World War I Soldier Poetry, part 2 : Poetic Devices

In this independent or small group experience you will need to research the poems of at least 2 soldier poets and analyze them for their use of poetic devices.

What is a poetic device?

Poets use a variety of conventions - in fact, that is what often makes something "poetry" rather than "prose" (the regular essay or narrative writing we are used to in books and other media).

For a grand list of all the terms, consult this glossary: https://www.infoplease.com/glossary-poetry-terms

We will be focusing on the following, which are located on the "POE-TREE" on the wall.

tone

imagery

metaphor

simile

zeitgeist

weltschmerz

assonance

consonance

alliteration

onomatopoeia

end rhyme

rhyming couplet

internal rhyme

repetition

run-on line (enjambement)

Your Mission...

Your task is to research the poetry of two WWI authors, choose two different poems, and discover evidence from the text that demonstrates the characteristics of the poetic device.

Your Tool...

Please use this Google doc. You will first need to COPY it and rename it with your name(s) and grade level. Feel free to color code it as you see fit. You are welcome to collaborate with ONE OTHER PERSON on a doc (just make sure both names are on the doc)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11dLL1OcqJMpelmPCyu6IATtmcGIdZEBTQx3Vz5m_G-s/edit?usp=sharing

Try to find one example for each, using the two poems. However, you might need to find another poem if the two poems do not display enough devices (please let Mrs. B know if you are finding it difficult).

Your Resources:

You can use the great poetry gallery at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/collections/101720/world-war-i-poets

You can also type in the author's name at https://www.poemhunter.com/

Please choose AT LEAST ONE of these poets / poems:

Rupert Brooke : "Safety" ; "The Soldier"

Siegfried Sassoon: "The Kiss", "Suicide in the Trenches"

Wilfred Owen: "Disabled", "Anthem for Doomed Youth"

Isaac Rosenberg: "Dead Man's Dump", "Break of Day in the Trenches"

Alan Seeger: "I Have a Rendezvous with Death", "Sonnet 9: Returning to the Front After Leave"

John McCrae: "The Anxious Dead", "In Flanders Fields"

For more on the poets, themselves, click HERE

Part II: Create a GOOGLE SLIDE DECK with 4 Examples

When you have finished the chart, create a Google Slide Deck (shared with Mrs. B) of 4 slides. Each slide should showcase one of your examples (the poem text plus device plus poem title and author) AND a relevant, powerful image that you feel best illustrates that excerpt.

PART III: FLIPGRID RESPONSE

Record an excerpt from a poem you particularly found interesting

See this post for details:

https://amyburvall.wixsite.com/litforlife/home/wwi-poetry-flipgrid