Kenna Fleming Poetry Project Auto-Lullaby By: Franz Wright

Auto-Lullaby By Franz Wright Think of   a sheep knitting a sweater; think of   your life getting better and better. Think of   your cat asleep in a tree; think of   that spot where you once skinned your knee. Think of   a bird that stands in your palm. Try to remember the Twenty-first Psalm. Think of   a big pink horse galloping south; think of   a fly, and close your mouth. If   you feel thirsty, then drink from your cup. The birds will keep singing until they wake up.

Biographical Information Franz Wright About the Author: Poem called “Walking to Martha’s Vineyard” won the Pulitzer Prize in 2004 Taught at Emerson College and other universities, has worked in mental health clinics, and has volunteered at a center for grieving children In his lyrical and ballad poems, Wright addresses the subjects of isolation, spirituality, and gratitude Franz Wright’s father was the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, James Wright Wright has received the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry, as well as grants and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation. www.poets.org

Literary & Poetic Elements Form: -Ballad Speaker: -A parent speaking to their child and other children (Lullaby) Poetic Terms: -Repetition (“Think of”) -Personification (“A sheep knitting a sweater”) -Rhyme (sweater, better, tree, knee, south mouth, cup, up) -Imagery (“Think of a fly and close your mouth”, “Think of your cat asleep in a tree”, “Think of that spot where you once skinned your knee”)

Imagery The author uses imagery when he says “Think of a fly and close your mouth”, “Think of your cat asleep in a tree”, “a bird that stands in your palm”, and “Think of that spot where you once skinned your knee”. The author is using figurative language to represent objects and actions to appeal to our physical senses.

Think of   a sheep A knitting a sweater; B think of   your life C getting better and better. B Think of   a big pink horse J galloping south; K think of   a fly, and L close your mouth. K If   you feel thirsty, then M drink from your cup. N The birds will keep singing O until they wake up. N Think of   your cat D asleep in a tree; E think of   that spot F where you once skinned your knee. E Think of   a bird G that stands in your palm. H Try to remember I the Twenty-first Psalm. H - Repetition ABCD- Rhyme Scheme - Personification - Imagery

Literary Analysis: -Literal and Figurative Meaning Literal: The literal meaning of this poem is to tell a lullaby to a child that is probably being put to bed and is being told to think of various things such as “Your cat asleep in a tree” and “A bird that stands in your palm” to help him/her fall asleep. Figurative: The figurative meaning of this poem is to somewhat tell a story and get whoever is reading the poem to use their imagination and their senses to put them in these situations that the poem describes.

Author’s Purpose & Theme: To entertain Theme: The theme or message of this poem was that life will go on and always focus on the positive things in life and not the negative things. Also the poem’s theme was kind of focusing on past memories and how they made you feel.

Documentation www.barnstablepatriot.com http://www.poetryfoundation.org http://www.poets.org http://www.poetryoutloud.org http://literarydevices.net