Beaconsfield Junior High Poetry Unit 8 Beaconsfield Junior High

Clouds: Metaphor Metaphor: clouds are soft fat horses They draw Weather in his wagon Soft various winds create manes for the clouds Neighs the sable thunder—thunder clouds compared to the sound horses make

Clouds: Rain Imagery Describes a rain storm Sound of cattle’s hooves compared to a rain falling from the eaves of houses Stamping on roofs during a storm Dripping eaves Hooves that have worn away mountains— powers of erosion

Wind-Wolves: Imagery Main Metaphor: Windy night is compared to a pack of wolves Crying, hunting, howling (sound imagery) We hear their phantom wail (sound imagery) The wind is blowing around the clouds—the cloud deer in groups of two or three (visual imagery) We can see the constellation of Pegasus and the Milky way—it’s a mainly clear windy night

The Base Stealer: Video Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgz5-XToJIw&safety_mode=true&safe=active&persist_safety_mode=1

The Base Stealer: Simile “Taut like a tightrope walker” Baseball player on base line is poised and ready to run, all his muscles are ready to pop Looks like a tightrope walker all poised and muscles tight with the concentration and focus Tension—danger the player could be tagged out like falling off a tightrope.

The Base Stealer: Simile “Now bouncing tiptoe like a dropped ball” /“Or a kid skipping rope” Baseball player up and down motion of the feet and body taunting the fielders on the opposing team The base stealer’s actions remind the poet of a bouncing ball or kids skipping a rope.

The Base Stealer Simile “ hovers like an ecstatic bird,” Who hovers? The base stealer Baseball player waiting trying to make a decision to run or return to the base. An (ecstatic) excited bird that stays around trying to make a decision— hummingbirds hover. Their movements are quick and agile like the basestealer.

Repetition and Alliteration: The Base Stealer Writing a paragraph about repetition: (1) Give definition of repetition Repetition: repeating sounds, words, phrases, images, and lines for emphasis and effect.   Examples: A repeating line/chorus in a song or poem may emphasize (1) a main idea, (2) create suspense, (3)and/or add rhythm.

Repetition and Alliteration: The Base Stealer Writing a paragraph about repetition (continued) (2) Discuss the purpose of repetition in the poem Used to emphasize the tension of the situation and internal conflict of the player (s) Purpose is to emphasize how the player is on the edge ready to bolt to the next base at any moment The author use repetition to create tension— suspense…delicate, delicate, delicate, delicate— Now! The runner takes off for the base. The alliteration (repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words) adds to the flow and rhythm of the events in the poem. Repetition of c’s, t’s , d’s create rhythm and suspense.

Repetition and Alliteration: The Base Stealer Writing a paragraph about repetition (continued) (3) Conclude—final statement about the author’s use of repetition in the poem. Did the poetic device (repetition) help improve the reader’s experience? Explain. Did the words help you see the subject of the poem? How? Why?

Spring Rain: Stanza #1 Personification Mood and Tone Leaves (non-human) making a whispering sounds (human quality) “Peace” says the tree Spring rain is described calm and peaceful—rain would be pleasant and nurturing to a tree. Rain is like a drink with a meal—for a tree. Mood and Tone Soft, light, mellow tone/mood is created by the gently whispering leaves. The sound of the word “peace” supports the soft gentle description of the scene

Spring Rain: Stanza #2 Personification Tone and Mood Happy frogs (non-human) shout “ good wet rain!” and “lucky are we!” (human characteristic) Tone and Mood Another contrasting view of spring rain—emphasizing the light, funny, effects of personification. A light easy tone and mood is created by this images of happy-go-lucky peepers and bullfrogs

Spring Rain: Stanza #3 Personification Mood and Tone Dove (non-human) in mourning (grieving— human characteristic) Sighs ( a human expression of sadness) Sings “ah me!” (human words) Mood and Tone In this example, spring rain is given sad (mournful) tone—the dove is obviously not pleased about the rain The words mourning and sighs are associated with sadness All examples show how personification, images and description can create mood and reveal tone

