Poetry is:
back to the definition: a "concentrated imaginative awareness of experience."
What does this mean?
The first part is crucial when looking at poetry.
Poems are most often shorter than stories, plays, essays. They pack a lot of intensity into a small space, which means that those words we've been working with need to work hard to convey what you want them to, as a poet. The "imaginative" part is an interesting one, too. This doesn't mean that poems have to be about make-believe places or have no bearing on reality. In fact, quite the opposite is the norm. But it's the flavour that the poet puts into the experience as he or she writes about it that brings the imaginative force to the foreground. The "awareness of experience" hints at an even more vital component of being a poet: being "on." You must be living in the moment, experiencing what's at hand, engaging all your senses, in order to be able to recreate those experiences on the page.
For example, right now, place your hand on the surface of whatever you're sitting on. Describe it to yourself. Is it cold or warm? Is it smooth or rough? Is it made of wood or is it the ground? Is it pliable or very hard? You're using the sense of touch here to really engage with your surroundings.
What does this mean?
The first part is crucial when looking at poetry.
Poems are most often shorter than stories, plays, essays. They pack a lot of intensity into a small space, which means that those words we've been working with need to work hard to convey what you want them to, as a poet. The "imaginative" part is an interesting one, too. This doesn't mean that poems have to be about make-believe places or have no bearing on reality. In fact, quite the opposite is the norm. But it's the flavour that the poet puts into the experience as he or she writes about it that brings the imaginative force to the foreground. The "awareness of experience" hints at an even more vital component of being a poet: being "on." You must be living in the moment, experiencing what's at hand, engaging all your senses, in order to be able to recreate those experiences on the page.
For example, right now, place your hand on the surface of whatever you're sitting on. Describe it to yourself. Is it cold or warm? Is it smooth or rough? Is it made of wood or is it the ground? Is it pliable or very hard? You're using the sense of touch here to really engage with your surroundings.
The Language of Poetry
Choosing Words
Since poetry is a means of expressing ideas and emotions in a concise and vivid way, every word is (or should be) chosen with care. Study the poet’s choice of words as you read a poem, and see how words are used.
Be aware of the following:
Denotation & Connotation
When a writer wants to create a vivid image or persuade the reader, he will choose words because of their connotation, that is, the words are chosen for their emotional meaning or feeling associated with them. Connotation is the meaning beyond the literal meaning—or denotation, of a word or a phrase.
In the following poem that titled, “Daddy” the connotation of the term “daddy” is a positive one, associated with warmth and security. This is sharply contrasted with the first line “You do not do, you do not do”. It is a confessional poem, in which Plath reveals a love-hate relationship for both her father and Ted Hughes, her husband. In the first stanza, the speaker establishes the image of the black shoe. Black is a colour used frequently in this poem and each time the connotations are negative. Plath uses colour to great effect within this poem, “black, white, green, blue, bright blue” and red is implied through the idea of blood.
Listen to, “Daddy” by Sylvia Plath—paying particular attention to how Plath uses language to convey meaning.
For your interest, I've included a spoken word artist, reciting the same poem--this poem lends itself well to spoken word poetry. Also, I've included a brief but brilliant bio on Sylvia Plath. If you haven't heard of her before, you may want to take note, she was a bright and talented writer (and feminist before this term was coined).
Choosing Words
Since poetry is a means of expressing ideas and emotions in a concise and vivid way, every word is (or should be) chosen with care. Study the poet’s choice of words as you read a poem, and see how words are used.
Be aware of the following:
- Context: key words used in a particular position in a line to maximize their impact
- Double meanings: these may lurk behind words and phrases
- Repetition of words and phrases. Is repetition being used for emphasis of meaning or to contribute to atmosphere and rhythm?
Denotation & Connotation
When a writer wants to create a vivid image or persuade the reader, he will choose words because of their connotation, that is, the words are chosen for their emotional meaning or feeling associated with them. Connotation is the meaning beyond the literal meaning—or denotation, of a word or a phrase.
