Some poetry Advices?

[DarkGuy]

I'm going to be doing an English assessment task in class about poetry (year 10 stuff) in Tuesday.  I just want anyone to give me advices on 2 task parts (unseen poem and the studied poem) since most of you guys are like in Uni. I could ask my teacher..but I really can't understand him and he cannot handle the class..which we can't learn anything much.

[Sleet]

What do you need to learn about poetry exactly? Is there a specific theme/topic to it all?

What's the studied poem?

As for the unseen poem, I wouldn't just derive my points from what the poem is saying but rather from how its saying it. For example, if the poem ends up being a sonnet, why is it a sonnet? If it has a rhyme scheme (like ABABAB), then is the rhyme scheme significant (i.e is the poet linking thoughts/important points through the rhyme). With that said, you do have to link it back to some meaning within the poem itself.

When analysing poems, its best to focus on the more intricate details. Unlike narratives and most other text types, poems tend to be condensed and every line and word is used with careful consideration.

Also, just some general tips when writing essays and analysis, give quotes. When you're talking about something in the poem, quote the line, quote the words. Re-use some of the word within your writing as it shows you've not just "read" the piece but you've "analysed" it as well.

Oh and a final tip, try get a little better with the language in general, you've made a few errors in your post -_-'

[DarkGuy]

cool thanks and sorry about the bad language...though English is my 4th Language. The studied poem is about Summer Rain by John Foulcher. Here is the poem
"
At 4 o'clock cars
clutter on the highway like abacus beads.
No one dares overtake.
Sunlight scrawls
through the dust and the fumes,
and the shadows slap at the edge of the grass.

Somewhere ahead, there's been an accident.
One by one, the engines
stop, the cars slump into dusk.

You wrench yourself from the road,
sift the dark trees
for diversion.
Sub-division houses-teacups
of colour from telivison stes,

steam rising from ovens
and showers
like mist across a swampland. The cricket sound
of voices and cutlery.

Only the children
stay outside, brusied with dirt
and school, squeezing play
from the tattered edges of the afternoon.
In the darkness, they grow
to be heroes, clash in the park
like cars on a highway,
pound out grudges
tight as steel. At last they slacken
home forgetfully.

As the wreck is cleared, rain trembles
acress the cars
and the charred, unbroken road"

Though I think it would be useless posting this now since it starts tomorrow and you probably wont be able to come online right now. So I suppose this topic can be closed by a mod.

[Sleet]

There's a couple of themes you could touch upon:

- Growing old
There's the imagery of the sunset/afternoon to represent the aging of the persona. Its juxtapositioned with the description. You could even extend it to the idea that the adults, who are like "abacus beads" are just as "dead" as the people who were in the car accident. The children, even though they're playing, due to the metallic imagery, are kind of shown to be headed to the same path.

- Rebellion
The adults are all lined up in cars headed home or cooking dinners, while the children "stay outside".

- Hope/Future
The poem is divided into three stages: The description of the cars and homes of the "adults", which is depressing and morbid. The description of the children, which is more about dreams and hope that are strong like "metal". And the description of the rain, which says that despite the crash, the world/road still remains (probably due to the children).

Of course, those are just some points. How you justify and reason the points will determine how well you do.

[DarkGuy]

Hmm ok thanks. I guess I'll just study the things that you told me (and some points I guess). Anyway anyone can lock this topic now lol