Eyes on the Prize: Seeking Imagery in Poetry

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Eyes on the PrizeSeeking Imagery in Poetry

• Mr. Crockett
• 16 November 2005

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Imagery in Poetry

• Good poetry should always include
• Emotion
• Images
• Look for the important words
• Colors, action verbs, names and other proper
  nouns
• What do you see?
• What are you reminded of?
• Often make comparisons
• Relates it to what we already understand
• Puts in perspective

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You Try It

• O Captain! My Captain!
• Follow along with your copy
• Keep an eye out for important words
• Jot down or doodle key images
• Begin assignment

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O Captain! My Captain!

• O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done
  
• The ship has weatherd every rack, the prize we
  sought is won
• The port is near, the bells I hear, the people
  all exulting,
• While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel
  grim and daring
• But O heart! heart! heart!
• O the bleeding drops of red,
• Where on the deck my Captain lies,
• Fallen cold and dead.

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O Captain! My Captain!

• O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the
  bells
• Rise upfor you the flag is flungfor you the
  bugle trills
• For you bouquets and ribbond wreathsfor you the
  shores a-crowding
• For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager
  faces turning
• Here Captain! dear father!
• This arm beneath your head
• It is some dream that on the deck,
• Youve fallen cold and dead.

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O Captain! My Captain!

• My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and
  still
• My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse
  nor will
• The ship is anchord safe and sound, its voyage
  closed and done
• From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with
  object won
• Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
• But I, with mournful tread,
• Walk the deck my Captain lies,
• Fallen cold and dead.

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Improvised Lit Circles

• Word Watcher Group
• Underline difficult words you dont understand
• Circle the most important words from your stanza
• Illustrator Group
• Sketch the most powerful image from your stanza
• Be mindful of mentioned colors, emotions, etc.

• Connector Group
• What direct comparisons are being made?
• What impression do you get from Whitmans
  comparison?
• Illuminator Group
• What kind of leader was this Captain (in
  Whitmans view)?
• Why might his enemies have feared him?
• Would you have followed him into battle?

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Improvised Lit Circles

• Have a representative from each task group share
  findings with the class (the big literature
  circle).
• Share comments and questions from other groups.