Transcript Letters to a Young Poet

“Letters to a Young Poet”
```By Rainer Maria Rilke
Imagine this:
Your best friend is an aspiring rap artist and sends you a copy of their mix
tape to listen to over the weekend. Since you’ve listened to rap music since
elementary school, your friend wants to know your honest opinion.
criticism (n.) – the activity of making careful judgments about the good
and bad qualities of books, movies, etc
Write 3 Sentences:
Would you listen to their mix tape and give your friend constructive
criticism so they can improve ?
Or would you listen to their mix tape and keep your criticisms to
yourself
Why???
“Letters To a Young Poet”
Who?
Rilke writes 10 letters in response to a young man named Kappus
Why?
Kappus is struggling to decide if he wants to become a writer or a soldier
What?
Rilke is responding to Kappus’ request that he critique his poetry
When?
February 17, 1903
Where?
Paris, France
Letter One
Setting: Written in Paris, France on February 17, 1903
criticism (n.) – the activity of making careful judgments
about the good and bad qualities of books, movies, etc.
Theme: ???
How To: Create a Found Poem
1.) Circle or list the strongest words from Letter 1. Pay
special attention to powerful verbs, significant nouns,
and well-chosen adjectives.
2.) Start the poem with a strong word or phrase. As
much as possible, honor the author’s original order of
words. Think about which phrases require emphasis,
and consider line breaks accordingly. Strong words and
phrases should stand alone.
3.) Edit the poem for verb tense. If you add words to
maintain grammatical sense, keep them at a minimum.
4.) Title the poem and write a final draft. Be sure
Ticket-Out-The-Door
What is 1 important idea introduced in the first two
paragraphs of “Letters”?
Homework:
How does Rilke introduce and develop an important
idea in the first two paragraphs of “Letter One”?
Use 2 pieces of textual evidence in your response.