your electronic poetry portfolio… …or poetry and you

Your Electronic Poetry Portfolio…

Your Electronic Poetry Portfolio…

…or Poetry and You…or Poetry and You

Important Questions:

we all should ask when looking at poetry.

Important Questions:

we all should ask when looking at poetry.

What can poetry tell us about history, society, and ourselves?


Why do we read, write, and need poetry?

(do all these words have a purpose)



How can we apply poetry to our lives?How can we apply poetry to our lives?

ROBERT PINSKY

"Poetry...is an ancient art or technology: older than the computer, older than print, older than writing and indeed, though some may find this surprising, much older than prose. I presume that the technology of poetry, using the human body as its medium, evolved for specific uses; to hold things in memory, both within and beyond the individual life span; to achieve intensity and sensuous appeal; to express feelings and ideas rapidly and memorably. To share those feelings and ideas with companions, and also with the dead and with those to come after us."

ROBERT FROST

"A poem begins with a lump in the throat, a home-sickness or a love-sickness. It is a reaching-out toward expression; an effort to find fulfillment. A complete poem is one where the emotion has found its thought and the thought has found the words.”

DYLAN THOMAS

"Poetry is what makes me laugh or cry or yawn, what makes my toenails twinkle, what makes me want to do this or that or nothing.”



40 Reasons in 40 Seconds 40 Reasons in 40 Seconds

SingsSings

MovesMoves

ShimmersShimmers

Cracks the whipCracks the whip

Has an indefinable "woo woo" qualityHas an indefinable "woo woo" quality

Recreates the early childhood pleasures of moon, Mom, and mudRecreates the early childhood pleasures of moon, Mom, and mud

Forces an epiphanyForces an epiphany

Imitates natureImitates nature

Contains the music of plain speechContains the music of plain speech

Marries sound and meaningMarries sound and meaning

Just sounds goodJust sounds good

Shatters self-important, secluded views of the worldShatters self-important, secluded views of the world

Snaps you into a different state of mindSnaps you into a different state of mind

Sets off your indicator lightsSets off your indicator lights

Is the exact opposite of a gazebungleIs the exact opposite of a gazebungle

Connects the reader with an interior "otherness," sort of like musicConnects the reader with an interior "otherness," sort of like music

Brings the whole soul of man into activityBrings the whole soul of man into activity

Offers the most accurate possible symbolic image of objects which when they are actually seen cause distress (worms, etc.)Offers the most accurate possible symbolic image of objects which when they are actually seen cause distress (worms, etc.)

Instructs by pleasingInstructs by pleasing

Proposes pleasure, not truth, as the immediate object of attentionProposes pleasure, not truth, as the immediate object of attention

Creates a sort of religious feelingCreates a sort of religious feeling

Is nothing else, so is poetic by defaultIs nothing else, so is poetic by default

Remembers things silently gone out of mindRemembers things silently gone out of mind

Induces movement by precise expressionInduces movement by precise expression

Transforms contemplated emotion into actual, felt emotionTransforms contemplated emotion into actual, felt emotion

Breathes the finer spirit of all knowledgeBreathes the finer spirit of all knowledge Looks before and afterLooks before and after

Sees relationships and love everywhereSees relationships and love everywhere

Binds together by passion and knowledge the vast empire of human societyBinds together by passion and knowledge the vast empire of human society

Feels as if it was always intended to be written as a poem and does not feel like prose in dragFeels as if it was always intended to be written as a poem and does not feel like prose in drag

Achieves a certain level of song that exceeds the limits of human languageAchieves a certain level of song that exceeds the limits of human language

Causes a crackling blue spark to arc from the page to the reader's mindCauses a crackling blue spark to arc from the page to the reader's mind

Purges pity and terrorPurges pity and terrorRitualistically recalls horrible memories in loving detailRitualistically recalls horrible memories in loving detail

Is news that stays newsIs news that stays news

Hits you with a brickHits you with a brick

Lives beautifully for a moment and then diesLives beautifully for a moment and then dies

Burns for the joy of itBurns for the joy of it

Rings your bellRings your bell

Lifts you offLifts you off





I DON’T KNOW!I DON’T KNOW!




But that is what we are going to try and figure out.

