Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-74661-8 - Poetry Reloaded
Blair Mahoney
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Poetry Reloaded
Blair Mahoney
[Cambridge title page logo]
Blair Mahoney
© in this web service Cambridge University Press
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Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-74661-8 - Poetry Reloaded
Blair Mahoney
Frontmatter
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CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi
Cambridge University Press
477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia
www.cambridge.edu.au
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521746618
© Blair Mahoney 2009
First published 2009
Edited by Philip Bryan
Typeset, design and illustrations by Marc Martin of small & quiet
Printed in China by Printplus
National Library of Australia Cataloguing in Publication data
Mahoney, Blair.
Poetry reloaded / Blair Mahoney.
9780521746618 (pbk.)
For secondary school age.
English poetry--Study and teaching (Secondary) --Textbooks.
Australian poetry--Study and teaching (Secondary) --Textbooks.
821.008
ISBN 978-0-521-74661-8 paperback
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978-0-521-74661-8 - Poetry Reloaded
Blair Mahoney
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CONTENTS
About the Author
1
CHAPTER 1: Poetry Gets Started
2
What Does a Poem Look Like?
What is Different about Poetry?
What Do Poets Say about Poetry?
Images and Sounds
The Poet’s Life: William Shakespeare
Spotlight On: Annotating a Poem:
‘Sonnet 29’ by William Shakespeare
Word Play: Writing your own poem that includes a simile
Skill Building
Read More
17
20
22
23
CHAPTER 2: Poetry Goes on Holiday
30
Oceania
South America
North America
Asia
Africa
Europe
Returning Home
Out of this World
The Poet’s Life: John Keats
Spotlight On: ‘Happy is England’ by John Keats
Word Play: Writing your own poem about a place
Skill Building
Read More
CHAPTER 3: Poetry Kicks a Goal
Bouncing the Ball
A Game of Footy
The Bowler Commences His Run Up
Elite Athletes
On Land and Sea
The Spectator
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5
7
9
12
16
32
36
37
41
44
46
52
53
56
58
60
60
62
64
67
71
74
78
80
83
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Blair Mahoney
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Winning isn’t Everything
The Poet’s Life: Bruce Dawe
Spotlight On: ‘Life Cycle’ by Bruce Dawe
Word Play: Writing your own poem about sport
Skill Building
Read More
85
87
88
94
94
95
CHAPTER 4: Poetry Looks in the Mirror 96
The Poetry Teacher
The Poetry Student
Struggling to Write a Poem
Everyone is a Poet
Reader Feedback
Hoping for Immortality
Youth and Old Age
The Poet’s Life: Sylvia Plath
Spotlight On: ‘Mirror’ by Sylvia Plath
Word Play: Writing your own autobiographical poem
Skill Building
Read More
99
102
105
109
111
113
115
118
120
122
122
123
CHAPTER 5: Poetry Falls in Love
124
Looking for Love
Adoration
A Love Beyond Compare?
Comic Love
Absent Love
What is This Thing Called Love, Anyway?
The End of Love
The Poet’s Life: Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Spotlight On: ‘Sonnets from the Portuguese – XLIII’
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Word Play: Writing your own love poem
Skill Building
Read More
127
129
133
136
140
142
144
148
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150
152
152
154
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978-0-521-74661-8 - Poetry Reloaded
Blair Mahoney
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CHAPTER 6: Poetry Goes to War
Dying for Your Country
Military Mistakes
The Vietnam War
Wars Today
The Poet’s Life: Wilfred Owen
Spotlight On: ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ by Wilfred Owen
Word Play: Writing your own war poem
Skill Building
Read More
CHAPTER 7: Poetry Has a Laugh
A Visit to the Doctor
Nonsense Poems
The Limerick
Playing around with Words
Family Funnies
‘Hilairious’ Belloc
Love Gone Wrong
Questioning Authority
The Poet’s Life: Edward Lear
Spotlight On: ‘How Pleasant to Know Mr Lear!’ by Edward Lear
Word Play: Writing your own nonsense poem
Skill Building
Read More
156
159
163
166
170
175
176
180
181
182
184
187
190
194
196
199
202
205
207
213
214
218
218
220
CHAPTER 8: Poetry Goes to the Movies 222
