Poem: Long were the nights When the days once revolved around. Counting my footsteps Prayin’ the floor won’t fall through, again. My mother accused me of losing my mind But I swore I was fine. Read the stanza from a poem assigned. Then, find the entire poem. Analyze it thoroughly in order to answer each of the following items. 1. Identify the poem and the poet. 2. Paraphrase the poem. In other words, discuss what the poem is about. 3. Identify who the speaker is addressing. 4. A symbol is an object that has a basic meaning, yet represents much more that what it appears to be. Write and discuss any symbols found in your poem. 5. The theme is the main idea of a literary work. It is what the writer wants us to learn from what he/she wrote. Write the theme of the poem and discuss how you relate to it. 6. Alliteration refers to the repetition of words in a line of poetry that begin with the same consonant such as “The cowboy drank a case of Coca-Cola” Write any examples of alliteration. 7. A simile is a comparison of two things using the words “as,” “as if,” or “like List any examples of similes. 8. An overstatement is an exaggeration. Write and explain any overstatements. 9. An allusion is a reference to something in literature or history. Write any examples of allusions. 10. Prepare the source citation in MLA format – go to www.easybib.com for assistance.
