filled my mouth as Mrs. Purdy read from her desk.
All the other kids zoned an hour ahead to 3:15,
but Mrs. Purdy and I wandered lonely as clouds borne
by a breeze off Mount Parnassus. She must have seen
the darkest eyes in the room brim: The next day
she gave me a poem she’d chosen especially for me
to read to the all except for me white class.
She smiled when she told me to read it, smiled harder,
said oh yes I could. She smiled harder and harder
until I stood and opened my mouth to banjo playing
darkies, pickaninnies, disses and dats. When I finished
my classmates stared at the floor. We walked silent
to the buses, awed by the power of words.
Directions: Please post your reactions to this poem. Also, comment on how the form impacted your reactions.
Please use "The Poetry Cheat Sheet" as a guide
The Poetry Cheat Sheet
Tone: This is the attitude of the speaker of the poem. You always have to consider the tone of the speaker even if you’re not specifically asked to analyze it. Tone relates to many of elements below. It’s a “big-picture” or “umbrella” concept. (You should have a “bank” of words in mind: angry, happy, carefree, bitter, sympathetic, sad, nostalgic, ironic, satirical, etc.)
Repetition: Poets often rely on repetition. This can be words, phrases, sounds, images, ideas. If a poet repeats something, it takes on more meaning.
Diction: This refers to words. What words does the poet use? Does he repeat any specific words? What connotation do the words have (positive, negative)?
Syntax/Structure: Do the sentences within the poem or stanzas have a recognizable structure? Does the structure or pattern change at a specific moment?
Imagery (sensory details): This refers to the images of the poem, especially those that appeal to many senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell).
Sounds: Sound is often conveyed in poetry. Look for rhyme and repetition, and things such as alliteration, consonance, and assonance (which are repetitions of specific types of sound).
Metaphors/Similes: Comparisons are often used to support imagery, but they can also be used to anchor a poem, to convey a poem’s main message. Any time a poet compares something to something else, you should take note of it.
Irony: This is HUGE in poetry. If something is said or happens that is unexpected, it’s ironic. If it’s sarcastic or satirical, it’s ironic. If you can recognize irony, you’re golden.
Allusion: This is a literary or historical reference. It is not as common on the AP exam, but you should know what it is and how it works.
Rhythm/Rhyme: This is covered with other elements above. This just refers to the recognizable pattern of a poem that gives it a sense of rhythm and flow.
Also: Sestet (six line stanza), Octet (eight line stanza), Quatrain (four line stanza), couplet (two line stanza)
When reading this poem, I noticed the form largely impacts the narrative. If you read from down up, the entire view on the story changes from positive to negative. The simple event of being in class reading had a lot of connotation added through descriptions such as "breeze off Mount Parnassus" and "lonely as clouds" helping build the isolated narrative of the speaker. Similarly, the poem highlights the idea that a simple poem can have a huge impact on someone while nearly none on another. The value it has is subjective and the way of interpreting shapes that. Personally, due to not having a huge connection to this text, I don't gain much from this while someone who sympathizes with the character due to personal connection will gain a different insight.
ReplyDeleteI had never thought to read the poem from down to up and I agree that it totally changes the story and your perspective on it.
DeleteI hadn't thought of that either its a really interesting way of looking at the poem because it still has meaning even if that meaning is more negative.
DeleteThere is nothing particularly shocking about the poem, but it is framed in an expectant way. Sentences are cut off in the middle and continued below, leaving something to be revealed each line. In only the few lines: “It was like soul-kissing, the way the words filled my mouth as Mrs. Purdy read from her desk. All the other kids zoned an hour ahead to 3:15, but Mrs. Purdy and I wandered lonely as clouds borne by a breeze off Mount Parnassus,” the poem seems to slow down, allowing the reader to experience the feelings she was experiencing. There is a speed up of pace in the lines: “She smiled when she told me to read it, smiled harder, said oh yes I could. She smiled harder and harder.” It is noticeable that in so few words, the text was able to change pace and immerse the reader in a sense of the environment, of the students, of their reactions. The poem itself says, “We walked silent to the buses, awed by the power of words.” and Nelson's brief words speak to this idea. Though we never hear the poem she herself read in class, we get a sense for what it might have felt like with the poem she has written here.
