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Minds on

MINDS ON

 Vocabulary 203

Synaesthesia: A literary device that describes one sensory impression in terms of a different sense, or one perception in terms of a totally different or even opposite feeling (e.g., 'blue Mozart' or 'shouting rain').
This is a black and white image of a tree with a poem written in Mandarin carved into the bark of its trunk.
As T.S. Eliot observed, "Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood."

Often people will dismiss poetry without taking the time to consider and appreciate it.  It's true that not all poetry is good, and not all poetry is easy to grasp.  However, like the songs you studied in the last activity, the more effort you put into it, the more you will understand it.  Poetry is the same; it requires work, but it rewards those willing to persevere. (definition:To continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty.) In fact, recent studies have shown that persevering with poetry can do more than simply help you understand and appreciate it: it can also improve your brain!

To learn more about this fascinating discovery, read this article, "This Is Your Brain On Poetry" from Thrive Global. (Original article)

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Next read this article, "Why Reading Poetry Is Good For Your Brain" from Bustle. (Original article)

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Hopefully, learning about how your brain benefits from poetry has increased your interest and willingness to examine it further. 

This is the Portfolio icon. New Words

Before continuing, take a moment to expand the linguistic (definition:Linguistics is the science of language, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and history.)part of your brain by finding five words from each article that you did not know the meaning of before reading.  Copy them into your Notebook using a chart similar to below.  Before guessing, consider the context (definition:Context involves the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and, in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed.) in which the words are being used.  Afterward, research the definition to see if you were correct.

Word No Idea Some Idea Clear Idea Contextual Definition Dictionary Definition
           
           
           
           
           
           

 
Action.

ACTION

This is an image of a notebook with the word, Poetry, written on the bottom right corner.
Every blank page contains limitless possibilities...

Poetry is an art form that predates literacy as we know it.  Early peoples used poetry as a means to transmit their oral histories, cultural values, and beliefs, as well as more pragmatic (definition:Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.) information such as laws, rules, and genealogy. (definition:A line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor.)After writing was developed, the word poetry became codified. (definition:To organize or collect together laws, rules, procedures, etc., into a system or code with a purposeful arrangement.) It comes from the Greek word ‘poieo,’ which translates to ‘I create.’ 

To learn more about how poetry can create and connect culture, read this article, "Louise Bernice Halfe on reconnecting with her Cree heritage through poetry" from the CBC. (Original article)

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This is the dropbox icon. Dissect a Poem

Before creating your own poetry, you need to learn about the different types, elements, and components of poems.  To help you build your skills, complete the following interactive activity in which you'll dissect a famous Canadian poem (don't worry, the poem won't be hurt, but rather happy that you did so!). 

DissectAPoem

 

Resources

Want to expand your poetic lexicon (definition:The vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge.)further? Then check out these resources below:

  1. 37 Common Poetry Terms provides straight-forward definitions for commonly used poetic terms.
  2. Glossary of Poetic Terms defines many poetic devices and gives examples for each one.
  3. Common Poetry Terms provides a self-assessing quiz for you to test your knowledge.

This is the dropbox icon. Selecting Style

Like painters, poets have access to a wide variety of different tools and techniques that allow them to share their stories.  You already learned about many of them when you explored stylistic and literary devices, but there are also poetry-specific terms, such as stanza. (definition:An arrangement of a certain number of lines, usually four or more, sometimes having a fixed length, meter, or rhyme scheme, forming a division of a poem.) In addition, there are also specific styles that are unique to poetry.  To ensure that you have a broad understanding of the different types of poems available, conduct some research to provide a definition and an example of each of the following different types of poems.  Make sure that you use proper MLA citations for your definitions and examples.

  • Ballad
  • Concrete
  • Found
  • Epic
  • Haiku
  • Free Verse
  • Limerick
  • Sonnet
  • Ode
  • Blank Verse
  Checklist Items
I have an accurate definition for each poem type.
I have a relevant example for each poem type.
I have included a properly formatted MLA Works Cited page.

