Transcript Mini Lesson

Our Poetry
Vocabulary and
Mini Lessons
“Annabel Lee”
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winged – having wings
 (pronounced
wing-ed)
seraphs – angels
 kinsmen – relatives
 sepulcher – tomb
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 (pronounced
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sep-ul-ker)
coveted – to wish for with great envy
“Because I Could Not Stop for
Death”
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immortality – living forever
haste – hurry
civility – politeness
tulle – (pronounced “tool”)
 a net-like fabric often used in wedding veils
gossamer – a light-weight, delicate fabric
cornice – the decorative piece that forms the top edge
of a building or column and often extends beyond it
surmised – decided or guessed
Mini Lesson # ___
“Because I Could Not Stop for Death”
by: Emily Dickinson
G? What literary devices does
the Dickinson use to enrich her
writing?
Personification
 The
giving of human qualities to the
non-human
“Because I could not stop for
Death/He kindly stopped for me . . .”
Alliteration

The repetition of consonant sounds within
lines of poetry
 “ . . . For only Gossamer,
my Gown/My Tippet only
Tulle . . .”
“Big Yellow Taxi”
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DDT – (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)
 A toxic insecticide
“The Choice”
 billowing
– a rolling mass like a
wave
 smoldering – red, like a
slow smoky fire
 lilting – in a lively, cheerful
manner
“Crossing the Bar”
 moaning
– a long, low sound
indicating pain or grief
 embark – depart, leave
 bourne – limit, destination
“The Day is Done”
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wafted – to float lightly in the breeze or waves
akin – similar to
banish – to drive or force away
“bards sublime” famous, old poets (like
Shakespeare)
martial – suited for a warrior or war
toll – costs, price paid
endeavor – efforts, work
devoid – without
benediction – an expression of good wishes
“Desiderata”
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placidly – peacefully,
calmly
amid – in the middle
of
haste – hurry
vexations – causes of
trouble or worry
feign – pretend
cynical – doubtful
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aridity – dryness
disenchantment –
disappointments
perennial – returning
year after year
labors and aspirations
– work and goals
sham – fake
drudgery – hard or
dull work
“Dreams Lead the Heart”
 vivid
– bright, bold
 falters
– moves unsteadily
Mini Lesson #__
“Dreams Lead the Heart”
by: Margaret Sangster
G?: What literary devices does
Sangster use to enrich her writing?
Personification
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The use of human qualities to portray the
non-human
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“ . . . There is no dream so small but its slim
fingers/May point the path to all that life holds
best . . .”
“The Eagle”
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clasps – grabs (as if by claws)
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crag – a steep rugged rock or cliff
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azure – the color of a clear blue sky
“Fog”
haunches – rear legs
Mini Lesson # ___
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“The Eagle,” by: Alfred, Lord Tennyson
“Fog,” by: Carl Sandburg
“the drum,” by: Nikki Giovanni
GQ: What makes imagery imagery?
Imagery
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Language that a poet or writer uses to help a
reader re-create a mental “image” of a scene
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Uses the senses to how something looks, smells,
tastes, sounds, feels
“The Forecast”
sprawl –
to spread out
or lie about
“For My Sister Molly Who in the
Fifties”
 Eatonton
(Georgia)
 Walker’s
hometown
“Friendship”
 chaff-
the trashy matter separated from
the seed when threshing grain
 sift – to separate
 (in this case, the good from the bad)
“The Frost”
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blustering – to move in a
noisy, boastful way
“in vain” – without
success
crest – the upper part or
point
boughs – branches
“mail”- armor made of
small metal links
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margin – edge or border
bevies- a large group of
cupboard- (pronounced
“cub-bard”)
 kitchen cabinet
“tchick” – the sound
of breaking glass
 An example of
onomatopoeia
Mini Lesson # __
“The Frost,” by Hannah Flagg Gould
G? What literary
devices does Gould
use to enrich her
writing?
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Personification
A
type of figurative language in which
a non-human subject is given human
qualities
 Frost talks, looks, thinks, etc.
Onomatopoeia
 The
use of words to imitate sounds
 Examples: crash, buzz, hiss, jingle,
cluck
“tchick” creates the
sound of cracking glass
Rhyme scheme
 AAAB
CCCB
Alliteration
 The
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repetition of consonant sounds
such as “bevies of birds”
“If ”
 imposter
– pretender
 knaves – persons of low-class birth
 pitch-and-toss – a gamble
 sinew – tendons that hold
muscles in place
 virtue – good moral conduct
“Incident in a Rose Garden”
 scythe
– (pronounced “syth”)
 A gardening tool with a curved
blade and a long handle
the Grim Reaper’s tool of choice
 beckoned – called or signaled as if to
invite
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Mini Lesson #__
“Incident in a Rose Garden”
by: Donald Justice
G? What literary devices does
Justice use to enrich his writing?