ReplyDeleteI did not even think of the effect of breaking apart the sentences in the poem, Audrey. Looking back, however, the author's strategic formation of the poem certainly has a strong effect, and makes each line that much more powerful than it was originally. I also agree that I definitely noticed the pace quickening as the narrator is reading the poem to the class, and I really felt the effects of the author's words.
DeleteI agree with your observation of the poem picking up the pace. It begins softly and calmly and then is interrupted by racial slurs which switches the reader's focus, just as it had for the white students.
DeleteThe poem is short and simple, but the power of its words are evident. When reading, I got the idea that there was a very personal connection between Mrs. Purdy and the narrator who, at one point, states, "Mrs. Purdy and I wandered lonely,". This line in particular stood out to me as it attributes itself to the differences between the two characters and the rest of the class. While the other students are, "zoned an hour ahead," the teacher and narrator are only focused on the task at hand, taking care to understand every line and word of what they are reading. I found it very powerful when the author transitioned to talk about how they were told to read the poem in front of their "all white" class. When they read, there is an obvious sense of shame cast across the entirety of the class, with them walking to the buses in silence, "awed by the power of words,". By bringing a heavy topic such as racism into the poem, the author really got their point across to me; while wordy speeches and texts may often be boring or trivial, we must understand the meaning, the history, and the hurt behind every word in literature, as there is often extraordinary power in a single word.
ReplyDeleteI like how you acknowledged the relationship between the narrator and Mrs. Purdy, which is clearly very important to the poem. As you said, they seem to have a much different relationship than the rest of the students.
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ReplyDeleteThe poem is a story, told in what first appears to be a very lackluster way. It is just a girl talking about her first time hearing and truly experiencing poetry. When you look closer at the words and the structure though, they are very intentional. The poem represents poetry in general, with the whimsical words, and the easy flow of the sentences. I can see this specifically in the line, "but Mrs. Purdy and I wandered lonely as clouds borne by a breeze off Mount Parnassus." This is not something that is typical in conversation on a day today basis. The fantasy in the poem, I feel ,is a reflection of poems in general. The way that the reader may have felt reading the poem, is the way the class reacted after Mrs. Purdy read the poem out loud to the class. The students who did not understand it, or look into it, found no amusement with the words. For Marilyn Nelson however, she dove deeper into the topics, and food deeper meaning in it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the poem is about poems in general. I like how you pointed out that those who didn't listen didn't understand it. Poetry is definitely subjective depending on the individual and it might mean nothing to someone who doesn't like poetry, and a lot to someone who does.
DeleteAs I read, I noticed that the break in each line correlated to the moment before information is revealed, creating suspense at a point in each statement. This creates the same feeling of anticipation and curiosity within the reader that the narrator experiences as they read poetry for the first time. The emotion of the narrator contrasts the surrounding silence of the room of kids “zoned” out and the “silent” walk to the bus. This emphasizes the internal nature of discovery through words on a page. There is a unspoken conversation occurring between the smiling teacher and the student, who, with an “opened…mouth” internalizes the poetry and discovers the “power of words” without use of speech. This is the moment of discovery. When the narrator is finally verbal, he is sharing his experience of discovery with his fellow students. As the reader, we do not know what the students gain from the poem they are read. For, each reader’s experience with a piece is internal and individual. This is the “power of words.”
ReplyDeleteI really like how you noted that the break in each line correlated to the moment before information is revealed because this wasn't something that I had noticed when reading it through. I think it's really interesting how different people notice different things.