- Although there can be significant personal differences in the meanings we associate with various words, there are some generalizations that writers can use. Consider the power of the following words and the emotional significance they carry:
- House (denotation) vs. home (connotation)
- Slender vs. willowy, or scrawny
- Difficult vs. laborious, tricky, thorny, intricate
- Inexpensive vs. cheap, low-cost, easy on the pocket
In the following poem that titled, “Daddy” the connotation of the term “daddy” is a positive one, associated with warmth and security. This is sharply contrasted with the first line “You do not do, you do not do”. It is a confessional poem, in which Plath reveals a love-hate relationship for both her father and Ted Hughes, her husband. In the first stanza, the speaker establishes the image of the black shoe. Black is a colour used frequently in this poem and each time the connotations are negative. Plath uses colour to great effect within this poem, “black, white, green, blue, bright blue” and red is implied through the idea of blood.
Listen to, “Daddy” by Sylvia Plath—paying particular attention to how Plath uses language to convey meaning.
For your interest, I've included a spoken word artist, reciting the same poem--this poem lends itself well to spoken word poetry. Also, I've included a brief but brilliant bio on Sylvia Plath. If you haven't heard of her before, you may want to take note, she was a bright and talented writer (and feminist before this term was coined).
daddy_by_sylvia_plath.pdf | |
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Hey, I'm not a teen-aged girl, but I do love the poetry of Sylvia Plath--her words are powerful and send chills down my spine. Read more Sylvia Plath when you have time!
Image & Imagery
Imagery is something that we often talk about when discussing poetry. Most poems rely on imagery to intensify their impact. Why? Often it's because the poet is trying to allow the reader into the moment more completely: to plant an experience directly into the reader's brain.
When discussing image, we'll use classic poetic terms, like symbolism, and imagery; figurative language also comes into play—under this umbrella we talk about personification, metaphor and simile.
A Definition
An image is a word or groups of words that help the reader picture or sense what is being described. Images can be literal (when the description is taken for its denotative meaning) or figurative (consisting of such devices as metaphor, simile, personification, and symbol). It consists of descriptive language used to create pictures in the mind of the reader.
Poetry as an Image: "Oread" by Hilda Doolittle (HD)
An image consists of words that create a sense impression in the reader. The next poem, written by Hilda Doolittle, was one of founding members of Imagism, which is a type of poetry that focuses on simply described images. Imagist poetry describes images with simple language and with great focus. The most common type of image is that which simultaneously reflects and affects our visual sense. This poem focuses only on the image of the sea crashing into the earth.
Imagery is something that we often talk about when discussing poetry. Most poems rely on imagery to intensify their impact. Why? Often it's because the poet is trying to allow the reader into the moment more completely: to plant an experience directly into the reader's brain.
When discussing image, we'll use classic poetic terms, like symbolism, and imagery; figurative language also comes into play—under this umbrella we talk about personification, metaphor and simile.
A Definition
An image is a word or groups of words that help the reader picture or sense what is being described. Images can be literal (when the description is taken for its denotative meaning) or figurative (consisting of such devices as metaphor, simile, personification, and symbol). It consists of descriptive language used to create pictures in the mind of the reader.
- Appeals to the senses: tactile/touch, visual, auditory/hear, olfactory/smell, taste, thermal/temperature, kinaesthetic/motion.
- Imagery is the pattern of images in a single work
Poetry as an Image: "Oread" by Hilda Doolittle (HD)
An image consists of words that create a sense impression in the reader. The next poem, written by Hilda Doolittle, was one of founding members of Imagism, which is a type of poetry that focuses on simply described images. Imagist poetry describes images with simple language and with great focus. The most common type of image is that which simultaneously reflects and affects our visual sense. This poem focuses only on the image of the sea crashing into the earth.
"Oread" ---Hilda Doolittle
Whirl up, sea -
Whirl your pointed pines,
Splash your great pines
On our rocks,
Hurl your green over us -
H.D. blends the images of the earth and sea with her language. For example, she tells the sea to 'Splash your great pines/On our rocks.' Well, the sea doesn't actually have pine trees, does it? So by talking about the sea as if it was just like the earth, H.D. is breaking down the barriers between land and sea, which is exactly what the speaker of the poem tells the sea to do.
