Before Reading
Focus on the Style of Poetry
Read about sonnets on page 624. As you read "Yet Do I Marvel," look for the three quatrains and the final couplet, and look for the theme of each stanza. When you read "Any Human to Another," you'll notice it has a different structure.
During Reading
Use Text Organization While You Read
1. Listen as your teacher reads "Yet Do I Marvel" aloud. Pay attention to the rhyme scheme of the sonnet and try to understand the speaker's message. Then read through the poem on your own. Think about what ideas Cullen expresses in each stanza.
2. Then turn to "Any Human to Another." Use the stanza breaks in this poem as well. Read each stanza for its own sense. Then see what the overall meaning of the poem is.
Fix-Up Idea: Unlock Vocabulary and Use Footnotes
If you are struggling with the meaning of the poems, begin by examining the Words for Everyday Use and the footnotes. Use the meanings you find there to understand more of the poem. Then when you encounter other words you do not know, try using context clues to determine meaning. Keep a list of new words and their meanings in your notebook. If you cannot guess the meaning from context, try using word parts to understand a word. If you still do not understand a word, use a dictionary.
After Reading
Summarize What You Learned
Work with a partner to talk about the two poems. How did the stanza organization help you to interpret the poems?