Kenna Fleming Poetry ProjectAUTO-LULLABY BY: FRANZ WRIGHT

Auto-Lullaby By Franz WrightThink of   a sheep

knitting a sweater;think of   your life

getting better and better.

Think of   your catasleep in a tree;

think of   that spotwhere you once skinned your knee.

Think of   a birdthat stands in your palm.

Try to rememberthe Twenty-first Psalm.

Think of   a big pink horsegalloping south;

think of   a fly, andclose your mouth.

If   you feel thirsty, thendrink from your cup.

The birds will keep singinguntil they wake up.

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.

www.poets.org

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”)

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.

If   you feel thirsty, then Mdrink from your cup. NThe birds will keep singing Ountil they wake up. N

Think of   a sheep Aknitting a sweater; Bthink of   your life Cgetting better and better. B

Think of   your cat Dasleep in a tree; Ethink of   that spot Fwhere you once skinned your knee. E

Think of   a bird Gthat stands in your palm. HTry to remember Ithe Twenty-first Psalm. H

Think of   a big pink horse J galloping south; Kthink of   a fly, and Lclose your mouth. K

- Repetition

- Personification

ABCD- Rhyme Scheme - Imagery

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.

Literary Analysis:-Literal and Figurative Meaning

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.

Author’s Purpose & Theme:

Author’s purpose: 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.

www.barnstablepatriot.com

http://www.poetryfoundation.org

http://www.poets.org

http://www.poetryoutloud.org

http://literarydevices.net

Documentation