Example:  Identifying Theme in "Hockey Poem"

Read the following poem. As you read, think about the poet's message. What theme would you identify and why?  Then read the sample student response.

Hockey Poem               
         Peter Trower  (1930- )             

Poems are something
like hockey players
nurtured in the junior leagues
the farm teams  1 of the subconscious
Every so often
you advance them to the majors  2
hoping
they’ll make the grade for you
score literary goals
deke  3 the critics
When they don’t come up to snuff  4
you ship them
back down to the minors  5
Always
you draw more culls  6 than champions
sometimes useful workhorses
who can’t skate
sometimes dazzling skaters
who can’t score
Gingerly
you juggle your lines
assemble your teams
All too often
they don’t even make the playoffs
But a poet
is like a patient coach
The game
must go on
After every defeat
you lick your wounds
study the mental draft choices
always on the lookout
for a Gretzky  7.
Footnotes:
  1. farm teams-  teams in a minor league that are owned by major-league teams, whose purpose is to train or 
    prepare players until they are needed
  2. the majors-  the National Hockey League (NHL), which has the top professional
    players
  3. deke-  a deceptive action to mislead an opponent
  4. up to snuff-  adequate or up to a certain minimum standard
  5. the minors-  the minor leagues in which players strive to improve their abilities
  6. culls- individuals removed or rejected because of their inferior skill levels
  7. Gretzky-  Wayne Gretzky, a professional hockey player known for his record-breaking
    achievements while playing in the NHL.



Consider the theme of "The Hockey Poem":
To be a good poet, one must be determined.  Writing a great poem is infrequent and the critics are difficult to please.

Click here to view a student sample paragraph on theme in "The Hockey Poem".


   Go to Assignment 3-5 and complete it now.


When you have completed all parts of Assignment 5,

    • be sure you have renamed your file (YOURNAME) la 9-3-5
    • upload the completed assignment into the Assignment 3-5 submission box on the next page
Check in a few days to retrieve the marked assignment and review the feedback from your teacher.