Rock-It Poetry

1. Rock-It Poetry Denton Richey

2. Wednesday, February 12 • “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost • DIDLS Analysis

3. Diction • Frost is very detailed and descriptive in his diction. The poem relies on the use of descriptive language to portray a scene in the woods. • Descriptive word choice: • “a yellow wood” • “In leaves no step had trodden back” • “two roads diverged in a wood”

4. Imagery • The descriptive word choice of “The Road Not Taken” leads the reader to picture a scene in their imagination of a man coming to a fork in the road while traveling. The two roads forked in “a yellow wood” and the man had to make a choice of which way to go. The more traveled road is described as “bent in the undergrowth” due to the people who have used it. The narrator however takes the other road which is described as “grassy” and “wanted wear.” The picture below shows what the reader may picture when reading this poem.

5. Details • Vivid details of the scene lead the reader to further visualize the narrators situation. The narrator is depicted as thankful for choosing to take the less traveled road. Frost writes that he will be telling of his journey “with a sigh”, showing that his choice was a relief. He also writes that his choice is what “made all the difference.”

6. Language • The author is formal and descriptive in his language. The descriptive nature of this poem also leads the reader to think that there is a deeper meaning to this poem, giving it a symbolic meaning. “I doubted if I should ever come back” shows that the narrator knows that he is making a life changing decision by choosing a less traveled road.

7. Sentence Structure • Five line stanzas with abaab rhyme scheme • Anaphora in the first stanza • “And sorry…” “And be one…” “And looked…” • Repetition of the word “I” shows that this poem is about a personal journey

8. Thursday, February 13 • “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick • TPCASTT Analysis

9. T – P • Title • The title “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” suggests that this poem will be addressed to virgins and that they not remain virgins forever. • Paraphrase • Herrick is saying that the virgins need to not dwell on keeping their virginities for too long because time flies. He says that their sexual lives will be best when “youth and blood are warmer.” If these virgins wait too long, in Herrick’s words, they “may forever tarry.”

10. C – A – s • Connotation • This poem is relatively straight forward, as Herrick is presenting his poem in the form of an apostrophe. The author is however directly relating a woman’s sex life to her overall well-being, which is an overstatement. • Attitude • Herrick has a rather demanding yet concerned attitude towards his audience in this poem. He writes, “this same flower that smiles today tomorrow will be dying.” This line sums up his attitude towards young women who are keeping their virginity • Shifts • In the second stanza, the focus is shifted from the woman to the man. “The sooner will his race be run, and nearer he’s to setting” shows how men will not be able to sexually provide for women once they get too old.

11. T – T • Title • The title of this poem actually has a more sincere meaning than it may first come off to have. Herrick doesn’t just want virgins to give their virginities away, rather he wants them to use their time wisely, because age will eventually cause a barrier. • Theme • The overall theme of this poem can be summed up in the last line: • “For having lost but once your prime, You may forever tarry.” • Herrick is mainly referring to how a woman must not wait too long to marry and have a life that involves sex, because if they do wait then they will miss out on sex all together.

13. Friday, February 14 • “Hymn to God, My God, in My Sickness” by John Donne • TPCASTT Analysis

14. T – P – c • Title • The title, “Hymn to God, My God, in My Sickness” suggests that this poem is a letter or prayer that a man is writing to God as while he is sick. • Paraphrase • The narrator is going through a journey where he enters a “holy room” (likely the church) and gives his life to God. He says that his doctors have told him that he is sick and will soon die and now he wishes to live for God and tell others about God. • Connotation • One example of connotation is in the word “map”. The narrator compares himself to a map, being laid out flat on a bed and examined. He takes this metaphor further into comparing his life to a journey in which he cannot find his home on the map of his life.

15. A – S • Attitude • The author has a defeated then overjoyed attitude in this poem. In the beginning his is examining his life, and he knows that he has an illness that will lead him “by these straits to die.” Once the author comes to God he becomes overjoyed and is consumed with trying to spread the word of God to others. • Shifts • There is a shift in this poem in the last stanza. The author shifts the focus from his illness and nearing his death to accepting that his end is near and deciding that he is going to make the most of it. He says that we will “preach thy word” and he will wear “his other crown” referring to the crown of thorns that Jesus was wearing when he was crucified.

16. T – t • Title • The repetition within the title (“God, My God”) illuminates the importance of God to the narrator. In his time of sickness, the narrator was able to find happiness and a purpose by living for God. • Theme • The overall theme of this poem is salvation. A man who is nearing death goes to the Lord and is able to find salvation and life a new life of service for God.