American Poetry
Definition Creative use of words which, like art, is intended to stir an emotion in the audience. Poetry generally has some structure that separates it from prose.
Why students hate poetry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljhorrh XtyI
Why we should read and write poetry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r66yzrrt 4bk
How is POETRY different from PROSE? The language of prose is typically straightforward without much decoration. Ideas are contained in sentences that are arranged into paragraphs. There are no line breaks. Poetry is written in lines and stanzas, utilizes sound, meter, rhythm and other poetic elements.
Alliteration Repetition of the same sounds or same kind of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables Silvery snowflakes fall silently Softly sheathing all with moonlight Until sunrise slowly shows Snow softening swiftly
Hyperbole An exaggeration or overstatement Example: I had to wait forever.
Imagery Descriptions, appealing to the senses (hear, sight, touch, taste, smell) Fog, Carl Sandburg The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on
Figurative Language Language, beyond literal meaning, that conveys new effects or insights into an idea or subject Most common: Simile Metaphor Personification
Stanza Groups of lines (equivalent to a paragraph in prose) Couplet: two line stanza Triplet: three line stanza Quatrain: four line stanza
Meter Set amount of syllables in each line Measured arrangement of words in poetry Rhythmic pattern of a stanza Organized way to arrange stressed/accented syllables and unstressed/unaccented syllables
Example of Meter: Whose woods these are I think I know
Tone Attitude a writer takes towards a subject, character or audience. Conveyed in author s choice of words.
Rhyme/Rhyme Scheme Ending of words sound the same Scheme: Pattern of rhyming words at the end of each line Often have an A/A pattern, an A/B pattern or A/B, C/D pattern (Not all poetry has a rhyme scheme)
Rhyme Scheme Example: Dust of Snow, Robert Frost The way a crow Shook down on me The dust of snow From a hemlock tree Has given my heart A change of mood And save some part Of a day I rued
Repetition Repeating a sound, word or phrase for emphasis: Inside the house I get ready Inside the car I go to school Inside the school I wait for the bell to ring
Onomatopoeia Words or grouping of words that imitate the sound it is describing Examples: oink, meow, boom, click, clang, buzz, bang
Onomatopoeia Sound of Nature, Marie Josephine Smith Ticking, tocking. Head is rocking. Tippy toeing Quietly. Snap, crack Crushing branch. Helter, skelter. Run for Shelter. Pitter, patter. Rain starts to fall. Gathering momentum. Becomes a roar. Thiun
Assonance The repetition of the same VOWEL sounds in the middle of words, or between two constants. Ex: on a proud, round cloud in a white, high night.
Consonance The repetition of the same ending CONSONANTS. Ex: Emily Dickinson T was later when the summer went Than when the cricket came, And yet we knew that gentle clock Meant nought but going home. T was sooner when the cricket went Than when the winter came, Yet that pathetic pendulum Keeps esoteric time.
Denotation The dictionary definition of a word. Example: childlike, childish, youthful. They all mean: of, like, appropriate to a child.
Connotation The meaning of a word based on how it is used and not it s dictionary definition. Example: childlike, childish, youthful. All have the same denotative meaning, but their connotation is different.
William Wordsworth Longfellow
Longfellow 1807-1882 Lived in Maine, studied in Europe, taught at Harvard Known for lyric poems Most popular poet of his day One of the first American celebrities Used poetry to support abolition
Longfellow Cont. Averaged about $45,000 a year (over $1 million today) Style: Experimented with meter and couplets Theme of poems: nature Focus: life being more than material pursuits
A Psalm of Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjbs1dqg JpY
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crgftnw 8y9s
Writing: Nature/Reflection
Emily Dickinson
Dickinson 1830-1886 Grew up an educated, above middle class household Briefly attended college Lived with brother and sister in law Rarely went out of the house Most communication with friends in form of letters
Dickinson cont. Last 8 years of her life, rarely seen outside of the home. Never married After death, family found over 1800 poems in drawers and notebooks Style: short lines, slant rhyme Stressed vowel identical (highlight/skylight) Themes: death, immortality
I felt a funeral in my brain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7v1rq35 BGY
Hope is a thing with feathers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5weqf7 NtcI
Writing: feeling/metaphor Feeling: Grief Happiness is the last blue Jolly Rancher. Happiness is a snow day when a big assignment is due. Happiness is finding money in a pocket that you didn t know was there.
