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By A. R. Ammons
The song
sparrow puts all his
saying
into one
repeated song: Commented [2]: alliteration?
what Commented [3]: personification
Commented [4]: very choppy language
all possibilities,
like filaments, Commented [10]: something thin and threadlike
depend: Commented [11]: so like they're spreading out like
filaments?
killing,
Commented [12]: simile
Commented [13]: emphasis on killing? why?
nesting, dying,
Commented [14]: or just the format?
sun or cloud,
figure up
and become
song—simple, hard:
removed. Commented [15]: reflects the poem's language
Glass - A. R. Ammons
T Title 1. Based on the title, what do you 1. I think the poem will be about glass and
think the poem is about? its properties.
2. Based on clues given in the title, 2. I think the author will focus on imagery.
what do you think the author
will focus on?
he manages,
too dumb
to understand: it's
all possibilities,
like filaments,
depend:
killing,
nesting, dying,
sun or cloud,
join together
and become
removed.
C Connotation 1. Identify and explain any poetic 1. In stanza 1, lines 1-5, “The song / sparrow
devices you found in the poem. puts all his / saying into one / repeated
Do this by offering meaningful song,” the sparrow is given
annotations in the margins. personification. These lines also have
Insert comments on the alliteration.
document to annotate.
In stanza 2, lines 5-6, “too coarse / to
2. Connotation is a word that
catch: it’s,” coarse and catch have
describes how a word is used in
alliteration.
context and generally refers to
emotion. Based on this, what In stanza 3, lines 3-4, “all possibilities, /
connotation does each poetic like filaments,” the lines describe a
device have in the poem? simile.
3. What conclusions can you draw
about the meaning of the poem 2. In the first example, the personification
by analyzing the words’ makes the sparrow seem neat, orderly,
connotations? and intelligent. Overall, he has a calm
connotation.
The third example has a more wild,
crazy connotation, as it describes the
possibilities spreading out in thin wire-
like lines.
A Attitude 1. You’ve taken a look at the poem 1. The sparrow in this poem has a very
in literal terms. Now it’s time to orderly personality, while his song has a
explore the figurative meaning chaotic personality. Overall, the
of the poem. What personality narrator of them poem gives it a more
do you see used in the poem? inquisitive personality.
2. What is the tone of the poem? 2. The tone is kind of awe-ful, as the
3. What was going on in the narrator contemplates the sparrow’s
author’s life / the world when song.
this poem was written and how 3. I couldn’t find anything in the author’s
might that have influenced this life that would have influenced this
poem? poem specifically, but the author lived
through the Great Depression, which
influenced much of his poetry.
S Shifts 1. What shifts in mood / tone do 1. The poem shifts in tone in stanza 1, line
you see throughout the poem? 6, and stanza 2, lines 1-2, “what //
Which words signal to you a variations, subtleties / he manages,” and
shift? in stanza 4, lines 3-6, “figure up / and
2. What effect(s) does this shift become / song - simple, hard: removed.”
have on the poem’s meaning? 2. These shifts cut the poem from
3. Does the poem begin and end describing the sparrow’s song in general
with the same emotions, (short, repeated, simple), to describing
thoughts, and opinions? his song in more detail (encompassing
denser meanings, having infinite
meanings).
3. The poem ends with the same emotions,
thoughts, and opinions. However, these
do change in the middle of the poem,
they just come back at the very end..
T Title 1. Revisit the title. Were you 1. I was not correct in the interpretation at
correct in your initial ideas, or all. The title doesn’t really reflect the
has the poem taken on a new poem’s meanings, in my opinion. The
meaning? Explain. poem was about a sparrow, but the title
is Glass.
T Theme 1. What is the poem trying to 1. I think the poem is trying to explain that
explain to us about the human some things we find simple may actually
experience? be much more complex.
2. What are the main themes and 2. I think the main theme is chaos within
subjects of the poem? What have order. The author says it’s true that this
you learned to be true, from the can be found within nature.
author’s point of view, about 3. The author wants me to learn not to
these subjects? underestimate things that seem simple
3. What do you think the author on the surface.
wants you to learn from this 4. I’d like to know why the title is Glass.
poem?
4. What else do you want to know
about this poem?