A Birthday By: Christina Rossetti

1. A BirthdayBy: Christina Rossetti Jamie Taylor Period 5 English Mr. Abbott Poetry

3. Meet the Author • Christina Rossetti was born on December 5th 1830 and died on December 29th 1894 in London. • She was also an artist • She had 3 siblings. • Christina was an English poet who wrote a variety of romantic, devotional, and children's poems. • Christina was one of the most important woman poets in the ninetieth century.

4. Poem Structure • 2 Stanzas • 8 lines Per Stanza • Free Verse • Repetition • Alliteration • Simile • Imagery

5. Frist Stanza A BirthdayBy: Christina Rossetti Rhyme Scheme: There is no particular rhyme scheme or pattern. A B C D E F G G My heart is like a singing bird Whose nest is in a water'd shoot; My heart is like an apple-tree Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit; My heart is like a rainbow shell That paddles in a halcyon sea; My heart is gladder than all these Because my love is come to me. The poem is also structured like a hymn about love.

6. I think simile is important to the poem because when you read the poem you start to think about what the comparisons really means First Stanza My heart is like a singing bird Whose nest is in a water'd shoot; My heart is like an apple-tree Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit; My heart is like a rainbow shell That paddles in a halcyon sea; My heart is gladder than all these Because my love is come to me. A simile is a comparison or likeness that directly compares two things uses word such as like or as Simile: In this poem it uses simile, comparing a heart to different things

7. I think repetition is important to the poem because it gives it a exaggerated effect to the poem. First Stanza My heart is like a singing bird Whose nest is in a water'd shoot; My heart is like an apple-tree Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit; My heart is like a rainbow shell That paddles in a halcyon sea; My heart is gladder than all these Because my love is come to me. Repetition: The repeat of words and or phrase in the poem, stanza or line, and in this poem it repeats ‘”my heart”

8. Second Stanza I think imagery is important to the poem because when you read it, you can create an image in your head. Raise me a dais of silk and down; Hang it with vair and purple dyes; Carve it in doves and pomegranates, And peacocks with a hundred eyes; Work it in gold and silver grapes, In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys; Because the birthday of my life Is come, my love is come to me. A B C B D B E F Imagery: When you can create a visual in your head of the phrase in the poem.

9. Literal and Figurative Meaning • Literal: The literal meaning of the poem is that the poet is talking about a birthday. • Figurative: The figurative meaning of the poem is that the poet is talking about being in love and talking about her life experiences and her love’s birthday.

10. Author’s Purpose • The author’s purpose of writing “A Birthday” was to express the fullness of her heart upon the occasion of her love's birthday by starting every comparison in the first stanza with "My is heart is like". Also to entertain the readers. • I think the poem is told from the point of view from a woman that is in love.

11. Theme • The theme of the poem “A Birthday” is certainly the limit of emotion and joy she experiences on this day and is somewhat strange if it were her birthday alone.

12. Sources • www.poetryoutloud.org • http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-themes-christina-rosettis-birthday-besides-432534