DeleteReading this poem, the use of figurative language was what really caught my eye. You’re hooked in with “[poetry] was like soul-kissing” (1) and continuing on to the wandering imagination of the narrator. He talks about how he “wandered lonely as clouds borne by a breeze off Mount Parnassus” (4-5). We’re brought into this make believe world that the narrator is traveling through. I feel like this is how I felt when finding poetry, I was brought into a whole new realm. Poetry is writing that’s different from any other, in my opinion. Even in this poem you see how writing can enthral you, you’re kept interesting by the “banjo playing darkies, pickaninnies, disses and dats” (12-13) that come from his mouth as he reads the poem. The form of the poem, was more casual but it doesn’t take away from the poem. The use of commas and punctuation accentuate the casual form of the poem, and it comes off as a more personal connection with the narrator. I think with this form it’s easier to connect with the narrator and to be able to feel how they feel.
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DeleteI agree that this poem really put you in the "realm". I like how you showed the language that hooked you in the beginning.
I really like your analysis on all the figurative language that she used. I too agree that it played a large part in how the poems message was conveyed and what feelings she was trying to make the readers feel.
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ReplyDeleteAs Kristy said, this poem really emphasises the power of having less words with more meaning. Although the poem is not long, the words pack a lot of meaning into a short space with an effective form. The author does a good job of using vivid imagery to create a specific feeling in the classroom. By explaining the student as “wandering lonely as clouds borne” and mentioning the “darkest eyes in the room”, she is showing the importance of one student. They set the scene for her reading of the poem by showing her as one distinct individual that can break the silence of an entire group. I also like how the author builds up to her reading using repetition by using repetition. She says the teacher “smiled harder...she smiled harder and harder…” This builds interest in the resolution by her reading the poem and showing the power of the words. By building up to it rather than just saying she read it and everyone was amazed, she really shows how powerful these words can be. Although we do not know exactly what she said, we have the feeling of the experience because as a reader we were immersed in the environment and reactions of the rest of the class.
ReplyDeleteThe image that is being described at the beginning of the poem, using phrases like “soul-kissing” and “lonely as clouds” is rather captivating. It displays the scene of a student who is mesmerized by the spoken imagery, feeling this spiritual connection with Mrs. Purdy. Everyone else was disconnected from the reading until the teacher had the colored student read for the class, “When I finished my classmates stared at the floor. We walked silent to the buses, awed by the power of words.” having the black student read to the all white class caught people’s attention. The significance of having read this poem is that it gave the speaker a voice. When they spoke they spoke of “banjo playing darkies, pickaninnies, disses and dats.” The white students sat and listened to a black child say the derogatory terms directed at colored people, giving them a new meaning when the black child spoke them. It left them with shame, “staring at the floor...awed by the power of words.”
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ReplyDeleteThis poem is very interesting because if you read it quickly, the words seem to have little meaning. However, when you look closer you can see how the form of the poem contributes to overall interpretation. I noticed that the poem is written as a sonnet, having 14 lines with 10 syllables per line. Sonnets are often used to express single feelings and strong emotions. This poem is certainly an example of that. In lines three through five it says, “All the other kids zoned an hour ahead to 3:15, but Mrs. Purdy and I wandered lonely as clouds borne by a breeze off Mount Parnassus.” The other kids in the students class show very little interest in the poem while the narrator finds a deeper meaning in it. In lines seven through eight we learn that the student is the only black child in his/her class. It says, “she’d chosen especially for me to read to the all except for me white class”. This adds a sense of racial tension to the poem. I suspect the poem she/he is asked to read aloud also has racial tension. I based this suspicion on the line where it says, “I stood and opened my mouth to banjo playing darkies, pickaninnies, disses and dats. When I finished my classmates stared at the floor.” By reading the poem to the class, this black student is making a strong statement that leaves her classmates speechless.
I never noticed that it was written as a sonnet. That made me view the poem a lot differently. -Jill
DeleteYour point that the poem is a sonnet adds a lot of meaning to it. It really strengthens your argument about the emotion in the room, a product of racial tension. I hadn't seen the classmates' reaction in that way, and that part of the poem is clearer to me now.
DeleteNow I notice that the poem does not have 10 syllables in every line, only some of them. However, it is similar to a sonnet in the sense that it shares deep emotion and has 14 lines in total.
