Question

I need help on figuring out the type of poem and developing a theme and meaning the themes/meaning is confusing me on some of them

“No, Thank You, John”


I never said I loved you, John:
Why will you tease me day by day,
And wax a weariness to think upon
With always “do” and “pray”?

You know I never loved you John;
No fault of mine made me your toast:
Why will you haunt me with a face as wan
As shows an hour-old ghost?

I dare say Meg or Moll would take
Pity upon you, if you’d ask:
And pray don’t remain single for my sake
Who can’t perform that task.

I have no heart?—Perhaps I have not;
But then you’re mad to take offense
That I don’t give you what I haven’t got:
Use your own common sense.

Let bygones be bygones:
Don’t call me false, who owed not to be true:
I’d rather answer “No” to fifty Johns
Than answer “Yes” to you.

Let’s mar our pleasant days no more,
Song-birds of passage, days of youth:
Catch at today, forget the days before:
I’ll wink at your untruth.

Let us strike hands as hearty friends;
No more, no less; and friendship’s good:
Only don’t keep ulterior ends,
And points not understood

In open treaty. Rise above
Quibbles and shuffling off and on:
Here’s friendship for you if you like; but love,—
No, thank you, John.


Author: Christina Rossetti Type of Poem: ______________________

Poetry/Literary Terms:





Theme/Meaning:



“Eulogy for a Hermit Crab” p.916

Author: ________________________________ Type of Poem: ______________________

Poetry/Literary Terms:




Theme/Meaning:

“Fog”

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

Author: ___Carl Sandburg___________ Type of Poem: ______________________

Poetry/Literary Terms:





Theme/Meaning:

“Eldorado”


Gaily bedight,
A gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow,
Had journeyed long,
Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.

But he grew old-
This knight so bold-
And o'er his heart a shadow
Fell as he found
No spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength
Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow-
"Shadow," said he,
"Where can it be-
This land of Eldorado?"

"Over the Mountains
Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,"
The shade replied-
"If you seek for Eldorado!"
Author: Edgar Allan Poe Type of Poem: ______________________

Poetry/Literary Terms:


Theme/Meaning:

Answer 1

Read through the types of poems listed and explained here to decide about the ones you are dealing with:
http://www.types-of-poetry.org.uk/

I can tell you right now that none of them are sonnets and that Sandburg's is a form called Free Verse.

To determine a theme, ask yourself this question after you read each one: "What secret message does the poet want his readers to understand."
Go here: http://www.readworks.org/lessons/grade5/words-wings-treasury-african-american-poetry-and-art/lesson-3
Scroll down to the DIRECT TEACHING section and read it all.

And here are a couple of good websites to help you with literary terms:
http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/
and
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/writing/style

Let us know what you come up with.