Sample Poetry Question – 2013 Q. 1
Why young people should read poetry:
Good morning Mary, and thank you for inviting me in to speak about young people and poetry. I firmly believe that poetry is hugely important for young people’s development. We learn about
historical times and faraway places.
Let me start by discussing “The Conquerors” by Henry Treece. This poem discusses the aftermath of World War I. Needless to say, no young people of today were alive during The Great War. This poem helps us to visualise what it was really like. When Treece uses images like “A dead bird in a rusting cage, still pressing his thin tattered breast against the bars, his beak wide open” we get a much better understanding of the hardship war causes. This is made even more clear in the line “the grey child that sprawled, stiff as stone, before the shattered door.” I had never thought about how civilians would have been affected before reading this poem.
Not all poems are so bleak. I would recommend W. B. Yeats to any young person trying to get into poetry. We studied “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” in school, and I absolutely loved it. In this poem,
Yeats describes an almost mystical land that he wishes to retreat to. He says, “I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree” in a longing tone of voice. He describes a magical place that is full of peace and calm. The images filled me with wonder– how could noon be a “purple glow”? He used very precise detail to help us ‘see’ the island. We know he will build “a cabin, of clay and wattle” and
have“nine bean rows, and a hive for the honeybee”. His description is so relaxed, it is easy to forget how carefully he has constructed the poem. Lines like“lake water lapping with low sounds” make amazing use of onomatopoeia which adds to the overall mood.
I hope I have made a convincing argument in favour of poetry. We study it in school because it is part of our course work, and we need to be ready for the exam. I feel, however, that we benefit hugely from this study. We learn so much about the careful use of language, about how to create or appreciate a particular time or mood, and how to concentrate on the written word rather than the flashing screen. Thank you so much for your time.
Why young people should read poetry:
Good morning Mary, and thank you for inviting me in to speak about young people and poetry. I firmly believe that poetry is hugely important for young people’s development. We learn about
historical times and faraway places.
Let me start by discussing “The Conquerors” by Henry Treece. This poem discusses the aftermath of World War I. Needless to say, no young people of today were alive during The Great War. This poem helps us to visualise what it was really like. When Treece uses images like “A dead bird in a rusting cage, still pressing his thin tattered breast against the bars, his beak wide open” we get a much better understanding of the hardship war causes. This is made even more clear in the line “the grey child that sprawled, stiff as stone, before the shattered door.” I had never thought about how civilians would have been affected before reading this poem.
Not all poems are so bleak. I would recommend W. B. Yeats to any young person trying to get into poetry. We studied “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” in school, and I absolutely loved it. In this poem,
Yeats describes an almost mystical land that he wishes to retreat to. He says, “I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree” in a longing tone of voice. He describes a magical place that is full of peace and calm. The images filled me with wonder– how could noon be a “purple glow”? He used very precise detail to help us ‘see’ the island. We know he will build “a cabin, of clay and wattle” and
have“nine bean rows, and a hive for the honeybee”. His description is so relaxed, it is easy to forget how carefully he has constructed the poem. Lines like“lake water lapping with low sounds” make amazing use of onomatopoeia which adds to the overall mood.
I hope I have made a convincing argument in favour of poetry. We study it in school because it is part of our course work, and we need to be ready for the exam. I feel, however, that we benefit hugely from this study. We learn so much about the careful use of language, about how to create or appreciate a particular time or mood, and how to concentrate on the written word rather than the flashing screen. Thank you so much for your time.