1. Kenna Fleming Poetry Project
Auto-Lullaby By: Franz Wright

2. Auto-Lullaby By Franz Wright
Think of   a sheep
knitting a sweater;
think of   your life
getting better and better.
Think of   your cat
asleep in a tree;
think of   that spot
where you once skinned your knee.
Think of   a bird
that stands in your palm.
Try to remember
the Twenty-first Psalm.
Think of   a big pink horse
galloping south;
think of   a fly, and
close your mouth.
If   you feel thirsty, then
drink from your cup.
The birds will keep singing
until they wake up.

3. Biographical Information Franz Wright
About the Author:
Poem called “Walking to Martha’s Vineyard” won the Pulitzer Prize in 2004
Taught at Emerson College and other universities, has worked in mental health clinics, and has volunteered at a center for grieving children
In his lyrical and ballad poems, Wright addresses the subjects of isolation, spirituality, and gratitude
Franz Wright’s father was the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, James Wright
Wright has received the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry, as well as grants and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation.

4. Literary & Poetic Elements
Form:
-Ballad
Speaker:
-A parent speaking to their child and other children (Lullaby)
Poetic Terms:
-Repetition (“Think of”)
-Personification (“A sheep knitting a sweater”)
-Rhyme (sweater, better, tree, knee, south mouth, cup, up)
-Imagery (“Think of a fly and close your mouth”, “Think of your cat asleep in a tree”, “Think of that spot where you once skinned your knee”)

5. Imagery
The author uses imagery when he says “Think of a fly and close your mouth”, “Think of your cat asleep in a tree”, “a bird that stands in your palm”, and “Think of that spot where you once skinned your knee”.
The author is using figurative language to represent objects and actions to appeal to our physical senses.

6. Think of   a sheep A
knitting a sweater; B
think of   your life C
getting better and better. B
Think of   a big pink horse J
galloping south; K
think of   a fly, and L
close your mouth. K
If   you feel thirsty, then M
drink from your cup. N
The birds will keep singing O
until they wake up. N
Think of   your cat D
asleep in a tree; E
think of   that spot F
where you once skinned your knee. E
Think of   a bird G
that stands in your palm. H
Try to remember I
the Twenty-first Psalm. H
- Repetition
ABCD- Rhyme Scheme
- Personification
- Imagery

7. Literary Analysis:
-Literal and Figurative Meaning
Literal: The literal meaning of this poem is to tell a lullaby to a child that is probably being put to bed and is being told to think of various things such as “Your cat asleep in a tree” and “A bird that stands in your palm” to help him/her fall asleep.
Figurative:
The figurative meaning of this poem is to somewhat tell a story and get whoever is reading the poem to use their imagination and their senses to put them in these situations that the poem describes.

8. Author’s Purpose & Theme:
To entertain
Theme:
The theme or message of this poem was that life will go on and always focus on the positive things in life and not the negative things. Also the poem’s theme was kind of focusing on past memories and how they made you feel.

9. Documentation www.barnstablepatriot.com