Contemporary,

Popular and
Emergent
Literature

A Modular Approach with

Compendium of Readings

Prof. Marco D. Meduranda

Navotas Polytechnic College
 Module 4:
Understanding
and Creating
Contemporary Poems

At the end of the week, the pre- service

teacher (PST) should be able to:

1. analyze elements of contemporary

poetry; and
2. trace the history, characteristics, and
famous personality in contemporary
poetry.
3. construct poems with contemporary
styles and themes;

2
 General Instructions

This module aims to acquaint you to

contemporary poetry. It also seeks to immerse
you to the process of analyzing themes and
styles of contemporary poems as well as
attempting to construct the same.

The assessment tasks at the end will allow you

to demonstrate the essential understandings,
key competencies and desired learning
outcomes for each lessons.

Connect with your teacher via the learning

management system created for this particular
course. If you have clarifications and questions,
contact him via his email:
[email protected] or through the
messenger chat of the class online learning
group.

Your success to this course lies in your hands.

Good luck!

MDM
 Contemporary Poetry: History, Characteristics,
Authors and Works

The contemporary poetry is that created in the last decades of history. Some
experts put their start about 100 years ago, while most put as starting point the end
of World War II, more or less from 1950.

What everyone agrees on is that it picks up certain influences of the different

vanguards that marked poetry and art in general since the early twentieth century.
Whether to get away from these or by collecting part of their content and form, the
link with these avant-garde movements is widely accepted.

Poetry is a part of literature, with an origin that goes back to the use of music and
the word to tell stories. It is characterized by using a series of literary resources to
give a much more aesthetic treatment to what is narrated.
Metrics, rhythm or rhyme are part of the elements that endow this artistic
manifestation with a musicality that prose literature lacks.
The avant-garde and much of the contemporary poets, often break the stylistic
rules of poetry, this break being a fundamental part of their creations.

History of contemporary poetry

Background
Before the so-called contemporary poetry appeared, there were several avant-
garde movements that broke with the writing that had been done until the time.
This renewal, both in the stylistic form and in the contents, had a great influence
on contemporary authors. Among these currents are Cubism, Surrealism and
Expressionism, each with its particularities, but united in the search for a new
artistic language

Origins
Although there are regional differences, the second half of the 20th century
appears as the period in which this poetry begins. The years after the Second
World War they are marked by the tragic consequences of it, and art also
responds to this context. Thus, poetry in these early years acquires an existential
theme, giving priority to a feeling of emptiness and thinking that life is absurd.

As for the authors, many scholars consider that it is the modernist Rubén Darío
who acts as a frontier towards contemporary poetry, given the changes he
introduced with respect to what was done in the 19th century. Similarly, the
Chilean Vicente Huidobro is another reference to indicate the arrival of the
contemporary age of this art.

4
 Contemporary Poetry: History, Characteristics,
Authors and Works
1960s
After the 50s the theme of contemporary poetry is changing with the emergence of new
authors and the remoteness of the global conflict.
A part of the authors begins to write a socially committed poetry. Among them, Gabriel
Celaya and Blas de Otero stand out.
Meanwhile there is another current that tries to write about the human being, about their
concerns and values, but without any kind of relationship with politics.

Newest and stylistic break

Already in a third stage, close to the new century, appears a group of writers who are
called "new.” These authors are quite close to Surrealism and, although its theme is very
focused on the human being, the forms are totally disruptive, with the abandonment of
the norms that had characterized poetry for centuries.

Main characteristics
As for the theme, contemporary poetry is quite eclectic, since it touches all possible
issues. Obviously, there are quite a few differences depending on the authors, but
usually certain changes that define this literature are marked.

Structure
One of the aspects in which this type of poetry changes is in its stylistic structure. As in
the rest of the aspects, the absolute freedom of the artist is imposed. While traditionally
a very rational internal structure was respected, contemporaries begin to experiment. In
this way, the times mix freely, and it is not obligatory to maintain a chronological order of
what is related. Everything is left to the imagination of the author, although it is true that
this causes the reader greater difficulty in understanding the text.
That freedom does not mean that contemporary poetry does not attach importance to
form; On the contrary, this apparent lack of coherence is sought to achieve an effect on
the reader.

Metrics
Another aspect in which classicism is abandoned is in the metric. Traditional poetry
maintained codes that marked the meter of each verse. It was even one of the ways to
distinguish between one type of poem or another. The contemporary abandons all rule in
this aspect. The verses do not maintain any rigidity in their length, nor the number of
syllables. It is each author who decides how each verse will be, losing the old division
between, for example, alexandrines or hendecasyllables, which helped to identify what
kind of poem the reader was in.

