Poetry Out Loud

 

 Poetry Out Loud 

Today you will need to pick out a poem from the Poetry Out Loud website: https://www.poetryoutloud.org/search/?type=poem. After you have your poem picked out, you will need to read over it a few times, print it out, mark it up, and then begin an AP essay on it.

Prompt: In a well-organized essay, analyze how the poet portrays a complex a relationship in it (it doesn’t have to be a human relationship – anything between the speaker and whatever the speaker is addressing). You may wish to consider the author’s use of such literary techniques as syntax, diction, and figurative language.

  The POL competition is on Wednesday February 2nd at 6:30 pm on the school stage.  This is a requirement.  You must have a poem memorized and ready to perform.  This is also an easy grade:

50 points for the memorization
30 points for showing up to the performance
20 points for the acting of the poem.

The winner of POL receives a $50 gift certificate to Radio Shack and has a chance to go the State Championship in March.

Here is a link to the POL judging guidelines
This rubric is also how you will be graded on the "acting" portion.

Poetry Out Loud website can be found here

Tips for performance can be found here

 

If you want to watch a video or two: https://www.poetryoutloud.org/competing/watch-recitation-videos/

 

If you need review on how to write a Poetry Explication read below:

 

A poetry explication is a relatively short analysis which describes the possible meanings and relationships of the words, images, and other small units that make up a poem. Writing an explication is an effective way for a reader to connect a poem's plot and conflicts with its structural features. This handout reviews some of the important techniques of approaching and writing a poetry explication, and includes parts of two sample explications.

Preparing to write the explication

1. Read the poem silently, then read it aloud (if not in a testing situation). Repeat as necessary.

2. Consider the poem as a dramatic situation in which a speaker addresses an audience or another character. In this way, begin your analysis by identifying and describing the speaking voice or voices, the conflicts or ideas, and the language used in the poem.

The large issues

Determine the basic design of the poem by considering the who, what, when, where, and why of the dramatic situation.

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What is being dramatized? What conflicts or themes does the poem present, address, or question?
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Who is the speaker? Define and describe the speaker and his/her voice. What does the speaker say? Who is the audience? Are other characters involved?
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What happens in the poem? Consider the plot or basic design of the action. How are the dramatized conflicts or themes introduced, sustained, resolved, etc.?
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When does the action occur? What is the date and/or time of day?
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Where is the speaker? Describe the physical location of the dramatic moment.
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Why does the speaker feel compelled to speak at this moment? What is his/her motivation?

The details

To analyze the design of the poem, we must focus on the poem's parts, namely how the poem dramatizes conflicts or ideas in language. By concentrating on the parts, we develop our understanding of the poem's structure, and we gather support and evidence for our interpretations. Some of the details we should consider include the following:

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Form: Does the poem represent a particular form (sonnet, sestina, etc.)? Does the poem present any unique variations from the traditional structure of that form?
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Rhetoric: How does the speaker make particular statements? Does the rhetoric seem odd in any way? Why? Consider the predicates and what they reveal about the speaker.
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Syntax: Consider the subjects, verbs, and objects of each statement and what these elements reveal about the speaker. Do any statements have convoluted or vague syntax?
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Vocabulary: Why does the poet choose one word over another in each line? Do any of the words have multiple or archaic meanings that add other meanings to the line? Use the Oxford English Dictionary as a resource.

The patterns

As you analyze the design line by line, look for certain patterns to develop which provide insight into the dramatic situation, the speaker's state of mind, or the poet's use of details. Some of the most common patterns include the following:

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Rhetorical Patterns: Look for statements that follow the same format.
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Rhyme: Consider the significance of the end words joined by sound; in a poem with no rhymes, consider the importance of the end words.
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Patterns of Sound: Alliteration and assonance create sound effects and often cluster significant words.
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Visual Patterns: How does the poem look on the page?
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Rhythm and Meter: Consider how rhythm and meter influence our perception of the speaker and his/her language.