poetry
You will be asked to write two short critical papers. The short paper will discuss a theme or text(s) that we have covered in class. It will be 3-4 pages, or between 750-1000 words. The minimum requirements to qualify for a C grade or higher include: has a clear focus, uses at least 2 quotes to demonstrate points in the paper; develops an argument or exploration in a minimum of 3 pages; is an analytical essay rather than a report; documents and acknowledges texts used in an acceptable format (MLA or APA); and contains no plagiarized information. This assignment DOES NOT required outside sources but should be a close reading of a text or texts.

Topics to choose from
Pick 1 to 2 questions that I posted below and respond to them

Matt Cook poems
*What imaginary lines does cook introduce, and what is he saying about lines and imagination.
*How does childhood figure in Cooks poems?
*What cultural critique in Cooks "Matches in a Match box"

Emily Dickinson "Wild Nights, Wild Nights" and Edna St. Vincent Millay, "What lips my lips have kissed, and where and why"
*How does the sea imagery work in Dickinson’s "Wild Nights, Wild Nights"
*In Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poems, "What lips my lips have kissed, and where and why" the speakers heard is moved by unremembered lads who have vanished like birds vanish from a tree branch. Does the speakers pain and belonging seem because she can not remember particular lovers? Why or why not?

*Millays poem is a sonnet, a form in which the final couplet is meant to sum up or state the purpose of the sonnet. How do you read the final couplet in Millays poems.

Matt Cooks Poems
Matches in our Matchbook
Thank You
Tequila
Bad Potato Scholarship
If you need to see any of the poems or need any other material let me know.

What is the similar theme in Hayden’s “Those Winter Days,” p. 152 and Olds’ “The Planned Child,” p. 149?

1. Introduction—make sure to include the following in your introduction:
• Remember to include the names of the poems and the authors in the introduction. The titles of poems should be in quotation marks.
• What is the dramatic situation in each text? What is the setting? Who is the speaker in each text? Explain these aspects of the poems in the introduction to provide some background for the reader.
• What is the similar theme/message or the opposing themes/messages between the two texts? You will examine similar or opposing themes based upon the prompt you chose above. This should be stated in your thesis, which is the last sentence or two of your introduction. Remember that your essay will either focus on proving how the poems have either similar themes or opposing themes, not both.

2. Body—in the body of the essay, you will prove the theme of each poem by discussing the use of figurative language, symbolism and prosody in each poem (discuss the topics below for each poem in separate paragraphs):
• Figurative Language – Discuss how the writers have conveyed their themes through their use of figurative language. What powerful figurative language do you see in each text and how does it bring out the theme? Remember that “figurative language” is the use of words outside of their literal or usual meanings, used to add freshness and suggest associations and comparisons that create effective images. This includes figures of speech such as hyperbole, irony, metaphor, personification, and simile. Focus on and analyze the ones that the author uses the most to convey the theme. Make sure to cite from the poem to support your discussion; however, most citations should be three lines or less and weaved into the discussion. Please do not cite four lines or more of poetry more than one time and only if it is absolutely necessary. Remember that when you cite four lines or more of poetry, you need to drop the quotation marks and indent.
• Symbolism – How has the author used symbolism? Remember that a symbol is “something concrete, such as an object, person, place, or event, which stands for or represents something abstract, such as an idea, quality, concept, or condition” (Hirschberg and Hirschberg, 1066). Is the poet using a specific symbol that sheds light on the theme? Focus on and analyze important symbols the author uses the most to convey the theme. Make sure to cite from the poem to support your discussion; however, most citations should be three lines or less and weaved into the discussion. Please do not cite four lines or more of poetry more than one time and only if it is absolutely necessary. Remember that when you cite four lines or more of poetry, you need to drop the quotation marks and indent.
• Prosody/Sound – Discuss how the writers have conveyed their themes through the use of prosody. In other words, how does sound contribute to the meaning of the poem? Remember to consider such things as enjambment, rhythm, meter, rhyme, alliteration, consonance, and assonance. Again, focus on and analyze the ones that the author uses the most to convey the theme. Make sure to cite from the poem to support your discussion; however, most citations should be three lines or less and weaved into the discussion. Please do not cite four lines or more of poetry more than one time and only if it is absolutely necessary. Remember that when you cite four lines or more of poetry, you need to drop the quotation marks and indent.

3. Conclusion: Sum up your ideas

Based on the model above, the organization of your essay might look something like this:

• Introduction
• Body #1 – Hayden’s – use of figurative language to convey the theme
• Body #2 – Olds’ – use of figurative language to convey the theme
• Body #3 – Hayden’s – use of symbolism to convey the theme
• Body #4 – Olds’ – use of symbolism to convey the theme
• Body #5 – Hayden’s – use of prosody
• Body #6 – Olds’ use of prosody
• Conclusion
Guidelines:
• To support your claims, you must refer to ideas and examples from the poems you are analyzing. Use quotations from the reading to enhance your discussion but be careful not to overuse quotes. You want to use at least 2-3 quotations from the text per body paragraph; however, you also want to strike a balance between the quotes you are using and your own ideas. Remember that the main purpose of citing quotations is to support something you have stated. Remember that the majority of the essay should be in your own words. Please cite 3 lines or less of poetry and weave it into the text of your discussion. Please cite 4 or more lines of poetry sparingly since you will have to indent each time you do this. Please refer to your Writing about Literature booklet by Hacker (see pages 20-21) to see examples of how to cite poetry.
• In addition, your essay should follow MLA format. When formatting your essay, you should be able to set-up your document in Word so that it automatically sets your margins and double-spacing correctly. You should also be able to paginate your essay automatically. MLA format includes one-inch margins on all-sides, and 12 point font in Arial or Times New Roman. You should also have your name, class name, professor’s name, and date in the upper-left hand corner only on the first page. Your last name and page number should be in the header in the upper-right hand corner. You should also have a centered title, and double spacing throughout the document (see example essays in your Writing about Literature handbook and on the websites provided under Session #1)
• Your essay should have an original title that reflects the essay’s content.
• Your essay should have a clear thesis statement at the end of the introduction.
• Your essay should have organized and developed paragraphs. For this essay, you should not have more than 8 paragraphs.
• Your essay should have cited support that correctly follows MLA guidelines.
• Your essay should be at least 5-6 well-developed pages.
• Your essay should have a Works Cited page that follows MLA guidelines. You can refer to the OWL website to understand how to do a works cited page for an anthology.
• You may not use research for this essay. I am not interested in biographical information about the poet; I am interested in your interpretation of the poem based on your analysis and textual support from the poem itself. However, you should make sure to read the biographical information provided in our book about each author. There is usually a paragraph about the author before each poem or story. If something is said about the poem, itself, then you may use that information but make sure to cite the text.