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Continued from previous page] What do you THINK in the poem? (the dance of the intellect among the words) What myths or legends help you appreciate the content in the poem? In Ezra Pound's poem "In A Station Of The Metro" it helps to know that Persephone, the goddess of flowers, lived with her handmaidens in the underworld for six months of the year, and their faces had the gentleness and colorfulness of flowers. In A Station of the Metro The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough. Check the denotation (definition) of a word. The dictionary may offer two or three subtly different definitions of the same word, each of which or only one of which may be relevant to the poem. What are the connotations of some of the key words? Explain how the connotations enhance the meaning of the poem (ex. the denotation or definition of "water" is "a common liquid that forms rivers and lakes and is commonly drunk by people" but it has connotations of baptism, spiritual healing). Check the derivation of some key words in an etymology dictionary: how does the original meaning of the word help you appreciate the use of the word in the poem? Point out motifs (recurring elements) in the poem. As you read through a poem, from one line to the next, keep in mind all the previous lines. Watch for certain ideas or pictures that recur. These are called motifs. For example in "I Hear An Army" the "whirling laughter" (line 6) in its whirling movement resembles the "fluttering whips" (line 4). The motif here is meant to show the unbridled assertiveness of the charioteers. Point out any contrasts in the poem. The meaning of many poems emerges from a contrast (ex. heaven vs. earth; noise vs. quiet; passion vs. indifference) Point out effective repetitions for emphasis. *Notice, for example, the repetition of "They cry . . . They cleave . . . They come . . ." in "I Hear An Army" to express the relentless aggression of the army. *Try substituting words of similar meaning for words in the poem. For example, what would happen if "appearance" instead of "apparition" were used in "In A Station Of The Metro"? How would this change the sound, meaning, and image in the poem? Substituting like this will show you the appropriateness of the original word in the poem. You may want to consider the following in analyzing a poem: *title — appropriate to subject, tone and genre? Does it generate interest, and hint at what your poem's about? *subject — what's the basic situation? Who is talking, and under what circumstances? Try writing a paraphrase to identify any gaps or confusions. *shape — what are you appealing to: intellect or emotions of the reader? What structure(s) have you used — progressions, comparisons, analogies, bald assertions, etc.? Are these aspects satisfyingly integrated? Does structure support content? *tone — what's your attitude to the subject? Is it appropriate to content and audience: assured, flexible, sensitive, etc.? *word choice — appropriate and uncontrived, economical, varied and energizing? Do you understand each word properly, its common uses and associations? See if listing the verbs truly pushes the poem along. Are words repeated? Do they set mood, emotional rapport, distance? *personification — striking but persuasive, adds to unity and power? *metaphor and simile — fresh and convincing, combining on many levels? *rhythm and metre — natural, inevitable, integrate poem's structure? *rhyme — fresh, pleasurable, unassuming but supportive? *overall impression — original, honest, coherent, expressive, significant? (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE) Writing an Analysis: Miscellaneous *The title of the poem should be put in quotation marks. *Mention the title of the poem and the author in the first sentence of your paper. *When quoting from the poem, use a slash / to show where one line ends and another begins (ex. A poem should be palpable and mute/ As a globed fruit"). *Use quotation marks around words cited from the poem (ex. The word "globed" has a connotation of perfect, self-contained). *When possible in using quotes, indicate line number(s) in parentheses after the quote: (line 22) or without parentheses in the body of the sentence. *Never use a quotation in isolation. Always imbed the quote in a longer sentence: Example: When we read “love without love” (line 12), we are to understand this type of love to be quiet, subtle and unobtrusive, the kind of mature love that does not smother. *Paragraphs in poetry are called "stanzas", and separate lines are referred to as either "lines" or "verses". *The voice speaking within the poem is referred to as "the poet," or you may refer to it as "the persona" if you believe it is not the poet himself/herself talking, but only a temporary attitude he/she is assuming. *Interpret the poem on your own without help from classmates, friends, or tutors. *If you know certain facts about the poet's life that relate to the poem, consider mentioning them. *The better informed you are about myths and legends, and the more sensitive you are to the connotations and associations of words, the better you'll be able to appreciate poetry. *Explain symbolism carefully: if you feel, for example, that a swan in a certain poem is a symbol of Christ, explain the characteristics it has that make it so. *Avoid far-fetched interpretations; don't grab at thin air. *Use ellipsis (three spaced periods . . .) for omitted material. For example, "Disdaining the reins . . . the charioteers." This will save you from quoting long passages. Instead, you will be able to quote only the parts of the passage that are relevant. *You are not required to use outside sources for this assignment. If you do, however, be sure to document your sources and create a works cited page according to MLA formatting requirements. *When you use a poetic term, for example, "lyrical", "elegiac", "enjambment", etc. make sure you use it correctly.
"Ulysses" “The Black Panther” “Comes the Enemy” “Curiosity” “The Heron” “The River-Merchants Wife: A Letter” “To an Athlete Dying Young” “The World Is Too Much with Us” “Now here you go “ “The Ash and the Oak” "Base Details" “Elegy for Jane” "Mood" "Mister Tambourine Man" “When I Was a Child I Bought the Beach” |
