Poetry has much in common with.. music Musicians use poetic devices all the time to capture a mood or convey feeling In the same way, poets use various literary techniques to convey the sense, or meaning of a poem and to convey mood and feeling. These techniques include choice of the speaker, sound, imagery and figurative language.

Poetic Devices: A review Fill out poetic devices worksheet – pair up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrTgAWiyKVU&feature=related

analysis, baby!

Poetic Analysis Poetic analysis: What is it, and what is its point? A discussion of how the language of a poem contributes to its meaning to increase understanding and enjoyment of a poem.

Poetic Analysis – How to do it Read the poem silently to yourself. Reread the poem aloud. Read the poem again silently to yourself. Decide what you think the poem is about. If you have no idea, paraphrase the poem line by line to help you figure it out. Identify the poetic devices Mark them on the poem!

Putting it all together... Stage 1: Reading Read the poem silently Read the poem ______ Read the poem ______ again Stage 2: Analyzing What’s it about? What are the devices used?

Poetic Analysis My Sister Sybil Sipping soup, my sister Sybil Stage 1: Read this poem silently to yourself * Read it aloud * Read it silently again My Sister Sybil By Colin West Sipping soup, my sister Sybil Seems inclined to drool and dribble. If it wasn’t for this foible, Meal-time would be more enjoiable!

Poetic Analysis Stage 2: What is this poem about? My Sister Sybil By Colin West Sipping soup, my sister Sybil Seems inclined to drool and dribble. If it wasn’t for this foible, Meal-time would be more enjoiable! Stage 2: What is this poem about? What poetic devices do you see in this poem? (s)

Poetic Analysis My Sister Sybil Sipping soup, my sister Sybil By Colin West Sipping soup, my sister Sybil Seems inclined to drool and dribble. If it wasn’t for this foible, Meal-time would be more enjoiable! Alliteration Rhyme scheme A A B B Imagery

Let’s analyze the following poem together: 4 Volunteers? The Poem The Activity Four Little Foxes By Lew Sarett Speak gently, Spring, and make no sudden sound For in my windy valley, yesterday I found New-born foxes squirming on the ground – Speak gently. Walk softly, March, forbear the bitter blow; Her feet within a trap, her blood upon the snow, The four little foxes saw their mother go – Walk softly. Go lightly, Spring, oh, give them no alarm; When I covered them with boughs to shelter them from harm, The thin blue foxes suckled at my arm - Go lightly. Step softly, March, with your rampant hurricane; Nuzzling one another, and whimpering with pain, The new little foxes are shivering in the rain – Step softly. Reading the poem (x3). Make a note of the vocabulary you don’t understand. DISCUSS AT TABLE: 2. What is this poem about? Does the poem focus on the actions of a character? Does the poem describe something? Does the poem focus on an idea? A feeling? 3.What emotional response does the poem seem to call up in you? 4.After your first emotional response to the poem, on what does the poem cause you to reflect? 5. What poetic devices do you see in this poem?

Four Little Foxes Rhyme scheme A A A B Imagery Speaker Personification Poetic Devices Speak gently, Spring, and make no sudden sound; For in my windy valley, yesterday I found New-born foxes squirming on the ground – Speak gently. Walk softly, March, forbear the bitter blow; Her feet within a trap, her blood upon the snow, The four little foxes saw their mother go – Walk softly. Go lightly, Spring, oh, give them no alarm; When I covered them with boughs to shelter them from harm, The thin blue foxes suckled at my arm - Go lightly. Step softly, March, with your rampant hurricane; Nuzzling one another, and whimpering with pain, The new little foxes are shivering in the rain – Step softly. Speaker Rhyme scheme A A A B Personification rhythm Alliteration Imagery

Poetic Analysis: Another tool Think of analyzing a poem in 3 easy steps. Just remember to P.E.E.! P.E.E. stands for: Point Evidence Explanation

Steps 1-3: Point – Evidence - Explanation STEP 1 - POINT What is the topic of the paragraph? STEP 2 - EVIDENCE What words or phrases or events prove or illustrate your point? The next sentence(s) should give evidence from the text. It must relate directly to your point! STEP 3 - EXPLANATION What does the author want the reader to think or feel by using those words? Explain how the evidence supports your point.

An example - The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost  Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim Because it was grassy and wanted wear, Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I marked the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. 

