PYTASH - Chapter Five, How Poems Work

After reading this chapter, I can think of several ideas to help teach poetry. In fact, I was reminded of something a student teacher did with my English class when I was in high school. He had us choose a song that we liked with lyrics, and bring it in to the class to play along with a sheet of the lyrics. We had to read it out loud first while the class listened, then we played the song and followed along. I realized that they were completely different-sounding when we did this! I chose Jack's Mannequin's song Bruised, I remember. The lyrics are here if you're interested. The two sounded so different, and it was great to hear the vast variety of songs and genres that the students chose. I always planned on using that activity in my classroom, and this chapter made me remember it. I also really liked Jago's 'Sensory Images' chart that she included. I can see myself using this in the classroom as well.

I liked how in the beginning of the chapter she was talking about how music and poetry are similar, but students do not seem to see it that way. If we can bridge the gap between the two with something like the activity I mentioned, I think they may like it more. In fact, just look at the graphic I included. If they TRY, maybe they won't hate it or judge it. Jago mentions so many types of poetry that it gives us a large window to work with. 

I also liked (wow, I like a lot in this text. Dr. Pytash, you pick awesome books) how she included Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" and how he built on it. The 'nevermore' and the fact that it is a big creepy black raven are what drive the poem and make it what it is. If he had chosen a parrot and didn't include that rhyme scheme, it would be totally different. I think that that final part proves to us that we can teach students to build on poems and change them. After all, poetry is a creation and reflection of one's self, so they can make it grow and change just like they do.