Robert Frost
Frost 1874-1963 Born in California, loved most of his life in New England History of grief and loss (father died when he was 11, mother died of cancer, sister put in mental intuition, wife and two daughters severe depression)
Frost cont. Won Pulitzer Prize for poetry 4 times! Won Congressional Gold Medal, 1960 Style: used traditional form mixed with modernism Style: rhyme and meter to carry mood Theme: realistic depictions of rural life Focus: examine complex social and philosophical themes
The Road Not Taken https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuaqgri JukA
Nothing Gold Can Stay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cowpac3 ZaQQ
Langston Hughes
Hughes 1902-1967 Born in Missouri, raised in Kansas Both great grandmothers were slaves, both great grandfathers were slave owners. Father moved to Mexico to escape American Racism Leader of Harlem Renaissance
Harlem Renaissance 1920-30s Greatly affected by the Great Migration Known as the New Negro Movement Characterized by racial pride, intellectual, social and artistic voices of black culture. Mostly seen through: music, fashion, art, literature
Hughes Cont. Style: jazz poetry (utilizes variety of forms, rhythms, sounds) Themes/Focus: struggle, frustration and identity of Black America, finding way in Jim Crow era, finding strength when downtrodden
Mother to Son https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko7w_cf vbo0
Harlem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amu7mx kpnwu
Allen Ginsberg
Ginsberg 1926-1997 Leader of Beat Generation Literary movement: include culture/politics after WW2, focuses on spiritual life, rejects capitalism and promotes experimentation of drug use Opposed Militarism, economic materialism, and sexual repression Famous Poem: Howl -destruction forces of capitalism Practicing Buddhist
Ginsberg cont. Participated in non-violent protests during Vietnam War Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1955 Style: Spontaneous Prose, stream of conscience Theme/Focus: capitalism, politics, American culture
Beat Poetry Performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiqq0dljj J4
Homework https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh2pfa4 t8ao
Maya Angelou
Angelou 1928-2014 Born in St. Louis-moved to Arkansas at age 4 Hard life: was raped by mother s boyfriend when 8 years old. He only spent 1 day in jail, was killed the day after being released. Angelou became a mute for 5 years because she thought that by speaking out, people will get killed.
Angelou cont. Held jobs as: cook, sex worker, stripper, journalist, actor, writer Style: not defined, often uses black secular dialect Focus: Life, humanity, racism, survival
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Behind the writing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc_scsk VEHA
Caged Bird, tribute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzzoxwa xde0
Still I Rise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqoqo50 LSZ0
Woman Work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsks51y1 tms
Jimmy Santiago Baca
Santiago Baca 1952- Born/lives in Santé Fe, New Mexico Abandoned at age of 2, lived with grandmother until 13 Placed in orphanage, but ran away Lived on streets until 21 Sold drugs, sent to prison for 6 years.
Santiago Baca Cont. While in prison, taught himself to read and write Style: honest voice, powerful imagery, lyricism Focus: social justice, disenfranchised, those who are marginalized (those who can t catch a break, kept down by the system, feel unconnected and unheard) Theme: addiction, community
I am offering this poem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm7u9bt PXXM
Who Understands Me but Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgsfuwk njce
Writing One thing about me that people often don t understand is that they think I am being sarcastic, when I say things. But, it s actually verbal wit or irony. The difference is a play on words, using contemporary references rather than words meant to bring harm or pain. Thus, people think that I am mean, when really, I am not. Using verbal irony can bring light humor to a situation rather than get angry and lash out. I am actually a very caring person.