1. Poetry Exam Revision

2. Poetry Exam Students will have the opportunity to:
study a selection of 15 poems to develop their ability to analyse and comment on an unseen poem
study one collection of poems on a theme from the Edexcel Poetry Anthology
analyse the impact of style, language, structure and form
explore the writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings

3. Overview of exam
Students will study the following key features of poetry:
voice
imagery
language choice
rhyme and rhythm
tone and mood
form and structure
They will understand how the writer uses these key features to present ideas, themes and settings.

4. Exam Part A Unseen Poem Part B Anthology Poems One part question
Poem has not been taught to the group
Similar to poems and poets studied in anthology
Need to show general comprehension of the poem
Two part question
Part 1 focuses on one selected poem from ‘Relationships’ section in anthology
Part 2 will give two choices, only needs to answer one
Compare selected poem to another selected poem
Compare selected poem to a poem of student’s choice

5. You can look over the following poems in your anthology in preparation for the Unseen
Sonnet 116 – William Shakespeare
Nettles – Vernon Scannell
04/01/07 – Ian McMillan
Exposure – Wilfred Owen
Your Dad Did What? – Sophie Hannah
The Class Game – Mary Casey
The Drum – John Scott
City Jungle – Pie Corbett
Our Town with the Whole of India! – Daljit Nagra
London – William Blake
The Stone Hare – Gillian Clarke
I Shall Paint My Nails Red – Carole Satyamurti
The Penelopes of my homeland – Choman Hardi
Do not go gentle into that good night – Dylan Thomas
Remember – Christina Rossetti

6. Approaching the Unseen
Always S.M.I.L.E.!!!!!! Structure, Meaning, Imagery, Language, Effect If you comment and link the above back to the question, that will show your overall understanding of the poem.

7. Part B Practice Questions
Answer 2(a) 2 (a) Explore how the writer conveys his attitudes towards remembered love in ‘Song of Last Year’s Wife’. Use evidence from the poem to support your answer. (15 marks) Answer EITHER 2(b)(i) OR 2(b)(ii) 2 (b)(i)Compare how the writers explore different ideas about love in ‘Kissing’ and ‘Song for Last Year’s Wife’. Use evidence from the poems to support your answer. You may include material you used to answer 2 (a) (15 marks) OR 2 (b)(ii) Compare how the writers of ‘Song for Last Year’s Wife’ and one poem of your choice from the ‘Relationships’ collection reflect on loving relationships.

8. Explain how Shel Silverstein presents the subject of a messy room.
Messy Room Whosever room this is should be ashamed! His underwear is hanging on the lamp. His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair, And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp. His workbook is wedged in the window, His sweater’s been thrown on the floor. His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV, And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door. His books are all jammed in the closet, A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed, His vest has been left in the hall. And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall. Donald or Robert or Willie or-- Huh? You say it’s mine? Oh, dear, I knew it looked familiar! Shel Silverstein

9. What should we see in the papers?
Positives and negatives of the motorway
Personification of the motorway
Use of sensory details
Structure- no rhyme scheme
Use of metaphoric language
Imagery of the road
Tone- Sarcastic humour
Use of onomatopoeia
Creation of movement

10. Practice Unseen Questions
Explore how the writer presents her ideas about twentieth century war in ‘August 6, 1945’. Use evidence from the poem to support your response. OR Explore how the writer presents her ideas about her identity in ‘I Shall Paint My Nails Red’.

11. Poetry Practice
Explore how Hannah presents her ideas about an unfaithful relationship in ‘Rubbish at adultery.’ Use examples from the poem to support your response

12. Can you find evidence in your response on the following?
Hannah’s presentation of the man
Hannah’s presentation of the narrator’s wishes
The narrator’s use of vocabulary to show anger
Hannah’s presentation of the reality of a secret relationship
Hannah’s use of irony and humour to mock the man
How the writer uses structure and form to present her ideas

13. Poetry Comparison Practice
Consider the following: - Language: the words and images or techniques used in both - Structure: the shape, rhyme and rhythm - Viewpoint: the writer’s attitude to the subject of the poem Explain how the writer of ‘Our Love Now’ presents different thoughts and feelings about relationships from those given in ‘Valentine’.

14. Essay example
‘Our Love Now’ describes the end of a relationship, by saying that it ‘it leaves damage in its wake which can never be repaired.’ It is as if the story represents an argument and the poem suggests that the damage caused by it has ruined the relationship. The writer reflects the seriousness of the situation by using different images connected with change and ending with a violent story. Words such as ‘damage’ and ‘wake’ suggest the destruction and damage done. However, in ‘Valentine’ we are presented with one main central image that reflects the relationship with the line ‘Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips possessive and faithful.’ The image of an onion reflects love as a mixture of positive and negative attributes. Its strong kiss is ‘faithful’ but there is also the sense that it could overpower the lover. Like ‘Our Love Now’ the writer ends the poem on a very strong violent final image. The strong words ‘knife’ and ‘forever dead’ highlighting the abrupt ending of the relationship.