Fragile By Sting Fragile: easily broken, delicate, vulnerable Repetition: Emphasizes main ideas and may also create rhythm giving the lines a musical quality Examples: On and on the rain will fall On and on emphasizes the unending cycle of violence and the pain and suffering Like tears from a star—image supports results of violence On and on the rain will say How fragile we are—emphasizes how easily broken and vulnerable everyone of us are and support the anti-violence message of the poem

Fragile: Figures of speech Similes compare unlike nouns using the words like or as. Example On and on the rain will fall like tears from a star The purpose of the comparison is convey the universal sadness associated with violence on the planet Stars (the heavens) are shedding tears over humanity’s violent ways The tears are shed because of the pain and suffering violence creates

Fragile: Creating Mood Mood: The overall feeling of a poem. Created by the words, imagery, descriptive details and subject of a poem Opening images of “blood flowing,” “flesh and steel are one,” “drying in the colour of the evening sun ” all evoke a mood of sadness Rain and tears flow on and on— creating a mood of grief and sadness over the victims of what seems to be an endless cycle of human violence Lest we forget how fragile we are Lest we Forget is associated with Remembrance Day creating an image of soldiers and a reminder of the bloodshed from WW1, WWII and other wars.

Fragile: Theme (Main Idea) The author basically states the theme in the opening stanza: “…that nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could—we need to realize how fragile human life really is…. The idea that the rain will wash away the evidence [of bloodshed] followed by the lines: “but something in our minds will always stay” Shows that violence leaves a lasting impression on its victims—people don’t forget. For all those born beneath an angry star lest we forget how fragile we are—this seems like a reminder/warning that those who live by the sword often die by the sword.

The Shark: Examples of Imagery Body: tubular and tapered smoke blue Appeals to the sense of sight-- His fin like a piece of sheet- iron (metallic— cold hard) Baseline on the water Shark is compared to a torpedo or submarine comparison— both are dangerous

The Shark: Examples of Imagery “Flash of white throat”--emphasizes the shark’s speed and quick movements “Double row of white teeth” Appeals to the sense of sight and touch He snapped at flat fish—this is a dangerous and aggressive animal Shearing the water—hear the shark swimming through the water Appeals to the sense of sound Poet uses mainly negative descriptions and images of the shark (tone— author’s attitude toward the shark)

The Shark: Simile Simile “His (Shark’s) fin like a piece of sheet-iron three cornered with knife- edge stirred not a bubble”—supports the torpedo/submarine comparison. Sheet iron (hard and cold) Knife-edge (sharp and dangerous)

The Shark: Author’s Tone Tone: refers to the author’s attitude toward the subject of the poem. The author’s descriptions (words/phrases) help reveal tone. The author seems to be fascinated but fearful of this shark. Metallic grey eyes (cold steel) hard and narrow slit (mean) That strange fish (suspicious, mysterious, dangerous)

The Shark: Author’s Tone Tone—negative “Part vulture, part wolf…” both animals are sometimes associated with death and feared by man. Wolves and Birds are warm blooded “Part neither—for his blood was cold.” Gives the impression of the shark as cold blooded killer. Cold blooded emphasizes the difference between the shark (cold blooded) and warm blooded creatures. Both descriptions are unfavourable.

Windswept: Alliteration Repetition of consonant sounds in two or more words close together. “The branch swayed, swerved, swept…” SW has a wind-like sound this also sound imagery. Smash to smithereens Branches lunged and lurched And raised, the raw red flesh—R- sounds emphasize pain—sound imagery Alliteration is used to create rhythm and emphasize ideas

Windswept: Personification The wind is described as mad- cap and capering. Mad-cap means crazy and unpredictable Capering is a dancing-like movement These are human characteristics The trees and branches are also personified in this poem- they along with the wind give the boy a rough time in the tree.

