ANGLOPHONE LITERATURE

TP - POEM ANALYSIS
Hello everyone! This week you will have to write a poem commentary. Some reminders and tips,

 Please, do it alone and DO NOT google interpretations or ask for your classmates’ help. You really need to know
if you can do this on your own or not, and the only way is to read the poem aloud, reread it many times, listen to
your first impressions, and be open to new ideas. At the same time, if you plagiarize you will simply fail and then
have difficulties in the Midterm. If after reading the poem several times you are still lost, contact me.
 If you have studied the file on poetry analysis and the literary movements, you should be able to write this
commentary in about 40-50 minutes (the maximum time allowed in Midterms and Final Exams). As this is your
first time, you will have a week to write it but the ideal scenario would be to do it in a few hours in one day in
order to see if you can manage. If possible, time yourselves and write down any doubts, difficulties, or comments
about your personal process of writing and include it in your file after the commentary.
 Annotation should be a must when reading poetry as you set an active dialogue between the text and yourself,
and it greatly enhances comprehension. There are many YouTube tutorials on how to annotate poetry so you can
check some if you want to.
 The title of you commentary is the name of the poem and you do not need to copy the poem into your file.
 Name your word file like this [full name + poem commentary], for example, *Al E. Gater – Poem Commentary*.
 For this TP, you can choose between two poems. My advice is to read both and work with the one you like the
most or feel more comfortable with. Do not choose the one you feel is the “easiest” because it can backfire.
 Above all, try to enjoy the poem you are reading. You might not like it first, but there is always something positive
or interesting to learn.

[TASK] [CHOOSE ONE POEM] This is the same instruction I use on Midterms,

[!] Write a critical appreciation of the following poem. Consider form, images, ideas involved, lexical items, importance of
title, etc. Mention literary movement it belongs to, its main characteristics, influences, etc. Relate it, if possible, to some
other poem we dealt with in class and try to determine whom the poet is. [300-320 words – on this page].

Breakfast Star Men Who Sit on Chairs

Every morning it jumps through my window
Radiating warm waves of red joy
It always blinds me first and then lets one or two tears
Rightfully slip away from my left eye
Then, it opens the cupboard doors to look for a loaf of bread
And melts the butter on the table with good intentions
And joins me to breakfast with tea and crust
Laughter and jam, toast and chat
And so much light.
Men who sit on chairs send us to war
They tell us how to fight
They add up the score
Men who sit on chairs send us back home
Minus one or two or three or four or more
Men who sit on Chairs send letters to the bereaved
They tell of the heroism of what they have achieved
Men who sit on chairs sleep soundly in their beds
Unlike the men in psyche wards being force-fed on their meds.