DeleteI would agree with Audrey that this poem is more subtle than striking. In both content and form I found this poem to be mundane, but not less meaningful because of it. I once had an english teacher who would similarly chose people she thought to be interested and understanding to read certain poems and passages, and so the story played out in the poem is very familiar to me. To be honest the class had no profound effect on my life, but I do remember her personalization would make whatever we were reading far more engaging than if she had just presented it from normal spot in front of the whiteboard. On a more objective level, with the exception of the references to Mount Parnassus and soul-kissing, the language is plain and cut. Instead, the author plays with sentence structure, drawing out the rising action with the combination of sentences about the author’s first explorations of poetry. The repetition of the “smiling hard” imagery to punctuate the climax was another subtle note the author used to fortify the poem. Although this poem seems to have been written in a different time, it still invokes for me the same familiar classroom setting and the power the relationship between a student and teacher can have.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting how your teacher used to do that, even if it didn't have a tremendous impact on your life. -Jill
DeleteI agree with Jill; it's very interesting how you had a similar experience to the narrator of the poem. I agree that personalizing the lesson by doing something like that would certainly create a lasting impact on whoever she was focusing in on.
DeleteThis poem made me think about how certain pieces of literature can captivate one person and not really click with someone else. The narrator of this poem describes the way they and their teacher “wandered lonely as clouds borne by a breeze of Mount Parnassus” and shared a genuine connection as she read a poem while the rest of the class “zoned an hour ahead to 3:15.” Nelson really does a good job here of describing the sensation of experiencing a truly meaningful work of literature.
ReplyDeleteNelson also brings the topic of race into the poem in an interesting way. The all-white class seemed unengaged when Mrs. Purdy read a poem to the class, but once the narrator began reading, they began to pay close attention and were “awed by the power” of their words, most likely because they are the only black student in the class. The narrator seems to be uncomfortable speaking in front of the class and needed some encouragement from their teacher to have the courage to read the poem out loud. Even then, they obviously felt like they were going to be judged by their classmates for their race, perhaps because this had happened to them in the past.
I like how your response unpacked the poem's topic of race and talked about the author's unique way of discussing race and racial tension
DeleteI found your analysis of the poem and the idea of race in it was very interesting and you brought a perspective I did not recognize immediately.
DeleteI totally agree that the author did a great job at honing in on the effect of meaningful literature on an individual and how it creates an image in the reader's mind.
DeleteOverall, this poem is both innocent and impactful. Like many of the comments have mentioned, there is nothing extraordinary about how it is written. In a way, I feel like that reflects the message of the poem. Though it is written somewhat plainly, it certainly is meaningful; this can be compared to the poems within the story, which appeared mundane to some, but significant to the narrator. The fact that this poem is formatted almost as a collection of run-on sentences also contributes to its innocence. While I was reading this, I envisioned the narrator as a young child, perhaps in elementary or middle school. I came to this conclusion when looking at the relationship between the narrator and her teacher. Mrs. Purdy seemed incredibly supportive and nurturing, with repeated descriptions of her “smiling harder and harder.” However, there is also a sense of maturity in the narrator, who uses expressions like “soul-kissing” and “lonely as clouds borne by a breeze.” This could be due to their apparent love of literature and poetry. In all, this poem showed how something seemingly mundane can hold an unexpected amount of power. Our actions don’t have to be grand to make a change.
ReplyDelete-Jill
I really like how you said "this poem showed how something seemingly mundane can hold an unexpected amount of power" because I totally agree. I also thought the poem was not super intricate but a lot was taken away from its simple words.
