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Post by Clara in Miami on Jul 16, 2005 15:02:29 GMT -5
Hi, I posted this ques on another board, I hope it's alright to post it here How to approach poem you don't understand...  Hello all..I hope my question makes sense..last night I read a Rudyard Kipling poem called "When East Meets West"..I understand the overall gist of the poem but I know there is so, so much I didn't get, descriptions mostly is there an approach..a way to tackle poetry when it is challanging in language and thought..other than going back to it over and over?? I have many poetry resources and we enjoy them very much ..i am trying to create a habit of reading and enjoying poetry for myself as well I guess my question boils down to how to grasp unfamiliar content or familiar content in an unfamiliar form well thanks to anybody who can even make sense of my quesiton blessings clara in Miami |
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Post by Lene Mahler Jaqua on Jul 16, 2005 16:46:15 GMT -5
Clara,
Do you have CW Poetry? In the first Day "Reading and Understanding Poetry" we try to go through how to understand the poem globally by using reporter's questions. The rest of the week, especially in the figures, is another place where you can begin to look to understand what it means.
I pretty much wrote my ideas of how to get a handle on a poem in that book. The gist I think is to be thorough and look up every words you think you know to see if there is another meaning to them, slow careful reading several times.... as well as letting the poem stew in your mind for more than one day. Revisit it... and then of course asking others what they think it is about.
Kipling was raised in the East and was much influenced by Indians as well as by the British. I find much of what he writes a challenge. The Jungle Book (which has very little to do with what Disney made it into) was exceedingly difficult. I assume that the animals and their uses and the Indian love or fear of this or that animal play a role that I cannot related to, much as an Indian, likely, would not be able to relate to some of the Western animals and the personification traits we have ascribed to them. IN addition you have whatever turns of phrases and figures of speech Kipling has assimilated into his works from his Anglo-Indian upbringing.
Sorry I wish I had a better answer than "read my book", be patient and persistent, study another culture, and know thy author.
I will say this... it gets easier on time and if you purposed to be a Kipling expert, more and more pieces would fall into place as you forcused on him.
I commend you for tackling poetry.... it's one of my favorite genres... though I confess Kipling is not my area of expertise, nor my favorite poet.
Lene
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Post by Clara in Miami on Jul 17, 2005 21:21:58 GMT -5
Lene, thanks so much... I posted in a sense of "panic"..I was reading through an anthology of poetry called A Boys Book Of verse I read east Meets West and thought oh my..imagine that I don;t even know how to grasp poetry egads!!! I do have CW Poetry  I had anticipated working through it myself while the children did Aesop but I haven't been able to... I went to the chapter on Understanding Poetry.. VOILA...sense of panic is over  I think I'll stick to learning how to do the poems that come with CW and my little volume of Emily Dickenson thanks agin to all of you for your thorough treatment of Poetry and for this forum to ask questions blessings to all of you and your households!!! Clara in Miami |
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