1.4 Poetry Analysis - Part 1

Understanding and analyzing texts is a skill you will use throughout this course and beyond.  This assignment is designed to give you an opportunity to learn this skill before you have to use it on future essays and tests.
           
Follow each of these steps, in order to complete this assignment.        

The first poem we will examine is called “What Makes You Come Alive?” by Mary Pinkoski, an award-winning spoken word poet and poetry slam champion from Edmonton, Alberta.

Step 1:  Examine the rubric to see how your work will be marked.

Step 2:  Read Simon’s example assignment as well as his teacher’s comments to give you a sense of what your chart should look like.  NOTE:  Simon analyzed a different poem than the one you will use for this assignment. 

Step 3:  Download and print a copy of the observation chart (in Word, Google doc, or PDF) you will complete for this assignment. 

Step 4:  Read “What Makes You Come Alive?” for Mary Pinkoski’s opinion on the essential question in the course, “What does it mean to live well?”  

Step 5:  Now watch this video of Mary Pinkoski reciting her poem.  See if it broadens your understanding of her message.

Step 6:  Consider the “feel” of the poem, and Complete the Feel section of your “What Makes You Come Alive?” chart.
 

• What are your first impressions? 
• What emotion(s) do you feel when you read the poem?
• What emotion does the speaker convey in her tone and in her words? 
• Do memories from your own life experiences come to mind?

NOTE:  In Part II of this assignment, you will fill out the remaining column of this chart with an additional poem.  Leave this section blank for now

Step 7:  View a video of Mary Pinkoski analyzing her poem to help you complete the “Think” section of your chart for “What Makes You Come Alive.”  Be sure to have your chart ready as you watch.