STEPS TO SWALLOWING A POEM
Throughout the course, I’ll introduce you to the steps you can take to “swallow” a poem. Swallowing a poem takes a different perspective than analyzing a poem.
--When you analyze a poem, you divide it into parts and look at the parts right away.
--When you swallow a poem, you take in the whole, and begin with your own experience.
Throughout the course, I’ll introduce you to the steps you can take to “swallow” a poem. Swallowing a poem takes a different perspective than analyzing a poem.
--When you analyze a poem, you divide it into parts and look at the parts right away.
--When you swallow a poem, you take in the whole, and begin with your own experience.
how_to_swallow_a_poem.pdf | |
File Size: | 237 kb |
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Swallowing Poetry #1: "Alert Bay, Labour Day"
Read the following poem, "Alert Bay, Labour Day" and take note of the use of images. What words or lines in the poem evoke an image? What image/s are most meaningful to you?
Read the following poem, "Alert Bay, Labour Day" and take note of the use of images. What words or lines in the poem evoke an image? What image/s are most meaningful to you?
Alert Bay, Labour Day
by Karen Solie Rusted boats----Stella Lynn, Pacific Lady— photograph well on black water, their holds filled with rocks. The men add one for each night and yell for storms. Happy hour stumbles in from the dock at noon, smelling of fish-- or fish-shaped memory, since the fish are gone. Tourists ask if the halibut is fresh. The waitress has a bruise on her cheek. Walls here are made of luck and girls walk into them. Solie, Karen. "Alert Bay, Labour Day." The New Canon: An Anthology of Canadian Poetry. Carmine Starnino. Montreal: Vehicule Press, 2005. 212. Print. |
Another Notable Example: “Tonight I Can Write”
Listen to the unhurried and deliberate lines about love (lost) written by Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda. Take note of the images revealed about the enduring and lingering feelings of love that remain after a love is lost. What words or lines evoke an image/s?
Listen to the unhurried and deliberate lines about love (lost) written by Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda. Take note of the images revealed about the enduring and lingering feelings of love that remain after a love is lost. What words or lines evoke an image/s?
tonight_i_can_write_the_saddest_lines.pdf | |
File Size: | 281 kb |
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The Senses
Poet Diane Ackerman has written many books, including non-fiction books of essays on such topics as love and the senses. In her book A Natural History of the Senses, she talks about the importance of using our bodies' sensory capabilities for fuller, richer living.
We tend to be overly attuned to the world via our vision. What we see is forefront in our minds, and our brains process this information.
Do you think this is true? How often do we use idioms like "I see what you're saying," or "Let me see what I can do." "See you later, alligator!" "I've got my eye on you…"
Poet Diane Ackerman has written many books, including non-fiction books of essays on such topics as love and the senses. In her book A Natural History of the Senses, she talks about the importance of using our bodies' sensory capabilities for fuller, richer living.
We tend to be overly attuned to the world via our vision. What we see is forefront in our minds, and our brains process this information.
Do you think this is true? How often do we use idioms like "I see what you're saying," or "Let me see what I can do." "See you later, alligator!" "I've got my eye on you…"
Marge Piercy takes it further:
She is also talking about much more than the sense of seeing. What are you witnessing? is the second part of "seeing" what's all around you.
She is also talking about much more than the sense of seeing. What are you witnessing? is the second part of "seeing" what's all around you.
The average person would say that humans have five senses—and that is true; but when poets write, they use two others, one having to do with temperature, and the other with motion. The seven types of senses are as follows:
1) Visual (based on sight)
2) Aural/Auditory (based on sound)
3) Olfactory (based on smell)
4) Taste
5) Tactile (based on touch)
6) Thermal (based on temperature)
7) Kinesthetic (based on motion)
Swallowing Poetry #2: "Sound"
Read Jim Harrison’s poem, "Sound" and find his use of the seven types of images. He manages to effectively recreates the everyday experience and atmosphere of a man working on his roof in the early morning. Which of the senses does Harrison’s poem appeal to? Provide specific examples from the poem to make your case. What is unusual about the expression, “the loud weight of birds”? Is this an effective image? Explain your opinion.