But that is what we are going to try and figure out.

Metaphysical, Cavalier, and Puritan Poetry(Renaissance)

“To His Coy Mistress”—Marvell“The Flea”—Donne

Romanticism and Romantic Poetry

“She Walks in Beauty”—Byron

Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite Poetry

“The Lady of Shalott”—Tennyson“Porphyria’s Lover”—Browning

Modern Poetry

“Truth Kills Everybody”—Hughes

Metaphysical, Cavalier, and Puritan Poetry(Renaissance)

“To His Coy Mistress”—Marvell“The Flea”—Donne

Romanticism and Romantic Poetry

“She Walks in Beauty”—Byron

Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite Poetry

“The Lady of Shalott”—Tennyson“Porphyria’s Lover”—Browning

Modern Poetry

“Truth Kills Everybody”—Hughes

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellow'd to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impair'd the nameless graceWhich waves in every raven tress, Or softly lightens o'er her face;Where thoughts serenely sweet express How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. And on that cheek, and o'er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent!

She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellow'd to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impair'd the nameless graceWhich waves in every raven tress, Or softly lightens o'er her face;Where thoughts serenely sweet express How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. And on that cheek, and o'er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent!

Lord Byron was born in 1788 and died in 1824

HISTORY VIDEO

“[Poetry] is the lava of the imagination whose eruption prevents an earthquake”

Lord Byron was born in 1788 and died in 1824

HISTORY VIDEO

“[Poetry] is the lava of the imagination whose eruption prevents an earthquake”

Imagery: light/dark images: shows a contrast/balance between dark (beauty) and light

(tacky). Images include - LIGHT: gaudy day denies; DARK: which waves in every raven

tresses, or softly lightens o’er her face; Light/Dark: One shade the more, one ray the less

Imagery: light/dark images: shows a contrast/balance between dark (beauty) and light

(tacky). Images include - LIGHT: gaudy day denies; DARK: which waves in every raven

tresses, or softly lightens o’er her face; Light/Dark: One shade the more, one ray the less

Simile: “She walks in beauty, like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies” (lines 1-2). The

poet compares two dissimilar things: the beauty of a woman to the peaceful perfection of the

night.

Simile: “She walks in beauty, like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies” (lines 1-2). The

poet compares two dissimilar things: the beauty of a woman to the peaceful perfection of the

night.

Attitude: The poet’s solemn explanation of beauty leaves the reader in a state of awe. “Where

thoughts serenely sweet express/How pure, how dear their dwelling-place” (Bryon, lines 11-12).

By choosing words such as serenely and pure, the poet creates a feeling of reverence. This

tone of reverence lifts the object of beauty above that of mediocrity.

Attitude: The poet’s solemn explanation of beauty leaves the reader in a state of awe. “Where

thoughts serenely sweet express/How pure, how dear their dwelling-place” (Bryon, lines 11-12).

By choosing words such as serenely and pure, the poet creates a feeling of reverence. This

tone of reverence lifts the object of beauty above that of mediocrity.

Theme: In She walks in Beauty, Byron explains how beauty goes beyond the physical. “A mind

at peace with all below/A heart whose love is innocent” (lines 17-18). One should not judge

beauty by the tackiness and distortions of light but by the soft, calm, and eloquent shades of

gray created by darkness. The true definition of beauty lies within.

Theme: In She walks in Beauty, Byron explains how beauty goes beyond the physical. “A mind

at peace with all below/A heart whose love is innocent” (lines 17-18). One should not judge

beauty by the tackiness and distortions of light but by the soft, calm, and eloquent shades of

gray created by darkness. The true definition of beauty lies within.

So Crow found Proteus—steaming in the sun. Stinking with sea-bottom growths Like the plug of the earth's sump-outlet.There he lay—belching quakily.

Crow pounced and buried his talons—

And it was the famous bulging Achilles—but he held him The oesophagus of a staring shark—but he held it A wreath of lashing mambas—but he held it

It was a naked powerline, 2000 volts—He stood aside, watching his body go blueAs he held it and held it

It was a screeching woman and he had her by the throat—He held it

A gone steering wheel pouncing towards a cliff-edge—He held it

A trunk of jewels dragging into a· black depth—he held it

The ankle of a rising, fiery angel—he held itChrist's hot pounding heart—he held it

The earth, shrunk to the size of a hand grenade

And he held it he held it and held it and

BANG!

