Before Reading
Preview Organization
Read about concrete poems in Literary Tools on page 507. Look at the poem on page 508. What does the shape remind you of? How might the shape be related to the title? What do you predict about the theme of the poem based on the shape? Write down your ideas.
During Reading
Use Organization as You Read
1. Read along as your teacher reads the first stanza aloud. How is the subject of this stanza connected to the shape? Write down your ideas.
2. Read the second stanza on your own. How does the subject of this stanza relate to the shape of the poem? How are the two stanzas connected?
Fix-Up Idea: Connect to Prior Knowledge
Preview the footnotes on page 508. If you are not familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, read their story in the book of Genesis in the Bible, or talk to someone who knows the story. Knowing this story will help you understand the allusion in the poem.
After Reading
Understand Organization
How does the shape of the poem enhance your understanding of the poem? Discuss this question with a partner.