2F.lect.poetry

English 2F - Children's Literature

Module 4: Analyzing Children's Lit: Poetry

Poetry is a unique form of literature, distinctive because of its emphasis on symbolic language and economy of expression, and often because of the surprising way it expresses ideas. A poem conveys more than a prose version of the same idea, because the poet condenses complicated ideas, and also emphasizes the ambiguity of language, and the ability of a word or phrase to have many layers of meaning at the same time.

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout

Would Not Take The Garbage Out

Try reading the poem out loud (or, for a truly surreal experience,
listen to Silverstein reading it himself - hit the link, then click on "warp" at the right of the screen)

What would the prose version look like?

"Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout refused to do her chore of emptying the garbage, in spite of her parents' best efforts to make her. She would do other chores, but not that one. As a result, the garbage piled up, and became very disgusting. It wasn't until her friends and neighbors began to shun her that she finally agreed to take out the garbage, but by then it was too late. Something terrible happened to her, which I won't tell you about now, but let it be a lesson to you nevertheless."

Hmmm. Not quiet as engaging the second time round, eh?

So what is it that makes poetry different from other kinds of writing? How can we analyze it to see what makes it "poetic"?

Elements of Poetry

Sound
Poems often rely on the sound of language to help convey meaning. There are specific techniques a poet can use if he or she wants to engage the sense of hearing.

Which sound techniques (called "Musical Devices" in the Learning Lab resource listed below) does Silverstein use in the poem?

Imagery

Most people think of visual images when they consider imagery in a poem, but an image is any kind of concrete sensory desription: could be a description of a sight, sound, smell, taste or touch.

Consider how Silverstein engages all five senses in his poem.

Figurative language:
Poets use figurative language (also called figures of speech) to draw comparisons between images and ideas. Common forms of figurative language include metaphors, similes, symbols, synechdoche and metonymy and personification. See the Learning Lab resource below for definitions of these terms). Hint: All English lit majors and would-be writers should also bookmark the Wikipedia resource on figures of speech - very helpful!

What comparisons does Silverstein draw using figurative language?

Tone and Speaker:

Just as stories all have narrators, all poems have speakers who set the tone for the poem. Sometimes the speaker is involved in the poem (in first person poems, for example). Other times the speaker is relating the poem from a distance. Sometimes the speaker is easily identified; other times, the speaker hides behind other aspects of the poem. Equally important to consider is how the speaker conveys the overall "attitude", or emotional pulse, of the poem. A speaker's tone can be lighthearted, stern, perplexed, heavy, brooding, eerie, silly...the list goes on forever. How does the speaker seem to feel about the subject of the poem, and how does that feeling line up with the actual subject of the poem, or what's happening in the poem? Sometimes there is a gap in how one might expect the speaker to feel about the situation, and the feeling that is actually expressed.

Who is the speaker in Silverstein's poem, and what is the speaker's overall attitude toward the situation expressed? How does the tone contribute to the reader's experience of the poem?

Read the web resources below for tips on analyzing poetry, and for an example of analysis. You will be responsible for using some of the ideas from the resources below.

There is also a list of web resources for children's poetry (by no means comprehensive!) Check it out when you have time - it's optional, but a lot of fun..

Tips for Analyzing Poetry

Learning Lab Tips on Critical Analysis -- Poetry
Writing about Poetry - Online Writing Lab at Purdue

Examples of Poetry Analysis
Poetry Analysis - Wikipedia

General Resources for Children's Poetry
Poetry Place: An Internet Hotlist on Poetry, by Elaine Magliaro

Kid's Lit - Children's Poetry Archive