He was blasted to nothing.

So Crow found Proteus—steaming in the sun. Stinking with sea-bottom growths Like the plug of the earth's sump-outlet.There he lay—belching quakily.

Crow pounced and buried his talons—

And it was the famous bulging Achilles—but he held him The oesophagus of a staring shark—but he held it A wreath of lashing mambas—but he held it

It was a naked powerline, 2000 volts—He stood aside, watching his body go blueAs he held it and held it

It was a screeching woman and he had her by the throat—He held it

A gone steering wheel pouncing towards a cliff-edge—He held it

A trunk of jewels dragging into a· black depth—he held it

The ankle of a rising, fiery angel—he held itChrist's hot pounding heart—he held it

The earth, shrunk to the size of a hand grenade

And he held it he held it and held it and

BANG!

He was blasted to nothing.

Ted Hughes was born in 1930 and died in 1998

Named British Poet Laureate in 1984. Married to American Poet Sylvia Plath.

“Maybe all poetry… is revealing of something that the writer doesn’t actually want to say, but desperately needs to communicate”

Ted Hughes was born in 1930 and died in 1998

Named British Poet Laureate in 1984. Married to American Poet Sylvia Plath.

“Maybe all poetry… is revealing of something that the writer doesn’t actually want to say, but desperately needs to communicate”

Allusion: “So Crow found Proteus—steaming in the sun” (line 1). Hughes alludes to Proteus from Greek mythology. A son of Poseidon who knew everything about the past, present and future, but did not like to tell the future to anyone. He could change himself into any shape he pleased, but if he were nevertheless seized and held, he would foretell the future..

Allusion: “So Crow found Proteus—steaming in the sun” (line 1). Hughes alludes to Proteus from Greek mythology. A son of Poseidon who knew everything about the past, present and future, but did not like to tell the future to anyone. He could change himself into any shape he pleased, but if he were nevertheless seized and held, he would foretell the future..

Onomatopoeia: “BANG!” (line 21). The word bang imitates the sound of a large explosion.Onomatopoeia: “BANG!” (line 21). The word bang imitates the sound of a large explosion.

Attitude: The attitude of The Truth Kills Everybody is one of desperation. The poet repeats the

words “he held it” through out the poem (Hughes, lines 7,8,11,13,15-18,20). With every

repetition, Hughes captures the anxiety and suspense that one feels as they try to hold onto

that which is important. This apprehension continues until one word, “BANG!”, captures the

final feeling that all is lost (line 21).

Attitude: The attitude of The Truth Kills Everybody is one of desperation. The poet repeats the

words “he held it” through out the poem (Hughes, lines 7,8,11,13,15-18,20). With every

repetition, Hughes captures the anxiety and suspense that one feels as they try to hold onto

that which is important. This apprehension continues until one word, “BANG!”, captures the

final feeling that all is lost (line 21).

Theme: Holding onto the elusive can be devastating as Ted Hughes points out in his poem The

Truth Kills Everybody. “The earth, shrunk to the size of a hand grenade/And he held it he held it

and held it and/BANG!/He was blasted to nothing” (Hughes, lines 19-21). There comes a time

when one needs to evaluate that which he/she is holding onto whether it is a memory, a dream,

etc and determine if the outcome is worth the struggle. Although it maybe painful, sometimes

the truth dictates one to let go.

Theme: Holding onto the elusive can be devastating as Ted Hughes points out in his poem The

Truth Kills Everybody. “The earth, shrunk to the size of a hand grenade/And he held it he held it

and held it and/BANG!/He was blasted to nothing” (Hughes, lines 19-21). There comes a time

when one needs to evaluate that which he/she is holding onto whether it is a memory, a dream,

etc and determine if the outcome is worth the struggle. Although it maybe painful, sometimes

the truth dictates one to let go.

your electronic poetry portfolio… …or poetry and you

Documents

technology of poetry

purposei dont

human body

robert frosta poem

complete poem

limits of human languagecauses

sort of like musicbrings

love everywherebinds