Sound
by Jim Harrison
At dawn I squat on the garage
with snuff under lip
to sweeten the roofing nails--
my shoes and pant cuffs
are wet with dew.
In the orchard the peach trees
sway with the loud
weight of birds, green fruit, yellow haze.
And my hammar--the cold head taps,
then swing its first full head arc;
the sounds echo across the barn,
muffled in the loft
and out the other side, then lost
in the noise of the birds
as they burst from the trees.
Swallowing Poetry #3: A Sensory Tour
Read through the following poems on the document and indicate with specific language (text from the poem) the words that appeal to the five senses: A SENSORY TOUR
1) Visual (based on sight)
2) Aural/Auditory (based on sound)
3) Olfactory (based on smell)
4) Taste
5) Tactile (based on touch)
6) Thermal (based on temperature)
7) Kinesthetic (based on motion)
Swallowing Poetry #2: "Sound"
Read Jim Harrison’s poem, "Sound" and find his use of the seven types of images. He manages to effectively recreates the everyday experience and atmosphere of a man working on his roof in the early morning. Which of the senses does Harrison’s poem appeal to? Provide specific examples from the poem to make your case. What is unusual about the expression, “the loud weight of birds”? Is this an effective image? Explain your opinion.
Sound
by Jim Harrison
At dawn I squat on the garage
with snuff under lip
to sweeten the roofing nails--
my shoes and pant cuffs
are wet with dew.
In the orchard the peach trees
sway with the loud
weight of birds, green fruit, yellow haze.
And my hammar--the cold head taps,
then swing its first full head arc;
the sounds echo across the barn,
muffled in the loft
and out the other side, then lost
in the noise of the birds
as they burst from the trees.
Swallowing Poetry #3: A Sensory Tour
Read through the following poems on the document and indicate with specific language (text from the poem) the words that appeal to the five senses: A SENSORY TOUR
Poetry Writing Activity 5 & 6: Sensory List Poems
Poetry Writing #5) Write a list of 25 Things That Drive You Crazy
A strong list poem has variety and general detail, i.e. people, places, things, days of the week, foods, cartoon characters, TV shows, etc. Use sensory details: Things that you smell, taste, see, touch and hear. It's not important that you come up with 25 or 55 items, but you should be trained to write for an alloted time that you give yourself...10-15 minutes.
Use a list of words or phrases. Break the images down: If it's dogs that drive you crazy, is it pugs or Pomeranian? And is it the Pomeranian barking in the middle of the night, or is it the pugs who stare at you?
Avoid abstractions: Racism, homophobia, poverty...come up with an image. Instead of poverty--try: shaking pennies from a piggy bank. Toward the last third of the writing time continue the list, but shift to things that drive you crazy in a "good" way, ie, tiramisu, Brad Pitt, Sunday afternoons, etc.
Below are some examples written by students in the 2010 Spoken Word Program at the Banff Centre:
"the Canadian inferiority complex, hippies telling me 'it's all good,' beach culture, verticle suburbians, black licorice, people who talk big ut never follow through, people who actually believe the world will end in 2012, fatalism in all its forms, tragic attitudes, BOO TRAGEDY, self-sabotaging friends, March Madness, the Toronto Raptors, poetry slams, sunflower seeds, espresso, the essays of David Foster Wallace, shopping, etc."
Chris Gilpin
"techno-music from the apartment upstairs, panty lines, reality TV, rain splashing on pants when walking in it, large egos, misogynists, people who don't smile, pedestrians who don't understand driving, drivers who don't understand pedestrians, bad grammar, know-it-alls, sloppy kisses, dark chocolate, my cat biting and rubbing her face in my hair, my cat sleeping on the radiator, my cat spooning with me, my cat on my lap, neck rubs, taking risks, Johnny Depp, making a film, coffee with Bette, hummingbirds, Sudoku Puzzles, meditation, etc."
Pippa Hirst
Poetry Writing #6) The Urge Poem
With the list generated, write an urge poem. Start each line with, "I have the urge to..." and then incorporate the images and phrases from the crazy list. Consider verb choices and focus on image and specificity. For example, " I have the urge to lie. I have the urge to cry. I have the urge to ask why..." doesn't give me a picture ... add details, specifics, where? what? with whom? "I have the urge to drink cold cider from your hands..." evokes something sensory.