Windswept: Similes The crust of bark sharp as glasspaper (sandpaper) The rough bark is compared to sandpaper—it scrapes the boy’s ankles The description helps the reader experience the boy’s pain and fear Then (He) dropped like a wet blanket to the ground His jumping from the tree is compared to a wet blanket hitting the ground The comparison helps the reader see the boy’s relief and exhaustion after the ordeal

Windswept: Repetition and alliteration “He slowly clambered, slowly back, slowly so safely…” Emphasizes the boy’s cautious movements Creates a slow methodical rhythm May also create tension/suspense—helps the reader feel the boy’s fear

Windswept: Imagery and Emotions “He screwed his eyes tight shut to keep out the dizzy ground…” “Sweat greased his palms…” “Fear pricked his forehead…” “His legs gripped the bark…grazed his skin and raised the raw, red, flesh and crazed his mind with fear of breaking” The images above indicate great stress. Finally, without a sound he walked carefully away This line shows the boy is still traumatized by the incident.

We and They Boris and Yuki and Sarah and Sue and Karl and Latanya, Maria too dreamed of the world and it was spinning and all the people just talked about winning.

We and They The wind was burning. The water as churning. The trees were bending. Something was ending And all the talk was “we” and “they.”

We and They The children all hugged themselves waiting for the day when the night of the long bad dream Is done and all the family of humans are one and being and winning are not the same and “we “ and “they” is just a game and the wind is a friend that doesn’t fuss and every they is actually us.

We and They: Names A variety of names are used to in the poem to: The different names represent the various races and cultures living on the planet. This support the theme of unity and equality poem. “They is actually us” “When…all the family of humans are one”

We and They: Rhyme Author’s use of rhyme enhanced the poem: The rhyming words added a child-like rhythm to the poem The use of rhyme supported the children’s actions and child-like narration in the poem (nursery rhymes are associated with children) The rhymes helped emphasize the main ideas and images in the poem. Example: the night of the long bad dream is done/and all the family of humans are one Example: being and winning are not the same /and “we” and “they” is just a game

We and They: Point of View Line 11 The poet is trying to persuade the reader to: Stop seeing the world from a competitive “we” and “they” point of view and start adopting a more cooperative and inclusive “us” point of view. The children are waiting for the day when the night of the long bad dream is done/and all the family of humans /are one. The world isn’t going to change unless everyone changes his/her way of looking at others (fear, distrust, competition).

Onomatopoeia: Sound Devices and Purpose Onomatopoeia is the formation of words that sound like, or suggest, the objects or actions being named. The poet uses this sound device to re-create the strange and funny sounds a rusty spigot (faucet/tap) would make. The purpose of the poem is to describe the event with sound images created by the sound device onomatopoeia The poem was created to entertain and make the reader smile or laugh.

Onomatopoeia: Sound Devices Utters a splutter— Splatters a matter of drops… The early examples show the resistance of the tap—air in the pipes etc. Finally stops sputttering and plash This a transition line (change of direction) in the poem showing the tap working at full force Gushes, rushes, splashes Clear water dashes

Think Tank: Mood Another funny poem using onomatopoeia to help the reader experience the frustration of technology—in this case a computer (Think Tank—a group of experts). The sound device (onomatopoeia) helps re- create a scene where the speaker of the poem begging a computer to work properly for them. Thank you ThinkTank (voice of the poem) show the speaker’s relief at the end of the poem—he/she got the job done. The computer responds at the end of the poem. Think tank done Thunk. It either breaks down or shut off.

Niagara: Canadian Horsehoe Falls—Imagery and Repetition Repetition of words is used to convey the experience of Niagara Falls—water, water, water, emphasizes the vast amount of water associated with the scene The repetition of the “ing” words helps emphasize the sounds and power of the falls Both examples create a relentless rhythm that copies the rhythm created by the water The words and shape of the poem help the reader experience the water falls with words.