Rhymes
With the rhymes exactly the same happens with the structure and the metric. Despite
having been for centuries one of the distinctive elements of poetry, contemporary
authors no longer feel compelled to appear. In this way, in many cases the resulting
verses do not have any type of rhyme and, when they do, they do not respect the old
rules about them. 5
 1

HOW TO ANALYZE A POEM

1. TO BEGIN

Read the poem all the way through at least twice. Read it aloud. Listen to it. Poetry is
related to music, so the sound is important. You listen to your favourite CDs many times;
the principle is the same. It takes time to fully appreciate and understand a work of art.
Make a note of your first impressions or immediate responses, both positive and negative.
You may change your mind about the poem later, but these first ideas are worth recording.

2. LITERAL MEANING AND THEME

Before you can understand the poem as a whole, you have to start with an understanding
of the individual words. Get a good dictionary. Look up, and write down, the meanings of:

 words you don’t know

 words you “sort of know”
 any important words, even if you do know them. Maybe they have more than one
meaning (ex. “bar”), or maybe they can function as different parts of speech (ex.
“bar” can be a noun or a verb). If the poem was written a long time ago, maybe the
history of the word matters, or maybe the meaning of the word has changed over
the years (“jet” did not mean an airplane in the 16 th century). An etymological
dictionary like the Oxford English Dictionary can help you find out more about the
history of a particular word.

Use an encyclopaedia or the Internet to look up people and places mentioned in the poem.
These allusions may be a key to the poet’s attitudes and ideas.

As you pay attention to the literal meanings of the words of the poem, you may see some
patterns emerging. These patterns may relate to the diction of the poem: does the poet
use “street talk” or slang, formal English, foreign language phrases, or jargon?

Your goal, now that you’ve understood the literal meanings, is to try to determine the
theme of the poem – the purpose the poet has in writing this poem, the idea he wants to
express. In order to discover the theme, however, you need to look at the poem as a whole
and the ways the different parts of the poem interact.

3. TITLE

Start your search for the theme by looking at the title of the poem. It was probably carefully
chosen. What information does it give you? What expectations does it create? (For
example, a poem called “The Garden of Love” should cause a different response from the
one called “The Poison Tree.”) Does the title tell you the subject of the poem (ex. “The
Groundhog”)? Does the title label the poem as a specific literary type? (ex. “Ode to
 2

Melancholy”; “Sonnets at Christmas) If so, you should check what characteristics such
forms have and discuss how the poet uses the “rules.” Is the title an object or event that
becomes a key symbol? (see Language and Imagery)

4. TONE

Next you might consider the tone. Who is peaking? Listen to the voice. ? Is it a man or a
woman? Someone young or old? Is any particular race, nationality, religion, etc.
suggested? Does the voice sound like the direct voice of the poet speaking to you,
expressing thoughts and feelings? Is a separate character being created, someone who is
not necessarily like the poet at all (a persona)?

Is the speaker addressing someone in particular? Who or what? Is the poem trying to
make a point, win an argument, move someone to action? Or is it just expressing
something without requiring an answer (ex. A poem about spring may just want to express
joy about the end of winter, or it may attempt to seduce someone, or it may encourage
someone to go plough in a field.
What is the speaker’s mood? Is the speaker angry, sad, happy, cynical? How do you
know?

This is all closely related to the subject of the poem (what is the speaker talking about?)
and the theme (why is the speaker talking about this? What is the speaker trying to say
about this subject?).

5. STRUCTURE

How is the poem organized? How is it divided up? Are there individual stanzas or
numbered sections? What does each section or stanza discuss? How are the sections or
stanzas related to each other? (Poems don’t usually jump around randomly; the poet
probably has some sort of organization in mind, like steps in an argument, movement in
time, changes in location or viewpoint, or switches in mood.)

If there are no formal divisions, try breaking down the poem sentence by sentence, or line
by line. The poet’s thinking process may not be absolutely logical, but there is probably an
emotional link between ideas. For example, you might ask a friend to pass mustard for a
hotdog and suddenly be reminded of a summer romance and a special picnic. It doesn’t
look rational from the outside, but it makes emotional sense.

A very controlled structure may tell you a lot about the poet’s attitude toward the subject. Is
it a very formal topic? Is the poet trying to get a grip on something chaotic? A freer poetic
form is also worth examining. What is appropriate or revealing about the lack of structure?
 3

6. SOUND AND RHYTHM

Poetry is rooted in music. You may have learned to scan poetry-to break it into
accented/unaccented syllables and feet per line. There are different types of meter, like
iambic pentameter, which is a 5-beat line with alternating unaccented and accented
syllables. You can use a glossary of literary terms to find a list of the major types of meter.
Not all poems, however, will have a strict meter. What is important is to listen to the
rhythm and the way it affects the meaning of the poem. Just like with music, you can tell if
a poem is sad or happy if you listen carefully to the rhythm. Also, heavily stressed or
repeated words give you a clue to the overall meaning of the poem.
Does the poem use "special effects" to get your attention? Some words take time to
pronounce and slow the reader down (ex. "the ploughman homeward plods his weary way"
echoes the slow plodding pace). Other words can hurry the reader along (ex. "run the
rapids"). If you are unfamiliar with the terms alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia,
you can look them up and see if they apply to your poem-but naming them is less
important than experiencing their effect on the work you are examining.

