Some verbs should rarely – possibly never – be used when discussing a poem. “The poet tells us” or “the poet says” are problematic because poetic language is always carefully crafted, with every word and punctuation mark deliberately chosen to capture the exact feeling and idea the poet wishes to communicate.
The verbs “tells” and […]
Personal response encapsulates the absolutely sensible and sound notion that you should not just analyse intellectually but also respond emotionally to texts. Sadly, however, this then morphed into the somewhat happy-clappy notion that you should be ready, willing and able to explicitly relive these emotions when writing about them months (or sometimes years!) later. This […]
Today was a weird day. On a few levels it was, quite frankly, odd. However, rather than bore you with the mundane minutiae of my daily grind, instead let me share with you an insight I had which concerns the perplexing issue of ‘personal response’.
So I’m in my room, correcting; and I’m […]
What are the essential ingredients you should try to integrate when discussing poetry? To me, they are
Themes / ideas Techniques Feelings – poet Feelings – reader / personal response Quotes References (paraphrased) Links to other poems Linking phrases (to create flow) Context and/or biographical detail (where relevant)
Now check out this sample paragraph of critical […]
to grab your sorrow by the throat to grapple with it and lunge it heaving from your chest and force it into words is no easy task.
we spent hours together you and I. you never saw me, we never spoke, now, we never will.
but in my mind I knew you – and in […]
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