Woman Work Maya Angelou Presented By: Mari Sweeney

DIDLS Diction: The words of “Woman Work” use rhyming to create a rhythm, like a woman at work or a storm rolling Images: Images are created of the woman’s daily life( “ The floor to mop”) and various elements in nature (sunshine, rain, dewdrops, storm, snowflakes, oceans, ect) Details: Details are included about all of the things that the speaker had to accomplish and what she wishes nature would do to her Ex: “I’ve got shirts to press” “ Shine on me, Sunshine”

DIDLS- cont. Language - The language of this poem is informal, simple, and personal. The speaker speaks in 1st person, adding a personal element to the language Sentence Structure -The poem is written in 5 stanzas -The first stanza=14 lines, rhyming scheme of AABBCCDDEEFFGG -The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th stanzas= 4 lines each, rhyming scheme of ABCB - Each stanza= 1 sentence

TPCASTT Title- The title, “Woman Work”, implies that the poem may be about the types of work that a woman does or a certain woman’s work Paraphrase- This poem is about a woman’s stress of all of the things that she has to do around the house and her wishes that nature would calm her life and let her “rest tonight”

TPCASTT-Connotation Form: -5 stanzas -1st stanza-15 lines(AABB..” -2nd-5th stanzas-4 lines (ABCB…) Diction: -words are simple, flowing, and bright “Gently, snowflakes” Imagery: -Images of elements in nature and in the home are created and paralleled Point of View: -1st person Details: -Details are included about what the speaker has to do around the house and what she wishes for in nature Allusions: N/A Symbolism: -The Various elements in nature are symbolic for the order and disorder in the speaker’s life Figurative Language: -To me, the poem is fairly straightforward and does not use any figurative language throughout besides the symbols Other Devices: -Personification: “cover me with white cold icy kisses” -Rhyming

TPCASTT- Cont. Attitude- The speaker speaks with gentle stress, yet joyful wishing Shifts- After the first 14 lines, the speaker goes from talking about her duties at home to nature Title-The title is a gentle way of showing the reader what the poem is going to be about and the work that a woman goes through battling the monotony of routine Theme- The theme of this poem, to me, is not letting routine zap the joy out of life. House work and nature are two major themes

Poem Represented in Pictures

Maya Angelou