Lyric Poem. A lyric poem is verse that tells the emotions of a speaker and does not tell a story. As you read this poem, think about the following questions. What does this poem reveal about the speaker’s emotions? How does the speaker interpret or view the actions of a bird? What about this poem makes it a lyric poem?
Free Verse. Free verse is poetry that does not use regular rhyme, rhythm, meter, or division into stanzas.
Rhyme is the repetition of sounds at the ends of words. Rhythm is the pattern of beats, or stresses, in a poem. Stanzas are groups of lines in a poem, separated by spaces from other groups of lines.
Poets who write in free verse sometimes use creative rhyming and rhythm to create imagery. They also may use unconventional word combinations, punctuation, and capitalization. As you read this poem, make some notes in a chart like the one at right about the ways in which Swenson uses these literary tools.
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• May Swenson’s poems are noted for their vivid imagery and interesting word play. She often wrote about love and about nature. Often in her nature poems, Swenson describes her observations of the movements and everyday activities of birds and other animals.
• Many poems about birds and animals that Swenson and other authors have written appear simple on the surface. But below the surface they commonly have deeper meanings and encourage the reader to think about seemingly simple things in new ways. Look for examples of unique observations that Swenson has made about birds as you read the poem “Feel Like a Bird.”
Imagine you are a bird. Describe a flight that you make from home to school.
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