DeleteThis poem was definitely easier to read than some others, but its message was displayed in a very subtle but impactful way. The power of words is clearly depicted in this, as every word is chosen precisely and carefully to paint the perfect mood and setting. The authors choice of words helped me understand the atmosphere of the classroom and the change in energy after the girl reads the poem. The authors says that "when I finished my classmates stared at the floor. We walked silent to the buses, awed by the power of words". Although these sentences do not directly state how everyone is feeling, the words are able to say things that aren't directly stated like the impact that the poems message must have had on the white students that made them feel a little guilty. In addition, Nelson uses figurative language to further his writing. She starts the poem off with "It was like soul-kissing, the way the words
ReplyDeletefilled my mouth as Mrs. Purdy read from her desk". There is a simile that compares the way that she felt speaking to "soul-kissing" and also she personifies the words that fill her mouth, describing words as having actions.
I really like your comments on the figurative language, and how you interpreted the description of the mouth as internalizing the words and translating them into action.
DeleteMichelle, I loved the comment you made about how the words are able to say things that aren't directly implied. I think that is an important theme in poetry, it makes the poetry more interesting to read if things are not said out right.
DeleteMichelle, I loved the comment you made about how the words are able to say things that aren't directly implied. I think that is an important theme in poetry, it makes the poetry more interesting to read if things are not said out right.
DeleteWhen I read this poem the first time, I didn’t really pick up on its underlying message. At first I only thought about it as a young child learning to appreciate poetry from their teacher and time in school. However, underneath the surface, this poem displays a lot of racial tension. After rereading I realized that the child was the only black student in the class when “ the darkest eyes in the class brim.” Something else I skimmed over at first was when the teacher “chose a poem especially for the student” and “she smiled harder and harder until I stood up and opened my mouth to banjos playing darkies, pickaninnies, disses, and dats.” I was unsure of the meaning of some of those words, which may be why I looked over that sentence at first, but after looking it up I realized some of these words are derogatory terms that were used against black people. The language and themes in the poem are subtle overall. Taking the time to read it over carefully and examine it deeply is the best way to grasp its content.
ReplyDeleteAt first when I read this poem, I didn't really find anything special about it, but when I reread it felt a sense of empowerment growing as i progressed through the poem. The narrator describes being on “Mount Parnassus” which is a sacred mountain in Greece but in literature it’s classified as “the home of literature”. The way in which the narrator describes Mount Parnassus specifically, I can assume that he believes he’s deserving and feels a sense of belonging. The person felt very secluded and lonely and it feels like there is racial tension in the poem that I didn't pick up at first. The narrator gets a poem from her teacher to read to all "except me white class". I had to look up the meaning of the terms in order for it to understand how important this moment was to the narrator. Pickaninnies when searching for the definition is categorized as an offensive term that describes a black child. Realizing the correlation between all the words made much more sense why the narrator’s “classmates stared at the floor”. The first time the narrator discovered poetry is when they discovered a sense to stand up for themselves, so much so that the white children of his class felt guilt.
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DeleteI agree with your idea of the student feeling as though they belong once they read the poem, before felling isolated from the other students. Literature provided them with this connection.
DeleteI didn't realize the racial tension you described until after the fact reading others responses. I had no idea what those words meant so I wish I had looked them up, because I think it would have changed my interpretation of the poem somewhat
DeleteWilla, thank you for mentioning what Mount Parnasuss was because I didn't bother to research this unknown word further and knowing the meaning behind it definitely adds depth to the poem.
DeleteUnlike some other works we have read, the poem by Marilyn Nelson did not contain several hidden metaphors, but rather presents the message in a straightforward yet impactful method. Nelson focuses on her initial reaction to poetry, and I found it striking how she immediately begins with, “it was like soul-kissing, the way the words filled my mouth”. Furthermore, I thought it was interesting how her class was predominantly white, and when the teacher spoke, “all the other kids zoned an hour ahead”, but when the narrator spoke, her “classmates stared at the floor… awed by the power of words”. This demonstrates how important the speaker is when conveying a message, as often times a figure with more credibility or character will cause a greater rhetorical impact in comparison to an ordinary individual. The form of this poem allowed me to read the poem and retain all the information and messages present in it.
ReplyDeleteI like how you described Nelson's poem as "straightforward but impactful", because that this is the feeling that I took away from the poem as well.
