Descriptive Poetry

Descriptive Poetry is notable for its vividness. Through memorable

descriptions that appeal directly to our senses, descriptive poetry
engages our minds, our hearts and our imaginations. Its key
characteristic is the vividness of the mental picture it creates, which
does not necessarily have to be a pleasant one – poetry reflects life.

Descriptive Poetry can capture the experience of hearing, seeing,

smelling, tasting and touching. Often, visual imagery is the sense
most commonly appealed to, but challenge yourself to find other
senses more subtly referred to.

Descriptive Poetry often seeks to suggest a particular mood (for

example, pensive, fearful, serene, etc.). What is the dominant mood of
each poem on the following page? Identify words or phrases that are
instrumental in creating that mood.

Your Assignment…

1. After reading each poem twice, fill out a TPCASTT analysis for
each one.

2. Compare/contrast the two poems. What are the commonalities

and differences?

3. Remember to pay special attention to the final lines for a

‘change’.

4. Write a brief paragraph comparing/contrasting the two poems.

 Use your TPCASTT analysis to help support your argument. Be
brief! Focus your paragraph by using only one or two
poetic devices. Include the title and author of each poem in
your paragraph.

5. Good copy (no spelling errors, complete sentences) of paragraph

is due next class.

Twilight Entered My Room

by Paudelis Prevelakis

Twilight entered my room

like a red lion.
Its reflected light fell in the mirror
and I felt its soft paws
touching my naked feet.
I stooped under the table
which the day’s work had blessed
and saw the sun kissing my feet
with its red tongue.

_______________________________________

Prelude #1

by T.S. Eliot

I
The winter evening settles down
With smell of steaks in passageways.
Six o'clock.
The burnt-out ends of smoky days.
And now a gusty shower wraps
The grimy scraps
Of withered leaves about your feet
And newspapers from vacant lots;
The showers beat
On broken blinds and chimneypots,
And at the corner of the street
A lonely cab-horse steams and stamps.
And then the lighting of the lamps.