Before Reading
Preview
Read about sonnets in Prereading on page 19 and in Understanding Literature on page 21. Read about free verse in Literary Tools on page 22 and in Understanding Literature on page 25. Discuss with your classmates the key elements of each form.
During Reading
Gather Information
1. As your teacher reads "Sonnet XXX" aloud, pay attention to the rhyme scheme, meter, and stanza form. Think about the theme or meaning of each stanza. Take notes on the elements of rhyme, meter, and stanza you find in the poem.
2. Read "A Story" with a partner. Listen and take notes about the rhyme scheme, meter, stanza form, and meaning of each stanza as your partner reads the poem aloud. Then read the poem aloud to your partner while he or she takes notes.
Fix-Up Idea: Use Margin Notes
If you are having trouble determining the rhyme scheme, meter, or stanza form of these poems, go back and read the margin notes. They will help you identify these elements of the poems. Recognizing these elements will help you when you read other poems. If you were given a poem and did not know anything about its form or organization, what would you do to figure it out?
After Reading
Discuss the Poetic Elements
With your partner, make a chart to compare and contrast the information you gathered about the organization of both "Sonnet XXX" and "A Story." Talk about the meaning of each stanza. How does the organization of each poem affect the meaning?