Andi's+Poet+Wars

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Works Cited:
Works Cited Alexander, Elizabeth. "Remembering Lucille Clifton." //The New Yorker//. Condé Nast, 2013. Web. 06 May 2014.  "BBC History: William Wordsworth." //BBC News//. BBC, 2014. Web. 05 May 2014.  Clifton, Lucille. "Homage to My Hips." //Poetry Foundation//. Poetry Foundation, 1987. Web. 06 May 2014.  Giroux, Emily. "Sisters- Lucille Clifton." //Emily Giroux//. Wordpress, Oct. 2011. Web. 06 May 2014.  Keillor, Garrison. "The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor." //The Writer's Almanac: Paul Zimmer//. American Public Media, 2014. Web. 06 May 2014.  Kelly, Lauren. "My Blog." //Sisters by Lucille Clifton//. Blogspot, 13 Oct. 2011. Web. 06 May 2014.  "Literary Devices and Literary Terms." //Literary Devices//. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2014.  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;">"Lucille Clifton." //Poets.org//. Academy of American Poets, 2005. Web. 06 May 2014. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;">MacLeod, Laura. "The Poetry of William Wordsworth." //Richard L. W. Clarke//. Creative Commons Attribution, 3 Feb. 2011. Web. 06 May 2014. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;">"Paul Zimmer (poet)." //Wikipedia//. Wikimedia Foundation, 05 Mar. 2014. Web. 06 May 2014. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;">"Paul Zimmer." //Poetry Foundation//. Poetry Foundation, 2012. Web. 06 May 2014. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;">Rice, Clai. "The Wondering Minstrels." //: The Great Bird of Love//. Blogspot, 20 Feb. 2000. Web. 6 May 2014. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;">"William Wordsworth." //Poets.org//. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 06 May 2014. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times; font-size: 16px;">"Wordsworth." //Wordsworth//. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2014.

Transcript:
Lucille Clifton __Background Information__ Clifton’s poems oftentimes explore aspects of feminism, racism and self-reflection. Through these themes, Clifton is able to subtly persuade her audience by stating her opinions in a humorous or solemn voice. She has written many poems that focus on her personal struggles such as when she lost two of her children, her husband’s death and various ailments she obtained over her lifetime. The aim of her poem, Won’t You Celebrate With Me?, can be shown in the statement, “Both nonwhite and woman / What did i see to be except myself?“ (Clifton). In this poem, she aims to influence the audience to change the way they accept people that are “both nonwhite and woman”. She wants to be seen as strong and independent, not the lesser, weaker being that many people saw her as. By reading a poem by Lucille Clifton, the audience can easily see how she feels about the topic at hand. Most of her poems are free-verse, short, and powerful. The aim of Clifton’s poems is to teach her audience about the glories of being a tough, African American woman at a time when her class wasn’t well accepted by society. The work of Lucille Clifton is directed towards other people of her class. She references many struggles that only a woman, a mother, or an African American would understand. In one of her popular works, Wishes for Sons, she states, “let them think they have accepted / arrogance in the universe,” (Clifton). This poem is about the struggle for feminism that she has faced during her life. She talks about all the problems of being a woman and that sometimes, she wishes those pains on the men that continue to look down on women. This poem is directed towards women. Women will sympathize with Clifton, and are more likely to be persuaded than a man. Women, among other groups in various other poems, are the main target audience for Clifton’s work. The majority of Clifton’s poems have culturally bases themes and morals. Clifton focuses a lot on feminism. In the early to mid twentieth century, feminism was a growing force. It was culturally acceptable for men to be paid for than women, to have more rights than women and to be treated, well, better than women. A critic on Clifton’s work has said, “Part of a generation that wrote, radically, in an identifiably black idiom, she made poems that asserted, in their wit, imagination, outrage, and compassion, the authority to speak on the terms of her choosing,” (Farmer). Clifton wanted to change the culture. She is a feminist and she believed that both genders are equal. But, her cultural impact is not limited to the feminist movement. She also had an effect on racism and motherhood. She hoped to change the public opinion on how african americans were treated and what it means to be a mother. Clifton’s poems were written in the 1950s-1980s. At that point in history, there was some turmoil going on with equality. Feminism was going strong, and racism was a major issue. The historical context of her poems is very strong given that many of her topics are major political issues that have been affecting the nation for many generations. Many poems reference Clifton’s personal history of loss. For instance, in her poem The Lost Baby Poem, she wrote, “You would have been born into winter/ In the year of the disconnected gas/ And no car,” (Clifton). In this stanza, she revisits the loss of her child by a miscarriage. She pinpoints what could’ve been and how her life would’ve been different with this child. The historical implications of this sorrowful poem are more personal than public. The dates and times mentioned are memorable for Clifton and she shares that time with the audience in order to release her feelings from that time.

