Poem Reading Sheet (two due each class day. If we do poems by more than one author, analyze poems by two different authors):  

Poem, author, year (if known). 

Speaker, audience, (if indicated) and situation of poem. 

Paraphrase the poem in prose lines (that is, translate it into your own words. Do not summarize it). 

Discuss one thing the poem loses by being paraphrased into prose. 

Discuss some of the poem’s sonic aspects (that is, rhythm, meter, repetition, alliteration, consonance, assonance). 

Discuss some of the poem’s sensory aspects (that is, symbol, metaphor/simile, imagery, description)

Look up one familiar word or one unfamiliar word in the online Oxford English Dictionary (http://0-dictionary.oed.com.wncln.wncln.org/entrance.dtl. You may have to look this up on campus.)  Give a brief history of each word and explain how it has changed. Note: if you’re having trouble getting OED from home, look up the word using American Heritage Online (http://www.bartleby.com/61/).  Use the Word History and Etymology sections, including the section on cognates (click where it says see root in Appendix I).