POETRY IN PICTURESAnalysis of Modern American Poetry

POETRY IN PICTURESImagist poets focused their writing on simple images. They

attempted to use words to paint pictures in their readers’ minds. While the poets used imagery in the classic sense, their focus was on the sense of sight and not so much on the other four senses. In this project, you will focus on the visual as well. You have 2 project options to choose from, so make sure you look at both before you

begin.

PROJECT CHOICE #1

1. Choose two of the following Imagist poems

2. Locate or produce an image (picture) for each of the poems you choose. Your image should serve as an illustration for the poem.

3. Once you have the image, explain its connection to the poem in three to five sentences (for each poem).

4. You must explain what elements of the poem are illustrated in the picture and why you chose this picture as the poem’s illustration.

AUTUMNby amy lowell

They brought me a quilled, yellow dahlia,Opulent, flaunting.Round goldFlung out of a pale green stalk.Round, ripe goldOf maturity,Meticulously frilled and flaming,A fire-ball of proclamation:Fecundity decked in staring yellowFor all the world to see.They brought a quilled, yellow dahlia,To me who am barrenShall I send it to you,You who have taken with youAll I once possessed? 1

THE COMING OF WAR: ACTÆON by ezra pound

An image of Lethe,                          and the fieldsFull of faint light                        but golden,Gray cliffs,              and beneath themA seaHarsher than granite,          unstill, never ceasing; High forms                with the movement of gods,Perilous aspect;                       And one said:"This is Actæon."                       Actaeon of golden greaves! Over fair meadows,Over the cool face of that field,Unstill, ever moving,Host of an ancient people,The silent cortège.

2

PEAR TREEby H.D.Silver dust

lifted from the earth, higher than my arms reach, you have mounted. O silver,higher than my arms reach you front us with great mass; no flower ever opened so staunch a white leaf, no flower ever parted silverfrom such rare silver; O white pear, your flower-tufts, thick on the branch, bring summer and ripe fruitsin their purple hearts 3

THIS IS JUST TO SAYby William Carlos Williamson

I have eatenthe plumsthat were inthe icebox and whichyou were probablysavingfor breakfast Forgive methey were deliciousso sweetand so cold 4

PROJECT CHOICE #2

1. Choose one of the images on the next slide and compose an Imagist poem of your own.

2. Your poem must consist of 12 – 20 lines and should mimic the style of the Imagist poetry you have experienced in this unit. Please see lessons 2.06, 2.07, and 2.08 for information on Imagism and to read Imagist poetry. The poems in project #1 are useful examples as well.