Inspirational Moments
Setting the Mood
Teaching Poetry in Films
Weddings and Funerals
Hoping for Release
Science Fiction Poems
A Vision of Power
The Poet’s Life: WH Auden
Spotlight On: ‘As I Walked Out One Evening’ by WH Auden
Word Play: Writing your own poem inspired by a film
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225
227
230
235
237
240
244
246
248
252
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978-0-521-74661-8 - Poetry Reloaded
Blair Mahoney
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Skill Building
Read More
CHAPTER 9: Poetry Gets Serious
How to Read and Annotate a Poem
‘The Good-Morrow’ by John Donne: a line-by-line reading
‘The Good-Morrow’ by John Donne: The annotated version
Intermission: Looking at titles
‘Typewriter Music’ by David Malouf: a line-by-line reading
‘Typewriter Music’: The annotated version
Turning Notes and Annotations into an Essay
An Essay Plan
252
253
254
257
260
266
270
273
276
278
279
Glossary of Poetic Forms,
Terms and Techniques
282
Subject Index
287
Index of Poets and Poems
289
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978-0-521-74661-8 - Poetry Reloaded
Blair Mahoney
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The author and publisher wish to thank the following sources for permission to reproduce material:
Images: Page 5, 6, 8-11, 1, 21, 22, 33 top and bottom, 34, 36, 38, 40-45, 47, 49, 51 top and bottom, 53, 61, 63, 68, 69,
72 top and bottom, 74, 76, 78, 81 top and bottom, 83-86, 93, 99, 100, 102, 105-7, 110-12, 114, 116, 127-35, 140-44,
147, 153, 164 top and bottom, 181, 183, 187, 188 top and bottom, 191, 192, 197, 197, 200 top and bottom, 201-5,
209, 226 top and bottom, 230, 235, 237, 238, 240, 245, 252, 253, 257-59, 261, 262, 264, 265, 281: Shutterstock;
79: Photomorgana/ Corbis, 118: Bettman/ Corbis; 87: Monpix/ Monash University; 119: Photoresearchers/ Photolibrary, 175:
Lebrehcht Music & Arts Photolibrary/ Photolibrary; 213: Hulton Archive/ Getty Images, 228: Hulton Archive/ Getty Images.
Text: Page 8: By William Carlos Williams, from THE COLLECTED POEMS: VOLUME 1, 1909-1939, copyright © 1938 by New Directions
Publishing Corp. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp., 36: By Pablo Neruda, from THE CAPTAIN’S VERSES,
copyright © 1972 by Pablo Neruda and Donald D. Walsh. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp., 50: By Ezra
Pound, from PERSONAE, copyright © 1926 by Ezra Pound. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp., 51: By
William Carlos Williams, from THE COLLECTED POEMS: VOLUME 1, 1909-1939, copyright © 1938 by New Directions Publishing Corp.
Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp., 112: By Denise Levertov, from POEMS 1960-1967, copyright © 1964
by Denise Levertov. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp., 130: By Pablo Neruda, from THE CAPTAIN’S
VERSES, copyright © 1972 by Pablo Neruda and Donald D. Walsh. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp.,
231: By Stevie Smith, from COLLECTED POEMS OF STEVIE SMITH, copyright © 1942 by Stevie Smith. Reprinted by permission
of New Directions Publishing Corp., 232: By Dylan Thomas, from THE POEMS OF DYLAN THOMAS, copyright © 1952 by Dylan
Thomas. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp., 240: By Dylan Thomas, from THE POEMS OF DYLAN THOMAS,
copyright © 1943 by Dylan Thomas. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp.; 8: Reprinted by arrangement
with The Heirs to the Estate of Martin Luther King Jr., c/o Writer’s House as agent for the proprietor New York, NY. Copyright
1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; copyright renewed 1991 Coretta Scott King; 7, 205: By John Hegley from THESE WERE YOUR
FATHER’S copyright © Methuen Publishing Ltd. Reprinted by permission of Methuen Publishing Ltd., 10: By John Hegley from
CAN I COME DOWN NOW DAD? Copyright © Methuen Publishing Ltd. Reprinted by permission of Methuen Publishing Ltd., 128,
197, 198: By John Hegley from LOVE CUTS copyright © Methuen Publishing Ltd. Reprinted by permission of Methuen Publishing
Ltd.; 11: 1 quote used as epigraph [“A good poet he is great”] from NO OTHER BOOKS: SELECTED ESSAYS by RANDALL JARRELL
and INTRODUCTION BY BRAD LEITHAUSER, EDITOR Copyright © 1999 by Mary Jarrell. Introduction Copyright © by Brad Leithauser.
Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, 107: “The Trash Can” from BETTING ON THE MUSE: POEMS & STORIES by
CHARLES BUKOWSKI Copyright © 1996 by Linda Lee Bukowski. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers; 33: “Rain”
by Hone Tuwhare Copyright © 1970 by the Estate of Hone Tuwhare. Reprinted with permission of Rob Tuwhare, on behalf of
the Estate of Hone Tuwhare. [email protected]; 41, 42: “Basho, Issa and Buson” translated by Peter Beilenson,
Japanese Haiku, © 1956, Peter Pauper Press; 43: Imtiaz Dharker, Postcards from God (Bloodaxe Books, 1997); 52: “Back from
Vacation”, from COLLECTED POEMS 1953-1993 by John Updike, copyright © 1993 by John Updike. Used by permission of Alfred
A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc., 68: “Fast Break”, from WILD GRATITUDE by Edward Hirsch, copyright © 1985 by
Edward Hirsch. Used by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc., 102: “Theme for English B”, from
THE COLLECTED POEMS OF LANGSTON HUGHES by Langston Hughes, edited by Arnold Rampersad with David Roessel, Associate
Editor, copyright © 1994 by the Estate of Langston Hughes. Used by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House,
Inc., 238: “The Panther”, copyright © 1982 by Stephen Mitchell, from THE SELECTED POETRY OF RAINER MARIA RILKE by Rainer
Maria Rilke, translated by Stephen Mitchell. Used by permission of Random House, Inc.; 53: “By Craig Raine. Copyright © Craig
Raine 1979.” 61: “Ithaca” from THE COMPLETE POEMS OF CAVAFY, English translation copyright © 1961 and renewed 1989 by Rae
Dalven, reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. This material may not be reproduced in any
form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher., 170: “The End and the Beginning” from VIEW WITH
A GRAIN OF SAND, copyright © 1993 by Wislawa Szymborska, English translation by Stanislaw Baranczak and Clare Cavanagh
copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, reprinted by permission of the publisher. This material may
not be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher.; 68: “Dunk” by Gregory K.
Pincus, reprinted with permission of Gregory K. Pincus; 72: “Ode to Football” by Thomas Keneally, reprinted with permission of
Curtis Brown (Australia) Pty Ltd.; 72, 88, 167: From ‘Sometimes Gladness’ by Bruce Dawe, Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd.; 76:
“Leg Break” by Chris Wallace-Crabbe, reprinted with permission from Chris Wallace-Crabbe; 77: “Bouncer” by Anthony Lawrence,
reprinted with permission by University of Queensland Press, 259: “Typewriter Music” by David Malouf, reprinted by permission
of University of Queensland Press; 78, 79: Reprinted from Come Out Into the Sun. Copyright © 1965 by Robert Francis and
published by the University of Massachusetts Press; 79: Robert Francis, “High Diver” from The Orb Weaver © 1960 by Robert
Francis and reprinted by permission of Wesleyan University Press; 116: “Hanging Fire.” Copyright © 1978 by Audre Lorde, from
THE COLLECTED POEMS OF AUDRE LORDE by Audre Lorde. Used by permission of W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 236: I carry your
heart with me(I carry it in’ is reprinted from COMPLETE POEMS 1904-1962, by E.E. Cummings, edited by George J. Firmage, by
permission of W.W. Norton & Company. Copyright © 1991 by the Trustees for the E.E. Cummings Trust and George James Firmage;
120: “Mirror” from Collected Poems by Sylvia Plath, reprinted with permission of Faber and Faber Ltd., 235, 248: “Funeral Blues”
and “As I Walked Out One Evening” from Collected Poems by W.H. Auden, reprinted with permission of Faber and Faber Ltd.;
131: “Crikey” by Cilla McQueen. Reprinted by permission of Otago University Press; 146: “The Dream” by David Solway from
The Lover’s Progress: Poems after William Hogarth. Reprinted by permission of David Solway; 165: Copyright Seigfried Sassoon
by kind permission of the Estate of George Sassoon; 168: “I was only 19”, Words and music by John Schumann © Universal
Music Publishing Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. International copyright secured, Reprinted with permission; 174: Reprinted by
permission of United Agents on behalf of Andrew Motion ©: as printed in the original volume; 188: Copyright © Brian Patten.
Reproduced by permission of the author c/o Rogers, Coleridge & White Ltd., 20 Powis Mews, London W11 1JN; 206: “Love Song”
by Dorothy Parker, reprinted by permission of Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd; 209: Some Ether © 2000 by Nick Flynn, Graywolf Press;
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Blair Mahoney
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To Brigid and Griffin, for putting up with me for the many hours
I was working on this book:
‘I thank all who have loved me in their hearts,
With thanks and love from mine’
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