1. How to Read a Poem

2. Some General Rules: Read the poem at least twice Read it aloud in order to hear the rhythm and cadence

3. The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls The tide rises, the tide falls, The twilight darkens, the curlew calls; Along the sea-sands damp and brown The traveler hastens toward the town, And the tide rises, the tide falls. Darkness settles on roofs and walls, But the sea, the sea in darkness calls; The little waves, with their soft, white hands Efface the footprints in the sands, And the tide rises, the tide falls. The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls; The day returns, but nevermore Returns the traveler to the shore. And the tide rises, the tide falls.

4. Begin at the Beginning: the Title “The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls” What does it suggest about the poem that follows? What questions does it raise? Consider the diction specifically: –Why “The”? –Why the tide, why not waves? What’s the difference? –What words weren’t chosen? Why “rises” and “falls” instead of “comes in” and “goes out”?

5. Settling in… Look up unknown vocabulary words –“Curlew” –“Efface” –“Hostler”

6. Diction, Denotation & Connotation Diction = Word choice Denotation = Dictionary definition i.e., Christmas = December 25 Connotation = Associations i.e., Christmas = (for a Christian?) = (for a shop owner?) = (for a Secularist?)

7. A Few Choice Words: The tide rises, the tide falls, The twilight darkens, the curlew calls; Along the sea-sands damp and brown The traveler hastens toward the town, And the tide rises, the tide falls. Darkness settles on roofs and walls, But the sea, the sea in darkness calls; The little waves, with their soft, white hands Efface the footprints in the sands, And the tide rises, the tide falls. The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls; The day returns, but nevermore Returns the traveler to the shore. And the tide rises, the tide falls.

8. Take a Breath and Look Back What sets of words do you see? –Darkness, light –Night, day –Shore, ocean –Traveling, stillness/confinement –Rising, falling What can you make of these pairings? What do they signify?

9. Look at the Details: Any poetic devices? –“the sea in darkness calls” –“The little waves, with their soft, white hands” –Personification, but why? What purpose does it serve in this poem? Look at the structure and punctuation…

10. The tide rises, the tide falls, The twilight darkens, the curlew calls; Along the sea-sands damp and brown The traveler hastens toward the town, And the tide rises, the tide falls. Darkness settles on roofs and walls, But the sea, the sea in darkness calls; The little waves, with their soft, white hands Efface the footprints in the sands, And the tide rises, the tide falls. The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls; The day returns, but nevermore Returns the traveler to the shore, And the tide rises, the tide falls.

11. In Summary: Describe Analyze Interpret Evaluate

12. Presenting your ekphrastic poem: Paraphrase the poem – a line by line or stanza by stanza “translation” Summarize the essence of the poem in one sentence Sketch your ideas about what the painting looks like

13. Credits Images: -http://www.photo.net/photo/pcd0942/reading-17.jpghttp://www.photo.net/photo/pcd0942/reading-17.jpg -http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1527/PreviewComp/SuperStock _1527R-235018.jpghttp://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1527/PreviewComp/SuperStock _1527R-235018.jpg