I’m working on a writing discussion question and need a sample draft to help me learn.

Discussion Board Post!! Reading Poetry.

Step by step:

1.) Watch the poet recite the poem, then read the poem and the poet’s remarks:

Below, watch Salvadoran-born poet Javier Zamora recite his poem, “Citizenship. (I will send the video link SEPARATELY)

After watching, read the text of the poem here, (Links to an external site.)and near it, ALSO READ the poet’s remarks about the poem. Then, pause to consider the following questions :

• What makes a poem powerful?

• What makes a poem important to a reader?

• Over the years, have you come across a poem that spoke to you in a powerful way?

• Where can you go to discover poems by a range of different types of poets?

2.) Find a poem

From the list of poetry sources below, choose a poem you want to work with for this discussion. It should meet the following conditions:

• It is a poem of no fewer than 12 and no longer than 36 lines
• Choose a poem that evokes a strong reaction or interested you in some way. It is easier to read, analyze and discuss a poem you like or find powerful
• AVOID the handful of overly familiar poems that many people have heard or been assigned to read since childhood (such as “The Raven,” by Edgar Allan Poe, or “The Road Not Taken,” by Robert Frost). It’s best to choose a poem that is fresh and new to you.

Choose your poem from one of these sources:

• • The Poetry Foundation (Links to an external site.)(online collection/database) (Links to an external site.)
  • American Poetry Review (Links to an external site.) (literary magazine online)
  • Poets.org (Links to an external site.) (online collection/database)
  • The Collagist (Links to an external site.) (a literary magazine online)
  • WaxWing (Links to an external site.) (a literary magazine online)
  • Shakespeare’s Sonnets (Links to an external site.) (collected on the web)

To receive full credit, develop your post correctly by following all instructions below.

3.) Post the poem and its source information correctly

First, above the text of the poem itself, LIST the following information:

The poem’s title The name of the poet The site where you found the poem (from the list above only) An online link directly to the poem

Second, post the poem itself correctly. This is important – see below:

• Poems, unlike paragraphs, have very specific arrangements, line by line. When you include a copy of the poem you chose, make sure it does not lose its formatting.
• Copy and paste the poem so that it reads like the original – with the all of the correct original line breaks and punctuation.
• A link is not enough to fulfill the assignment. Classmates must be able to see the poem within your post.

4.) The Writing Task | Analysis & Reflection

• Develop a two-paragraph written response to the poem, and post it just underneath the poem itself.
• Label each paragraph clearly with the appropriate header, “Analysis,” and “Reflection.”

The Analysis – PRACTICING FORMALISM

• • • Your analysis should be informed by this week’s readings. Identify at least three features of the poem’s form. Offer examples. Discuss how those formal elements contribute to the poem. Be specific, avoid vague language.
      • Choose aspects of form that seem noteworthy and important. Examples to consider might be the line breaks, a rhyme scheme, the use of metaphor, imagery, consonance, allusions, and so on. It depends on the poem.
      • In your observations about form, use the critical vocabulary from this unit’s readings.
      • Avoid generalities. Specificity if the goal. Pay close attention to the poem.
      • Length: A 225-250-word paragraph

The Reflection

• • • • In your reflection about the poem’s power or effect, discuss the poem’s mood, tone, and theme.
      • Draw some conclusions about what is striking about the poem and why you chose it. Share what makes the poem powerful or worth reading.
      • This is not exclusively a “feelings” question, although certainly your subjective feelings-based reaction to the poem is an important element here – but so is the quality of your attention to the relationship between form and content to create meaning.
      • Try to draw some conclusions about how specific choices create certain effects, which in turn, make an impact on you, the reader.
      • Length: A 225-250-word paragraph

For both paragraphs, consult the assigned readings from this week for your critical poetry vocabulary.