Lesson 4 1. “Hanging Fire” 2. Diction ~”This Is Just To Say” HW: Write your own “This Is Just To Say” poem. OBJECTIVE: Students will identify audience and analyze word choice appropriateness for said audience.

“Hanging Fire” Discuss the Message and Evidence ◦ “Hanging Fire,” a poem by Audre Lorde, is about a teenager’s anxiety about growing up and feelings of abandonment.  In each of the stanzas, the speaker’s anxiety always comes back to the sad refrain that her mother is in the “bedroom with the door closed.”  The narrator worries that her mother will not be there for her for problems as minor as her “ashy” knees and as major as whether she will “die before morning comes.” Collect homework

Think of a time you have apologized What did you do? To whom did you apologize? How did you apologize? Did you mean it?

I’m Sorry The Apology Project Apologia Exhibit The Apology Board The Apology Line Seinfeld "The Apology" Seinfeld "The Apology"

“This is Just to Say” I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold

This American Life – link to a reading of “This Is Just to Say” as well as examples of original poems modeled after “This is Just to Say” This American Life

Original Text Word Choice Matters I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold I have digested the drupes that were in the refrigerator and which you were most likely reserving for the first meal of the day Exempt me they were toothsome so sugary and so frosty

Another Example Of An Apology Poem A baby drama mama, don't like me She doing things like havin her boys come from her neighborhood To the studio tryin to fight me She need to get a, piece of the american pie and take her bite out That's my house, I disconnect the cable and turn the lights out And let her know her grandchild is a baby, and not a paycheck Private schools, daycare, medical bills, I'll pay that I love your mom and everything, see I aint the one who laid down She wanna rip you up, start a custody war, my lawyer stay down She never got a chance to hear my side of the story we was divided She had fifths out, cookouts, on my child's birthday I aint invited Despite it, show her the utmost respect when I fall through All you, do is defend that lady when I call you, yeah I'm sorry Ms. Jackson [OOOH] I am for real Never meant to make your daughter cry I apologize a trillion times

Your Turn Write your own Apology Poem Then adapt your poem by substituting weak and awkward words for the original words. Follow these rules: ◦ work on replacing individual words, not full lines ◦ keep the poetic structure intact (same line breaks, stanzas, etc.) ◦ if the poem has a rhyme scheme, try to keep it

I have dried the shirt made of 100% cotton that was on your floor and which you were probably planning to air dry Forgive me if you had sorted your own laundry it would not be so short and so small I have dehydrated the blouse made of 100% filament that was on your floor and which you were plausibly scheduling to air dry Absolve me if you had arranged your own washables it would not be so diminutive and so miniscule