Before Reading
Think About What You Know
Read the definition of elegy on page 780. Think about a time when you lost someone or something very important to you, then answer the Reader's Journal question. Discuss your response with a partner. As you read the poem, look for the speaker's images of Jane.
During Reading
Use What You Know While You Read
1. Listen as your teacher reads the first stanza. Take notes about what the speaker remembers about Jane.
2. Read the rest of the poem on your own. Continue to take notes about what the speaker remembers about Jane.
Fix-Up Idea: Refocus on Metaphor
Make a chart like the one on page 780. As you read, focus on the metaphors Roethke uses for Jane. Note these metaphors in your chart. When you are done reading, look at the metaphors you listed. What do they have in common? What do these metaphors suggest about Jane?
After Reading
Share Your Connections
Compare your notes with those of your partner from the Before-Reading activity. Discuss images you found most striking. Then think about how you expressed your sense of loss, and compare your experience to that of the speaker.