Poetry!

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What is poetry? write

Poetry is one of the most personal forms of expression. In

this unit you will explore a variety of poems, experimenting
with some of the many forms that poetry can take.

A poem is an attempt to capture, in words, life’s significant

moments. These can be depressing times as well as the
highlights. Poetry can express delight or sorrow, but it
usually makes us feel.

It involves us. Poetry makes us laugh or cry, and it helps

us to be more aware of the world around us.
 Activity
To begin your study of poetry it is interesting to explore what
poetry means to you. Think carefully about the attitudes you
hold about poetry before completing the activity below.

In pairs, discuss the following questions and write down your

answers:

1. What is poetry?

2. How can poetry help us make meaning in our lives?

3. Is poetry stupid? Why/why not?

4. Can a poem have more than one meaning? How?

 Thinking about poetry…
Before we can begin to write and discuss poetry it is important to read a variety of
poems and think about what you enjoy reading and why. In this section you are
going to read a selection of short poems then record your thoughts and ideas.

Copy the following table into your books:

Poem Title What is it about? What do you like A line or phrase

about it? that you like
Fog Fog on a harbour The description of fog as ‘on silent haunches and
being alive and moving. then moves on’.
 Poem 1
Fog
The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbour and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

By Carl Sandburg
 Poem 2
Truth
Sticks and stones may break my bones,
but words can also hurt me.
Stones and sticks break only skin,
while words are ghosts that haunt me.

Slant and curved the word-swords fall

to pierce and stick inside me.
Bats and bricks may ache through bones,
but words can mortify me.

Pain from words has left its scar

on mind and heart that’s tender.
Cuts and bruises now have healed;
it’s words that I remember.
By Barrie Wade
 Poem 3
Four little tigers

Four little tigers

Sitting in a tree;
One became a lady’s coat-
Now there’s only three

Three little tigers

Neath a sky of blue:
One became a rich man’s rug –
Now there’s only two

Two little tigers

Sleeping in the sun:
One a hunter’s trophy made –
Now there’s only one.

One little tiger

Waiting to be had:
Oops! He got the hunter first –
Aren’t you kind of glad? By Frank Jacobs