Poetry - what do you like?

Hello everyone,
As we have been writing about poetry, and learning the many ways in which a poem can be read and interpreted, I have marvelled again at how much I gain each time I re-read a poem.
I know that some of you have favourite poets - Keats has been mentioned! I'm curious to know about other poems that you have read in our text, or poets that you have been interested to learn more about. Perhaps you have read a few more of Donne's poems, or read about Shakespeare's sonnets ( there is a theory that some of his love sonnets were addressed to a man instead of a woman). Have you wondered about Ted Hughes's poetry, or maybe Marvells? We will be looking next at Emily Dickinson, and then William Blake. Personally I enjoy reading the poetry of Gwen Harwood - The BarnOwl is a very well known poem of hers; and Les Murray, Bruce Dawe. Robert Frost is also a favourite.
I'd like each of you to contribute your thoughts about a favourite poem, or an interesting poem, or a poet you are enjoying reading. You could find them in the text, or on line, or in a poetry book that you have at home.
I'll start. "The Road Less Travelled" by Robert Frost is a poem I have loved for a long time. So do a gazillion other people, as it's an oft-quoted poem. It captures that feeling of longing for a past time, whilst also being a reminder of how we can choose a path that makes "all the difference" in our life, but we never know what might have been. The regular rhyme and rhythm of the stanzas add to the reflective nature of the speakers musings. I hear it being spoken by an old man, that is the voice that comes to my head. Please google the poem and read it, I hoope you like it too. Remember to read it aloud!
Over to you all now...

JC

My favourite website - well, maybe. And a special birthday!

Hello everyone,
Boy do I love Wordspy - it always brings a smile to my face. It lists new words that are entering our lexicon, words that may have been "invented" by an author or journalist, and which have ained currency. Sometimes they are just so apt they quickly become part of our everday language (metrosexual, blogosphere), sometimes they are hybrid words or portmanteau words that seem so perfect I wonder why I haven't thought of them myself ( facepalm, misery-lit). It's a lot of fun, and proof , as if we need it, that our languge is dynamic, ever-changing, and that words are wonderful!
My fave word at the moment? Recombobulate.
http://www.wordspy.com/
BTW - what's a portmaneau word? A word made up of two words added together, such as teapot, treehouse.

Happy Birthday Mr William Shakespeare. 23 April is auspicious for all of us literature lovers, as Shakespeare was born on this day in 1564, and then died on the same date, in 1616.

Worth listening to..

Hello everyone,

I've just listened to an audio replay of The Book Show on Radio National today. Ramona Koval talks to an author who has just completed a book about some poets who were suffering in some way, including Syliva Plath. If you click on the "Listen Now" link at www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow at the "Last Looks Last Books" topic, there's a quick 10 minute interview with the author, which includes discussion about Plath. She continues to be a focus academic writing and research.

Mrs Greenwood

Hello everyone,
I have thoroughly re-read the Assessment Task sheet, and the Creative Response Template. They are very clear. The instructions are explicit, the task clearly worded. There is no hidden meaning or subtext. You plan your Response by thinking about the original text and how your creative response will relate to and be faithful to the original text. The Creative Response Template ensures you are very thorough and clear in your planning. It is an aid to your writing, you should find that it clarifies your thinking, and forces you to be very concise.

You were given the Creative Template to plan and prepare your response over two weeks ago - a very generous amount of time to prepare!

Your Creative Response is exactly as per the Assessment Sheet and Rubric. The task is there, it is imaginative and creative. The criteria for assessing it is outlined in detail. The Areas of Study were given out to you at the start of the year, and we talk about them often in class. You will have studied the Assessment sheet over the break, and have taken advantage of the Easter holidays to practice writing your ideas, haven't you?

There are no surprises. I have not sprung anything on you to be tricky!

See you tomorrow, JC

SMH link, and ABC Book Club, and what I'm watching and reading

Hello fellow literature students,

Hope you're all having a relaxing, book-filled and revitalising break.

Firstly, I apologise for the Sydney Morning Herald article link not working. This very interesting article can be read by simply typing into your search bar the words: Friends, Romans, Marxists. This is thte title of the piece and the first search result that is listed is the article. I think you'll find it very worthwhile.

Can you all please take the time to look at ABC iView, to watch the First Tuesday Book Club from last night (Tues 6 April). It was a great show, with an interesting panel including Marcus Zusak (Who has read "The Book Thief"? I was astonished to see how young he is, I thought the novel had been written by a much older man.)

Anyway, one of the highlights of the show was a discussion about a book the group had read over the past week, "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde", by RL Stevenson. This is on our wider reading list, some of you have, or are, reading it. It was interesting for me to listen to what the 5 BookClubbers had to say about this (fascinating, lyrical, scary) book. Made me want to grab it and read it again! To access iView you just follow the link from the ABC.net.au website, got to iView, then programs, and The Book Club is under the Arts and Culture section.

Enjoy the rest of the sun. What are you all reading on your break? What are you watching? I have watched the DVD of "Sunshine Cleaning", with Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, the DVD of "The September Issue", the documentary about the September Issue fo American Vogue - quite fascinating, especially if you have read "The Devil Wears Prada", and the DVD of "The Informant", with a very fat, balding, Matt Damon - a funny, film with a protagonist that keeps you guessing. Saw "How to Train Your Dragon" - beautiful. I have read "When You Reach Me", by Rebecca Stead - loved it, it won many fiction prizes last year, aimed at young teenagers; and am now reading David Almond's "Skellig". Have been listening to downloads of Ramona Koval's "The Book Show", on ABC Radio National, that I always miss as it's on at 10am each weekday. But mainly reading the weekend Age, which has a weeks worth of reading; and of course, am reading school work.

Looking forward to reading what you're all reading and watching too. Let us all know!

JC

Evil women?

Well, after our lesson today I've been thinking about the wonderful array of characters we have read about in just one term! The cast of women include the brave Betty, smart and savvy Jennifer; Esther, Joan, and tough but fair JayCee, and Mrs Greenwood, and Dodo Conway; John Donne's love who forever draws him back to her, Shakespeare's Mistress who is a very earthly and earthy woman; Marvell's reluctant Coy Mistress ( I wonder if she gave in?). Soon we will add Cordelia and Regan and Goneril.
That's just the A-List of women, and only in our set texts! There are also the times and places (ie social and historical contexts), and the men and the relationships. And the language. And so much more in your own wider reading. No wonder we're all feeling a little exhausted ( but much much wiser!)
Have just read an old (2004) but interesting article from the Sydney Morning Herald on the dangers of studying Shakespeare by placing a reading over the play which in effect limits the linguistic fetures, the message, the original beauty of the writing. I've attempted to hyper link it here, who knows if that will work. If it doesn't, it's at www. smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/27, and it's titled "Friends, Romans, Marxists..."

Happy Break, hope Easter Bunny leaves you something - perhaps a book rather than chocolate? Now that would be lovely. JC

Marvell.

Hi everyone, and thanks Elisha and Rosa for your posts - I'll wait for your classmates to respond to you!
There is another link I've added to the list, this one is the link to Virtual Lit and specifically the section on "To His Coy Mistress". It's interesting to read these ideas and analysis, but don't think of them as the definitive "answer" to a poem. Sometimes they serve to limit the scope of, and one's reading of, a poem, so read them with an open mind. Read and consider them for how they can expand and compliment your understanding of the poem. Having said that, the detail here is wonderful.
Bon weekend, enjoy the sunshine.