__Poem 1__

Homage to my Hips

These hips are big hips They need space to Move around in. They don't fit into little Petty places. these hips Are free hips. They don't like to be held back. These hips have never been enslaved, They go where they want to go They do what they want to do. These hips are mighty hips. These hips are magic hips. I have known them To put a spell on a man and Spin him like a top!

__Literary Techniques__ Symbolism: Clifton uses her hips as more than just a body part in the poem. Her hips represent feminism. By creating this connection, Clifton illustrates strong, mighty hips that can bring men down to nothing in the same way that femininity can be powerful and seductive. Song: The Dance by Garth Brooks “Yes my life is better left to chance/I could have missed the pain but I'd have had to miss the dance”

Personification: Her hips are portrayed as living beings to emphasize the importance that she wants them to have in the poem. Because of the strong connection to feminism, the emphasis is incredibly important and aids in the support of the aim of the poem. Song: The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix “After all the jacks are in their boxes,/and the clowns have all gone to bed,/you can hear happiness staggering on down the street”

Simile: In the final line, Clifton compares the man she “put a spell on” to a spinning top because of the ability she has to make men crazy and out of control. This serves to add to the image of her hips being powerful and mighty. This supports the aim of the poem which is that feminism is powerful and that being woman is a fantastic thing to be. Song: Skyscraper by Demi Lovato “ Go on and try to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground, like a skyscraper”

__Poem 2__

The Lost Baby Poem

The time I dropped your almost body down Down to meet the waters under the city And run one with the sewage to the sea What did I know about waters rushing back What did I know about drowning Or being drowned

You would have been born into winter In the year of the disconnected gas And no car we would have made the thin Walk over genesee hill into the Canada wind To watch you slip like ice into strangers’ hands You would have fallen naked as snow into winter If you were here I could tell you these And some other things

If I am ever less than a mountain For your definite brothers and sisters Let the rivers pour over my head Let the sea take me for a spiller Of seas let black men call me stranger Always for your never named sake

Later I’ll say I spent my life Loving a great man

Later My life will accuse me Of various treasons

Not black enough Too black Eyes closed when they should have been open Eyes open when they should have been closed Will accuse me for unborn babies And dead trees

Later When I defend again and again With this love My life will keep silent Listening to My body breaking

__Literary Techniques__ Repetition - In the poem, Clifton repeats the word later many times. This is used to emphasize the future. Because of Clifton’s rough past and trouble losing a child, she anticipates that there will be repercussions in the future that she will have to overcome. By repeating later, she is able to show the audience that she despite her hardships, she will go on and be strong. Song: Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood “right now, he's probably buying her some fruity little drink /'cause she can't shoot whiskey.../Right now, he's probably up behind her with a pool stick,/showing her how to shoot a combo…”

Imagery: In the second stanza, Clifton creates a detailed image of what life would’ve been like if her baby had been born. This seeks to tell the audience how important and beautiful this time would’ve been for her. Song: Lucy in the Sky with DiamondsThe Beatles “Picture yourself in a boat on a river /With tangerine trees and marmalade skies/Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly /A girl with kaleidoscope eyes”

Hyperbole: In the last two lines, Clifton makes a reference to her body breaking apart. This is an exaggeration obviously but it is used to represent that she feels as though this tragedy is making her fall apart. This makes the audience more sympathetic because she feels that she can’t go on anymore because of the terrible thing that has happened to her. Song: Grenade by Bruno Mars “I'd catch a grenade for you/Throw my hand on a blade for you/I'd jump in front of a train for you”

__Poem 3__

Sisters

Me and you be sisters. We be the same. Me and you Coming from the same place. Me and you Be greasing our legs Touching up our edges. Me and you Be scared of rats Be stepping on roaches. Me and you Come running high down purdy street one time And mama laugh and shake her head at Me and you. Me and you Got babies Got thirty-five Got black Let our hair go back Be loving ourselves Be loving ourselves Be sisters. Only where you sing I poet.

