I.
“Somewhere in America” spoken word
1. What stuck out to you from the poem , and why?
2.what represents the America you know today. What do you celebrate? What concerns you?
- Analyzing poetry
- Poetry groups-- 4 groups-1, Let America be America Again by Langston Hughes2. Harlem, I, too by Langston Hughes
3. If we must die, America by Claude Mckay
Harlem’s Shadows
4. Sing, To a Dark Girl, song by Gwnedolyn Bennett
Take poem, read it aloud 2x, and analyze the following
- What is the overall message of this poem?
- How does the poem relate to what we learned about the Harlem Renaissance last class?
- What literary devices does the author use to bring this poem to life?
- What specific diction sticks out to you and why?
- What can we learn about the culture of the Harlem Renaissance from these poems
Share your poem - read aloud as a group and the message of the poem.
III. Modern poetry--
“Hymn “ by Sherman Alexie
“Sombody blew up America’ Amiri Baraka
“ Still I rise” by Maya Angelou
Read these-
How does modern poetry discuss what’s happening in American culture? What is the notion of class?
HW- look at a poem from one harlem renaissance artist and one modern poem and write 3+ sentences comparing/contrasting them and what they say about American culture. Can include song lyrics too ( but we will do music next week too!)
HW- look at a poem from one harlem renaissance artist and one modern poem and write 3+ sentences comparing/contrasting them and what they say about American culture. Can include song lyrics too ( but we will do music next week too!)
Other links
Protest poetry
