Dehmand 1

Kiana Dehmand
9th Honors Lit
Jamison
11/17/15

Teacher's Prayer for Snow Poem TPFASTT Revision

*Title (part 1): At first, I thought the poems title was Let it snow which made me instantly
think of the Christmas carol so I thought the poems text would sound like a tribute or reflection
on the song and basically reflect on the whole feel of snow, December, and Christmas. I liked
this idea very much for a poem having to also connect with things such as a family inside their
warm house, celebrating the holiday and spending time together, with the snowy weather outside
preventing them from going anywhere else.
*Paraphrase: Lord, please let the snow fall in the morning, to drift and blow throughout the entire
county so they will say School will be cancelled today. Let it come just enough so it will stop
the buses, answering the kids pleas. Just enough for radio reports to be coming in describing
how deep it is so my teacher plea will be answered and I can roll over for more sleep. I will
know when you have made it stop when I peacefully awake to hear the radio say all the snow has
somehow gone away. Just for a while, please lord answer our prayer for the kids and me.
*Figurative devices: ~Diction; the author uses a formal tone yet a hopeful one since it is a
prayer/poem. The poet uses please and lord multiple times throughout his writing.
~Dialogue There will be no school today, (Line 6) Snows deep! (Line 7) and, Its strange;
the snow has gone away! (Line 12). All describing the dialogue of radio/county reports.

Dehmand 2
*Attitude: The poem sounds like a hopeful, slightly desperate prayer referring to the teacher
needs rest and the only way to excuse absence from work is the snow to come.
*Shifts: When the snow apparently comes to the county, the poem shifts when the radio report
comes on saying, "It's strange, the snow has gone away." And then I'll know, You made it stop.
(Lines 12 & 13) into not a negative mood, but a more calm, relaxed one giving into reality.
*Speaker: At first, it almost seems like the speaker of the poem is from a teenagers perspective.
Since we (teenagers/students) are constantly tired and stressed about school, we usually dont
consider how much our teachers need more of the rest. Although the speaker of the poem sounds
like a young adult tired from school at first glance, if the reader considers more carefully a
teachers point of view, then they will understand the speaker is most likely an adult teacher.
*Title (part 2): With a small amount of research, I came to find out that the actual title of this
poem is called, Teacher's Prayer for Snow (By John Hillen). This and reading the poem more
carefully, changing the whole mood and perspective that I originally had on it to a whole new
other thing. From the Christmas themed poem I have originally thought of, comes a different one
where it is a tired teachers plea for snow so they can get the rest they need and want.
*Theme: In my opinion, the poem doesnt have much of a strong and obvious theme. Yet it could
possibly be that once prayers are answered and short termed dreams and hopes are finally
happening, realty will come soon after weather a person likes it or not. Either way, they should
be grateful for that short term relief and accept that reality will always come.