Personification
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Applying human qualities to non-human
entities
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. . .Death/ . . . stood there . . . [and] . . .
He would have spoken . . .”
Simile
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A comparison of 2 elements using “like”
or “as”
“
. . .Death/ . . .Thin as a
scythe . . .stood there . . .”
Irony
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What occurs is the opposite of what is expected
to happen
 The
master assumes that
Death would never come
for him (because of his position,
wealth, age, etc.)
“Invictus”
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fell – dangerous
winced – to shrink back as if in pain
clutch – grasp
circumstance – situation
bludgeonings – beatings
wrath – violent anger
looms – hangs around
menace – danger
strait – distressed or confused
Mini Lesson # ___
“Invictus” by: William Ernest Henley
G? What literary devices does
Henley use to enrich his
writing?
Rhyme Scheme
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A rhyme pattern present at the end of
poetry lines
 abab
Alliteration
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The repetition of consonant sounds within
lines of poetry
 “ . . . Black as the pit from pole to pole . . . ”
 “Under
the bludgeonings of chance/My head
is bloody, but unbowed . . .”
“A Life on the Ocean”
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revels – a noisy celebration
rave – move about wildly
brine – salty, sea water
gale – a strong wind
stout – strong and sturdy
tempest- chaos and commotion
pine – to long for something very much
abaft – toward the stern or rear end of the boat
Mini Lesson #___
“A Life on the Ocean Wave”
by: Epes Sargent
G? What literary devices does Sargent use to
enrich his writing?
Personification
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The use of human qualities or actions
to portray the non-human
 “.
. .The clouds have begun to
frown . . .”
Similes
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A comparison using “like” or “as”
 “like
a caged eagle”
 “like an ocean-bird”
Rhyme scheme
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A pattern of end-line rhyme
 ABABCDCD
“Living”
woo/court- to try to gain the love of
 bliss – something that brings happiness
 fondle/caress – to touch or handle in
tender or loving way
 advent – the first appearance or arrival
 hail – greet
 attain – achieve, get
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“Love”
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tavern – a drinking bar
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reproach – deserving shame or disgrace
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creed – a statement of beliefs or guiding
principles
“Mother to Son”
 stair
– short form of “staircase”
 tacks – small nails
 landing – the level part of a
staircase
Mini Lesson # ___
“Mother to Son”
by: Langston Hughes
G? Who is the speaker of a poem?
The speaker
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Definition: the voice that speaks the poem’s
words
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a person whose attitude and personality are created
by the poet.
2. The title gives clues about the speaker.
3. The poem generally shares speaker’s
experiences and offers advice based on that
experience.
4. Important: The speaker may or may not be
the poet.
“The New Colossus”
brazen – sounding loud and harsh
 exiles – someone who is forced to leave his
home country
 storied – having an interesting history
 pomp – a show of magnificence or splendor
 wretched – miserable or unhappy
 refuse – (pronounced “ref-use”)
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worthless, garbage
teeming – filled
 tempest-tost – tossed about in commotion or
chaos
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Mini Lesson # __
“The New Colossus” by: Emma Lazarus
G? What literary devices
does Lazarus use to enrich
her writing?
Rhyme Scheme
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A pattern of end-line rhyme
 abbaa
Allusion
A
reference to a famous historical
or literary figure for comparison
purposes
 Colossus:
a statue erected
in Greece to honor the Greek
sun god, Helios
Alliteration
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The repetition of consonants within
lines of poetry
at our sea-washed,
sunset gates shall stand . . .”
“ . . .glows world-wide
welcome . . .”
“Here
“O Captain, My Captain”
 rack
– torture, pain, or sorrow
 exulting – celebrating
 keel – a timber which runs the center
length of a ship
 grim – solemn
 trills – plays musical
notes
Mini Lesson # __
“O’ Captain, My Captain”
by Walt Whitman
G? What literary device does Whitman
use to enrich his writing?
