Poetry Critique

Today in class you will select one poem that you find compelling, beautiful, intriguing, or unusual.

At the bottom of this post you will find links to a few sites where you will be able to find a collection of poems to browse through.

Once you have found a poem, copy it and paste it to your blog. Please cite the website where you have copied it from. Include the author, too.

Once pasted, do the following:

1. Read it at least three more times. At least one of these readings should be done aloud. When reading aloud you will hear how deliberately the words are put together that you may miss when reading silently. It's okay if you feel goofy doing this....DO IT!!
2. Explain briefly why you selected this poem. What about it do you find interesting?
3. Comment on its title. How does the title fit the work? This may be very obvious for some pieces. For others, however, you will have to work to make connections.
4. Comment on the author's use of poetic devices. Identify two devices such as metaphor, alliteration, personification, imagery, and consonance, and point out where the author uses them. Then comment on how they influence the poem. Do they create an emphasis on a certain word or words? Do they focus the reader's attention on an image? Do they create a feeling within the poem?
5. Explain the tone of the piece. What is the tone? Is it somber? Joyful? Remorseful? Hopeful? How did the writer succeed in creating this tone? Think about the words he/she used to create images. Consider the actual sound of the words as well.
6. Visit the sites of at least two other people in your group. Read their poems and leave a comment about their selection.

Sites for poems:
http://www.poetry.com/lovepoems/lovepoems.asp

http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/

http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/

http://www.bartleby.com/113/ (This site focuses on Emily Dickinson)

If you know the author you are interested in, then http://www.poemhunter.com/langston-hughes/ is a good site to visit. Otherwise skip this one.

If you want to use a song for this assignment that is fine.

9/23: Topic of Your Choice

Personal narratives due tomorrow! See rubric for requirements.

You have three tasks today:

1. Share three potential titles for your personal narrative.
2. Blog on the topic of your choice, in the format of your choice.
3. Visit the blogs of your group members, and share your opinions about their titles. Also, read and comment on the content of their blogs.

9/18 # 2: Topic of Your Choice

This is exactly as the title states. Simply focus on a topic and write about it. If your blog is focused on a specific topic, then blog about that. Otherwise, it is up to you. When you have finished, visitm read, and comment on your group members' blogs (again).

Thursday, 9/18 #1: Narrative Passage

Yesterday you read through one specific area on the six traits rubric (voice, word choice, or idea development). You defined it and examined how one author incorporated the trait effectively and ineffectively into a story.

Read through the other two traits that you did not read about yesterday.

Pick one paragraph or a short passage from your narrative draft that needs some work in any or all of the following areas: word choice, voice, or idea development.

Type the passage on your blog, and explain what you are struggling with about it. You may say something like, "I feel like my words are not very creative. What are some better words I could use?" or "Do you understand the main message of my story? What do you think I am trying to say?" Include a question you want answered.

Post it, and then visit the blogs of your group members. Read their passages and comments, and give them at least one tip about improving their piece. Be specific. If someone says, "My mom is nice and funny" don't tell her to just change it. Give them specific words they could use that are more vivid.

When you have finished, complete the next blog assignment.

Discover

I love cooking and baking. I think that there is something therapeutic about mixing ingredients together. My ideal cooking environment: a rainy day, my son crawling around the floor near me, the microwave fan on (I love the noise), the radio.
Top ten cooking list:
10.Rhubarb Crisp- it's easy and my husband loves it
9. Chocolate Chip cookies
8. Chicken Kashmiri
7. Lasagna
6. Cakes from scratch-golden and spice
5. Banana bread (made with sour cream it is so moist)
4. Quiche
3. Pizza from scratch
2. Spaghetti (easy I know)
1. Yet to be determined.

Class Update 9/10

We created blogs. See Class Info 411.