1. Writing about POETRY

2. Your task... In your RWNB (practice section) you will write a response to two different poems. ( BONUS – a third response) In honor of “Lemonade Day,” you may choose this simple poem about... lemonade! -- as ONE of your poems! OR, you may choose both poems from the books on the cart.

3. Your task... In your RWNB (practice section) you will write one response to a poem. ( BONUS – TWO responses) In honor of “Lemonade Day,” you may choose this simple poem about... lemonade! OR, you may choose one from one of the books on the cart.

4. Two examples

5. “How to Eat a Poem” by Eve Meriam “How to Eat a Poem” by Eve Meriam is the perfect description of how you should read poetry. You shouldn’t hesitate, you should just dive in and start reading. Poetry is always ready to be read, whenever you are ready to read it. It will never go bad! It is definitely cleaner than eating a fruit, but it has the same aspect of indulging yourself with food, except it’s food for your brain. Everyone knows what it is like to bite into an apple or a peach and feel the juice running down your chin, so it was smart to compare a familiar sensation to reading poetry. The poem reminds me of eating mango water ice. This poem makes reading poetry seem less “scary”.

6. “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazurus Emma Lazurus’s "The New Colossus” glorifies the Statue of Liberty that stands tall in New York City. The poem metaphorically describes Lady Liberty as a golden door, or a gateway to freedom to all exiles coming to America. Lazarus tells us the statue welcomes all – with strong word choice such as “your tired, your poor, [y]our huddled masses yearning to breathe free”... but recently it seems the people who come here are not as wanted as the statue represents. Today, some seem obsessed with launching new anti-immigration laws, so it felt weird to read about something that is so loving and so welcoming to all. Although written long ago, poetry can make you think!

7. “The Rules” Mention the poem’s title and author in the first line. Write at least two lines about what you think the poem is about. Refer to some poetic device (at least one – better if two different devices) and explain the importance of the device(s) to your understanding of the poem’s meaning. Make a connection/evaluation/analysis. Conclude! (so... at least SIX sentences).