Fifteen

Stanza 1 South of the Bridge on Seventeenth I found back of the willows one summer day a motorcycle with engine running as it lay on its side, ticking over slowly in the high grass. I was fifteen. (Draw a picture of this stanza (imagery))

Stanza 2 I admired all that pulsing gleam, the shiny flanks, the demure headlights fringed where it lay; I led it gently to the road and stood with that companion, ready and friendly. I was fifteen. (Draw another picture of this stanza)

Stanza 3 We could find the end of a road, meet the sky on out Seventeenth. I thought about hills, and patting the handle got back a confident opinion. On the bridge we indulged a forward feeling, a tremble. I was fifteen. (Draw another picture)

Stanza 4/5 Thinking, back farther in the grass I found the owner, just coming to, where he had flipped over the rail. He had blood on his hand, was pale— I helped him walk to his machine. He ran his hand over it, called me a good man, roared away. I stood there, fifteen. (Draw one last picture)

Short answer question Block out ten lines on your paper Write this question above the box How would you describe the boy in this poem? Write one paragraph in the box answering that question. Use the following sentence stems:

Turn to page 699 in your book for the poem. Write this question above the box: How would you describe the boy in this poem? Answer the question using ABC format: A: Answer the question B: Bring in the text to support your answer C: Connect your B part to your A part (Comment on how your evidence proves your point.) Example on next slide

Write one paragraph in the box answering that question Write one paragraph in the box answering that question. Use the following template for your answer: The boy is described as (insert the QUALITY that you inferred about the boy here). One can see this in lines (insert line #s) where he (“insert quote from the poem here that supports your point” ). This shows (insert quality here again) because (explain your background knowledge about the quality). No floating quotes. Introduce your quotes. Example: The boy is described as being adventurous. One can see this in lines 11-12, where he fantasizes that “We could find the end of a road, meet / the sky on out Seventeenth.” This shows adventurousness because it shows he is curious about what is out there for him in the world. It also shows he’s adventurous because there’s no such thing as meeting “the end” of “the sky.” This means he wants to keep going and explore everything.

Bad examples The boy is described as being adventurous. “We could find the end of a road, meet / the sky on out Seventeenth.” The boy is obviously adventurous. The boy is described as being adventurous. ““We could find the end of a road, meet / the sky on out Seventeenth.” The boy is described as being adventurous. One can see this in because the boy wants to take the motorcycle out on the road. This shows adventurousness because it shows he is curious about what is out there for him in the world.