__Literary Techniques__ Repetition: There are multiple phrases repeated through the poem such as “Me and you” and “Be loving ourselves”. This puts an emphasis on the relationship between Clifton and her audience, allowing her to more fully tell her story and hold the interest of her readers. Song: Give It Away by Red Hot Chili Peppers “Give it away give it away give it away give it away now”

Imagery: The detail provided throughout the poem makes the audience feel as though they are part of the story she is trying to tell. The effect created by this is a personal relationship between author and audience. Song: Fireflies by Owl City “You would not believe your eyes If ten million fireflies/Lit up the world as I fell asleep/'Cause they'd fill the open air/And leave teardrops everywhere”

Parallelism: Clifton uses similar verb structure throughout the poem as in the first few lines, using words like “coming”, “greasing” and “touching”. This use of parallelism creates a repetitive tone that emphasizes the similarities between the two sisters, which is the aim of the poem. Song: All the Small Things by Blink 182 “You'll be at my show/Watching, waiting, commiserating”

William Wordsworth __Background Information:__ During William Wordsworth’s life, he experienced many troubles and hardships, such as being orphaned with his four siblings, the mental deterioration of his sister Dorothy, the drowning of his brother, and the loss of two of his five children. The pain he faced over the course of his life shaped a lot of his poetry and most of the themes of his work are based on those troubles. One critic said, “This experience as well as a subsequent period living in France, brought about Wordsworth's interest and sympathy for the life, troubles and speech of the ‘common man’” (“William Wordsworth”). This interest evoked his poetic side and became a basis for most of his work. Though he based his themes on pain and hardship, most of his poems are quite lighthearted. He used his pain and trouble to teach others about life. His poems often focus on the common problems that man faces. The aim of most of his poetry is to offer guidance to people who may be at an emotional crossroad or period of dilemma in their lives. The intended audience of Wordsworth’s poems is the common man. Specifically, he hoped to reach out to those in turmoil, those who are facing life’s problems. Many of Wordsworth’s works are provide people with an enlightenment into the fact that their life will go on and that the problems they face are not the end. In Travelling, a famous poem of his, he states, “Be calm as water when the winds are gone/ And no one can tell whither.—my sweet friend!” (Wordsworth). In this poem, he urges his audience to be calm, and to realize that their sorrow and nervousness is temporary. Therefore, he targets those in times of trouble. The majority of his poems seek to reach out to people in need of emotional assistance so his poems have a therapeutic value. The cultural association of Wordsworth’s poems is based on what mankind fears. Our culture, though it has altered since Wordsworth’s time, has a set of unfaltering fears that cause them us to become nervous, sorrowful or unsettled. These fears many not be physical things like spiders or heights but common events are tragedies that people face everyday like heartbreak, loss, indecision and loneliness. In one of his pieces, called The Daffodils, Wordsworth writes, “For oft, when on my couch I lie/In vacant or in pensive mood,/They flash upon that inward eye/Which is the bliss of solitude;” (Wordsworth). In this poem, he tackles loneliness. Instead of focusing on the lack of human contact, he talks about “the bliss of solitude”. This encourages people to look passed the cultural stereotype that lonely and sad are synonymous and to see silence and physical distance for the true beauty that it has. Historically, Wordsworth lived during the eighteenth and nineteenth century, though most of his themes are timeless. Wordsworth was born in Cumberland, and one of the major historical events to alter his work was his contact with the French revolution. The french revolution was a dirty war, full of blood, extreme violence and loss. Because of this, Wordsworth was emotionally scarred. Through his poetry, he was pick out the morals from what he saw, in order to teach others the importance that pain. One biographer says, “His political views underwent a transformation around the turn of the century, and he became increasingly conservative, disillusioned by events in France culminating in Napoleon Bonaparte taking power,” (“BBS William Wordsworth”). The change in his political views affected more than just what he thought about common issues, but also his writing. The political happenings that went on during Wordsworth’s life made a big difference in his work. Instead of airy, lifeless pieces, the hardships of Wordsworth’s life, including the French Revolution, gave his work depth and purpose, rendering them timeless and revolutionary.

__Poem 1__

Lines Written in Early Spring

I heard a thousand blended notes, While in a grove I sate reclined, In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did nature link The human soul that through me ran; And much it grieved my heart to think What man has made of man.