DeleteI was moved by Marilyn Nelson’s simple, yet unconventionally structured poem, “How I Discovered Poetry.” I was not unsettled by the oddity of its form – rather her words resonated and spoke to my eight-year-old self. When I started third grade, my family and I were just returning to Boston from a three-year stint in Florida. I had just spent my first three years of elementary school with friends, who would no longer be present in my life. I knew no one as I walked into Ms. McSweeney’s room, but in an instant, my life became magically better. Ms. McSweeney immediately made me feel welcomed, even though I was completely prepared to be isolated and experience that “all except for me” feeling. Instead, the entire class prepared for our first Room 301 Poetry Café. Every Friday, students would pick poems from Shel Silverstein to C.S. Lewis to e.e.cummings to Jack Prelutsky to Lewis Carroll to Frost and even Dr.Seuss. My memory is that I was first to recite and I was quite the orator! Although keep in mind that this may be totally incorrect, but I do remember that Ms. McSweeney “smiled harder and harder… (and) (w)hen I finished my classmates stared at the floor.” Poetry was my invitation to belong, and Ms. McSweeney taught me how to be “awed by the power of words.” This is “(h)ow I (d)iscovered (p)oetry.”
ReplyDeleteI agree with a lot of the prior comments, explaining that while there is nothing particularly special about word choice and descriptions used in this short story, an enthralling tale is still told. The "soul-kissing" words from the poetry could perhaps only feel that way for certain people in the narrator's classroom: Himself and his teacher. However, a different poem or entirely separate work such as a painting or a novel could be soul kissing to other people in the room, but not them. Perspective is everything when it comes to the arts. This poem reminds me of the in-class discussion we had on the first or second day of class, where books were compared to art such as the Mona Lisa, a Pollock, etc.
ReplyDeleteNot every work of media has to be effortlessly thought out and flawlessly completed for someone to absolutely love it and be "awed by the power of words." Furthermore, perfect is an extremely subjective word that can only be based upon opinion rather than fact. It's interesting to see how one work of media can cause people to both "zone an hour ahead" or "smile and smile harder."
I agree with your thoughts on perspective, and I wonder if our own interpretations of the poem were based of our perspectives and opinions on poetry.
Deletes many of my peers have said, when I first read Marilyn Nelson’s poem “How I Discovered Poetry” I found it to be a bore. The wording was simple and, during the first read I was honestly confused. Poetry has never been my thing in both writing and interpreting. However, as I re-read I understood the importance of poetry to the young girl in the story. I believe that the white teacher chose to let the African American young read the poem about other African Americans to give the reading of the poem more depth. I thought that the teacher believed that the young girl could do the poem more justice, especially because the young girl seemed to be passionate about poetry. I saw her reading the poem as being confident in her identity and her race, I thought the girl was awfully brave to stand in front of her “all white” class and read a poem about her race.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of the poem with regards to style was the vivid imagery. Throughout the whole poem the author creates pictures in the readers head. She starts with “It was like soul-kissing, the way the words filled my mouth as Mrs. Purdy read from her desk”. For me, I see the words coming from the depths of the teacher, filled with heart and passion. I see the words coming out of her mouth, into the room and then into the mouth of the young girl. The other line that painted a scene in my head was after the young girl finished reading the poem and her white “classmates stared at the floor”. This was a powerful image because of the racial tension at the time. I took it as the white kids were uncomfortable with the topic of African American life being talked about in the class.
Revisiting the poem, I realized I misinterpreted the poem. However, looking at the offensive content that was present in the poem it makes sense. It was cruel that the teacher had the African American girl read the poem in front of the class. This was a way to single out the black girl based on her race and it was upsetting to the rest of the class- maybe not because she was black but, because of the racist messages in the poem.
DeleteWhen I first read Marilyn Nelson’s poem titled “How I Discovered Poetry” I thought it was just an average piece that dwells on an author and a students love for writing, and in particular poetry. The poem brought back memories to times that I feel like all students, especially lovers of literature can relate to. When you’re so entranced in what a teacher is saying and the rest of the class is dozing off but at that moment you are so focused and enthralled in the lesson.
