making sense of poetry

7/29/2019 Making Sense of Poetry

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Making Sense of Poetry :

A quick revision for PMR

By ;

ABIDAH BT SARAJUL HAQ

English Language Master Teacher

Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Ipoh

What is Poetry ?

There are as many definitions of poetry as there are of poets. William Wordsworh, one of

the greatest poets said that poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerfulfeelings. On theother hand, Dylan Thomas, another great poet defined poetry as this : poetry is what makes me

laugh or cry or yawn. Poetry is a lot of things to a lot of people. To me , poetry is like a

beautiful painting , instead of using colours to paint a picture, a poet uses words to paint it. There

are many reasons as to why people write poems. Unlike a piece of writing or prose, a poem goes

far beyond its literal meaning. Poetry is also evocative. It evokes in the reader an intense emotion

of joy, sorrow, sadness, love and other related emotions and feelings.

Helpful Tips for Reading and Understanding Poetry

Read the poem more than once.

Use a dictionary when you find a word which is unfamiliar to you.

Read the poem slowly.

Pay attention to what the poem is saying ; do not be distracted by the rhyme and the

rhythm of the poem.

Try reading the poem out loud to get the feel and effects of the poem and its meaning.

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Ask yourself the following questions after you have finished reading the poem:

What is the poem about ?

What is the message in the poem ?

Who is the persona ?

What is the tone of the poem ?

What are the moral values in the poem?

In paper 1 of the PMR English Language exam , students are required to answer objective

questions on one of the threepoems that they have learnt in form 1. The three poems are :

* The Dead Crow by A. Samad Said ,

* The Lake Isle of Innisfree by William Butler Yeats

* Lifes Brief Candle by William Shakespeare.

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The Dead Crow by A. Samad Said

He saw a dead crow

In a drain

near the post office.

He saw an old man

gasping for air

and a baby barely able to breathe

in a crowded morning clinic .

This land is so rich .

Why should we suffer like this ?

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I want clean air

for my grandchildren.

I want the damned fools

to leave the forest alone.

I want the trees to grow,

the rivers run free,

and the earth covered with grass

Let the politicians plan how we may live with dignity,

now and always.

Overview

The poet describes a situation where humans are faced with an unhealthy environment. Hisfurious tone shows that he is angry at what is happening to our environment. He sees a dead

crow which is a symbol of a tough bird ( that can withstand difficult conditions), but it cannot

stand the polluted air. Although our land is rich in natural resources, yet people suffer due to

environmental pollution which is a threat to health.

The poet continues to question the role of the damned fools - the greedy businessmen who

destroy our forests in their effort to make huge profits. The poet wants the government and the

politicians to plan and develop our country carefully towards a cleaner and healthier environment

for the people. Consequently, he wants clean air , greeneries and unpolluted , free- flowing

rivers.

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PMR Practice 1

1. What is the persona angry about ?

A. Heavy rain

B. Landslide

C. Deforestation

D. Overpopulation

2. Why did the crow die ? 3. The words damned fools refer to the

A. Because of thirst A. businessmen

B. Because of starvation B. workers

C. Because of pollution C. doctors

D. Because of a disease D. politicians

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LifesBrief Candle by William Shakespeare

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

To the last syllable of recorded time;

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more: it is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

Overview

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Lifes Brief Candle is a famous soliloquy by Macbeth in William Shakespares tragic play

Macbeth . When Macbeth learns of his wife's death, he cries out the above lines, which can be

used as a clue to the meaning of the poem. The idea that life is nothing but a shadow is clearly

indicated here. The implication that life is a shadow is used to suggest that the actions

performed by a person are only shadows when compared with the greater actions performed

by men of the past. Macbeth is disillusioned and sees life as short and empty.

PMR Practice 2

4. The candle in the above poem is a symbol of

A. hope

B. life

C. disaster

D. happiness

5. What does the persona mean by saying Out, out, brief candle ! ?

A. He wants to blow out the candle quickly.

B. He wants to enjoy his remaining years.

C. He wants to end his life immediately.

D. He wants to continue living .

6. What creeps in this petty pace ?

A. Yesterday

B. Last week

C. Everyday

D. Tomorrow

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The Lake isle of Innisfree by William Butler Yeats

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

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Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet's wings.

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I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,

I hear it in the deep heart's core.

Overview

Yeats expresses his desire to build a small cabin at Innisfree, out of natural materials, and to

live alone. He will find peace on the lake, where it drops from the morning, and the beautiful

midnight. He is determined to leave immediately, because even when he stands on a road or on acity pavement, he hears the lapping of the lake waters in his heart.

The Lake Isle of Innisfree is an example of Yeatss earlier lyric poem. Throughout the three

short stanzas the poem explores the poets longing for the peace and tranquility of Innisfree.

The Lake Isle of Innisfree suggests that a life of simplicity in nature will bring peace to thepoet. However, Innisfree may be a symbol for the poets passed youth and he is unable to return

to the real, or physical world when he was young. Emotionally, the poet can return to the

tranquility of Innisfree.

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PMR Practice 3

7. The phrase veils of the morning refers to

A. Mist C. rain

B. Sunshine D. dew

8. Where can the persona stay at Innisfree?

A. In a farmhouse

B. Near the beach

C. Near the forest

D. In a small cabin

9. The poet desires to go to Innisfree because he wants

A. joy and happiness

B. hope and love

C. excitement and action

D. peace and solitude

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All the best in your pmr exams .

Score a for English language paper !

PMR Practice Answers

1. C 2. C. 3. A 4. B 5. C 6. D 7.A 8. D 9. D

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