Daily Syllabus
AUGUST
29 Introduction: Course Goals and Policies
31 Discussion Topic: Why take a literature class?
Assignment for September 2:
Poems about Poetry:
Read: Marianne Moore, "Poetry"
Archibald MacLeish, "Ars Poetica"
Donald Finkel, "Hands"
SEPTEMBER
2 Discussion Topic: The Nature of Poetry
Analysis of assigned poems
5 NO CLASS--LABOR DAY
7 Continue discussion of poems about poetry
Assignment for September 9:
The Poet's Voice:
Read: Paul Zimmer, "The Day Zimmer Lost Religion,"
Marie Howe, "Practicing,"
Robert Browning, "My Last Duchess"
9 Discussion of poetic voice
Analysis of assigned poems
12 Continue discussion of assigned poems
Assignment for September 14:
Subject and Theme
Read: Linda Pastan, "Ethics,"
Robert Frost, "Mending Wall,"
William Wordsworth, "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"
14 Discussion of subject and theme
Analysis of assigned poems
16 Continue Discussion of Assigned Poems
Assignment for September 19:
Irony:
Read: W.H. Auden, "The Unknown Citizen,"
E.A. Robinson, "Richard Corey,"
Elizabeth Bartlett, "Art Class"
Eaven Boland, "The Necessity of Irony"
19 Discussion of Irony
Analysis of assigned poems
21 Continue discussion of assigned poems
23 No Class--I will be out of town for conference
26 Open Day for Catching Up
28 Review for First Test
30 TEST 1
Assignment for October 3:
Metaphor:
Read: Ogden Nash, "Very Like a Whale,"
Lord Byron, "The Destruction of Sennacherib,"
Robert Frost, "Birches"
OCTOBER
3 Discussion of Metaphor
Analysis of assigned poems
5 Continue discussion of assigned poems
Assignment for October 7:
Symbol:
Read: Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken,"
James Dickey, "The Leap"
Linda Pastan, "Algebra"
7 Discussion of symbolism
Analysis of Assigned Poems
11 Continue discussion of assigned poems
12 Discussion of First Explication
Topics distributed
Papers Due: Monday, October 31 at noon.
Assignment for October 14:
Allusion:
Read: George Green, "The Searchers,"
Ed Ochester, "Voltaire at Cirey, 1736"
14 Discussion of allusion
Analysis of assigned poems
17 Guest Poet: Mrs. Andes
"Folded Linen"
"Emptying the Shelves"
"Guarded Encirclement"
"You, of the Blue Button
19 Guest Poet: Mrs. Andes
"Piece Work"
"Wrecking Ball (Calls) from Campus"
"Turning the Pages"
"Circuitous Holiday Homecomings"
"Absorbing the Pain"
Assignment for October 21:
Cole Porter:
Read: "You're the Top"
"Can-Can"
"Anything Goes"
"I Get a Kick Out of You"
Johnny Frigo,"Cole"
21 Discussion of Cole Porter: metaphor, parody and song lyrics
Analysis of assigned poems
24 Continue discussion of assigned poems
26 Finish up Cole Porter--Prepare for 2nd test
28 Test II
Assignment for October 31:
The Sonnet:
Read: Shelley-"Ozymandius"
Shakespeare-"Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day"
Shakespeare -"When in Disgrace with Fortune and Men's Eyes"
Billy Collins-"Sonnet"
November
2 Discussion of the sonnet
Analysis of assigned poems
Second explication topics distributed
4 Continue discussion of assigned poems
7 Continue discussion of sonnets
Assignment for November 9:
Alfred Lord Tennyson: "Ulysses"
9 Discussion of Tennyson's "Ulysses."
Assignment for November 11:
Emily Dickinsen
Read: "Success is Counted Sweetest"
"Because I Could Not Stop for Death"
"Hope Is the Thing with Feathers"
"Faith is a Fine Invention"
"Much Madness"
"If I Can Stop"
11 Discussion of Emily Dickenson
Analysis of poems
14 Continue Discussion of Emily Dickinson poems
Assignment for November 16:
Marie Howe:
Read: "Sixth Grade"
"What the Living Do"
"After the Movie"
"Hurry"
"Prayer"
16 Discussion of Marie Howe
Analysis of poems
18 Continue discussion of Marie Howe
Assignment for November 21:
e e cummings:
Read: "the cambridge ladies who live in furnished souls"
"anyone lived in a pretty how town"
"9."
"maggie millie molly and may"
"spring is like a perhaps hand"
21 Discussion of e e cummings
Analysis of poems
23 Continue discussion of e e cummings
Assignment for November 28:
Langston Hughes: Poetry and Social Commentary
Read: "Minstrel Man"
"I, too, Sing America"
"Life Is Fine"
"Let America Be America Again"
"Dream Variation"
28 Discussion of Langston Hughes
Analysis of poems
30 Continue discussion of Langston Hughes
Assignment for December 2:
Billy Collins
Read: "The History Teacher"
"On Turning Ten"
"The Man in the Moon"
"Days"
December
2 Discussion of Billy Collins
Analysis of poems
5 Continue discussion of Billy Collins poems
7 OPEN DAY FOR CATCHING UP
9 Third Test