Why Poetry?

     We are drawn to certain genres more than others.  Sometimes, it depends on our moods and other times, it is because we are hungry and need to feed our souls.  I read every night.  Some nights, it may be news articles, essays, crazy tweets, FB posts, or movie reviews.  Some nights, it may be short fiction, or a novel.  But when I am feeling like chaos has exploded into my world and I need to find my rhythm, I read poetry.  Poetry speaks to me in a way that is hard to describe.  Perhaps, it is because we speak the same language.  
     This week, I want you to watch this TED Talk: Poetry: Why it is important.   As you listen think about why he thinks poetry is important.  Pull two items that resonate with you and explain why.  Then I want you to post a poem of significance and explain why you have chosen this poem.  Why is it significant to you?  Why do you like it, love it, need it, return to it?  Tell us why.  

These times they are changing...

Last week something very interesting happened.  Bob Dylan has been awarded with the Nobel Prize in Literature.  Over the weekend there were many whose opinions were heard loudly in either concurrence or disagreement. It is a first that a music artist has won this award.  As a result, I want us to discuss this.  We have been reading songs in my classroom as poetry for several years now and analyzing them.  This year, we are looking at Musical Theater.  Is it such a stretch that song lyrics be considered poetry?  

Read this article from the New York Times, "Bob Dylan Wins Nobel Prize, Redefining Boundaries of Literature."  Pull two things from the article that resonate with you and explain why.  Once you have read the article and pulled your two items, listen to one of his songs.  Tell us the title and what you think of the writing.  Then, look at one other post from this week by one of your peers and respond to their thoughts.  (When you do respond to your peer, please be respectful).

Just so you know, this year we have read two others who have won this same award: Toni Morrison and Samuel Beckett.

Dreams

Read this poem by Nikki Giovanni and figure out what you think it means.  What is she saying about dreams?  What is she saying about certain types of dreams?  

Once you have figured out the poem, connect this poem to Waiting for Godot.  What are they saying that is the same?  Explain your analysis using evidence from both texts.

Dreams by Nikki Giovanni

i used to dream militant 

dreams of taking 

over america to show
these white folks how it should be 

done

i used to dream radical dream
of blowing everyone away with my perceptive powers
of correct analysis

i even used to think i'd be the one
to stop the riot and negotiate the peace

then i awoke and dug

that if i dreamed natural
dreams of being a natural
woman doing what a woman
does when she is natural
i would have a revolution.