Poetry Writing #5) Write a list of 25 Things That Drive You Crazy
A strong list poem has variety and general detail, i.e. people, places, things, days of the week, foods, cartoon characters, TV shows, etc. Use sensory details: Things that you smell, taste, see, touch and hear. It's not important that you come up with 25 or 55 items, but you should be trained to write for an alloted time that you give yourself...10-15 minutes.
Use a list of words or phrases. Break the images down: If it's dogs that drive you crazy, is it pugs or Pomeranian? And is it the Pomeranian barking in the middle of the night, or is it the pugs who stare at you?
Avoid abstractions: Racism, homophobia, poverty...come up with an image. Instead of poverty--try: shaking pennies from a piggy bank. Toward the last third of the writing time continue the list, but shift to things that drive you crazy in a "good" way, ie, tiramisu, Brad Pitt, Sunday afternoons, etc.
Below are some examples written by students in the 2010 Spoken Word Program at the Banff Centre:
"the Canadian inferiority complex, hippies telling me 'it's all good,' beach culture, verticle suburbians, black licorice, people who talk big ut never follow through, people who actually believe the world will end in 2012, fatalism in all its forms, tragic attitudes, BOO TRAGEDY, self-sabotaging friends, March Madness, the Toronto Raptors, poetry slams, sunflower seeds, espresso, the essays of David Foster Wallace, shopping, etc."
Chris Gilpin
"techno-music from the apartment upstairs, panty lines, reality TV, rain splashing on pants when walking in it, large egos, misogynists, people who don't smile, pedestrians who don't understand driving, drivers who don't understand pedestrians, bad grammar, know-it-alls, sloppy kisses, dark chocolate, my cat biting and rubbing her face in my hair, my cat sleeping on the radiator, my cat spooning with me, my cat on my lap, neck rubs, taking risks, Johnny Depp, making a film, coffee with Bette, hummingbirds, Sudoku Puzzles, meditation, etc."
Pippa Hirst
Poetry Writing #6) The Urge Poem
With the list generated, write an urge poem. Start each line with, "I have the urge to..." and then incorporate the images and phrases from the crazy list. Consider verb choices and focus on image and specificity. For example, " I have the urge to lie. I have the urge to cry. I have the urge to ask why..." doesn't give me a picture ... add details, specifics, where? what? with whom? "I have the urge to drink cold cider from your hands..." evokes something sensory.
Poetry Writing Activity #7: Sense, Memory & Image
Now let's try engaging the senses via memory, to get us going. Try to use all your senses.
Try to recall at least one memory of each sense (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing) around each of the four elements below. Write your first thoughts:
Next:
Write a MEMORY poem. There are no rules or parameters, other than to use one of the memories of the elements you generated in the sense exercise, and call it "Consider This." Oh, and to only write a few words on each line, because that's a modern way of writing a poem. (Free verse, enjambment)
So, to reiterate:
See the example to the left
Try to recall at least one memory of each sense (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing) around each of the four elements below. Write your first thoughts:
- Fire: recall a fire you've experienced (a campfire, a bush fire, etc.) How hot was it? What did it feel like to be close to the flames?
- Earth: what do you think of first when you think of earth? Soil, the planet, etc.? How does it feel between your fingers? What colour is it? How does it smell?
- Water: what body of water are you most drawn to: lake, ocean, river, stream, rain? What does it feel like on your skin?
- Air: think of how air can change an experience: a stuffy, airless room, a windy night, etc. Can you feel the air against your face? What temperature is it?
Next:
Write a MEMORY poem. There are no rules or parameters, other than to use one of the memories of the elements you generated in the sense exercise, and call it "Consider This." Oh, and to only write a few words on each line, because that's a modern way of writing a poem. (Free verse, enjambment)
So, to reiterate:
- Think of a memory involving each element, and ask yourself what you were sensing. Write those memories down.
- Write down the title "Consider This."
- Write a poem from there, using one of your memories, and only put a few words on each line. You don't need to capitalize the first letter of each line; this can be done but for now, leave them as smaller case letters.
