Can someone help me with this assignment, its about poetry.?

Question

Task: Poetry often inspires and reflects an age or explores the "big" concepts of humanity. Using your research and poetry studied develop a discussion which examines why humans have written and related to poetry in every age and used it as a vehicle for thought reflection and a call to action. You need to show a wide reading of poetry and appreciation of its forms and how poetry has influenced or reflected the time in which it was written or the concept it explores.

You must give your poems their literary/historical context. Your focus should be the poems and reference is expected to how poets use the devices of poetry to bring their discourse into focus and enhance their message.

You need to discuss poetry as a form of literature, the purpose it has served during the time or times you chose to look at and the major concerns or conflicts of the age that are reflected in the poetry. For example, if you were to look at the Metaphysical poets you would discuss the Age of Exploration and the use of alchemy and how the poets of the time such as Donne and Herrick looked at their world.

Minimum of 4-6 poems in depth with passing reference to many more is expected.

Ok, that's whats written on the assignment sheet. Can someone give me a simpler explanation of what I must do and if possible some examples? I don't exactly understand it.

Answer 1

I won't give you the answer, but I will give you some ideas through poetry.

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Influence Of Poetry

WRITING poetry is the release of passion,

that wells from emotion, and is stimulated by action

READING poetry, is a visual reaction to the poem,

in which, the decision to continue, or not,

lies in its ability to stimulate, within the span

of a casual glance  

UNDERSTANDING poetry, is the minds decision

to continue to read and transition to an insightful

conclusion

COMMENTING on poetry, is the INTERPRETATION,

that began with READING, accelerated to UNDERSTANDING,

and resulted in WRITING

EDUCATION is the result achieved, ENTERTAINMENT

and FULFILMENT are the rewards received

Poetry therefore, is a cyclic adventure setting us free to

explore the world of imagination and reality,

to live the adventures and experiences of others,

without actively participating, what is placed before us

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Recording Artists Of The Ages



Poetry, Poetry, everywhere, hours pass, I don't care, I'm in my element, I've set my sights, to write poetry night after night

I'll surround myself with talent, that is unsurpassed, where every poem written, is in its own class, topics on every subject, will be conceived, proving once again, what the mind can achieve

Everyone who writes poetry, an artist, of that there's no doubt, unequal talent, writing from the heart, faithful to their work, right from the start, these marvelous poets, who write with no fear, will fine tune and tweak, then openly request, their work be critiqued

In no other discipline, will this behavior be found, but, then again, when you're surrounded by poets, what other discipline exists, where such artists abound

I feel the world of poetry is where I belong, this is my destination, my work will be be here, long after I'm gone, many poets will read, and agree, some, will disagree, all will benefit, from reading my poetry

For only through poetry, can truth be found, when from the heart, writing is most profound, thank God for poets, you who make the world unique, who through verse and prose, are heard without having to speak, whose words are the power, passed throughout the ages, found in every book, ever written, with more than two pages

Thank God for poets, daily writing more and more verse, for delivery, on all the world stages, the recording artists, of the ages

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Time Alone



I sit alone, racking a brain silent as stone,

awaiting inspiration, until it comes scrolling,

from the recesses of the unknown

Wide awake, heart beat steady,

fingers awaiting thoughts to flow, from my brain to them,

beginning the transformation, from impulse to prose

Toilsome, my mind, content to roam,

refuses to focus, on one topic alone,

circuits firing randomly, thoughts bouncing off bone,

soon will come together, no longer alone

words, once in discord, unite, become clearer,

fingers fly light as a feather,

transformation rapid, now writing with ease, finally let go,

a philosophic frenzy, barely in control

no time to wonder the how or why,

this collection of verse, this natural high,

whats been written, this lunacy of the mind,

no longer confined, will survive

I rejoice in this composition, its delivery without restriction,

a one of a kind submission, a testimonial of convection,

to once again clone, this marvelous time alone

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Poetry



An association of words placed into structure,

weaving majestry and brilliance to create text,

immortalizing the paper upon which it is written.

Destined to be preserved for the ages.

All poetry by Mac McGovern.

Hopefully, this will help you fill in the blanks and answer many of the questions you need to complete this assignment. Good Luck and please let me know how it comes out.

Mcc McGovern

[e-mail]

Answer 2

The assignment simply says you have to read poetry and learn how to look at the world through the poet's eyes.  Donne and Herrick wrote in the 17th Century, an age when many countries were expanding their trading empires.  It's a time when the first lasting colonies were established in America.  It was called the Age of Exploration.  It was also a time of very serious religious thought, focusing on personal experience.  People explored the connections between things, especially the effect of the spiritual realm on the physical world.  Metaphysical thought was a main area for some of the English poets.   John Donne was an Anglican priest and Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.  He was very popular as a preacher.  His Holy Sonnets are almost unmatched in quality and expression of personal outlooks and struggles of the spirit.  He wrote in the time of James I.  Robert Herrick was a Cavalier poet, who wrote at the end of the 17th Century, a full generation after Donne.  If you read and compare these two poets you get a rather complete view of 17th Century English life and spirituality, at least among High Church Anglicans. To balance their work you should also read that of John Milton, who represents the opposite end of the English Church spectrum, and had far greater and more lasting influence.  In that vein you would look at the work of these three poets in terms of propaganda for very different political views.  You have to discuss at least 4 to 6 poems, as well as make passing reference to others.  Can you do it?  Only if you've done the reading, and that is something nobody else can do for you.