Step 1- Point What is the point of the poem? What is the topic of its first sentence? Two roads can take you in different directions and sometimes taking the road less travelled is the best choice

Step 2- Evidence What words or phrases or events support your point? (give evidence from the text) “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood”. Even through Frost describes the well-travelled road as pleasant,“… the other, as just as fair, and having perhaps the better claim because it was grassy and wanted wear”, he seems to think the road less travelled is more special: “I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference”

Step 3- Explanation What does the author want the reader to think or feel by using those words? Explain how the evidence illustrates or proves your point. The passages comparing the two paths leads me to imagine that he came to this fork in the road a long time ago and is now reflecting on how taking the road less travelled was indeed the better choice.

The Whole Paragraph Reads Point The Whole Paragraph Reads Evidence Two roads can take you in different directions and sometimes taking the road less travelled is the best choice. For example,“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood”. Even through Frost describes the well-travelled road as pleasant,“… the other, as just as fair, and having perhaps the better claim because it was grassy and wanted wear”, he seems to think the road less travelled is more special: “I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference”. This gives the impression that he came to this fork in the road a long time ago and is now reflecting on how taking the road less travelled was indeed the better choice. Explanation

Putting it all together. Again... Read (3x) / Analyze & P.E.E! Keep in mind: Selection of Speaker Sound Imagery Figurative Language Who is speaking? What is his/her attitude? Examples: Rhythm Rhyme Alliteration What images are created to appeal to our senses? Sight:   Sound: Taste: Touch: Internal Feelings: Personification Metaphor Simile

Poetic Analysis – Other examples Four Little Foxes & My Sister Sybil Read Analyze What does it mean? What devices are used? How does it make you feel? What does your P.E.E tell you? 

Poetic Analysis: P.E.E – Four Little Foxes Speak gently, Spring, and make no sudden sound For in my windy valley, yesterday I found New-born foxes squirming on the ground – Speak gently. Walk softly, March, forbear the bitter blow; Her feet within a trap, her blood upon the snow, The four little foxes saw their mother go – Walk softly. Go lightly, Spring, oh, give them no alarm; When I covered them with boughs to shelter them from harm, The thin blue foxes suckled at my arm - Go lightly. Step softly, March, with your rampant hurricane; Nuzzling one another, and whimpering with pain, The new little foxes are shivering in the rain – Step softly.

Poetic Analysis Evidence Point In the poem “Four Little Foxes,” Lew Sarett uses alliteration and personification to encourage Spring to take care with the newborn foxes: Speak gently, Spring, and make no sudden sound “. Sarett uses alliteration by repeating the “s” sound at the beginning of four words. The repetition of this sound imitates how he or she would like Spring to speak. This example also shows personification; Sarett recreates the gentle manner of speaking to encourage Spring to ‘speak gently’. This helps the reader understand how fragile newborn foxes are and how vulnerable they are in the winter months. Explanation

Poetic Analysis:P.E.E– My Sister Sybil Sipping soup, my sister Sybil Seems inclined to drool and dribble. If it wasn’t for this foible, Meal-time would be more enjoiable!

Poetic Analysis Writing Point Poetic Analysis Writing Evidence In the poem “My Sister Sybil,” Colin West uses alliteration to show how noisily his sister eats. For example, the poet writes, “Sipping soup, my sister Sybil/Seems …” West uses alliteration by repeating the “s” sound at the beginning of five words. The repetition of this sound imitates the noise created by a person slurping food loudly. West recreates the noise he hears at dinner to help the reader understand what it is like to eat with his sister. Explanation

Now on your own: Analyzing The Poem 1. Read the poem silently, watch video, read silently again DISCUSS AT TABLES 2. What is this poem about? Does the poem focus on the actions of a character? Does the poem describe something? Does the poem focus on an idea? A feeling? 3.What emotional response does the poem seem to call up in you? 4.After your first emotional response to the poem, on what does the poem cause you to reflect? 5. What poetic devices do you see in this poem? *When finished, P.E.E on your own! At your table, interpret “Oranges” by Gary Soto. http://www.englishforums.com/English/OrangesByGarySoto/zzrpq/post.htm

Analyzing Poetry Step1: Make your Point What is the topic of the first line? What is the point?

Step 2: Provide Evidence What words or phrases or events support your point? The next sentence should give evidence from the text. It must relate directly to your point!

Step 3: Explanation What does the author want the reader to think or feel by using those words? Explain how the evidence supports your point.

Analyzing is good, but remember... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiKM6g-dfBo&feature=related

Homework – Due Friday Finish Orange P.E.E Poetic devices hunt: Find a total of at least 5 poetic devices in songs! Poetic device #1:___________________ Song name& artist:  Lyrics: 