Poetry for students. Volume 16: presenting analysis, context and criticism on commonly studied poetry

326 Pages·2016·2.65 MB·English

by  Galens David

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National Advisory Board
Jennifer Hood:Young Adult/Reference Librarian, Guide in Biography/Memoir for the website
Cumberland Public Library, Cumberland, About.com (http://biography.about.com). Au-
Rhode Island. Certified teacher, Rhode Island. thor of short stories and book reviews. Received
Member of the New England Library Associa- B.A., M.A. (anthropology), and M.L.S. from
tion, Rhode Island Library Association, and the Rutgers University.
Rhode Island Educational Media Association.
Heidi Stohs: Instructor in Language Arts, grades
Christopher Maloney:Head Reference Librarian,
10-12, Solomon High School, Solomon, Kansas.
Ocean City Free Public Library, Ocean City,
Received B.S. from Kansas State University;
New Jersey. Member of the American Library
M.A. from Fort Hays State University.
Association and the New Jersey Library Asso-
ciation. Board member of the South Jersey Li- Barbara Wencl:Library Media Specialist, Como
brary Cooperative. Park Senior High School, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Kathleen Preston: Head of Reference, New City Teacher of secondary social studies and history,
Library, New City, New York. Member of the St. Paul, Minnesota. Received B.S. and M.Ed.
American Library Association. Received B.A. from University of Minnesota; received media
and M.L.S. from University of Albany. certification from University of Wisconsin. Ed-
Patricia Sarles: Library Media Specialist, Canar- ucator and media specialist with over 30 years
sie High School, Brooklyn, New York. Expert experience.
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Table of Contents
Guest Foreword
“Just a Few Lines on a Page”
by David J. Kelly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ix
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi
Literary Chronology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xv
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xvii
Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xix
Business (by Victor Hernandez Cruz) . . .1
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Colibrí (by Martín Espada) . . . . . . . . .13
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Hugh Selwyn Mauberley (by Ezra Pound) .24
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
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Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Song of a Citizen (by Czeslaw Milosz) . .124
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
I Stop Writing the Poem
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
(by Tess Gallagher) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Sonnet XXIX
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
(by Elizabeth Barrett Browning) . . . .139
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Merlin Enthralled (by Richard Wilbur) . .71
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Southbound on the Freeway
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
(by May Swenson) . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Much Madness Is Divinest Sense
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
(by Emily Dickinson) . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Story from Bear Country
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
(by Leslie Marmon Silko) . . . . . . . .171
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171
My Father’s Song (by Simon Ortiz) . . .101 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 Sunday Morning (by Wallace Stevens) . .188
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189
Reunions with a Ghost (by Ai) . . . . . . .113 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194
v i P o e t r y f o r S t u d e n t s
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Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195 What My Child Learns of the Sea
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196 (by Audre Lorde) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244
Three Times My Life Has Opened
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245
(by Jane Hirshfield) . . . . . . . . . . . . .212
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Cumulative Author/Title Index . . . . . . . . .277
Ways to Live (by William Stafford) . .227
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228
Cumulative Nationality/Ethnicity
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231 Subject/Theme Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .289
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234 Cumulative Index of First Lines . . . . . . . .295
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235 Cumulative Index of Last Lines . . . . . . . . .301
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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
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