Introduction to Poetry

“Richard Cory”By Edwin Arlington Robinson

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,We people on the pavement looked at him:He was a gentleman from sole to crown,Clean favored, and imperially slim.

• Characterize Richard Cory. Use specific examples (words) from the text.

• Give a one sentence prediction for how the rest of the poem will unfold.

And he was always quietly arrayed,And he was always human when he talked; But still he fluttered pulses when he said,'Good-morning,' and he glittered when he

walked.

• What new information do we learn about Richard Cory? Use specific examples (words) from the text.

• Give a one sentence prediction for how the rest of the poem will unfold.

And he was rich - yes, richer than a king -And admirably schooled in every grace:In fine, we thought that he was everythingTo make us wish that we were in his place.

• How does the poet feel about Richard Cory? What type of person does he appear to be? Use specific examples (words) from the text.

• Give a one sentence prediction for how the rest of the poem will unfold.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,And went without the meat, and cursed the bread; And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,Went home and put a bullet through his head.

• How does Richard Cory turn out to be different than what the poet thought? Use specific examples (words) from the text.

• Write a 3 sentence reflection on the end of the poem.

Powerful artistic medium.

Gives us ability to see within ourselves and others.

A world of emotions, ideas, and beauty in a small package for us to unwrap.

Pass this class and move onto English II.

Right Brain:CreativityEmotions

Left Brain:Logic

Reality

The Human Brain

•Divided into 2 parts•Each half has its own function

To clarify . . .

When you are looking at big puffy clouds . . .

Your right brain tells you, “Hey! That one looks like a bunny.”While your left brain tells you . . .

It’s a cloud, Stupid!

Here are a few hints:

Poetry requires creativity

Poetry requires emotion

Poetry requires an artistic quality

Poetry requires logic

It’s basically one of the best workouts your mind can have.

It is a rewarding experience to figure out a poem, and you can do it for the rest of your life.

As we’ll show, there are many poems for anybody based on their interests.

IN POETRY, EVERY WORD COUNTS!

We need to pay attention to the connotations of each and every word.

We also need to pay attention to where the words are in a poem.

We need to think about what a poem sounds like when we read it.

A poem is broken down into stanzas and lines.

Because I could not stop for Death,He kindly stopped for me;The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put awayMy labor, and my leisure too,For his civility.

Emily Dickinson

LINE

LINELINELINE

STANZA

STANZA

Sundays too my father got up earlyand put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,then with cracked hands that achedfrom labor in the weekday weather madebanked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.When the rooms were warm, he’d call,and slowly I would rise and dress,fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him,who had driven out the coldand polished my good shoes as well.What did I know, what did I knowof love’s austere and lonely offices?Robert Hayden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksIJR08z35I

While you listen, write 3 sentences describing the tone of the poem. How is it different when reading vs. listening?

Why is this so?

Songs,

Raps,

Advertisements,

Epic poems,

Haikus,

Limericks,

Found poems,

Pretty Much Anything if You Look at It a Certain Way!

Found Poetry!F

ound poems take existing texts and refashion them, reorder them, and present them as poems.

Let’s make our own!

Underline the key words, phrases, or sentences.

Think about how you can put them on paper to make them seem more important.