Through primrose tufts, in that sweet bower, The periwinkle trailed its wreaths; And 'tis my faith that every flower Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and played: Their thoughts I cannot measure, But the least motion which they made, It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan, To catch the breezy air; And I must think, do all I can, That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent, If such be Nature's holy plan, Have I not reason to lament What man has made of man?

__Literary Techniques__ Personification: Wordsworth uses personification in the majority of the poem, specifically the fourth and fifth stanzas to give more life to the piece. In the poem, he describes a beautiful spring scene and in order to fully portray the vibrancy and liveliness of the place, he uses human actions on simple things like flowers and twigs. Song: Sway by Michael Buble “Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore/Hold me close, sway me more”

Imagery: The spring scene is described with such intense detail that the audience can nearly sense the environment as if they were there themselves. This tactic is used so that Wordsworth can connect with the audience better and really get them to see the theme and moral of his work. Song: Don’t Take the Girl by Tim McGraw “A little girl came through the front gate holdin' a fishing pole/His dad looked down and smiled, said we can't leave her behind/Son I know you don't want her to go but someday you'll change your mind”

Rhyming: This poem has an ABAB rhyming pattern that gives it a strong rhythm. This keeps the audience listening and makes the poem easier to follow. This tactic makes it easier for the author to portray his message and get the point to his audience. Song: Wonderwall by Oasis “Today is gonna be the day/That they're gonna throw it back to you/By now you should've somehow/Realized what you gotta do”

__Poem 2__

The World Is Too Much With Us

The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers; Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon; The winds that will be howling at all hours, And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers, For this, for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not.--Great God! I'd rather be A pagan suckled in a creed outworn; So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn

__Literary Techniques__ Personification: Wordsworth uses personification to describe the actions of the sea. This is a technique with assists in the imagery of the piece. Wordsworth uses imagery in a great number of his pieces. This gives the scenery and characters a lifelike reality that allows the audience to feel more connected and understanding to the poem. Song: When Doves Cry by Prince “Why do we scream at each other/This is what it sounds like/When doves cry”

Imagery: The author uses strong descriptions and word choice to create an accurate depiction. Imagery is used in order to provide multiple sensations to the audience as to what the environment or object is like. In this poem, the scenery is described so vividly that the audience can imagine themselves in the story. Song: Firework by Katy Perry “Do you ever feel like a plastic bag/Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?/Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin/Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?”

Idiom: Wordsworth uses the idiom “given our hearts away” to exaggerate the extent to which he was in love, or trusted someone. By using this idiom, the audience gets the impression that he is smitten or that he is open to love. The effect of this technique is that the poem has a lighter feeling and gives the audience an impression of the author’s emotion, therefore altering their own emotion. Song: Somewhere Only We Know by Keane “I knew the pathway like the back of my hand”

__Poem 3__

Perfect Woman

She was a phantom of delight When first she gleam'd upon my sight; A lovely apparition, sent To be a moment's ornament; Her eyes as stars of twilight fair; Like twilight's, too, her dusky hair; But all things else about her drawn From May-time and the cheerful dawn; A dancing shape, an image gay, To haunt, to startle, and waylay.

I saw her upon nearer view, A Spirit, yet a Woman too! Her household motions light and free, And steps of virgin liberty; A countenance in which did meet Sweet records, promises as sweet; A creature not too bright or good For human nature's daily food; For transient sorrows, simple wiles, Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears, and smiles.

And now I see with eye serene The very pulse of the machine; A being breathing thoughtful breath, A traveller between life and death; The reason firm, the temperate will, Endurance, foresight, strength, and skill; A perfect Woman, nobly plann’d, To warn, to comfort, and command; And yet a Spirit still, and bright With something of angelic light.

