Preparing for the Journal Watch the Imagery & Figures of Speech PowerPoints and read/annotate the Imagery & Figures of

Preparing for the Journal

Watch the Imagery & Figures of Speech PowerPoints and read/annotate the Imagery & Figures of Speech poems before beginning this response.  I go over all of this week’s poems in the PowerPoint videos, so those should be especially helpful.

Completing the Journal

Section 1:  Initial Response

Choose 6 of this week’s poems and read them again.  When selecting poems, choose the ones you liked and understood the best, and/or the ones that made you think the most. 

For each poem, write a 1-2 sentence quick response.  Don’t think too hard about it, just write down your thoughts immediately after you complete each poem.

Your initial response should be at least 6 sentences in length (at least 1 sentence for each poem).  Bullet point or number the sentences to make them easier to read.

Section 2:  Window/Mirror Response

A window/mirror response is all about empathy.  In a window/mirror response, you write about a poem that gave you a look into someone else’s life experiences (window) OR reflected your own life experiences (mirror). Sometimes, a poem can do both!  

Choose 1 of the poems we read this week. (I suggest using one of the ones you wrote about for the initial response.)  If you are writing a window response, discuss what this poem showed you about someone else’s life experiences and then talk about how the poem made you feel. If you are writing a mirror response, discuss why this poem reminded you of your own experiences and then talk about how the poem made you feel. If a poem did both, you are welcome to discuss that as well.

Your window/mirror response should be at least 1 developed paragraph (5-7 sentences) in length.

Section 3:  Analytical Response

Choose 1 of the poems we read this week.  (You can use the one you wrote about for the window/mirror response or you can choose a different poem.)  Then, choose at least 1 of the poetic devices we went over in this week’s PowerPoints:

• imagery (kinetic or static)
• mood
• simile
• metaphor
• personification
• hyperbole
• understatement
• metonymy
• synecdoche
• apostrophe

Where does the author use the device in the poem?  Include at least 1 direct quote from the poem.  (To see how to clearly format a quote from a poem, click here  Download click here.)  How does the device connect to the poem’s meaning? 

If you use any sources to help you analyze the poem, make sure to list them.  MLA or APA citations are not required, but you do need to give credit to your sources.  Don’t use too much from sources!  I want you to talk about what you see. Sources are not required.

Your analytical response should be at least 1 developed paragraph (5-7 sentences) in length.

Sample Journal  Download Sample Journal 

To see a sample journal entry, click the link above.  Your own journal entries don’t have to look exactly like it, but the sample will give you an idea of what I’m looking for in the poetry journals.

Expectations for the Journal 

1. In this journal, you will not be graded on grammar, punctuation, format, or structure.  Its purpose is to help you to think about the poems in a low-stress format.   
2. You will receive full credit as long as you make an honest attempt to answer the prompts and meet the stated length requirement.
3. If there is anything else you want to write in addition to the given questions, feel free to do so!