Reading Poetry

1. Reading Poetry Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. -Leonard Cohen

2. 8/12/2012 2 Read It Read it more than once, if possible Good poetry rewards multiple readings

3. 8/12/2012 3 Be Alert, Critical, & Responsive The worst thing you can do with poetry is bow down before it Think about it, wrestle with it Remember that modern poetry is typically more about the communication of an experience than teaching a lesson

4. 8/12/2012 4 Take Note of the Title It often gives clues (sometimes ironic ones) about the meaning of the poem

5. 8/12/2012 5 Ask Yourself Who is the speaker? What is the situation? The speaker and the poet are not always the same

6. 8/12/2012 6 What is the poem about? What general topics, issues, truths, or problems does the poem leave you thinking about?

7. 8/12/2012 7 What is the poem�s tone? What attitude toward the subject shows up in the poem? In poetry, tone is often subtle and complex, difficult to nail down in one or two words Sometimes tone shifts Be alert for irony

8. 8/12/2012 8 Some Tone Words Breezy Sorrowful Irreverent Exuberant