1. Introduction to Poetry

2. A commercial about different perspectives
Inferring:

3. What is poetry? What do you know about poetry

4. Introduction to Poetry - Billy Collins
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I ask them to take a poem and hold it up to the light like a color slide
or press an ear against its hive.
I say drop a mouse into a poem and watch him probe his way out,
or walk inside the poem's room and feel the walls for a light switch.
I want them to waterski across the surface of a poem waving at the author's name on the shore.
But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with rope and torture a confession out of it.
They begin beating it with a hose to find out what it really means.

5. I ask them to take a poem and hold it up to the light like a color slide

6. or press an ear against its hive

7. I say drop a mouse into a poem and watch him probe his way out,

8. or walk inside the poem's room and feel the walls for a light switch

9. I want them to waterski across the surface of a poem waving at the author's name on the shore.

10. But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with rope and torture a confession out of it

11. They begin beating it with a hose to find out what it really means.

12. Understanding the poem.
What does the speaker ask the students (“them”) to do? Name three things. (lines 1-11)

13. 1. Hold the poem “up to the light like a color slide”
“press an ear against its hive”
“drop a mouse into the poem’s room and watch him probe his way out”
“walk inside the poem’s room and feel the wall for a light switch”
“waterski across the surface of a poem

14. 2.
What do the students want to do? (lines 12-14)
They want to (tie the poem to a chair with a rope and) torture a confession out of the poem

15. 3
What is the “confession” that the students want to get? (lines 12-16).
a. What the poem means

16. 4 How do the students try to get this “confession”? (lines 12-16)
They (tie the poem to a chair with a rope and) beat it with a hose.

17. The Poet compares the poem to :
A Color Slide
A Beehive
A Dark Room
A Maze
A Lake

18. Analysis of the poem
In the poem, the speaker asks the students to take the poem and look closely at it. (hold it up to the light like a color slide). In lines 1-4, he compares the poem to a color slide, this means that when we hold it to the light, we can see the images more clearly. In the same way, the poem has “color”, or meaning, but we have to look closely to see it.

19. In addition, the poem has also sound
In addition, the poem has also sound. The poet asks the students to listen to the poem carefully, as though listening to the activity in a beehive.

20. In lines 5-6, the poet compares the poem to a maze
In lines 5-6, the poet compares the poem to a maze. The reader must use different interpretations to find his or her way through the poem, like a mouse exploring his way out of a maze.

21. The poet compares the poem to a dark room
The poet compares the poem to a dark room. He asks the students examine the poem with all their senses, as they would explore a dark room looking for the light switch. He suggests that when they find the switch, they will “see the light”, or understand the message of the poem.

22. In lines 9-11, the poet compares the poem to a lake, or a deep pool of water. The students are asked to glide over the surface and have fun with the poem (“waterski across the surface of the poem”) without analyzing it in depth. They should acknowledge the poet but not let him dictate his ideas (“waving at the author’s name on the shore”).

23. In the last part of the poem, lines 12-16, the poet claims that students sometimes attack the poem as though it is intentionally keeping the message from them. He says that they should not panic and attack the poem by beating it “with a hose” if they don’t immediately understand the message. He says that the message will become clear to them if only they “listen” to it several times for its meaning

24. Analysis and Interpretation
Who is the speaker (“I”) in the poem? (lines 1-3)
“I” refers to the speaker-the poet.
“They” refers to the students

25. Billy Collins

26. The message of the poem:
The message of the poet is that a poem should first be experienced for its language and images before being analyzed foe meaning. If it is read with careful attention, it’s meaning will be revealed.

27. Imagery
Imagery is the author’s use of language that appeals to the five senses in order to help the readers to imagine exactly what is being described.

28. C. Personification: The sun peeked happily from behind a cloud.
The trees danced back and forth in the wind.
It was time to go home, but the ring refused to ring.
The delicious smell of cookies pulled me to the kitchen.
The warm fireplace seemed to be calling my name.

29. Bridging Text and Context

30. BRIDGING TEXT AND CONTEXT WRITING
This quote/information connects/relates to the story/poem in many ways. In the quote/information we have________________ (subject of information) ______________ just like in the story where________ (related general situation)_______. For example, ________ specific info) #1) __________________ In addition, ___________________ (specific info #2) ___________________ _______________. Both the story and the quote (summary) _____( because both deal with/are about_______________