Poetry An introduction…

Definition “I wish our clever young poets would remember my homely definitions of prose and poetry; that is, prose,—words in their best order; poetry,—the best words in their best order. Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Emily Dickinson As you watch the following video, follow along with the poems on the handout – make notations as things are mentioned John Green Crash Course - Poetry Video is about 10 minutes – John Green Crash Course

Review Notes What types of techniques/elements did you note? Punctuation Meaning of color The use of “eye” and “I” Let’s apply this to other poetry.

Where do I start? Techniques for reading poetry: Turn to page 31 in your survival guide TPCASTT Try it! Read the poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost After your first read-through, begin the TPCASTT Do this in your RJ

“Nothing Gold Can Stay” Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. T – Title P – Paraphrase C – Connotation A – Attitude S – Shift T – Theme Discuss their results T- Nothing Gold Can Stay – something leaves? Dies? Tarnishes? Sounds pessimistic or sad P – Nature starts fresh but doesn’t stay that way long, flowers wilt which is a sad event, days end which means that everything must come to an end C – Personification – Nature as “her” Extended metaphor between nature and life Alliteration – green, gold; hardest, hue, hold; dawn, down, day Rhyme – rhyming couplets Allusion to Eden – garden (death of nature, perhaps introduction of sin into the world – is that why nothing gold can stay? Because of sin? Darkness of humanity? A- begins positive, looking at the beauty of nature – then shifts into dismay/disappointment at the loss of that beauty S – mini shifts between each line but major shift at line 6 (So Eden sank to grief) clue students into conjunctions (So…indicates a result of something) T – overall theme appears to be something in the realm of “even the most beautiful of things will eventually decay/change” “change is inevitable” T – Nothing Gold Can Stay – fits theme, overall idea that beauty fades, like elements of nature

Now what? Remember the AP Prompt? How does the author use literary techniques/elements to create an effect on the reader and convey the central theme or message? Write a thesis statement that answers this prompt in response to “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” Pair up and share – revise each other’s statements Remember the structure? (first literary technique/element), (second literary technique/ element), and (optional third literary technique/element) are used to (verb + article + noun), which (adverb + verb) a/the central idea of/that (theme). Have students share Using rhyme, alliteration and extended metaphor, the poet creates the image of deteriorating nature which effectively conveys the central idea that all beauty eventually declines.

Poetry An introduction… Day Two

Your Homework Partner up and share your thesis Note differences and similarities in techniques/elements and theme Share major common ideas with class (first literary technique/element), (second literary technique/ element), and (optional third literary technique/element) are used to (verb + article + noun), which (adverb + verb) a/the central idea of/that (theme).

Rhyme Rhyme can be an important aspect of poetry While not all poetry rhymes, there are some structures that require it Sonnets, limericks, villanelles, terza rhima (just to name a few) When a poem contains rhyme, what does it mean for the critical reader?

Example Label the scheme A B C D E F G That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In me thou see'st the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west; Which by and by black night doth take away, Death's second self, that seals up all in rest. In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire, That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, As the deathbed whereon it must expire, Consumed with that which it was nourished by. This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong, To love that well which thou must leave ere long. Look for patterns Count the lines, how many are there? Clue students in to the elements of a Shakespearean sonnet

Put it all together Rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG 14 lines Even pattern of stressed syllables (how many syllables in each line?) It’s a Shakespearean Sonnet! Remember what Foster said – “If it’s square, it’s a sonnet.”

Now let’s work on that prompt How does the author use literary techniques/elements to create an effect on the reader and convey the central theme or message? Pair up and analyze the poem – take notes in your RJ Collectively write a thesis statement answering the prompt When you are done, come back to the teacher computer and type your thesis statement into a Word Document Share results Deconstruct their statements, what could they have done to improve them?