Preview the format of the poem on page 626, and read about concrete poems on page 625 of your textbook. What do you think the shape represents?
1. Read through the poem once. If you have trouble understanding the meaning because of the unusual word or line breaks, try writing out the words as though they were one sentence. Read the sentence.
2. After understanding the meaning of the words, look at the shape of the poem. What do you see? Read the poem a second time.
If you have trouble following the unusual lines of the poem, listen as the poem is read aloud. Then read along as you listen a second time. Finally, read the poem silently to yourself.
How does the organization of a concrete poem affect your understanding of the poem? Talk to a partner about this question. With your partner, write a set of reading tips for reading concrete poems.