Extended Metaphor
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A figure of speech in which something is described as
though it were something different
 Used to point out similarities between unlike things
 The comparison continues the entire length of the
piece
 “fearful trip” the Civil War
 “the ship” the United States
 “the prize” victory
 “the port”  peace
 “captain” “father” Lincoln
from “The Passionate Shepherd” and
“The Nymphs Reply to the
Passionate Shepherd”
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prive – enjoy
dales – valleys
melodious – singing
madrigals – love songs
kirtle – gown
dumb – unable to speak
wanton – extravagant
wayward – tending to do as one pleases
reckoning yields – gives into a time for the settling
of accounts
gall – bitterness
Philomel – a nightgale that sings love songs
“Ring Out, Wild Bells”
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saps – drains the energy from
feud – disagreements
redress – relieve, remedy, to set right
strife – conflict
modes – kinds or ways
mournful – sad
fuller minstrel – singer of the highest rank
false pride – arrogance
civic slander – dishonest statements made about other
people
foul – nasty
narrow lust – focused greed
“The Road Not Taken”
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diverged – to move or extend in different
directions from a common point
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(such as a fork in the road)
undergrowth – low growing plant life on the
floor of a forest
trodden – to tread or walk on
Mini Lesson # ___
“The Road Not Taken” by: Robert Frost
G?: What literary device does Frost use to
enrich his writing?
Extended Metaphor
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A figure of speech in which something is
described as though it were something different
 Used to point out similarities between 2
unlike things
 The comparison continues throughout the
entire length of the piece
 “diverging roads” major choices that
people have to make in life
Alliteration
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The repetition of consonant sounds within
lines of poetry
 “ . . . Because it was grassy and wanted
wear/Though as for that the passing
there . . .”
“Skydiver”
poised – held firmly in a steady position
 interim – a period of time between events
 chasm – a deep split or gap in the
Earth gap
 fanatic – overly enthusiastic
 steeple – the tall pointed part of a church
 grotesque – unnaturally odd or ugly
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Mini Lesson # __
“Skydiver” literary devices
 similes:
comparisons using
“like” or “as”
 “…like
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a clothed frog…”
metaphors: comparisons in which one
thing is said to be another
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“…the cloth flower opens…”
 “…an
exclamation point upside down
Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare
Thee to a Summer’s Day
 temperate
– mild
 untrimmed – not changed
to a desired position
 lease – an agreed upon
length of time
 owest – to have or possess
Personification
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Applying human qualities to the nonhuman
 “ . . . The eye of heaven shines . . .”
 “ . . . Nor shall Death brag . . .”
Rhyme Scheme
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A rhyme pattern present at the end of lines
of poetry
 ABABC
“Sonnet XLIII from The
Portuguese”
breadth
- width
“Shiloh: A Requiem”
swallows – birds which glide in flight
 wheeling – to fly in a circular pattern
 solaced – comforted
 parched – dry, thirsty
 foemen – enemies
 undeceive – unable to
fool or trick
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Mini Lesson #___
“Shiloh: A Requiem” by: Herman Melville
G? What makes a requiem a requiem?
Requiem
A written piece composed to honor the
dead
 Tone solemn, quiet, respectful, almost
mournful
 Different forms: songs, chants, poems, etc.
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“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy
Evening”
 queer
– odd, unusual
Mini Lesson # __
“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”
by: Robert Frost
G? What literary techniques does Frost use
to enrich his writing?
Personification
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Giving human qualities to the non-human
 “ . . . he gives his harness bells a shake/To ask
if there . . .”
Alliteration
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A repetition of consonants sounds within lines
of poetry
 “ . . . He gives his harness bells . . .”
 “ . . . dark and deep . . .”
Poetic devices
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Poetic form: the way the poem looks or is
arranged on the page
 Written in lines, grouped in stanzas
Poetic devices, continued
Traditional
form: each line has
the same number of syllables and
each stanza has the same number
of lines
8
syllables per line and 4 lines per
stanza
Poetic devices, continued
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Regular rhyme pattern: predictable rhyme
 aaba ccdc eefe gggg
“There is No Frigate like a Book”
frigate – a ship used for escorting
or patrolling
 coursers – swift, spirited horses
 offence – something that causes
worry or irritation
 toll - price paid for travel
 frugal – careful in spending
or using resources
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Mini Lesson #___
“Waiting for the World to Change”
By: John Mayer
G?: What makes propaganda
propaganda?
Propaganda
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Definition: the use of facts, ideas or claims to
persuade people to support a particular opinion or
course of action
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Goal: intended to provoke strong feelings
readers/listeners
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Frequently used in:
* campaign speeches
* advertisements
* editorial articles
Common techniques
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quoting the opinions of experts 
“Chess master Mark Yoffie believes Fisher
played the finest game of his career today.”
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giving endorsements by famous people
“Supermodel Cara Ferguson says Victor is the
only stylist she allows to touch her hair”
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using statistics 
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saying most people agree with you 
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“Over 15% of American live below the poverty level.”
“Like myself, the citizens of this city want a clean sweep. We’re
tired of politics as usual. We want to see new faces in City Hall.”
Attacking an opponent or someone you disagree with
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Sam Belvic has ruined the baseball team. He has chosen poor
players and overpaid them. Let’s fire him.
“What is Success?”
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“a redeemed social condition” – an
improved problem in society like
poverty, pollution, etc.