Students, I'd like you to read the article linked above. Though you might recognize the form of poetry discussed (the decima), I think it's important to understand the context of the style of poetry as it relates to historical and socio-cultural norms and practices on the island.
Critical reading/thinking: The quote below, taken from the article linked above, highlights an important aspect of poetry. What does the author mean by "I thought I was hearing formulas?" What is the importance of the repetition of themes?
"As I listened to the songs, I thought that I was hearing formulas. This turned out not to be the case, the similarities coming instead from the repetition of themes. Reading through transcripts of the 58 improvised verses, the major themes that emerged were music or poetry (referring specifically to the décima form and its composition) and life in the country where people work hard on the land, eat traditional foods, and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Deictic references emphasizing a co-presence in time and space were also plentiful as is common in improvisatory traditions."
Critical reading/thinking: How does the style serve the poet, the community or audience listening to the poet, and the reader who reads the poem?
Critical thinking: How is the decima, an improvised form, different from the forms of poetry we've discussed in class so far?
Saturday, November 28, 2009
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The style of telling a poem helps the reader to get connected to what the poet is talking about. If the poems don't have rhythem thne they are just a normal written lecture, what compose a poem and give sence to it as well as the decimas is the way the autor combine the words, and diferent concepts.
ReplyDeleteIride Acosta
Yes, the rhythm, the sound of the poem, has much to do with relaying the meaning. It is one holistic animal - sound, image and shape come to life on the page. here, the decima helps tell a particular story. the story of the jibaro in PR.
ReplyDeleteI think that in decimas rhythm helps a lot with the musicality of the poem. However, I think that theme is also important because to us puertorricans the jibaro picking coffe or cutting sugarcane means history which is a very important element in any country. I think the decima is written to be sung not just to be read and analyzed. The decima becomes more than just poetry, it becomes part of our culture and music.
ReplyDeleteKaren M. Delgado