1. Follow along in the text as your teacher reads “Dreams” aloud. Think about a character you have encountered in a previous reading who has given up, even temporarily, on his or her dreams. Write down how that character felt or acted. Explain how the poem relates to that character’s feelings.
2. Read the remaining poems on your own and connect the ideas to characters you have encountered or to your own life. Jot down descriptions of the connections you make.
If you are having difficulty understanding the main idea of a poem, reread it slowly, paying attention to word choice and literary techniques that the author uses. Think about what the poem is saying. Remember that the thoughts in a poem may not end when a line or stanza ends. Reread the entire poem again, focusing on its overall meaning.