ReplyDeleteBut then I read it again, and I started to notice some things that didn’t fit together. I’m usually fairly quick to pick up on ideas and thoughts that the author is attempting to express, but at this one. I was kind of at a loss. Like Willa stated, I too looked up the meaning of “Pickanies” and realized it was an offensive term used to demean Black people. As well as a term “Darkies”. And when the author was talking about “the darkest eyes in the room brim” she was talking about the eyes of the students of color. And that the narrator was basically saying it was only him who caught onto the true meaning of the poem, "to the all except for me white class" insinuating he is the only black person in the class. And at the end, the narrator expresses that the kids were ashamed and not able to look the narrator in the eye after finishing the poem.
I’m surprised that I didn’t really pick up on a huge concept in the poem the first time, and I felt like when I did it was so obvious. It’s interesting how when we are asked to analyze something, we could possibly have an idea in our head of what it is going to be about causing us to miss the whole point.
How I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson, uses simplicity to skillfully combine a variety of worldly themes and poetic techniques. As I first read the poem, I could instantly create the scene in my head, of the melancholy last period class is something we can all relate too. This imagery pust the reader into a sleepy trance, as the narrator describes themself and their teacher “wandering lonely as clouds borne by a breeze off Mount Parnassus”. This far in, the poem seems peaceful and mellow, although this feeling is not evident throughout. Nelson uses repetition in multiple times within the poem, to emphasize specific details. By stating that the teacher “gave ME a poem she’d chosen especially for ME to read to the al except for ME white class,” the emphasis of loneliness the narrator feels is highlighted, as Oliver mentioned in his blog post. Specifically the form seems choppy, as the poem is split mid sentence, but I think this adds to the presentation of the poem, and how it is read in my head. By adding these breaks, the reader is allowed to slow down and really read the poem, as opposed to skimming over it like a normal paragraph. Overall, I enjoyed this poem, and admired the narrator for being courageous enough to present the piece, his teacher had assigned, in front of his class. By the title of the poem, I would assume that presentation is what helped the narrator discover they liked poetry, which is a pleasant thought to leave in the reader’s head.
ReplyDeleteIn Marilyn Nelson’s poem, “How I Discovered Poetry”, the power of words threaded throughout. Mrs. Purdy seems to be reading a poem to a disinterested class but there is a single student who experienced a deep connection with the words the teacher was reading. I think that the story behind this poem is that people never know what resonates with others especially in a class setting. It is revealed that the student is of a different skin color than his all “white” peers. This could make this person feel like an outsider and the teacher seems to help this student with that by reading and showing poetry that might resonate with him/her. Mrs. Purdy also told the student to read a poem to the class. After the student read the poem it was clear that the class was moved. The author describes how the students were “awed by the power of words.” That line resonated with me because I think the power of words and perspectives are very important in literature. Someone could read the same book as someone else and have two completely different takes on it and I have always found that fascinating. Each work of literature can be unique to each person who reads it because everyone has their own backgrounds that can be related to text. The student in the poem found a poem that resonated with him/her, showing the class their perspective.
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ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of the poem was the subtle irony with in the plot. The poem was about children finally grasping the power and beauty of poetry, “We walked silent to the buses, filled with the power of words”. Yet that was the point of this poem, to introduce us to the power of poetry. The poems plot is simple yet the beautiful writing and tone really make piece. With the authors purposeful choice to use eloquent wording such as ‘soul kissing’.
ReplyDeleteIt was really impressive to me that she was able to say so much in such a short, simple poem. She covered the topics of race, education, and innocence, “The next day she gave me a poem she’d chosen especially for me to read to the all except for me white class. She smiled when she told me to read it, smiled harder, said oh yes I could.” The teacher gives her the confidence to believe herself although she feels like an outsider. Readers are able to see the main character progress and by the end of the poem her relationships with reading, her teacher, and her classmates.