You are now a literary agent representing a poet who is trying to get published! Your job is to read and analyze your client’s work, decide which magazine you should submit their poetry to for publication, and convince the magazine editor that your client is the best fit for their magazine. There are 4 steps to this assignment:
Step 1: Choose your client! 5 poets have submitted their work to you in hopes you will represent them as their agent. Select your poem and poet!
· “Yellow Moon” by Angela Manalang-Gloria
· “Harvest Time” by Emily Pauline Johnson
· “October” by Evalyn Callahan Shaw
· “The Fruits of Death” by Ameen Rihani
· “Haunted Seas” by Cale Young Rice
Step 2: Read through your chosen poem carefully and complete the Poem Analysis Chart to record your response to their work. Be sure to record your responses using complete sentences, citing specific examples from the poem.
Step 3: Based on your notes in the Poem Analysis Chart, decide which magazine would be the best fit for your client’s poem:
Spooky Seasons Magazine: a magazine for all things creepy, crawly, and spooktacular!
Harvest Happenings Magazine: a publication for those who love autumn and all things home, hearth, and harvest.
Step 4: Pitch your client! Use the Pitch Paragraph section below to write one paragraph for the magazine’s editor to review.
Poem Analysis Chart – be sure to use complete sentences in all responses!
Selected Poem Title: Your Response
Initial Response:
· What does this poem seem to be about?
Diction:
· What connotative words are used in the
poem?
· What words or phrases stand out to you?
Imagery:
· What images does the poem create?
· What in the poem can you see, hear, smell,
taste, or touch?
Figurative Language:
· What types of figurative language are used in
the poem?
· How do these devices help create imagery or
communicate the author's feelings?
Tone & Mood:
· What words help you decide the tone of the
poem?
· What words help you decide the mood of the
poem?
Meaning:
· What is the poem saying about the season or
situation?
· Do you agree or disagree with this message?
Explain your connection to the meaning.
· Are there any other reasonable ways to
interpret this poem?
Pitch Paragraph
Now that you know this poem inside and out, it’s time to pitch your client to your chosen magazine’s editor! Write one paragraph explaining why your client and their poem are the perfect fit for this specific magazine (Spooky Seasons or Harvest Happenings). Remember, a paragraph is five to seven sentences and needs to include supporting evidence. This means using quotes from the poem to help prove your point. Standard spelling, grammar, and punctuation rules apply.
Selected Poem Title: "Haunted Seas" by Cale Young Rice
Initial Response:
This poem seems to be about the haunting and mysterious nature of the sea. It reflects on the dark and eerie aspects of the ocean, painting a vivid picture of its power and allure.
Diction:
The poem uses connotative words such as "ebb and flow," "windswept," "dim and vast," and "whirling mist." These words evoke a sense of mystery, danger, and the unknown.
Imagery:
The poem creates images of a turbulent and spine-chilling sea. Lines such as "The wind is lashing and the waves / In monster shapes of churning spume" and "In the yeasty break and whirling mist / Strange, spectral things appear and fuse" bring to mind the sight and sound of crashing waves, whipping wind, and ghostly apparitions.
Figurative Language:
The poem uses figurative language such as personification ("The wind is lashing...") and metaphor ("The sigh / That stirs across its depths, where lies / The unknown that no man calls his own"). These devices heighten the imagery and contribute to the overall eerie atmosphere of the poem.
Tone & Mood:
Words such as "haunted," "spectral," and "mysterious" help establish the tone of the poem as spooky and unsettling. The mood of the poem is atmospheric and foreboding, capturing the mysterious allure of the sea.
Meaning:
The poem suggests that the sea holds secrets and mysteries that are both terrifying and captivating. It portrays the sea as a haunted realm where hidden depths and unknown beings reside. Personally, I find a connection to this meaning as it reflects the awe-inspiring power and unknowable nature of natural forces.
Pitch Paragraph:
Dear Editor of Spooky Seasons Magazine,
I am writing to introduce you to an extraordinary poet, Cale Young Rice, and their captivating poem, "Haunted Seas." This poem perfectly embodies the spooky and mysterious essence that your magazine seeks to showcase. With its haunting imagery and dark, foreboding tone, "Haunted Seas" immerses the reader in a world of churning waves, swirling mist, and spectral creatures. The poet's skillful use of figurative language, such as personification and metaphor, adds depth and intensity to the imagery, creating a truly spine-chilling experience. The poem captures the fascination and terror the sea can evoke, making it a perfect fit for Spooky Seasons Magazine. I believe that Cale Young Rice's "Haunted Seas" will captivate your readers and leave them with a lingering sense of awe and mystery.