English Poetry Lecture 1: An Introduction to Poetry

Course Objective –Art imitates life. –Life imitates Art. –Life creates/shapes Art. –Art creates/shapes life. Literature and Life –Moshe Dayan, the Israeli general, likened reading one of Tuqan's poems to facing 20 enemy commandos. –Israel sent Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour for prison, for writing poetry. –Palestine was first metaphorically occupied by the Zionists. Course Objectives –To distinguish poetry from other forms of literature –To understand and examine the development of poetic forms and types –To become familiar with poetic imagery, figurative language, and variations of tone –To learn basics of meter, sound, and line formation –To consider relationship of shape to meaning(s) in poetry –To apply lessons of poetic shape to a close reading of any given poem –To highlight the importance of place & time in poetry –To examine open forms and the resistance to tradition –To learn to compare different poets and poems –To learn to write parody and original poetry – Expected outcomes –Students are expected to –read and write poems exploring lyrical, narrative, and dramatic subjects –write assignments including reflections, parodies, and responses –develop critical reading skills and familiarity with the versification process –write original poetry – Assessment –10 marks participation and attendance –20 marks assignments –(20 marks OPTIONAL poetry collection) –20 marks midterm exam –50 (or 30) marks final exam –Bonus: creative poetic project – – Sources –Material is largely taken from Mark Phillipson’s online lectures on Poetry https://understandpoetry.wordpress.com/ –The course material is compiled and supplemented with questions and exercises by Refaat Alareer –Mastering English Poetry – – Course outline –The course material consists of three parts –1) 8 lessons on the nature, forms, development of poetry as well as literary devices and metaphorical language (figures of speech) –2) Selected poems arranged chronologically from the late 16th century to this day. –3) Critical articles, exercises and exam samples for practice Regrets on the Way to an Airport By Ali Abunimah I never filled my suitcase with the remnants of the sky.Nor forgave the naked onion because it made me cry, Nor clothed the new-born desert with the birthmark in my eye. Nor raised a thousand voices with the stillness of my sigh It’s not because I couldn’t but because I didn’t try. – Exercise 1: –Who is your favourite Poet, in Arabic or in English, or both? ………………………………………………………………………………………… –What is your favourite line of verse, Arabic or English or both? …………………………………………………………………………….………… –What do you already know about poetry? What makes it special or different? …………………………………………………………………………………… –Also, write down three reasons why you like poetry: …………………………………………………………………… –And another three reasons why you think poetry might be difficult: …………………………………………………………..………………… – Examples –Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? –I wandered lonely as a cloud. –نفسي فداء للسماء قنابل الفسفور تملؤها، كشعر الغول ألف جديلة بيضاء نحو الأرض تسعى، ألف أفعى. – Every fair from fair sometimes declines. –حتّى رأيتُ مجنّدةً عندها تسعتان من العمرِ وهي تفتّشها، وتُفتّح كل حقائبها، ثم تفرُشُها لأرى بلداً كاملاً فوق مِنضدة الفحص يُنشر مثل العلم ** كافة الحقوق محفوظة لصالح الجامعة الإسلامية بغزة | https://www.iugaza.edu.ps

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