See the example to the left
What can you include in a poem? Are there sacred subjects or themes; is anything forbidden? Here's what Ted Kooser has to say about it:
Symbolism
A Definition
A Notable Example: “The God of Our Farm Had Blades” by Todd Boss
The windmill symbolizes tremendous power and control, not only on the farm, but that is has over the speaker—”it belonged to another order” referring to the speaker’s own “inner tower” that yearned to seek-out and explore “unknown water.”
View: “The God of Our Farm Had Blades” by Todd Boss. Notice the symbolic meaning of the windmill in this poem.
A Definition
- An object, person, or action that has meaning or significance beyond itself. The writer rarely states directly what the symbol means.
- As a device, symbolism adds compression and complexity wherever it is used. Some symbols are generally known—have a common association (e.g., a bird in flight symbolizing a character’s desire for freedom); alternately, others depend on their context for their meaning—that is, the author creates a symbol that has a particular meaning within the structure of the poem.
- There is a very important difference between the literal meaning of a work and its thematic/symbolic meaning. The literal meaning describes the events that take place; the thematic meaning is the “big idea” about life that the events imply.
- When you analyze a work in detail, you have to consider the literal meaning and the symbolic meaning of each part. The symbolic meaning is usually what connects the events to the theme of the work.
A Notable Example: “The God of Our Farm Had Blades” by Todd Boss
The windmill symbolizes tremendous power and control, not only on the farm, but that is has over the speaker—”it belonged to another order” referring to the speaker’s own “inner tower” that yearned to seek-out and explore “unknown water.”
View: “The God of Our Farm Had Blades” by Todd Boss. Notice the symbolic meaning of the windmill in this poem.
Swallowing Poetry #4: "Crow"
In this activity, you’ll read the poems, “Crow” by John Degan and "Backdrop Address Cowboy by Margaret Atwood.
In this activity, you’ll look at how responding to “How to Swallow a Poem” (Step 7) helps to discover the symbolic meanings from both poems.
Step 7: What are the images in this poem? Write these down, and note your thoughts about them. Note any objects or images that have conventional significance. Are there any symbols? In other words, are there any objects or animals that the poet seems to be translating the qualities from to something else? Is there a picture the poet is trying to create?
As you read "Crow," ask yourself, “What do I think the crow stands for?” Sometimes poets use symbolism that can be easily interpreted, or they draw on common knowledge, something we all know. This technique provides a grounding device for the reader.
Crow
--Jim Degan
Crows, you notice,
prefer the very tops of trees;
being claustrophobic, a cage
of branches at mid-trunk
would set them panicking.
Born time-wasters, they're
the TV watchers of nature,
enraptured by shiny things.
They perch beside highways,
at the very tops of trees, and
gaze liquidly at the big
river of shiny things, flowing
in two directions at once.
Proud of their own mystery,
they like to show up
just when it seems their shape
against the sky
is most symbolic of--
what?---death, intelligence
in the woods,
laughter let slip into the past.
While you walk your parents' dog
through a winter forest
of bald branches, they appear,
at the very tops of trees, and speak
of their own arrivals, disappearing
just when you settle on
what the pure
throat noise might mean.
In this activity, you’ll read the poems, “Crow” by John Degan and "Backdrop Address Cowboy by Margaret Atwood.
In this activity, you’ll look at how responding to “How to Swallow a Poem” (Step 7) helps to discover the symbolic meanings from both poems.
Step 7: What are the images in this poem? Write these down, and note your thoughts about them. Note any objects or images that have conventional significance. Are there any symbols? In other words, are there any objects or animals that the poet seems to be translating the qualities from to something else? Is there a picture the poet is trying to create?
As you read "Crow," ask yourself, “What do I think the crow stands for?” Sometimes poets use symbolism that can be easily interpreted, or they draw on common knowledge, something we all know. This technique provides a grounding device for the reader.
Crow
--Jim Degan
Crows, you notice,
prefer the very tops of trees;
being claustrophobic, a cage
of branches at mid-trunk
would set them panicking.
Born time-wasters, they're
the TV watchers of nature,
enraptured by shiny things.
