Poetry Terms and Related Reading
Dead Poets Society Links to articles on the film
Poetry Research Paper Assignment, recommended research sites, and links to articles on specific poets
Poetry Terms and Related Reading
Poetry Terms 10 List of poetry terms and definitions
Poetry Terms Quizlet Use to study for the poetry terms quiz
Poetry – Identifying Literary Elements Quizlet Use to study for the poetry terms quiz
DPS poems explained notes on poems from class (pdf file) Please note: “The Road Not Taken” is probably the most famous and beloved poem in America, and yet it is widely misunderstood. People think it’s a poem in praise of the nonconformist taking “the road less traveled,” but it’s not really. Even Mr. Keating gets that a bit wrong in Dead Poets Society! 🙂
Realism and Romanticism in Dead Poets Society A great analysis of the film in terms of its romantic philosophy
17 Invaluable Lessons Mr. Keating Taught Us In “Dead Poets Society”
Dead Poets Society Saved My Life a writer looks back on how watching Dead Poets Society at age 14 shaped her love of poetry
Ethan Hawke Reflects on Dead Poets Society and Robin Williams contains a video with the adult Hawke in response to Williams’ suicide
The Robin Williams speech on suicide that was missing from Dead Poets Society a writer condemns the missed opportunity of DPS, especially in light of Williams’ suicide
What It’s Like to Watch Dead Poets Society after the death of Robin Williams a writer reflects on the meaning of “The Road Not Taken” and DPS, in light of Williams’ suicide
Poetry Research Handout Use your socsd.org account to access this Google Doc from the TZHS library. It contains all necessary passwords to access these sites!
Remember that all your research must pass the CRAAP TEST!
The TZHS Library has an extensive collection of poetry BOOKS. (Books! Remember those? Not all research has to be online!) Be sure to consult the OPALS catalog for information on specific poets. Many books have been purchased SPECIFICALLY FOR THE 10H POETRY PROJECT. There are also several excellent reference books that offer criticism and analysis of poetry. These are located in the reference section of the library. Be sure to ask for help if you cannot find them. Please do not borrow the poetry books from the library during this project as it will prevent others from using them. Instead, use them during a study hall or lunch or even before/after school. You can make copies of the pages you need.
A Critical Survey of Poetry (Ref. 809.1) Use the index to look up your poet and then find the volume with the pages listed. Many students like this set because for each poet there are four to five pages of concise analysis/criticism discussing the poet’s work as a whole, but also discussing specific poems. Note: unfortunately, the library is missing volume 6.
American Writers and British Writers (Ref. 810 and Ref 810.9 respectively). Use the index in the newest volume and/or supplement to find the main entry on your poet (printed in bold). Literary criticism is integrated with biographical information and while these volumes discuss and author’s entire body of work including prose, they can very helpful for students just studying poetry.
WEBSITES: Start with some of the links below. If you would like to do further research, be sure that you select reputable websites. University websites (.edu) are excellent sources as are sites with a print equivalent (newspapers, magazines, journals, etc.).
Poets.org From the Academy of American Poets Poetry, biographies, and more.
Poetryfoundation.org Publisher of Poetry Magazine; “an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture”
Modern American Poetry from the the Department of English, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; great source for criticism and biographical information; use the poet search to see if your poet is listed; includes E.E. Cummings, Robert Hayden, Langston Hughes, Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich, Anne Sexton, and many others
The Poetry Archive The premiere online collection of poets reading their work
The American Poetry Review Bimonthly issues of original poetry, literary criticism, interviews, essays and social commentary
Library of Congress Poetry Resources Library of Congress poetry resources including poems, poetry readings, poetry news and events, and information about U.S. poet laureates.
Contemporary Poetry Review The largest online archive of poetry criticism in the world
Voices from the Gaps from the University of Minnesota, the internet’s largest academic database for women artists of color; includes Audre Lorde, Maya Angelou, Joy Harjo, Nellie Wong, Nikki Giovanni, Gwendolyn Brooks, and many others
First World War Poetry Digital Archive The work of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon may be found here
Online Literary Criticism from the Internet Public Library; links to criticism based on author name. Note: this site is no longer live, but archived.
