Poetry Journal

 

Poetry Journals

 

Most poetry journal assignments will be worth 20 points and will require students to identify examples of literary terms and to write a personal response paragraph. The personal response should be a minimum of 5-6 sentences and should always answer the question: "What do you think of the poem and why?" In many cases, the assignment will also include other questions given to the students in class. Please note I know that you think it because you write it; avoid "I think" sentence compositions. Occasionally, the poetry assignment will require students to write a poem or respond in another creative form.

 

"When power leads a man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations; when power narrows the areas of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence . . . for art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment."

 

-John F. Kennedy in an address at Amherst College,

Amherst, Ma, October 26, 1963