Introduction

A key skill to develop in reading literature is the ability to perform what is known as a “close reading.” Beyond reading for basic understanding of the main ideas, “close reading” demands attention to detail and an appreciation for how a piece of writing is constructed. Upon completing a “close reading,” you will be able to answer not only the more obvious “what” questions

• “What was that poem about?”
• “What does it mean?”

You also will be able to answer the more complex “how” questions …

• “How did the writer use language in a unique or challenging way?”
• “How does the reader respond to the writer’s unique use of language?”

and more challenging “why” questions, such as

• “Why did the writer use that metaphor?” and
• “Why did the author risk confusing the reader with ambiguous language?”

An effective way to practice close reading is to focus our attention on the precise use of language and the structure of a poem. Perhaps you may feel less experienced or less confident in reading poetry in comparison to reading a short story. (Or perhaps you are very experienced and can help guide your classmates.) Wherever you are on the spectrum of novice to expert, learning to actively read poetry will ensure that whatever genre we read we will have the skill set to notice detail, appreciate the use of language, and to discern subtlety in literary craftsmanship.

This module contains a variety of types of poetry from different time periods and different literary traditions. The selections are not meant to be inclusive of every tradition of poetry; rather, these poems offer good opportunities to practice active reading and complex reasoning skills and to build a strong foundation in “close reading” that will serve us well for the duration of the course. ¹