Poems without Words?

Some poems seem to do away with words altogether. But even in these unusual poems we find that word
associations are important in the reader’s constructions of meaning for the text. “The Affair” by Alan Riddell is
composed entirely of just two letters. Read the poem and then do the activities that follow it.

Activities
1. When you have thought about the poem for a while, write a brief report (1 or 2 short paragraphs) of
your reading. Note what you think the poem is about, and how you arrived at this reading.
2. Share your report with the class and then read three other students’ responses. Consider the following
points:
 What meanings did these students make from this text?
 What parts of the text did they focus on?
 Was it the title?
 The shape and pattern of the text?
 The meanings of the letters?
 What information from “outside” the text helped them make sense of the poem?
3. Show which students used each of the following approaches to make sense of the poem.

Reading Approach Student 1: Student 2: Student 3:

________ ________ ________
Treat the text as a story that develops over time.
Treats the text as representing a moment in time, or an idea.
Look for visual symbols in the text.
Use the title as a guide to the meaning.
Use past reading and experience to add background information.
Reader’s Associations
Many readers use their knowledge about “affairs” to add meaning to the text. The title of the poem seems to
“invite” us to do this. In fact, it is hard to see how readers could make sense of the poem if the title did not
encourage them to draw on their “background” knowledge or beliefs about “affairs.” This suggests that they
way we read one text (such as poem or story) is influenced by other texts we already know (other stories, and
even our “common sense” knowledge).

1. Consider the following ideas that were reported in the student readings above. Say which of them are
“in the text” and which seem to come from other stories and “background” knowledge or beliefs about
affairs—or from a combination of both.

Idea Text Backgroun Combination

d
The poet is a male
The “i” is a male
The “I” is a female
The “u” is a male
The “u” is a female
Affairs involve obsession
A chance meeting starts the affair
Affairs have a beginning, a middle, and an end
The end of an affair is a sad occasion
An affair involves secrecy
An “affair” means a love affair

2. Which of the ideas above were also part of your reading of the poem? Where do you think these ideas
might have come from?
3. Can this poem be read aloud? Why or why not?

Other Poems
1. Using Riddell’s poem as a model, try writing a poem using only “i” and “u” that would fit one of the
following titles”
 “Rejection”
 “Friends”
 “Obsession”
 “Enemies”
2. Share your poem with the class, and then comment on someone else’s.