Uses of Poetry

Although some people hold that poetry is inherently impractical (in fact, they argue that all art is basically impractical and from this uselessness emerges its value), others think of poetry as socially useful in a number of ways.

The national poet laureate is Natasha Treathaway and at the link below you will find a video of a news story about her work/project in Chicago.

Please watch the video and then be ready to discuss it tomorrow.

In advance of that please make a short comment here at the blog.

Do you think this kind of project is a good idea? Will it help solve any problem? Could you see yourself as a student in this project?

Keep your language grammatically sound, clean, and legal. Present as the intelligent person you are.

Billy Collins Writing

Narrow down your Collins poems to one you like in particular.

Now write a response paper in which you describe WHY you like the poem.

Be sure to use the literary language as you write, demonstrating that you understand the terms we use.

Here are some questions that might help you generate ideas.

How does the poet use TROPES to communicate his ideas?

What words would you all the most important in terms of their CONNOTATIVE value? Why?

What is Collins trying to tell us in the poem about what it means to be a human being.

What lines did you like most of all? Why?

Write your paper at Google Drive. Create a new document and then SHARE it with me at rhetorx1@gmail.com.

A response paper is less formal than an analysis. You can use first person. You can write about your own opinions of the poem.

However, the response paper is still edited writing. You should write in paragraphs. You should refer to or even quote the poem where you can. You should use the poetic terms we have learned to help you express your ideas. For instance, you might say something like: "In the second stanza, Collins uses images and similes to....."

Length: about two pages, word processed, standard font, double spaced.

Billy Collins Web Quest

Look around the web site here to learn about Collins. Feel free to use the web to look at some other aspects of Collins life and work. Be sure you read a few Collins poems by tomorrow.

Also, use your quizelt membership to get started on vocab study.

This site has 256 words. You are responsible for the first 30 by Friday.