Bequeath

Bequeath

Part of speech: Transitive verb

Definition : to give or leave by will- used especially of personal property

Source: Merriam- Webster

Found in the poem , “Our Jailer” by W.S Merwin, line 13

Knowing the definition of the word ” Bequeath”,  it helps shows the difference amongst the people in the cell and how they interact with the trap and their findings.

Updated directions for adding images to OpenLab blog post

Hi everyone,

I found the directions for how to add an image to blog posts.  There is a new feature that was added since I wrote the directions for this assignment.  It’s actually really easy to add the alternate text and doesn’t involve using the text box at all.  When you click on Add Media, you’ll see a menu on the right hand side of the screen.  If you scroll down, you’ll see there’s a place to add Alt Text–put in  the title and author of the poem you’re righting about here and you’re all done.  Then click Update.  Very easy. Here’s a screenshot:

Screenshot showing title, alt text, and link to settings.

If you forget to add the Alt Text, that’s when you’ll see that giant text box.  If that happens, you can click on this link from OpenLab which shows exactly what to do with the giant Alt Text box and then how to delete it.  Click on the bold where it says WP Accessibility for step-by-step directions.

I will demonstrate how to do this on Wednesday now that I understand it.

 

https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/blog/help/wp-accessibility-plugin/

 

 

 

Enquire

Part of Speech:  Verb

Definition:  Investigate; To look into.

Definition: Source: Oxford Dictionary

Found in the Poem, “My Boy Willie” by Anonymous, Line 12: “That I might enquire for my sailor boy”

The definition of the word “Enquire” was used as the speaker was looking for the sailor and instead of inquire they used “Enquire”. Could mean that the speaker can’t find him or wants to know something about him.

What is a ballad?

You may already know the term ballad in relation to music.  A ballad in music is a slow song that conveys a lot of emotion.  The musical term ballad comes from the poetic form ballad, a poem that tells a story.

Typical features of a ballad:

  • a poem that tells a story
  • an event-driven poem
  • typically written using stanzas of four lines, with a rhyme scheme of abab or abcb
  • may feature dialogue as well as narration
  • may have a conversational style
  • may focus on lost love, tragic events, or the supernatural

 

Today’s class goal: to explore the similarities and differences between Anonymous’s “My Boy Willie” and Gwendolyn Brooks’ “We Real Cool.”

despair

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition:  The complete loss or absence of hope.

Source: Oxford Dictionary

Found in “My Boy Willie” by anonymous line 26

“Despair” indicates that the speaker not only feels sad, but also feels hopeless. The future without her boy is not worth her looking forward to it.

lurk

Part of Speech: Verb

Definition:  to wait somewhere secretly, especially because you are going to do something bad or illegal

Source: Oxford Dictionary

Found in “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks line 3

The word “lurk” in the poem means “we” secretly do bad tihngs until very late. And this makes “us” look cool.

Mainmast

Mainmast

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: The principle mast of a ship, typically the second mast in a sailing ship of three or more masts.

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Found in ” My Boy Willie ” Line 35

Looking up the definition of mainmast helped me understand the passage. I had never seen the word before, so at first I looked at and said to myself: ” What in the world is this ?”

Wrung

Wrung

Part of Speech: Past tense and participle of the word Wring which is a verb

Definition: To squeeze (someone’s hand) tightly, with sincere emotion

Source: Oxford Dictionary

Found in the Ballad, “My Boy Willie” by Anonymous – Line 25: “She wrung her hand and she tore her hair”

The definition of the word wrung allowed me to figure out what Line 25 meant. Although, the speaker was feeling hopeful in finding her lover she ends up finding out that he had drowned. When the speaker found out the bad news, “She wrung her hands and she tore her hair.” In other words, the speaker lost all hope she had within in searching for husband leaving her heartbroken that she reacted in such a way. She grabbed her own hands with sincere emotion possibly the way her lover would hold hers for comfort.

 

 

What is imagism?

The poems we’re reading today, William Carlos Williams’ “The Red Wheelbarrow,” ” This Is Just to Say” and Amy Lowell’s “Aliens” are examples of imagist poetry.

What is imagism?  According to the Poetry Foundation’s website it is “an early 20-th century poetic movement that relied on the resonance of concrete images drawn in precise, colloquial language rather than traditional poetic diction and meter.”

Amy Lowell’s criteria for imagist poetry was based on six specific principles:

“1. To use the language of common speech. . . .

2. To create new rhythms. . . .

3. To allow absolute freedom in the choice of subject. . . .

4. To present an image. . . .

5. To produce poetry that is hard and clear, never blurred nor indefinite.

6. Finally, most of us believe that concentration is of the very essence of poetry.”

Another way for us to think about imagist poems is to ask ourselves, what do imagist poems not do?  What don’t they focus on? What is it like for us as readers to read these poems?  Are they satisfying–why or why not?