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CCBC Catonsville English 102 (online) Professor Berry EXPLICATION OF A POEM: DIRECTIONS: Using our text and the poems it contains as well as the information supplied to you in our class and any other outside sources that are related to the material, write an explication essay on one poem you believe is worthy of explaining. You may choose any poem from our text, but it MUST be from our text—no exceptions. You will need to find two critical sources about the poem. Most of the poetry in our text is somewhat famous, so you should not have too much trouble finding other corroborating points of view, but get started early so you can check if there is anything available. As with the thematic analysis you did for the short story, you should also incorporate the terms and concepts associated with poetic analysis, Chapter 17, “Reading and Writing About Poetry” in your explanation of the poem. WRITING ASPECTS TO KEEP IN MIND: • Develop a strong thesis statement – It must include a topic and a controlling idea and present an arguable assertion. Remember, a thesis can never be a question nor a fact. • Organize your Essay – I would suggest going through the poem several times on your own and then applying the terms and concepts of poetry to your analysis of the poem. Later, once you have an understanding of what you think the poem means, then read the commentaries on the poem. Organize your analysis around those aspects that you believe best prove your assertion (point). • Keep Focused on your Purpose – In this essay, it is to explain so that means you must stick with the text and explain different aspects of it. This is not first and foremost a persuasive essay, but all good explanations (explications) are inherently persuasive. • Use clear transitions This of course should go without saying, but make sure your transitions between your points of support are clearly worded and convey the relationship you intend to demonstrate between your points. SPECIFICATONS: 1. Length: Word Length: 500-70 Words (about 2-3 pages) 2. Spacing: Double-spaced throughout—including quoted material. 3. Font Type: Arial or Times Roman t font—no “specialty” fonts. Your focus should be on the argument and not the ornamentation! 4. Font size: 12 point – no bigger and nor smaller, please! 5. Title: Your title should reflect the argument or perspective of the essay and should mention by name either the story or the characters you are analyzing. 6. Format: Top left-hand side of the paper • Student Name • EN 102 • Professor Berry • Date • Title (centered) 7. Margins: Use 1 inch margins on the top, bottom, and sides of the paper. 8. Pagination: Number each page—including the Works Cited page—by using the header function. 9. Sources: 2 outside sources, critical evaluations of the stories or characters—this DOES NOT include your text, but if you quote the poem and it is in the text, then your works cited must include our text. 10. Citations & Works Cited: There should be “many” from the poem itself since that is what you are analyzing, but you should also have at least a few from other critics who corroborate (agree with, even partially) your analysis of the poem. You must include a Works Cited page at the end of the essay, and it must be in the MLA format. If this is not done or not done correctly, you will lose points. DUE DATES: See the due dates in Blackboard Sample Explication The explication below is intended to show you what form to use for the explication. It’s very similar to a literary analysis essay, but it proceeds analytical point by point, rather than through general themes. Sonnet on Reading Burns' Mountain Daisy By Helena Maria Williams While soon the "garden's flaunting flowers" decay, And, scatter'd on the earth, neglected lie, The "Mountain Daisy," cherish'd by the ray A poet drew from heav'n, shall never die. Ah! like that lovely flower the poet rose! 'Mid penury's bare soil and bitter gale;