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Poetry Explication Requirements2 Pages, Typed (MAXIMUM)MLA Formatting and In-Text CitationExcellent Use of Poetry & Literary TermsOutstanding ProofreadingMaintain 3rd Person (Except for in the final paragraph, if you wish to provide a personal reaction)Use PRESENT tense to discuss what HAPPENS in the poemThe TP-CAST process allows us to analyze poems systematically and thoroughly. It helps students understand how poets craft meaningful and impactful poetry. We can also use the TP-CAST framework to write about poems in a more in-depth manner. An explication is an analysis of a poem. “To analyze” means to break something down into its constituent parts. Good readers read the poem they are going to explicate more than once; then, they consider the elements of poetry. (TP-CAST helps systematize that thought-process.)In your explication, start with a summary. However, summary alone is not enough to create a satisfactory poetry explication. To earn high marks, the second paragraph should make claims about what the poem does and means. Subsequent paragraphs must support those claims with plentiful evidence and analysis.The purpose of a poetry explication is to allow the writer a space to develop his or her own interpretation, presenting ideas backed up by logical reasoning and a detailed analysis of the poem. Note that in the final paragraph, the writer may choose to address what he or she personally thought or felt about the poem, though this is not mandatory.IMPORTANT!!!Each explication needs to cite text evidence; students MUST refer to specific lines, words, and even entire stanzas to support claims, rather than simply re-telling. Be sure to use MLA in-text citation for both quotations and paraphrased details, but do not worry about a Works Cited page (these are not required on the AP exam).Use the poetry packet and class Quizlet to help you demonstrate your mastery of literary terms.Sample ExplicationIn “Sir Patrick Spens,” a poem of the late middle ages without any known author, the Scottish king sends Sir Patrick Spens to go get his daughter, who is in Norway. Sir Patrick knows it is a dangerous time of the year to sail, but he goes anyway, because he has to. Just as he predicted, he and his men encounter a storm on the way home, and they all drown, leaving everyone who loves them waiting for a return that will never come.The poem narrates the story of an ill-conceived journey to bring the king’s daughter home, depicts a terrible storm, and reveals Sir Patrick and his men’s bravery and the king’s wrongness in sending them (because Sir Patrick, who knows the seas better than he, knew it would lead to their deaths). The poem arouses proud but also sad feelings in readers by making them think about Scotland’s brave heroes who have died following orders. The poem’s message is that kings should consult with the experts instead of just handing down orders. Also, it shows that poor decisions can sink even the wealthiest of nations.The strong image of the king and his knights around a table in lines 1-10 depicts the king’s power and control. Readers then hear Sir Patrick laugh at the idea of going to sea at this time of year (17-8), then cry when he realizes he must obey (19-20); along with stanza 6, this foreshadows the sinking of the ship. In stanza 6, Sir Patrick is upset someone gave the king his name, which shows he knows sailing at this time will not go well! Suspense rises through the speaker’s stated fear of death and harm (36, 40) and the ominous moon, which sailors know signals bad weather (37-8). Images of the terrible storm and flooding ship contribute to a despairing and frantic tone in stanzas 11 through 16. Readers feel pride in these brave Scottish heroes, but the mood is also sorrowful when those heroes fight for and lose their lives. Interestingly, the crew tries to stop the water coming in with rich silks that are onboard (49-56), and their fancy hats and expensive cork shoes get wet as the water rises (57-60). This suggests Scotland’s wealth cannot save her when poor choices are made, such as the king’s choice to send these men to sea in unfavorable weather. In the end, the image of the women waiting, “Wi’ their gowd kames in their hair, / A-waiting for their ain dear loves! / For them they’ll see nae mair” (70-2) is meant to arouse pity in the audience, shifting the mood from one of grim suspense to sorrowful pity in the final four stanzas. The serious mood throughout, coupled with a serious and lofty form—the English ballad, with its iambic meter and formal ABCB rhyme scheme, helps elevate the subject of the poem: Sir Patrick Spens’ death after being sent against his better judgment. Readers encounter a message of pride for lost heroes, but also a message that they should doubt some of their leaders’ decisions, as the poem asks them to reflect on what those heroes gave up in the pursuit of their country’s goals—the families of those men will never see them again (66-72).When I read this poem, I liked the rhythm of the iambic pentameter and the repetition of certain lines and words. I noticed a lot of consonance as well, for example, “O lang, lang may the ladies sit” (69). I thought it was interesting that the images of wealth, like the cork shoes (58) and silk (49) and gold combs (70), were there, but I didn’t notice them until I read the poem a few times. I had to think about why the speaker would emphasize the wealth of these Scotsmen, and that helped me think of a second theme message. ................
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