From Angelou to Wright-Three poems and one song

"Just off the highway to Rochester, Minnesota,
Twilight bounds softly forth on the grass.
And the eyes of those two Indian ponies
Darken with kindness." (A Blessing By James Wright) 

Poetry touches us and speaks to us in only a few words. A poem can change how we see the world and understand ourselves. A poem can be funny, angry, beautiful, sorrowful, and sparkling with joy. 

We will read, analyze, and discuss three different poems and one song in class.

The poems and song we will read are

Week 1: A Blessing by James Wright
Week 2: Kin by Maya Angelou
Week 3: A Hard Rain Is Going To Fall by Bob Dylan
Week 4: Footfalls by Sharon Creech 


There will be a booklet with the questions for each poem in the classroom. It is essential that the student prints this out or download it so they can prepare for each class. The questions will help the students to analyze the poems, but their thoughts and impressions are equally important to take note of and bring to class. The poems and song are easily found on the internet 

We will work through the first poem during our first class together. 

I will read every poem out loud in class before we start to analyze it, and we will listen to parts of the song A Hard Rain Is Goin to Fall by Bob Dylan. 

The students can also post their favorite poems or songs in the classroom(watch for appropriate language), and we will discuss them in class.