__Literary Techniques__ Metaphor: Throughout the poem, Wordsworth uses many metaphors to describe different aspects of the subject of the poem. Some of the comparisons are “lovely apparition”, “spirit” and “dancing shape”. These words give off a whimsical, beautiful impression of the object. By using these comparisons, the author is able to connect the woman to a whimsical being in a subtle way. Song: Dust in the Wind by Kansas “All we do crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see/Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind”

Simile: Wordsworth uses similes to indirectly compare aspects of the woman such as her eyes and hair. By making these comparisons, he describes the beauty and power he feels in the presence of this woman, giving the audience a more three dimensional understanding of what this woman means to the author. Song: It’s My Life by Bon Jovi “My heart is like an open highway/Like Frankie said/I did it my way”

Couplet: Wordsworth uses a couplet style rhyme scheme to keep a steady rhythm throughout the poem. By using this scheme, the audience feels the beat and has a stronger attachment to the piece. Song: Float On by Modest Mouse “I backed my car into a cop car the other day/Well he just drove off sometimes life's OK”

Paul Zimmer __Background Information:__ Paul Zimmer was born in Canton Ohio in 1934. He began writing poetry later than most, and wasn’t an influential writer until the 1990s. As one biographer said, “Zimmer’s poetry engages everyday life, using free-verse lines and unadorned diction to highlight the drama and wit of ordinary situations,” (“Paul Zimmer”). The aim of Zimmer’s work is to showcase the beautiful, little things in life that people often look past. By pointing out those fantastic details, Zimmer is able to encourage people to pay more attention to those details so they can see the true beauty of life and all that comes with it. Zimmer lives a peaceful life; he used to work in a steel mill, received a Bachelor of Art and Science at Kent State University and served the United States Army as a journalist. Unlike many other poets and artists, who led tough, tragic lives that influenced their work, Zimmer used his peacefulness and to describe the lighter side of life, persuading his audience to understand and appreciate it more. Like Wordsworth, Zimmer’s work is targeted towards the common man, who faced the turmoil of everyday life and in search of happiness and peace. Paul Zimmer’s lighthearted poems argue the importance of finding the best of things and is therefore aimed towards people who are facing hard times and struggling to see life’s beauty. However, unlike Wordsworth’s work, Zimmer also has a secondary audience of the happy peace-loving society. Those who appreciate the beauty and significance of nature are also targeted by the poems because of the reference to all of the qualities that those people have learned to love as simple things like a singing bird or a rainstorm. One of Zimmer’s poems, Old Woodpecker, he states, “The days when he was a contender Amongst the great woods of his life” (Zimmer). In this poem, Zimmer describes the life of a bird in a simplistic yet thoughtful manner. This depiction gives off a peaceful ambiance, making the audience feel at ease. This voice in the poem makes it helpful to those in times of stress and hardship. Culturally, Zimmer’s work can be associated with the naturalist part of society. The majority of his work focuses on the beauty of nature and how nature makes life more tolerable. This references the emotions of many people in the 1960s and early 1970s who believed in peace and natural elements. In his poem, Fog In The Valley, Zimmer states, “The fog unloosens and slips/In patches up hillsides./Hawks are first to ease off/Their perches, then small birds/Flitter out into the milky air,” (Zimmer). This stanza has a pure and beautiful sense of imagery, which creates a simple and serene scene in the audiences mind. Because of his love of nature, Zimmer associates most with naturalists and those who are likeminded in this affection for Earth. Zimmer was born in the midst of the Great Depression. Though he was too young to really see how tragic this was, he also experienced World War II in his younger years. He was too young to serve in the war, but as he came of age, he did join the military, but as a journalist. This gave him a very interesting perspective of the war and politics. He got an inside view of how things went without the dirty, gruesome acts that soldiers oftentimes must perform. The historical implications of his life are visible in his poem, Bach and My Father, in the stanza, “Six days a week my father sold shoes/To support our family through depression and war,”( Zimmer). The starting lines of this poem give a backdrop to the context of Zimmer’s life. Though his experience was limited to childhood, he did know hardship. He used this knowledge in his poetry to understand the troubles that others faces on the daily.

__Poem 1:__

Fog in the Valley

Old combines dither and cough, Cows amble vaguely into pastures, Fences vibrate out to the end Of their stringency, but all This occurs beneath an opaque sea.

Last week in Manhattan a man Walked up to me on a foggy morning And asked for money. When I told Him I had no change he exploded, "Man, how do you think I feel, Having to ask you for a hand out?"

The fog unloosens and slips In patches up hillsides. Hawks are first to ease off Their perches, then small birds Flitter out into the milky air.

Slowly things begin to connect, School busses flicker along the berm, Stitching together corners of fields With houses, barns, patches of woods, Things rise to take substance.

If I sold this house and land, Took cash to the city and passed Out hundred dollar bills all day To destitute people, by evening I could join them in the fog.

