Poe, Sexton, Alexie, and Cervantes

Monday, we first finished up Poe, noting the abundance of alliteration, assonance, and rhyme in the poem.

Then, we broke into our final project groups to answer the following questions:

Anne Sexton’s “Her Kind” (209)
1. What does the speaker mean when she says, “A woman like that is misunderstood./I have been her kind” (lines 13-14).

2. What rhetorical strategies does Sexton use to support her main idea?

Sherman Alexie’s “Evolution” (149)
3. Why is the poem titled “Evolution”?

4. Why is THE MUSEUM OF NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURES in capital letters?

Lorna Dee Cervantes’ “Poema para los Californios Muertos” (174-75)
5. How is personification used in this poem?

6. Why does she write phrases/sentences in Spanish?

7. What is the significance of the final image, the shrieking blue jay?

All
8. Compare/contrast Alexie’s "Evolution" with “Poema para los Californios Muertos”? What similarities do you see? Differences?

9. What relevance do these poems have to life today?

Tuesday, each group will be asked to share their thoughts regarding one of the poems listed above. Then, to continue our discussion of public poetry, we'll look at a couple poems related to elections and Inauguration Day. (Don't forget to vote!)