Does your poem rhyme? Is there a definite rhyme scheme (pattern of rhymes)? How does
this scheme affect your response to the poem? Is it humorous? Monotonous? Childish like
a nursery rhyme? Are there internal rhymes (rhymes within the lines instead of at the
ends)? If you read the poem aloud, do you hear the rhymes? (They could be there without
being emphasized.) How does the use of rhyme add to the meaning?
Certain poetic forms or structures are supposed to follow specific "rules" of rhyme and
meter (ex. sonnets or villanelles). If you are studying a poem of this type, ask yourself if the
poet followed the rules or broke them-and why.
Different parts of a poem may have different sounds; different voices may be speaking, for
example. There are lots of possibilities. No matter what, though, the sound should enforce
the meaning.

7. LANGUAGE AND IMAGERY

Every conclusion you have drawn so far has been based on the language and imagery of
the poem. They have to be; that's all you have to go on. A poem is only words, and each
has been carefully chosen. You began by making sure you understood the dictionary
meanings of these words (their denotative meaning). Now you have to consider their
visual and emotional effects, the symbols and figures of speech (the connotative
meaning).
Look for the concrete pictures, or images, the poet has drawn. Consider why these
particular things have been chosen. If an owl is described, does that set up a mood, or a
time of day? If a morning is called "misty", what specific effects does that have? Are certain
patterns built up, clusters of words that have similar connotations? For example,
 4

descriptions of buds on trees, lambs, and children are all pointing toward a theme involving
spring, youth and new birth.

Symbolism is also often used in a poem. A symbol is an event or a physical object (a

thing, a person, a place) that represents something non-physical such as an idea, a value,
or an emotion. For example, a ring is symbolic of unity and marriage; a budding tree in
spring might symbolize life and fertility; a leafless tree in the winter could be a symbol for
death.

Poets use techniques and devices like metaphors, similes, personification, symbolism
and analogies to compare one thing to another, either quickly and simply ("He was a
tiger") or slowly over a stanza or a whole poem (an extended metaphor like this is called a
conceit). (You can check the Vanier Exit Exam Guide for explanations of common
techniques and devices.) Work out the details carefully. Which comparisons are stressed?
Are they all positive? How are they connected? A description of birds flying could have any
number of meanings. Are the birds fighting against the wind? Soaring over mountains?
Circling a carcass? Pay close attention and pick up the clues.
Poems, like music videos and movies, employ a series of images and symbols to build up
mood and meaning. You need to take time to feel the mood and think about the meaning.
If you have specific problems or poems to consider, come to The Learning Centre, speak
to your teacher, or ask at the library for books that will help.

***

Now that you have considered some of the key elements of the poem, it is time to step
back and decide what the poem means as a whole. To do this, you need to synthesize
(combine) the separate parts of your analysis into one main idea--your idea about what
the poet is trying to say in this poem.

What is the poet trying to say? How forcefully does he or she say it and with what feeling?
Which lines bring out the meaning of the poem? Does the poet gradually lead up to the
meaning of the poem or does he or she state it right at the beginning? The last lines of a
poem are usually important as they either emphasize or change the meaning of the poem.
Is this so in the poem that you are analyzing?

Many thanks to Pat Salmon

Name:



Period:










































Poem
Analysis:
 



























“Still
I
Rise”



I.
Prediction



Before
reading
the
poem
take
a
look
at
the
poem’s
title
and
based
on
the
title
make
a

prediction
of
what
this
poem
will
be
about.





_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________



II.
Comprehension
Questions



1. Find
at
least
2
words
you
are
unfamiliar
with
in
the
poem
and
write
the

words
and
their
definitions
below.

















2. Who
do
you
think
the
speaker
is
directing
this
poem
at?













3. What
do
you
think
it
means
to
“rise”
in
this
poem?















4. In
the
last
stanza
what
is
the
“huts
of
history’s
shame”
referring
to?





III.
Analysis:




Tone: What is the
speaker’s tone? How do
you know?

Mood: What kind of

mood does this poem
create? How do you feel
after reading it?

Theme: What is the

theme of message of this
poem?

Identify as many
examples of figurative
language as you can in
your poem (3 examples
minimum).

What do you visualize

when you read this
poem? Write down any
images that come to
mind.

What questions do you

have about the poem?
What is still unclear?









Still I Rise (Excerpt)

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Out of the huts of history's shame

I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

Maya Angelou


 1
Contemporary Poem Activities
Study the following kinds of contemporary poems and create your own verses following the
guidelines or template.

