discuss Chapter 12
READ: Chapter 13 - Myth and Narrative
 Frost, “Nothing Gold Can Stay”; Wordsworth, “The world is too
much with us”; H.D. “Helen”; Bogan, “Medusa”; Budy, “Snow
White”; Sexton, “Cinderella”
Week Eleven
(T) March 20: Discuss Chapter 13
READ: Chapter 14 - Poetry and Personal Identity
 Plath, “Lady Lazarus”; Cofer, “Quinceanera”; Alexie, “The
Powwow at the End of the World”; Komunyakaa, “Facing It”;
Rich “Women”
(R) March 22: Discuss Chapter 14
READ: Chapter 15 –Translation
 Li Po (and the translations); Kingsmill, “What, still alive at
twenty-two?”; Sharpless, “How Do I Hate You?...”; Abeyta,
“thirteen ways of looking at a tortilla”
Week Twelve
(T) March 27: Discuss Translation
READ: Chapter 16 - Poetry in Spanish; Haiku pp 92-93
(R) March 29: Discuss Poetry in Spanish and Haiku; Recitations
READ: Selected Poems from Greensboro Review
Week Thirteen
(T) April 3: Discuss Greensboro Review; Recitations
READ: Critical Casebook: Langston Hughes pp 348 - 366
(R) April 5: Discuss Langston Hughes; Recitations
Week Fourteen
(T) April 10: Group Presentations
(R) April 12: Group Presentations
READ: Spoken Word Packet BB
Week Fifteen
(T) April 17: Spoken Word; Recitations
(R) April 19: Prepare for Final Exam; Evals
FINAL EXAM: Tuesday May 3, 3:30 – 6:30