They perch beside highways,
at the very tops of trees, and
gaze liquidly at the big
river of shiny things, flowing
in two directions at once.
Proud of their own mystery,
they like to show up
just when it seems their shape
against the sky
is most symbolic of--
what?---death, intelligence
in the woods,
laughter let slip into the past.
While you walk your parents' dog
through a winter forest
of bald branches, they appear,
at the very tops of trees, and speak
of their own arrivals, disappearing
just when you settle on
what the pure
throat noise might mean.
Read the next poem, "Backdrop Address Cowboy," What are the images in this poem? The poem maintains a critical, confrontational tone, set up, in part, in the description of the cowboy. Identify and explain the adjectives in the first four stanzas that convey the poem's tone. Who might accept those adjectives as being truthful--that is, who are the villains in the story? The recipient of the cowboy's show of bravado says, "I ought to be watching .../ but I am elsewhere." Who might the "I" be? Who might the cowboy symbolize?
Backdrop Address Cowboy----------------Margaret Atwood
Starspangled cowboy
sauntering out of the almost-
silly West, on your face
a porcelain grin,
tugging a papier-mache cactus
on wheels behind you with a string,
you are innocent as a bathtub
full of bullets.
Your righteous eyes, your laconic
trigger-fingers
people the streets with villains:
as you move, the air in front of you
blossoms with targets
and you leave behind you a heroic
trail of desolation:
beer bottles
slaughtered by the side
of the road, bird-
skulls bleaching in the sunset.
I ought to be watching
from behind a cliff or a cardboard storefront
with the shooting stars, hands clasped
in admiration,
but I am elsewhere.
Then what about me
what about the I
confronting you on that border
you are always trying to cross?
I am the horizon
you ride towards, the think you can never lasso
I am also what surrounds you:
my brain
scattered with your tincans, bones, empty shells,
the litter of your invasions.
I am the space you desecrate
as you pass through.
VERBAL VISUAL COLLAGE:
Choose one of these poems, or another that speaks to you, and construct a blended verbal and visual collage of the various expressions and images in the poem.
Backdrop Address Cowboy----------------Margaret Atwood
Starspangled cowboy
sauntering out of the almost-
silly West, on your face
a porcelain grin,
tugging a papier-mache cactus
on wheels behind you with a string,
you are innocent as a bathtub
full of bullets.
Your righteous eyes, your laconic
trigger-fingers
people the streets with villains:
as you move, the air in front of you
blossoms with targets
and you leave behind you a heroic
trail of desolation:
beer bottles
slaughtered by the side
of the road, bird-
skulls bleaching in the sunset.
I ought to be watching
from behind a cliff or a cardboard storefront
with the shooting stars, hands clasped
in admiration,
but I am elsewhere.
Then what about me
what about the I
confronting you on that border
you are always trying to cross?
I am the horizon
you ride towards, the think you can never lasso
I am also what surrounds you:
my brain
scattered with your tincans, bones, empty shells,
the litter of your invasions.
I am the space you desecrate
as you pass through.
VERBAL VISUAL COLLAGE:
Choose one of these poems, or another that speaks to you, and construct a blended verbal and visual collage of the various expressions and images in the poem.
Poetry Writing Activity #8: Put Yourself in the Scene
Look at this image:
Or go to Google Maps and enter the name of a large city, such as Rome or New York. Go to Street View. What do you see?
Image: http://hipparis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HiP-Paris-Blog-Carin-Olsson-People-Watching-9.jpg
Look at this image:
Or go to Google Maps and enter the name of a large city, such as Rome or New York. Go to Street View. What do you see?
- Place yourself in the scene. Write a poem about what you see. Try to describe your surroundings, paying as much attention to what you see as possible. Not everything you see has to be in this picture! Imagine what's beyond it. Just let yourself go into all that you can see.
- Write in present tense. "I am, the sun is, frogs croak, etc."
- Then, "see" if you can tighten the language of what you've written. Use a couple of literary tools such as symbols, simile or metaphor (comparing what you see in the scene to other things).
Image: http://hipparis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HiP-Paris-Blog-Carin-Olsson-People-Watching-9.jpg