Introduction to Poetry

“In a poem the words should be as pleasing to the ear as the meaning is

to the mind.” -- Marianne Moore

The Flying Wonder

- Stephen Vincent Benet

Stephen Vincent Benét (1898-1943 ) was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, into an army family. His father, Colonel J. Walker Benét, served as a commanding officer of ordinance posts in California and Georgia. Frances Neill (Rose) Benét, Stephen's mother, was a descendant of an old Kentucky military family. Because his father was an avid reader, Benét grew up in home, where reading literature was valued and enjoyed.

Stephen Vincent Benet is ranked 324 in the top 500 poets

The Flying Wonder

Said Orville Wright to Wilbur Wright, "These birds are very trying. I'm sick of hearing them cheep-cheep About the fun of flying. A bird has feathers, it is true.That much I freely grant. But must that stop us, W?"Said Wilbur Wright, "It shan’t ”And so they built a glider, first, And then they built another.There never were two brothers more Devoted to each other.They ran a dusty little shop For bicycle-repairing,And bought each other soda-pop And praised each other's daring. They glided here, they glided there, They sometimes skinned their noses.

For learning how to rule the airWas not a bed of roses-But each would murmur, afterward, While patching up his bro."Are we discouraged, W?” "Of course we are not, 0!" And finally, at Kitty HawkIn Nineteen-Three (let's cheer it!), The first real aeroplane really flew With Orville there to steer it!-And kingdoms may forget their kingsAnd dogs forget their bites,But not till Man forgets his wings Will men forget the Wrights. - Stephen Vincent Benet

Kitty Hawk- name of place in AmericaW- Wilbur 0- Orville

Characters

Narrator - guides us through the thoughts of the Wright Brothers

Orville Wright - bicycle repairman and first American pilot

Wilbur Wright - bicycle repairman and pilot

Section -1

Wilbur and Orville Wright agree that just because a bird has feathers doesn't mean that man cannot fly and have fun flying like the birds

Section 2

Wilbur and Orville Wright build gliders, support each other during the development phases of flying and "praise each other's daring“ Wilbur and Orville Wright were bicycle repairmen

Section 3

Even though the brothers crashed, they went on to "rule the air" which was a difficult thing to do and were never discouraged

Orville:"Are we discouraged, W?"Wilbur:"Of course we are not, O!“

Section 4

In 1903, in Kitty Hawk, the "first real airplane really flew’’. Orville piloted the first flight and the narrator says that the Wrights will not be forgotten for their first flight as long as Man remembers his wings.

Other Notes: It was good to have the mechanical skills necessary

to work on bicycles because many of those skills transfered to working on airplanes.

The authors were proud of the Wright Brothers and in fact, ask the audience to cheer in the poem.

ALLITERATION

To the lay-person, these are called “tongue-twisters”.

Example:

The first real aeroplane really flew.

The repetition of the initial letter or sound in two or more words in a line.

Pick out the words in alliteration in the given lines

1.About the fun of flying.2.And kingdoms may forget their kings3.They glided here, they glided there 4.They sometimes skinned their noses

RHYME The repetition of sounds

Example: hat, cat, bat, fat, mat, sat

-And kingdoms may forget their kingsAnd dogs forget their bites,But not till Man forgets his wings Will men

forget the Wrights.

Answer the following questions1. What was the aspiration of Wright brothers?2. Were they successful in realising their cherished dream?3. When did the first plane take off?4. What kind of relationship did the brothers share between themselves?5. What do you think about their achievement?6. What is the meaning of the phrase "skinned their noses"?

Answer the following questions in about 100 words each:

1. Identify the qualities of the Wright brothers, their abilities and talents.2. Critically appreciate the poem 'The Flying Wonder'.

Project

Collect the following:

• Group 1-Pictures of different aeroplanes and paste them in your scrap book.

• Group 2-Poems of inventions/inventors. • Group 3-Picture of inventions and the inventors with the life

history. • Group 4-Prepare a flow chart on inventions/inventors.

• Share your experience and material with other groups.