Willow and Ginkgo
The willow is like an etching,
Fine-lined against the sky.
The ginkgo is like a crude sketch,
Hardly worthy to be signed.
The willow’s music is like a soprano,
Delicate and thin.
The ginkgo’s tune is like a chorus
With everyone joining in.
The willow is sleek as a velvet-nosed calf;
The ginkgo is leathery as an old bull.
The willow’s branches are like silken thread;
The ginkgo’s like stubby rough wool.
The willow is like a nymph with streaming hair;
Wherever it grows, there is green and gold and fair.
The willow dips to the water,
Protected and precious, like the king’s favorite daughter.
The ginkgo forces its way through gray concrete;
Like a city child, it grows up in the street.
Thrust against the metal sky,
Somehow it survives and even thrives.
My eyes feast upon the willow,
But my heart goes to the ginkgo.
-Eve Merriam
Questions: 40 pts (1-3 answer on your own within a 3-4 paragraph paper using MLA style)
1) Look up the difference between a metaphor and a simile. Once you have established a clear definition between the two, take each simile within the above poem and turn it into a metaphor (You may have to change sentences around). Now read the poem again slowly. Did you see/read the poem differently this time? If so, explain.
2) In your own words, what do you think the use of similes and metaphors can bring to a poem?
3) Poems are not the only places you find metaphors and similes; many other genres use them as well (Advertisements, music, etc.). Find another genre that contains metaphors and similes and explain how the figurative language (the metaphors and similes) made you feel? Did they make you look at something in a new way? Explain.
Group Assignment: 60 pts
Now that each member in the group has explored metaphors and similes, it's time to create your own!
1) Come up with a subject matter. For example Eve Merriam's subject was willows and ginkgos. (School, homework, friday night football games, etc)
2) Create a ten line poem containing metaphors and similes about the subject your group has chosen. The challenge is to not name your subject within the poem. You may place a question mark in place of your subject to help keep it a secret. This will make the reader have to put all the descriptive adjectives, adverbs, nouns, etc. together to guess the subject. Be creative and have fun playing with words. Your mission is to challenge your fellow classmates into figuring out your subject. Keep your subject a secret, there will be prizes!
3) Once your poem is complete, upload your poem to your figurative language website page: Metaphors and similes (we will be doing this in class). Each figurative language technique will be under going the same task.
4) Take each metaphor and simile within the poem your group has created and digitally depict the literal meaning of each one without using any words. For example, if you said 'Sam's dog is as big as a house', for one option you could look up pictures of a dog and place the dog image next to an image of a house, digitally altering the sizes to make them look the same size. We will work on this page in class, but remember to still keep your subject matter a secret! You will print out four copies of your art work that will be passed around with four copies of your poem to each group. Each group will try and match the picture of the different poems composed of different usages of figurative language. Be creative!
The willow is like an etching,
Fine-lined against the sky.
The ginkgo is like a crude sketch,
Hardly worthy to be signed.
The willow’s music is like a soprano,
Delicate and thin.
The ginkgo’s tune is like a chorus
With everyone joining in.
The willow is sleek as a velvet-nosed calf;
The ginkgo is leathery as an old bull.
The willow’s branches are like silken thread;
The ginkgo’s like stubby rough wool.
The willow is like a nymph with streaming hair;
Wherever it grows, there is green and gold and fair.
The willow dips to the water,
Protected and precious, like the king’s favorite daughter.
The ginkgo forces its way through gray concrete;
Like a city child, it grows up in the street.
Thrust against the metal sky,
Somehow it survives and even thrives.
My eyes feast upon the willow,
But my heart goes to the ginkgo.
-Eve Merriam
Questions: 40 pts (1-3 answer on your own within a 3-4 paragraph paper using MLA style)
1) Look up the difference between a metaphor and a simile. Once you have established a clear definition between the two, take each simile within the above poem and turn it into a metaphor (You may have to change sentences around). Now read the poem again slowly. Did you see/read the poem differently this time? If so, explain.
2) In your own words, what do you think the use of similes and metaphors can bring to a poem?
3) Poems are not the only places you find metaphors and similes; many other genres use them as well (Advertisements, music, etc.). Find another genre that contains metaphors and similes and explain how the figurative language (the metaphors and similes) made you feel? Did they make you look at something in a new way? Explain.
Group Assignment: 60 pts
Now that each member in the group has explored metaphors and similes, it's time to create your own!
1) Come up with a subject matter. For example Eve Merriam's subject was willows and ginkgos. (School, homework, friday night football games, etc)
2) Create a ten line poem containing metaphors and similes about the subject your group has chosen. The challenge is to not name your subject within the poem. You may place a question mark in place of your subject to help keep it a secret. This will make the reader have to put all the descriptive adjectives, adverbs, nouns, etc. together to guess the subject. Be creative and have fun playing with words. Your mission is to challenge your fellow classmates into figuring out your subject. Keep your subject a secret, there will be prizes!
3) Once your poem is complete, upload your poem to your figurative language website page: Metaphors and similes (we will be doing this in class). Each figurative language technique will be under going the same task.
4) Take each metaphor and simile within the poem your group has created and digitally depict the literal meaning of each one without using any words. For example, if you said 'Sam's dog is as big as a house', for one option you could look up pictures of a dog and place the dog image next to an image of a house, digitally altering the sizes to make them look the same size. We will work on this page in class, but remember to still keep your subject matter a secret! You will print out four copies of your art work that will be passed around with four copies of your poem to each group. Each group will try and match the picture of the different poems composed of different usages of figurative language. Be creative!