__Literary Elements__ Metaphor: In the poem, Zimmer refers to the fog as an “opaque sea”. This metaphor enhances the imagery of the piece and creates a picture of thick, swirling fog. This helps to give the piece a cool, almost ominous mood which adds to the message of the piece. Song: I’m Already There by Lonestar "I’m the sunshine in your hair/I’m the shadow on the ground/I’m the whisper in the wind/I’m your imaginary friend”

Anecdote: Zimmer provide an anecdote of an experience he had with a man in Manhattan. This gives evidence to the moral and theme of the story, as well as adding to the voice of the piece. Song: Same Love by Mackelmore “When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay,/'Cause I could draw, my uncle was, and I kept my room straight.”

Imagery: Zimmer uses lengthy descriptions and specific adjectives to create a vivid scene in the audience’s mind. This gives the author the ability to bring the audience into the story and create a tone in the poem. Song: Beautiful Day by U2 “See the world in green and blue/See China right in front of you/See the canyons broken by cloud/See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out”

__Poem 2__

Old Woodpecker

In the end, his tiny eyes won't focus. Punchy, his snap gone, he spends his Time banging on gutters and drainpipes. He begins to slurr and churrrr, His breath descending in a rattle, He tells endless stories of old trees Taken, but he has absorbed one too many Hardwoods to his noggin, his brain Is pudding. For the rest of his time He will undulate around, patronized, Spunky but sweet, remembering only Nests of teeming carpenter ants, Consenting grubs under flaps of bark, The days when he was a contender Amongst the great woods of his life.

__Literary Elements:__ Onomatopoeia: Zimmer uses the words “slurr” and “churrr” to describe the sounds of the woodpecker. By using these sound words, the author creates rhythm and imagery in the poem. Song: Here Comes The Boom by Nelly “Ya'll don't really want it now (BOOM!) /Here comes the (BOOM!) /Here comes the (BOOM!) “

Personification: Throughout the poem, Zimmer depicts the woodpecker as a human-like character. He uses this method in order to show the audience the importance of the animal and that animals, like humans, are more than what they seem. Song: It Ends Tonight by The All-American Rejects “The walls start breathing/My mind's unweaving/Maybe it's best you leave me alone”

Hyperbole: The author uses a hyperbole to exaggerate the length of the woodpecker’s stories. This gives the story evidence of the woodpecker’s complex life and harsh history. The effect of this method is that the audience understands how complicated this bird is. Song: A Year Without Rain by Selena Gomez “My world is an empty place/Like I've been wandering the desert/For a thousand days”

__Poem 3__

The Great Bird of Love

I want to become a great night bird

Called The Zimmer, grow intricate gears

And tendons, brace my wings on updrafts,

Roll them down with a motion

That lifts me slowly into the stars

To fly above the troubles of the land.

When I soar the moon will shine past

My shoulder and slide through

Streams like a luminous fish.

I want my cry to be huge and melancholy,

The undefiled movement of my wings

To fold and unfold on rising gloom.

People will see my silhouette from

Their windows and be comforted,

Knowing that, though oppressed,

They are cherished and watched over,

Can turn to kiss their children,

Tuck them into their beds and say:

Sleep tight.

No harm tonight,

In starry skies

The Zimmer flies.

__Literary Techniques__ Simile: Zimmer compares the smoothness of his dream flight to a stream of luminous fish. This comparison creates a picture in the audience’s head of a flowing and calming experience. This helps to add to the mood of the piece as well as extend on the imagery. Song: Fly Like An Eagle by The Steve Miller Band “I want to fly like an eagle/To the sea/Fly like an eagle/Let my spirit carry me”

Hyperbole: In the poem, a reference is made to flying all the way to the stars. This is an exaggerated statement that is used to symbolize the freedom that he longs to feel. The stars, being extremely distance and representative of liberation, are used to prove the extent to which Zimmer wishes to be a bird. Song: I’m Yours by Jason Mraz “But I won't hesitate/No more, no more./It cannot wait,/I'm yours”

Mood: The poem has strong word choice and phrasing that enhances the emotion that the poem gives off. This poem has a peaceful ambiance, created by the setting and detail provide. The last stanza in particular uses a calm, simple word choice that makes the audience feel at peace. Song: Somewhere Over The Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole “Somewhere over the rainbow/Way up high/And the dreams that you dreamed of/Once in a lullaby”