If I Were

If I Were in Charge of the World Write your own poem using the format
~Judith Viorst below.

If I were in charge of the world If I were in charge of the world

I’d cancel oatmeal, I’d cancel _________________,
Monday mornings, ___________________,
Allergy shots, and also Sara ___________________, and also
Steinberg. _________________.

If I were in charge of the world If I were in charge of the world

There’d be brighter night lights, There would be ________________,
Healthier hamsters, and ________________, and
Basketball baskets forty-eight ____________________________.
inches lower.

If I were in charge of the world If I were in charge of the world

You wouldn’t have lonely. You wouldn’t have _______________.
You wouldn’t have clean. You wouldn’t have _______________.
You wouldn’t have bedtimes, You wouldn’t have _______________,
or “Don’t punch your sister.” or “_____________________.”
You wouldn’t even have sisters. You wouldn’t even have
_____________.
If I were in charge of the world
A chocolate sundae with whipped If I were in charge of the world
Cream and nuts would be a vegetable. __________________________ would
All 007 movies would be G, be a vegetable.
And a person who sometimes ______________________________
forgot to brush, And a person who sometimes
And sometimes forgot to flush, forgot to ________________,
Would still be allowed to be And sometimes forgot to ___________,
In charge of the world. Would still be allowed to be
in charge of the world.
 2

When I . . .

How to write it:

Begin each line with When I . . .
Make a list of things you see, hear, read, feel, etc. that bother or disturb you.
You must have a minimum of eight lines.
After completing your list add the last line: “I stand up” or “I will stand up”

Example:

When I See

When I see abuse.

When I see hunger.
When I see pain.
When I see fear.
When I see apathy toward learning.
When I see a disgust for knowledge.
When I hear hatred
When I hear apathy
I will stand up.

_________________________________________________________________

Acrostic poem:

Take a word (at least 7 letters long) and create a poem that has to do with
that word by creating a sentence beginning with each letter.

Life whispers by like a dream.

I hear the sounds of laughter.
Sounds of friends playing
Then growing and leaving.
Even though they are friends now
Nothing lasts forever, so listen.
In the distance
No one stays forever. They’re
Gone before you know it.
 3

‘I Am’ poem

Example:
I Am Hopeless
by S. O’Rourke
I Am poem
I am a strong woman who still
feels. I am (2 characteristics)
I wonder when it will stop I wonder
hurting. I see
I see the laughter around me I want
and I am (repeat the first lines of the
I want to join in. poem)
I am a strong woman who still
feels. I pretend
I feel
I pretend that nothing will ever I touch
hurt me again. I worry
I feel my heart shattering like I cry
glass thrown at the wall. I am (repeat the first line of the
I touch those shards and feel poem)
my fingers bleed.
I worry that my life is truly I understand
pointless. I say
I cry when no one is near to I dream
hear my plea for help. I try
I am a strong woman who still I hope
feels. I am (repeat the first line of the
poem)
I understand that I will never
stop hurting. *Make the poem your
I say, “Why won’t it stop?” own. Change things around if
I dream of blackness and cool you need to. Do NOT skip lines
air. or turn in a partially completed
I try to find my dreams. poem- it will not be accepted
I hope someone stops me.
I am a weak woman who feels
nothing.
 4
Writer’s Affirmation Poem Sample:
I am creative
I am I value the artist in me
I value I write what's in my heart and head
I write I trust the nature of my truth
I trust I honor my kind audience
I honor I give voice to what haunts
I give voice to I give voice to what heals
I give voice to I am open to inspiration
I am I make a place for creative
I make expression
I hold I hold the outcome in high esteem
I am I am safe writing on the page
I make I make my home a place to write

Bio-Poem

Method: Sample:
Line 1: I wish I I wish I could sing
Line 2: Like Like Sheryl Crow
Line 3: And I dream And I dream sad story songs
Line 4: I am I am hitting high notes
Line 5: I used to I used to softly hum along
Line 6: But now I But now I've found her voice in
Line 7: I seem to mine
Line 8: But I'm really I seem to be a mimic
But I'm really uniquely me

Sample:
Color My World
Line 1 Purple
Name a color a bruise on your leg,
Lines 2-4 bunches of grapes in a bowl,
Name 3 things that are that color a sweater that goes great with black,
Lines 5-7 the sound of power,
Name 3 things that sound like that fruit juice poured into a glass
color a school bell ringing, ringing
Lines 8-10 Grandma's rhubarb pie.
Name 3 things that taste like that cold medicine served up on a
color tablespoon
Lines 11-13 squishy cough drops,
Name 3 things that feel like that color velvet covered cushions
Line 14 pointy tip pentel markers,
What can that color do? the sky before lightning starts
Purple can take you for a sweet ride.