February 25, 2014 - Analyzing Poetry

• I can make inferences about lines of poetry and struggle through the reading process in order to make meaning.
• To do this I must use a variety of reading strategies like breaking down stanzas and focusing on WHAT I DO KNOW.
• I will demonstrate this by discussing and writing about the meaning of individual lines and how a close read of poetry helped me build meaning of the entire poem.

Notes on Poetry:

Truths: Poetry is difficult. You should not understand a poem fully after one read. If someone says they understood a poem after one read, the poem was either very boring and elementary or they are lying.

Strategies: 

1. Focus on what you do know.
2. Use context clues
3. Make inferences
4. Separate Stanzas
5. Break down lines
6. Find literary Devices
7. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU DO KNOW

Process:

1. Read poem once and get the gist
2. draw lines after each stanza
3. Summarize each stanza
4. Circle words or phrases you think may be important
5. Annotate for literary device
6. Make inferences about them based on other steps

Directions for Poem: Use strategies and processes above to analyze the poem below.

A Poison Tree

BY WILLIAM BLAKE

I was angry with my friend; 

I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

I was angry with my foe: 

I told it not, my wrath did grow. 

And I waterd it in fears,

Night & morning with my tears: 

And I sunned it with smiles,

And with soft deceitful wiles. 

And it grew both day and night. 

Till it bore an apple bright. 

And my foe beheld it shine,

And he knew that it was mine. 

And into my garden stole, 

When the night had veild the pole; 

In the morning glad I see; 

My foe outstretched beneath the tree.