In this summative, I had to choose two poems to annotate and then write three TIEAS regarding the two poems. I had to write one TIEA for each of the poem and how the poem’s author used the literary devices to convey an inspiring or empowering message. The last TIEA was about how the poems are similar and different. I also had to make poems myself. I had to write an inspirational poem and hope poem. For the inspirational poem, I have to make a video slide to have it be played behind me when I perform. For the hope poem, I had to record me reciting it.
Poetry Annotation
“The Road Not Taken” TIEA
In “The Road Not Taken”, Robert Frost uses symbolism to tell people to think positively. The author came across two roads in the woods. He was choosing which road to take, but it was a huge dilemma for him. “And both that morning equally lay… Somewhere ages and ages hence” (11-17). Frost discussed about his dilemma. He wakes up in the morning and the two roads lay in front of him, waiting to be chosen. He found one of the roads with leaves that weren’t stepped on and he started going down that path. He started regretting his choice and wanted to go back. However, he believed that going down this path can lead him to other choices too, so he did not go back. After years of walking down the road he chose, he was still not happy. This is showing the reader how the author was thinking negatively because he kept thinking about “what ifs”. The author shows the reader that thinking negatively would make one think that he/she would never have enough and not appreciate what is given to one.
MLA Citation
1) Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” Family Friend Poem. N.d. Web. 19 April 2018.
“It Couldn’t Be Done” TIEA
In “It Couldn’t Be Done”, Edgar Guest uses repetition to tell the audience to not be discouraged by other people. The author was discouraged by other people many times, but he proved them wrong every time. “He started to sing as he tackled the thing/That couldn’t be done, and he did it/He started to sing as he tackled the thing/That couldn’t be done, and he did it!” (7-8, 15-16). Guest showed how he proved the others wrong when he repeated the two lines. The lines tells the reader that the author was even more encouraged to accomplish the thing that other people thought he couldn’t do. The author ignored what the other people had said to him. With repetition, the author also emphasizes on the fact that one should accomplish the things one wants and not care about what other people say. And if one ignores the negative comments, one can succeed.
MLA Citation
1) Guest, Edgar. “It Couldn’t Be Done.” Family Friend Poem. N.d. Web. 23 April 2018.
Compare and Contrast TIEAs
In “The Road Not Taken” and “It Couldn’t Be Done”, Robert Frost and Edgar Guest both used repetition to emphasize the main topic of the poems. Robert Frost came across two roads and he started to think about which road he should choose. “Two roads diverge…/Two roads diverge…” (Frost, 1, 18). Edgar Guest was discouraged by other people, but he proved them wrong every time. “He started to sing as he tackled the thing/That couldn’t be done, and he did it!/He started to sing as he tackled the thing/That couldn’t be done, and he did it!” (Guest, 7-8, 15-16). Frost emphasized on the two choices the poem was about when he repeated the lines. The two choices were described as roads that the author was choosing to take. Towards the end of the poem, the author purposely used the start of the first line to make a connection. This connection reminds the reader on the main topic of the poem. Guest brought out the main topic of the poem when he used repetition. The main topic of the poem was about not taking criticism and do what one believes. The repetition helped showed how even when people try to discourage Guest, he didn’t take in the criticism. Instead, he used it to prove to the people that he can accomplish the task every time.
In “The Road Not Taken”, Robert Frost used symbolism to add a deeper meaning to the poem, while in “It Couldn’t Be Done”, Edgar Guest used more dialogue to help show the personality of the character. Frost talks about the two choices he has to pick as roads. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood… To where it bent in the undergrowth” (Frost, 1-5). Frost represented the two choices by writing about them as roads. The author said that he can’t choose both at the same time. He stood in front of the roads and looked down one path. This shows that he is thinking about the consequences. By using symbolism, it helps create a deeper meaning to the poem. It allows the reader understand what he is trying to say in an artistic way. Guest was discouraged by others and was told that he couldn’t accomplish things, but Guest didn’t listen to the discouragement. “Somebody said that it couldn’t be done… That maybe he didn’t, but he would be one.” (Guest, 1-3). Guest portrayed how he didn’t listen to the discouragements towards him. The response that he gave the person, who tried to discourage him, showed the reader a lot of things. It showed how he was determined and strong-minded. This also shows that the he was unwilling to be affected by the negativity of others. After what the others said to him, it made him even more encouraged to conquer the task.
MLA Citation
1) Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” Family Friend Poem. N.d. Web. 24 April 2018.
2) Guest, Edgar. “It Couldn’t Be Done.” Family Friend Poem. N.d. Web. 24 April 2018.
Inspirational Poem
Am I too skinny?
Am I too bony?
Am I not like that?
Am I really fat?
I should stop eating sweets.
Candy? Please, not for me.
Adieu to pizza, french fries
and chocolates.
Why can’t I be as slender as stick?
But what is the purpose of starving,
When I can be myself.
What is the purpose of losing tons,
When I can gain to much in life.
As long as,
I’m strong and sculpted in my mind and
I’m pleasant and potent in my heart,
That is all I’ll ever need in life.
Inspirational Poem Slide Video
Hope Poem Flipgrid
Hope Poem
My dream feels like watching movies with friends at night,
My dream tastes like fresh baked banana bread on a Sunday,
My dream looks like an open meadow full of gorgeous flowers,
My dream smells like hot chocolate with marshmallows on top,
My dream sounds like birds chirping on the first day of Spring,
My dream is to live life happily with no regrets.