unseen poetry

Powerful poems #1: Wendell Berry’s “Enemies”

When I talk about poetry with any student whose only exposure to this genre has been the torture of having to sit for exams, I sometimes start with this observation: Poets don’t craft their poems so that they can torture you in an exam room; they write to convey something powerful, something that makes them […]

How do I start with preparing for the unseen poetry section?

Very occasionally I respond to posts on Reddit, and a few days ago someone asked for notes on unseen poetry. My response: I’ve found Edward Hirsch’s writing helpful in helping my students think about poetry more deeply – https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/69955/how-to-read-a-poem For unseen poetry, the band descriptors say that the best answers show a “Sensitive and informed […]

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