1. American Masters Whitman and Dickinson Together their words mark the beginning of modern American poetry.

2. Walt Whitman Wrote in broad, flowing, conversational rhythms that came to characterize his innovative free- verse style.

3. Drifted from career to career. Published Leaves of Grass (1855) at his own expense. The book was considered radical for the time period.

4. Whitman pioneers Free Verse – poetry without regular rhyme or meter. His writing expanded the scope of poetic language and introduced new and natural rhythms. Overall he created lists as he tried to catalog everything in sight.

5. Emily Dickinson Wrote in short, terse lines that used tight rhythms and slant rhymes. Her poems are more mysterious and their meanings can pose a challenge.

6. Her technique is economical controlled by the rhyme and meter found in a hymn book.

7. Dickinson lived in Amherst, MA She lived a normal childhood and teen years. During a huge revival period she refused to convert. She attended Mt. Holyoke Seminary for one year and she was an excellent student. After one year she returned home and lived an isolated life.

8. Poetic Terms Free Verse Cadence Parallelism Elliptical construction Catalog Repetition Alliteration Assonance

9. Poetic terms continued Imagery Theme Coda Symbol Analogy Rhyme Exact rhyme Slant rhyme Rhyme scheme Epigram Rhythm Meter Iamb Irony Tone Paradox Metaphor Implied metaphor