Unit 6 How to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost No Effort

Teaching Points

By the end of this unit, students are supposed to

1) grasp the author’s purpose of writing and make clear the structure of the whole

passage through an intensive reading of Text I How to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost No Effort.

2) comprehend the topic sentences in Text I thoroughly and be able to paraphrase

them.

3) get a list of new words and structures and use them freely in conversation and

writing.

Topics for discussion

1) Do you like reading poems? Have you ever tried to write a poem?

2) If YES, do you think it is difficult to write a poem? Where does the difficulty die? 3) What kind of poem can be called a good poem? How can we write a good poem?

Cultural Background

About Poetry 1. History of Poetry

? Some of the earliest poetry is believed to have been orally recited or sung, closely related to musical traditions, and much of it can be attributed to religious movements: rhythm, rhyme, compression, intensity of feeling, the use of refrains. ? Following the development of writing, poetry has since developed into increasingly

structured forms.

Written composition meant poets began to compose for an absent reader.

? Much poetry since the late 20th century has moved away from traditional forms

towards the more vaguely defined free verse and prose poem formats.

2. Classification Three major genres:

? Epic poetry: a long story about brave actions and exciting events; ? Lyric poetry: more personal, shorter poems intended to be sung; ? Dramatic poetry: comedy and tragedy as subgenres.

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Text I

How to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost No Effort

Richard Howey

Global Reading

I. Text Analysis

Modern life is more about material and tangible goods than about spirit pursuit. We set clear targets for our future, neglecting that we are gradually losing one joy that human kind usually have: the fun of spontaneity. The writer of this essay reminds us that poetry, especially creating poems, can provide us such pleasure. Though the writer of this essay writes in a half-mocking tone, and the method he introduces will not ensure us to create a wonderful, or even presentable poem, his real purpose is to make the creation of a poem less difficult than we may imagine and to induce amateurs to set their first steps on their journey to a more aesthetic life.

II. Structural Analysis

1. In terms of organization, the article clearly falls into three main parts:

The first part (Paragraphs 1-3) introduces the problem with poetry and the significance of the writer’s solution.

The second part (Paragraphs 4-9) introduces in detail how people can create a poem of their own.

The third part (Paragraphs10-12) serves as the ending of the essay. In this part, the writer reiterates his intention and make s kit clear he is just joking by presenting such a method of creating a poem..

2. The mocking tone of the author is mingled with some fairly emotional statements

which reveal his real love of poetry, e.g.

―Once a person has written a poem, of whatever quality, he will feel comradeship with fellow poets and, hopefully, read their works. Ideally, there would evolve a veritable society of poet-citizens, which would elevate the quality of life worldwide. Not only that,

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good poets could make a living for a change.‖ (Paragraph 3)

―But at least it’s a poem and you’ve written it, which is an accomplishment that relatively few people can claim.‖ (Paragraph 10)

―Chances are, you’ll find their offerings stimulating and refreshing. You might even try writing some more of your own poems, now that you’ve broken the ice. Observe others’ emotions and experience your own — that’s what poetry is all about. (Paragraph 11)

III. Rhetorical Features

Apparently simple but lucid English, sometimes even a colloquial speech style, creating the effect of a heart-to-heart talk between the writer and the reader, e.g. ―The last line of your poem should deal with the future in some way.‖ (Paragraph 8) ―Now that poem (like yours, when you’re finished) is rotten.‖ (Paragraph 10)

Detailed Reading

Questions

1. What does the writer think is the problem with poetry? (Paragraph 2)

The problem with poetry is that most people don’t know how to write a poem and there is no market for good poets and poems.

2. What is the solution for this problem suggested by the writer? (Paragraph 3)

The solution for this problem suggested by the writer is to make it easy for everyone to write at least one poem in his life.

3. How does the writer justify his solution? (Paragraph 3)

The writer thinks this may not only enhance people’s recognition of poets but cultivate a poetry-loving society and elevate the quality of life.

4. What is the real intention of the writer to present such a method of creating a poem?

(Paragraph 11)

By introducing such a method of creating a ―rotten‖ poem, the writer is actually encouraging people to start their journey to the appreciation of poetry and to acquire a more intimate feeling toward poetry.

5. What is the purpose of the last paragraph? (Paragraph 12)

Since the title of the essay bears a very obvious mocking feature, the last paragraph, which echoes with this tone, reminds his readers of the fact that he is merely joking.

Text II

The Interpretation of Poetry

Robert DiYanni

Lead-in Questions

Do you enjoy reading poems in daily life? What is your way of understanding a poem; do you read line by line and consult materials or just have a fast reading to get a glimpse of

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idea?

Main idea

Notes 1.

About the author and the text: Robert DiYanni is professor of English and Director of Interdisciplinary Studies at Pace University. He has taught graduate classes in English at New York University and Queens College — City University of New York. Among his books are The Art of Reading; Modern American Poets; Prose Pieces; Essays and Stories; Reading Poetry; Modern American Prose; and Women’s Voices. Professor DiYanni received his B.A. from Rutgers University and his Ph.D. from the City University of New York.

The text is taken from the book Literature — Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay (Second Edition).

2. ROBERT HADEN (Para. 4) Robert Hayden (1913-1980) was an American poet, essayist, educator. He was appointed Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1976.

3. ROBERT FROST (Para. 8) Robert Lee Frost (1874-1963) was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and philosophical themes. A popular and often-quoted poet, Frost was honored frequently during his lifetime, receiving four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.

Additional notes

1. sense of the poem’s coherence (Paragraph 2) This is the point of the essay: the

main task of reading a poem is to understand the logic in and the general meaning of the poem, or the general purpose of the poet served by the facts and details presented in the poem.

2. solidify our sense of what the poem implies (Paragraph 5) confirm our

understanding of the poem, including its general purpose

3. make this interpretive leap (Paragraph 9) draw metaphoric inferences on the

basis or even beyond the concrete facts and explicit logic in the poem

4. Because we invariably bring different experiences of life and of literature

to our reading of poems, we will see different things in them and will make different kinds of sense of them. (Paragraph 11) In fact, in reading a

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