Poetry for Students. Volume 10

296 Pages·1.673 MB·English

by  Napierkowski M.R.

Poetry for Students
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i v P o e t r y f o r S t u d e n t s
National Advisory Board
Dale Allender: Teacher, West High School, information science, Emporia State University,
Iowa City, Iowa. Kansas.
Dana Gioia:Poet and critic. His books include Katherine Nyberg: English teacher. Coordi-
The Gods of Winter and Can Poetry Matter? He nator of the language arts department of Farming-
currently resides in Santa Rosa, CA. ton Public Schools, Farmington, Michigan.
Carol Jago: Teacher, Santa Monica High Nancy Rosenberger: Former English teacher
School, Santa Monica, CA. Member of the Cali- and chair of English department at Conestoga High
fornia Reading and Literature Project at University School, Berwyn, Pennsylvania.
of California, Los Angeles. Dorothea M. Susag: English teacher, Simms
Bonnie J. Newcomer: English teacher, Be- High School, Simms, Montana. Former president
loit Junior-Senior High School, Beloit, Kansas. of the Montana Association of Teachers of English
Editor of KATE UpDate, for the Kansas Associ- Language Arts. Member of the National Council of
ation of Teachers of English. Ph.D. candidate in Teachers of English.
V o l u m e 1 0 v
Table of Contents
Guest Foreword
“Just a Few Lines on a Page”
by David J. Kelly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .x
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii
Literary Chronology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xv
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xvii
Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xix
Alabama Centennial
(by Naomi Long Madgett) . . . . . . . . . .1
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Ballad of Orange and Grape
(by Muriel Rukeyser) . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
V o l u m e 1 0 v i i
T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s
A Birthday (by Christina Rossetti) . . . .32 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Dulce et Decorum Est
(by Wilfred Owen) . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Black Zodiac (by Charles Wright) . . . .45 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
A Farewell to English
The Bustle in a House (by Michael Hartnett) . . . . . . . . . . .125
(by Emily Dickinson) . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Funeral Blues (by W. H. Auden) . . . . .138
The Cremation of Sam McGee Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
(by Robert W. Service) . . . . . . . . . . .73 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 The Hiding Place (by Jorie Graham) . .151
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Dear Reader (by James Tate) . . . . . . . .84 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 How We Heard the Name
(by Alan Dugan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
Drifters (by Bruce Dawe) . . . . . . . . . .97 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
v i i i P o e t r y f o r S t u d e n t s
T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Landscape with Tractor Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
(by Henry Taylor) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181
The Phoenix (by Howard Nemerov) . .225
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229
The Negro Speaks of Rivers Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230
(by Langston Hughes) . . . . . . . . . .196
Glossary of Literary Terms . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197
Cumulative Author/Title Index . . . . . . . . .259
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Cumulative Nationality/Ethnicity
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202 Subject/Theme Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
Cumulative Index of First Lines . . . . . . . .271
Out, Out—(by Robert Frost) . . . . . . .211
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212 Cumulative Index of Last Lines . . . . . . . . .275
V o l u m e 1 0 i x
Just a Few Lines on a Page
I have often thought that poets have the easi- tually travel to different times and different cul-
est job in the world. A poem, after all, is just a few tures, but the poems get into our minds, they find
lines on a page, usually not even extending margin what little we know about the places they are talk-
to margin—how long would that take to write, ing about, and then they make that little bit blos-
about five minutes? Maybe ten at the most, if you som into a bouquet of someone else’s life. Poets
wanted it to rhyme or have a repeating meter. Why, make us think we are following simple, specific
I could start in the morning and produce a book of events, but then they leave ideas in our heads that
poetry by dinnertime. But we all know that it isn’t cannot be found on the printed page. Abracadabra.
that easy. Anyone can come up with enough words,
Sometimes when you finish a poem it doesn’t
but the poet’s job is about writing the right ones.
feel as if it has left any supernatural effect on you,
The right words will change lives, making people
like it did not have any more to say beyond the ac-
see the world somewhat differently than they saw
tual words that it used. This happens to everybody,
it just a few minutes earlier. The right words can
but most often to inexperienced readers: regardless
make a reader who relies on the dictionary for
of what is often said about young people’s infinite
meanings take a greater responsibility for his or her
capacity to be amazed, you have to understand what
own personal understanding. A poem that is put on
usually does happen, and what could have hap-
the page correctly can bear any amount of analy-
pened instead, if you are going to be moved by
sis, probing, defining, explaining, and interrogat-
what someone has accomplished. In those cases in
ing, and something about it will still feel new the
which you finish a poem with a “So what?” atti-
next time you read it.
tude, the information provided in Poetry for Stu-
It would be fine with me if I could talk about dentscomes in handy. Readers can feel assured that
poetry without using the word “magical,” because the poems included here actually are potent magic,
that word is overused these days to imply “a really not just because a few (or a hundred or ten thou-
good time,” often with a certain sweetness about it, sand) professors of literature say they are: they’re
and a lot of poetry is neither of these. But if you significant because they can withstand close in-
stop and think about magic—whether it brings to spection and still amaze the very same people who
mind sorcery, witchcraft, or bunnies pulled from have just finished taking them apart and seeing how
top hats—it always seems to involve stretching re- they work. Turn them inside out, and they will still
ality to produce a result greater than the sum of its be able to come alive, again and again. Poetry for
parts and pulling unexpected results out of thin air. Students gives readers of any age good practice in
This book provides ample cases where a few sim- feeling the ways poems relate to both the reality of
ple words conjure up whole worlds. We do not ac- the time and place the poet lived in and the reality
x P o e t r y f o r S t u d e n t s
F o r e w o r d
of our emotions. Practice is just another word for with one hand, while the other hand pulls some sort
being a student. The information given here helps of trick that most of us will never fully understand.
you understand the way to read poetry; what to look I can’t even pack all that I need for a weekend into
for, what to expect. one suitcase, so what would be my chances of stuff-
With all of this in mind, I really don’t think I ing so much life into a few lines? With all that Po-
would actually like to have a poet’s job at all. There etry for Students tells us about each poem, I am
are too many skills involved, including precision, impressed that any poet can finish three or four po-
honesty, taste, courage, linguistics, passion, com- ems a year. Read the inside stories of these poems,
passion, and the ability to keep all sorts of people and you won’t be able to approach any poem in the
entertained at once. And that is just what they do same way you did before.
David J. Kelly
College of Lake County
V o l u m e 1 0 x i