One way “into” a poem or a passage of literature Threading One way “into” a poem or a passage of literature

First, read the poem aloud – twice. Blackberry Eating By Galway Kinnell I love to go out in late September Among the fat, overripe, icy, black blackberries To eat blackberries for breakfast, The stalks very prickly, a penalty They earn for knowing the black art Of blackberry-making; and as I stand among them Lifting the stalks to my mouth, the ripest berries Fall almost unbidden to my tongue, As words sometimes do, certain peculiar words Like strengths or squinched, Many-lettered, one-syllabled lumps, Which I squeeze, squinch open, and splurge well In the silent, startled, icy, black language Of blackberry -- eating in late September.

Uncover the vocabulary you don’t know Unbidden Any others?

Uncover initial questions/ideas “Black blackberries” – isn’t that redundant? Why the repetition? “icy” is in there twice – why? “Icy” also doesn’t seem to fit late September. “Icy” in January is negative, but in late September, might be refreshing. “silent, startled, icy, black” – sounds liquid and kind of crisp

Identify words in the poem where ideas reappear. Color Mouth black Eat Mouth Tongue Words silent Things you do love go eat stand fall do Negative words prickly penalty black art

See if you can break the poem into two “parts” – where? Look for a shift – XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX As words sometimes do XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An Italian (Petrarchan) sonnet has two parts, an 8-line stanza and a 6-line stanza. There is a before/after Or a question/response Or a then/now Or a this/that Hint: Is it like a square? It’s a Sonnet!

What’s the “this” and the “that?” Poet loves Poet loves (Mouthing) many-lettered, one-syllable lumps (words) Eating blackberries

The pivotal word is “tongue” – used for both speaking and eating “Penalty” and “prickly” – words are dangerous, tempting, magical – can create something out of themselves – but pleasurable. The poem doesn’t “announce itself” as a sonnet because of rhyme scheme and language, but the form is in repetition and shift.

One way to analyze and write about literature Do, Show, Mean One way to analyze and write about literature

Do What is the author’s organizational purpose in the passage? Is the author narrating? describing? Illustrating? Exposing? Mocking?

DO -- What is the author’s organizational purpose in the passage? On a literal level -- What is HAPPENING? Narrating Describing Illustrating Exposing Mocking What is the tone of the passage?

RED = Do Blue = Mean Example: “Blackberry Eating” by Galway Kinnell is a sonnet that connects the act of eating blackberries to the art of using language, suggesting both are tempting, delicious, and dangerous. RED = Do Blue = Mean