1. Poetry

2. Analysis
(SOAPStone + Theme)
Speaker: Who is the speaker of the poem? What do you know about him or her from the nature of he poem.
Occasion: What is the occasion of the poem? What is the event that prompts the speaker to speak? Is it important that you understand the situation which led the poet to publish this poem?
Audience: To whom is the speaker speaking? What do you know about him or her or the audience?
Purpose: What is the purpose of the poem? Why do you think the poet wrote the poem?
Subject: What is the general topic, content, and ideas contained in the text.
tone: What is the tone of the poem? What is the speaker’s attitude toward the subject of the poem?
Theme: What is the theme of the poem? What is the poet saying about people, society, or life?
Additional features to look out for:
Author’s Craft: (1) Rhythm or Meter (2) Figures of Speech (3) Unusual use of words (4) Imagery

3. A Poet’s Place in Society
Born: In the south in 1902.
Held odd jobs while studying at Columbia University
Influenced By: Walt Whitman
Langston Hughes
Wrote about every day lives of African-Americans.
Influenced the artistic contributions of the Harlem Renaissance.

4. Poems Dreams I, Too, Sing America Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed–
I, too, am America.

5. Poet Study
Poet Study
Select a poet from your cultural background. (Yes, if your great-great-great-grandmother was from Sweden, you can choose a Swedish poet! Challenge yourself on this!)
Research the poet's life, his/her place in society, and the power of his poetry to inspire people.
Find examples of the poet's work in the original language and in translation. (You can bring printouts, books, share websites).
Select one of the poems and analyze it based on Theme Author’s purpose in writing this poem Social background of his time Style of writing
Decide how you are going to share your information with your class. (Get teacher approval BEFORE you start this.)
Challenge: Memorize the poem in its original language and deliver it to the class.

6. Possible Poet Studies Langston Hughes* Gary Soto Robert Frost
Walt Whitman
Henry Wadworth Longfellow*
William Wordsworth
Oliver Goldsmith*
Edgar Allan Poe*
Emma Lazarus
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Ralph Waldo Emerson*
Rudyard Kipling
Alexandr Pushkin* 
Rabindranath Tagore*
* Works well for a poet study