Poetry is far more diverse than it may initially appear.  Certainly there's beauty and wonder to be found in classic, canonized (definition:This term refers to a body of books, narratives, and other texts considered to be the most important and influential of a particular time period, author, or place.)poems such as William Shakespeare's beautiful "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day" and Robert Browning's chilling "My Last Duchess."  However, just because a poem is new, this doesn't make it any less powerful.  Poetry can be found in the world around you...if you are willing to look for it.  As a case in point, read this article, "Poetry Created From The Titles of Stacked Books," from Bored Panda. (Original article)

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This is the dropbox icon. Not Your Parents' Poetry

In addition to being clever and cultural, poetry can also be controversial, challenging, and committed to causes.  Not only that, but the way it's presented can change the way it's received.  For an example of this, first read and then view Lee Mokobe's powerful poem about what it feels like to be transgender.  After reading and viewing, answer the following critical analysis questions.

  • Initial Reaction: What are your immediate thoughts and observations when you listen to or view the poem?
  • Analysis and Interpretation: Why do you think the author created this poem? What themes are included and why?  Do the literary devices and/or elements of fiction support the clear communication of the theme or message of the poem? Do these devices and elements increase the audience's appreciation of the poem? 
  • Consideration of Cultural Context: What political, historical, social or personal events may have influenced the author and/or the poem?
  • Expression of Aesthetic Judgment: How do the literary devices and elements of fiction work together in the poem to help the audience understand and appreciate it?
  • Ongoing Reflection: How has your new understanding influenced your reception of the poem?
  • Consideration of an Alternative Medium: Moving from reading to listening or viewing, how does the performer and/or does the performance alter your perception of the poem?

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If you want to learn more about how poetry can be confessional, reconstructionist, or how it can examine altered states, consider continuing your poetic journey by taking EWC4U - The Writer's Craft.

This is the discussion icon. Modern Voices

Many poets use today’s technology as a medium for sharing poems; nowadays, there are Instagram poets, Pinterest poets, Twitter poets and YouTube poets.  Take a moment to review one poem from each of these different mediums.  As technology continues to develop, new mediums will provide poets with alternate avenues to express themselves and share their views. How do you believe technology can alter a poem’s purpose and reception?  Then find a contemporary example and explain why you feel the poem speaks to you.   

Consolidation

CONSOLIDATION

This is the dropbox icon. Powerful Poetry

As poet Eli Khamarov once noted, "Poets are soldiers that liberate words from the steadfast possession of definition." Indeed, as you discovered in the last unit, many stories involve the protagonist challenging traditionally-held viewpoints. Before moving forward in your ENG2D journey, you'll have a chance to challenge your own perspectives by selecting and analysing two different poems by two different poets on the same theme.

You must make sure that the poems are available to be read and listened-to or viewed.

Then, use the critical analysis process to analyse the poems.

As a reminder, the process involves your:

  • Initial Reaction: What are your immediate thoughts and observations when you experienced the poems?
  • Analysis and Interpretation: Why do you think the authors created these poems? What themes are included and why? Do the literary devices and/or elements of fiction support the clear communication of the theme or message of the poems? Do these devices and elements increase the audience's appreciation of the poems?
  • Consideration of Cultural Context: What political, historical, social or personal events may have influenced the authors and/or the poems?
  • Expression of Aesthetic Judgment: How do the literary devices and elements of fiction work together in the poems to help the audience understand and appreciate it?
  • Ongoing Reflection: How has your new understanding influenced your reception of the poems?
  • Consideration of an Alternative Medium: Moving from reading to listening or viewing, how do the poetic performers and/or their performances alter your perception of the poems?

Lastly, answer this mini-metacognitive moment prompt question: thinking back on your recent ENG2D exposure to both songs and poems, how do the texts with which we engage impact and influence us and our place in the world?

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