Chapter 23 – “Reading and Writing about Poems” 1. For this assignment, choose one of the poems assigned in Module 2 on which to focus your explication. Read the poem several times, as many times as it takes to understand what the poem is about and what you think it means. Be sure to annotate your poem line by line and make notes of all your impressions, including your interpretation of the poem and why you settled on that interpretation. 2. Select several different elements to examine, such as voice, diction, figures of speech, imagery, form, symbolism & allusion, as well as theme. You will not discuss all of these elements in your essay, but you want to have considered all of them in your notes. Be sure to look up words, even those with which you may already be familiar. Explore unfamiliar terms or places mentioned in the poem. Read the poem aloud in order to listen to it. Try to hear things in the poem that you may have missed when reading silently. Take your time and don’t rush this step. Really try to experience the poem with all of your senses. 3. Create an outline of your ideas to use as a guide for your essay. Keep your notes at each stage of the writing in case you are asked to show them. 4. Using the sample essay in your explication handout, write an explication essay. Also, use the description of the explication essay as a guide for this assignment. 5. Follow MLA guidelines. Please type all of your writing assignments in 12-point font (Times New Roman) double-spaced, and using one-inch margins (standard MLA formatting). Be sure you include the identifying information and a title at the top of the first page. Also include a (formatted) running header including your last name and page number in the upper right hand corner of each page. If you are unsure of how to do the formatting, I would be happy to show you. Refer to the MLA sample document on Blackboard for formatting instructions. 6. Your essay should be approximately 900 words. Keep in mind that a successful paper will have a main point (thesis), included in an appropriate introduction, that is supported with body paragraphs (composed of a topic sentence followed by examples from the text to support your main point) followed by a thoughtful conclusion. Use standard academic English.