“Carmel Point” -Robinson Jeffers “To the Field of Scotch Broom […]” -Lucia Perillo

“Carmel Point” Jeffers‘s bio video Sees development of land as NEGATIVE Develops tension between the beauty of nature and suburbia versus *Pasadena Blvd. example

Odd structure – 15 lines (instead of 14 like a sonnet) Elegy (written in tribute to someone/something that has died) – What Farm animals = pastoral world “Spoiler” = intruding houses “Carmel Point”

First-person plural pronoun use – “we” used several times: – The Royal We (speaker is a self-appointed monarch) – The plural we (speaking for a group) Call to Action in last three lines: – Take the focus off of ourselves – Step outside of our own humanity

Check Yourself 1. What sentiment does Jeffers’s “Carmel Point” MOST clearly express? a. fury b. dismay c. malice d. ease e. contentment

Check Yourself 2. Which of the following terms BEST describes Jeffers’s tone at the end of “Carmel Point”? a. reverent b. confident c. militant d. resigned e. jocular

“Scotch Broom” Lucia Perillo – Grew up outside of NYC; drawn to the wilderness – Studied wildlife management & worked as park ranger – Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in her 30s, which confined her to a wheelchair – Known for bold and sensitive yet humorous poems – Has received numerous writing awards – Lives in Washington state

“Scotch Broom” Lyric poem (feelings/thoughts) Addresses a weed (Scotch Broom - woody shrub that grows quickly in spaces that have been cleared out)

Scotch Broom along a highway in Oregon

“Scotch Broom” Basics Converging forces of land development and medical technology – Technology = Tool of land development Means of saving lives Apostrophe (addressing an absent or inanimate object)

“Scotch Broom” Themes – Human inventiveness can be both destructive and life-saving. – Nature can redeem and revitalize human consciousness.

“Scotch Broom” Techniques Punctuation – Medial caesura No clear rhyme scheme, although she uses internal rhyme in spots Shift in forces

Self-Check 1. What personal connection does Lucia Perillo have with Scotch Broom? a. She fears its thorns. b. She retains childhood memories of it. c. She likes its appearance. d. She imagines its existence. e. She is allergic to its pollen.

2. Which of the following phrases is NOT an example of anthropomorphism in Lucia Perillo’s “To the Field of Scotch Broom”? a. “As if your purpose were to defibrillate me” b. “soon those gusts/ will mill you” c. “you stood/ swaying to the music” d. “How resigned you were” e. “Mine went a little haywire”