I have chosen "Swamp Song" by Kwame Dawes for the close reading assignment. The central claim of this poem is one should love someone for what is on the inside rather than the outside because outward appearance does not always last. I believe stanzas 11-22 are most central to understanding the text. Dawes uses many adjectives that add to the meaning of the poem. He describes some of the girls as "simple colored girls" instead of black girls. His diction definetely adds to the overall meaning of the poem. The words he uses also bring images to mind. Dawes also rhymes in the poem. All of these aspects add to the central meaning of the poem.
Thesis:
In his poem "Swamp Song," Kwame Dawes explores the emotions involved in being attracted to someone for the wrong reasons through his use of metaphors, imagery, and his word choice.
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2 comments:
Meghan, this is a good start, but you need to be more specific in your claims about both the poem's central message and the significance of the specific passage:
- "many adjectives...." - What are they? Make a list!
- "...that add to the meaning of the poem." - What specifically is added? What is the role of "simple" in "simple colored girls" ?
" His diction definetely adds to the overall meaning of the poem." - What are the words you had in mind? And what specifically do they add to what you have already mentioned in the previous point?
"...also bring images to mind..." - Images of what? Why is it important?
Same goes for your thesis: What are the emotions? What exactly "wrong reasons" and what would constitute right reasons?
Also (VERY IMPORTANT!), your thesis needs to focus on one passage from the poem, not the whole thing. It seems, that once you figure out what those “additions” above are, you can formulate the thesis about the passage as “ this passage ads A,B, and C to the overall meaning of the poem, etc)
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