If you know the rules and the strategies, watching a baseball game can be almost as much fun as playing baseball yourself. Real fans of the sport not only enjoy the game as it unfolds, but they also love to talk about the experience afterward.
The same is true of poetry. Once you know something about the rules and conventions, reading poetry can be extremely enjoyable. Of course, writing a poem or two of your own increases your appreciation, as does talking about favorite poems with other “fans.” The following suggestions will help you get the most out of the poems you read.
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
READ CAREFULLY
Use these tips as a general guide to reading poetry.
SAMPLE Poems
Read and enjoy the following two student poems. (Remember to follow the tips and strategies listed on the previous page.)
MATTHEW'S MEADOW
Ancient fruit trees sway back and forth,
Apple, pear, and plum.
Many are broken by time and wind.
Tall grass ripples from western gusts
And becomes an ocean before my eyes.
A hawk above scans the waves
for field mice.
Great, outstretched wings soar higher
in the morning sun.
He is a fisherman of the green sea.
This portrait, this picture, this space in time,
Dare I enter and break the spell?
Or must I leave it and just move on?
-Matthew Kratochvil
Think about it: What pictures do you see as you read this poem?
The Gift
Open it up,
But be careful.
Don't let any of the words escape,
But catch them like fireflies,
and keep them in the jar of your heart,
To be stored forever.
-Julia Kim
Think about it: What does this poem make you think of?