DATABASES:
LitFinder Database An ever-growing selection of online poems, short stories, essays, speeches and plays (pw=empirelink)
SITES ABOUT SPECIFIC POETS:
In order to access some of these sites from home, you may need to do the following in a separate window FIRST: – Go to the Rockland County Library page Select Artemis Literary Sources – Keep the library window open. You can then come back to this page and use these links! Other sites will open simply with our school library passwords.
MAYA ANGELOU
Maya Angelou Biographical Information an overview of her life (note citation at the end of the article)
Overview of “Still I Rise” from Poetry for Students This is available to borrow from Sora. Log in with your @stu.socsd.org username and password. PLEASE only take it out for no more than a class period at a time and then return it so students in other classes can use it. If you are working on it from home, that’s fine, but just return it as soon as you have gotten your information!
Explanation of “Still I Rise” from Gale (note citation at end of article)
E.E. CUMMINGS
E.E. Cummings Biographical Information from Gale (note citation at end of article)
E.E. Cummings at Modern American Poetry Several articles including criticism on specific poems
Analysis of “somewhere i have never traveled” in Poetry for Students This is available to borrow from Sora. Log in with your @stu.socsd.org username and password. PLEASE only take it out for no more than a class period at a time and then return it so students in other classes can use it. If you are working on it from home, that’s fine, but just return it as soon as you have gotten your information!
Analysis of “somewhere i have never traveled” by Andrew Spacey
Analysis of “anyone lived in a pretty how town” in Poetry for Students (note: this is a pdf of the document from the series. The citation is: “anyone lived in a pretty how town.” Poetry for Students, edited by Sara Constantakis, vol. 30, Gale, 2009, pp. 1-17. Gale eBooks, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2280300012/GVRL?u=nysl_se_tap&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=a23c720b. Accessed [put in your date of access like this 30 May 2023].
“The Prince of Patchin Place” – E.E. Cummings An article by writer Susan Cheever on E.E. Cummings
The Rebellion of E.E. Cummings from Harvard Magazine
“Is That a Poem?” Contemporary poet Billy Collins discusses E.E. Cummings
“Friends and Lovers” a discussion of E.E. Cummings’s romantic life
ROBERT HAYDEN
Robert Hayden information and biography at poets.org
Robert Hayden at Modern American Poetry
“Those Winter Sundays”: Poetry In America President Joe Biden, poet Elizabeth Alexander, psychologist Angela Duckworth, and a chorus of working fathers and sons reflect on Robert Hayden’s sonnet, and the fraught love between fathers and sons.
Discussion of “Those Winter Sundays” at Modern American Poetry
Explanation of “Those Winter Sundays” from LitFinder (note citation at end of article)
Poem Guide: Robert Hayden: “Those Winter Sundays” from the Poetry Foundation
“Those Winter Sundays” Critical Analysis from Poetry for Students This is available to borrow from Sora. Log in with your @stu.socsd.org username and password. PLEASE only take it out for no more than a class period at a time and then return it so students in other classes can use it. If you are working on it from home, that’s fine, but just return it as soon as you have gotten your information!
Robert Hayden reading “Those Winter Sundays”
LANGSTON HUGHES
Langston Hughes Overview A discussion of Hughes’s life and work (note citation at the end of the article)
“Mother to Son” Critical Analysis from Poetry for Students This is available to borrow from Sora. Log in with your @stu.socsd.org username and password. PLEASE only take it out for no more than a class period at a time and then return it so students in other classes can use it. If you are working on it from home, that’s fine, but just return it as soon as you have gotten your information!
Mother to Son Critical Analysis by Andrew Spacey
Langston Hughes biographical information from American Writers; includes discussion of “Mother to Son”
AUDRE LORDE
Audre Lorde Overview A discussion of Lorde’s life and work (note citation at the end of the article)
Voices From the Gaps: Audre Lorde
“Hanging Fire” Critical Analysis from Poetry for Students This is available to borrow from Sora. Log in with your @stu.socsd.org username and password. PLEASE only take it out for no more than a class period at a time and then return it so students in other classes can use it. If you are working on it from home, that’s fine, but just return it as soon as you have gotten your information!
EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY
Edna St. Vincent Millay Overview A biography of Millay from Gale Databases; note citation at the end (pw=empirelink)
“Spring” by Edna St. Vincent Millay Annotations and Analysis at Owl Eyes (note that there is a button to press for the correct citation)
Edna St. Vincent Millay at the Poetry Foundation
“Edna St Vincent Millay’s poetry has been eclipsed by her personal life – let’s change that” an article from the British publication, The Guardian
“Edna St. Vincent Millay’s doubly burning candles” criticism and biographical information from New Criterion
The Millay Society A foundation dedicated to Millay
“I Know What I Know” an examination of “Spring”
Noetic: “Spring” By Edna St. Vincent Millay Excellent podcast analysis by Clifford Brooks III, poet and founder of The Southern Collective Experience, a cooperative of writers, musicians and visual artists, which publishes the journal of culture The Blue Mountain Review ; Be sure to cite this as a Podcast if you use it!
WILFRED OWEN
Wilfred Owen: Overview A discussion of Owen’s life and work (note citation at the end of the article)
Overview of “Dulce et Decorum Est” from Poetry for Students This is available to borrow from Sora. Log in with your @stu.socsd.org username and password. PLEASE only take it out for no more than a class period at a time and then return it so students in other classes can use it. If you are working on it from home, that’s fine, but just return it as soon as you have gotten your information!
First World War Poetry Digital Archive The work of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon may be found here
Wilfred Owen information and biography at poets.org
ADRIENNE RICH
Adrienne Rich: Overview A discussion of the life and work of Adrienne Rich (note citation at the end of the article)
Adrienne Rich: Criticism and Biographical Information This article mentions both “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” and “Storm Warnings.” (Note citation tools at the top of the page which will correctly cite the document for you)
Adrienne Rich articles at the NY Times The NY Times is an excellent resource for articles on more contemporary poets.
Interview with Adrienne Rich: The Paris Review The Paris Review is an esteemed literary magazine, and therefore a reliable sources
Understanding Adrienne Rich by Jeannette E. Riley (Chapter 1) includes criticism of both “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” and “Storm Warnings”
“Analysis of Poem ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ by Adrienne Rich by Andrew Spacey. This is a good analysis of the poem
Overview of “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” from Gale Online (note citation at end of article)
SIEGFRIED SASSOON
Siegfried Sassoon – Biographical Information From the Poetry Foundation
“We’re None of Us the Same” – Discussion of Siegfried Sassoon’s life and work (note citation at the end of the article)
Siegfried Sasson at Twayne’s Author Series – criticism and discussion of Sassoon as a satirical poet
First World War Poetry Digital Archive The work of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon may be found here
ANNE SEXTON
Anne Sexton Overview A discussion of the life and work of Sexton (see citation at end of article)
Biography and Criticism from American Writers
“Young” Critical Analysis from Poetry for Students This is available to borrow from Sora. Log in with your @stu.socsd.org username and password. PLEASE only take it out for no more than a class period at a time and then return it so students in other classes can use it. If you are working on it from home, that’s fine, but just return it as soon as you have gotten your information!
Explanation of “Young” by Andrew Spacey
Confessional Poetry an explanation
DYLAN THOMAS
Dylan Thomas Overview A discussion of the life and work of Thomas (see citation at the end of the article)
“Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight” Critical Analysis from Poetry for Students This is available to borrow from Sora. Log in with your @stu.socsd.org username and password. PLEASE only take it out for no more than a class period at a time and then return it so students in other classes can use it. If you are working on it from home, that’s fine, but just return it as soon as you have gotten your information!
Explanation of “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight” from LitFinder (note citation at the end of the article)
WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS
William Butler Yeats A brief biography (note citation at the end of the article)
William Butler Yeats at the Poetry Foundation biography and criticism
Yeats Meets the Digital Age From The NY Times; Yeats and his relationship with Maud Gonne
Explanation of “When You Are Old” from LitFinder (note citation at end of article)
RESEARCH PAPER HELP:
MLA internal citations How to cite your sources within your paper
Bibliography.com Ms. McMane’s recommended citation generator. If you are using a book, the easiest way is to copy the ISBN # from the inside pages or cover.
The test will be multiple choice.
Literary Elements in Poetry Quizlet
Some Review questions: [Try answering them yourself. Answers available below.]
- Which poems utilize rhetorical questions to make a point?
- Which poems share common themes?
- Which poem(s) has/have a sarcastic tone? Bitter tone? Hopeful tone? Nostalgic tone?
- Which poems contain extended metaphors?
- Which poems use repetition as a major device throughout?
- What traits are common in Walt Whitman’s poems?
- What traits are common in E. E. Cummings’ poems?
Poetry Test Review Question ANSWERS