Reading and Annotating the Poetry of Stevie Smith

Contributor: Emily Love. Lesson ID: 10606

Poems aren't just fun to read; they can convey strong messages. Learn how to dig into and annotate a powerful poem. Then, write your own short poem expressing your thoughts!

categories

Literary Studies

subject
Reading
learning style
Auditory, Visual
personality style
Otter
Grade Level
High School (9-12)
Lesson Type
Dig Deeper

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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Think about a time when things went wrong because others misunderstood your words or gestures. Write your experience down.

  • What can you learn from that?

Having your words or gestures misunderstood can be humorous or frustrating! In some cases, it can even be dangerous.

For example, you could be traveling in the Philippines and gesture at someone for them to come to you. In America, this sign is considered completely acceptable. In the Philippines, this sign is used only for animals and is an offense that can result in an arrest!

Communicating with others is essential to living on this earth, but communication can be challenging.

The poet Stevie Smith wrote a poem about the danger of a misinterpreted gesture, but she addressed an issue much deeper than a physical misunderstanding.

  1. Read "Not Waving But Drowning" by Stevie Smith for enjoyment.
  1. Reread it out loud.
  1. Annotate the poem in the space below using the following TP-KAST steps.
  • Title
  • Paraphrase
  • Key Words
  • Attitude
  • Shifts in Attitude or Tone
  • Theme

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When you are finished, save your work before moving to the Got It? section to explore further!

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