Expressive Poetry Graphic Organizer

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: haunted seas Your Response

Initial Response:
The seas mystery
 What does this poem seem to be about?
Diction: "Haunts": The word "haunts" has a
 What connotative words are used in the connotation of something eerie and
poem? unsettling, implying that the sea is not just

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  What words or phrases stand out to you? a natural environment, but a place of
supernatural presence.
"Deadly": The use of "deadly" to describe
the sea's power suggests a sense of danger
and menace, emphasizing the speaker's
fear of the ocean's capabilities.
"Silent": The description of the sea as
"silent" creates an atmosphere of stillness
and quiet, which contrasts with the stormy
weather mentioned later in the poem. This
contrast highlights the sea's ability to be
both peaceful and terrifying.
"Dreadful": The word "dreadful" has a
strong connotation of fear and foreboding,
implying that the speaker is experiencing a
sense of impending doom or terror.
"Darkness": The repeated use of "darkness"
to describe the sea creates a sense of
mystery and foreboding, suggesting that
there are secrets and unknown terrors
lurking beneath the surface.
"Ghostly": The comparison of the sea to a
"ghostly ship" implies that the speaker is
experiencing a sense of otherworldliness or
supernatural presence, adding to the
overall sense of unease and fear
"Haunted seas": The title of the poem sets
the tone for the rest of the poem, implying
that the speaker is exploring a place that is
inhabited by spirits or supernatural entities.
"Ghostly ship": This phrase creates a vivid
image of a ship that is not of this world,
adding to the sense of unease and fear.
"Deadly silence": The phrase "deadly
silence" is striking, as it suggests that even
the silence itself can be a source of danger
or death.
"Fathomless abyss": The word "abyss"
implies a deep, bottomless pit, which
creates a sense of awe and fear in the
reader.
"Eternal night": The phrase "eternal night"
creates a sense of timelessness and

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 darkness, which adds to the sense of
foreboding and fear.
"Dreadful power": The phrase "dreadful
power" emphasizes the speaker's fear and
respect for the sea's ability to inspire awe
and terror.
"Whispering voices": The image of
"whispering voices" creates a sense of
mystery and otherworldliness, implying
that the speaker is hearing secrets or
messages from beyond the grave
A ghostly ship sailing through the darkness

The sea's "deadly silence" and "fathomless

abyss"

The eternal night and the whispering voices

The speaker's sense of smallness and

vulnerability in the face of the sea's power

See: The ghostly ship sailing through the

darkness, the waves crashing against the
shore, the endless expanse of water
stretching out to the horizon.
Imagery:
 What images does the poem create?
Hear: The whispering voices, the sound of
 What in the poem can you see, hear, smell,
waves crashing against the shore, the
taste, or touch? creaking of the ship's timbers (implied).

Smell: The salty sea air, perhaps with hints

of seaweed or saltwater taffy (implied).

Taste: The briny taste of saltwater on the

lips (implied).

Touch: The rough texture of the ship's

wooden deck beneath one's feet, the spray
of saltwater on one's skin (implied). The
poem also implies a sense of being buffeted
by wind and waves, which could be felt as a
physical sensation.
Figurative Language: Metaphor: "Haunted seas" compares the
 What types of figurative language are used in ocean to a haunted place, creating a sense

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 the poem? of eeriness and foreboding.
 How do these devices help create imagery or Personification: The sea is given human-like
communicate the author's feelings? qualities, such as "deadly silence" and
"dreadful power", emphasizing its power
and menace.

Hyperbole: The phrase "fathomless abyss"

exaggerates the depth of the sea,
conveying a sense of awe and vastness.

Allusion: The image of a "ghostly ship"

alludes to the idea of something
supernatural or otherworldly, adding to the
sense of mystery and unease.

Symbolism: The ship and the sea can be

seen as symbols for the unknown or the
subconscious, representing the speaker's
fears and anxieties.

Create a sense of atmosphere: The

metaphors, personifications, and imagery
work together to create a haunting and eerie
atmosphere, drawing the reader into the
speaker's experience.

Convey emotions: The use of words like

"deadly", "dreadful", and "whispering"
convey a sense of fear, unease, and
foreboding, allowing the reader to share in
the speaker's emotions.

Build tension: The hyperbole and allusions

create a sense of uncertainty and mystery,
keeping the reader engaged and curious
about what will happen next.

Explore themes: The symbolism of the ship

and sea allows the author to explore themes
of fear, vulnerability, and the unknown,
adding depth to the poem.

Engage the reader: The vivid imagery and

figurative language encourage the reader to
use their imagination to fill in the gaps,

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 making the poem more engaging and
immersive.
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.

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Cloud™ is a trademark of Florida Virtual School.
Expressive Poetry Rubric

On Target Almost There Needs Improvement

25-20 points 19-15 points 14-0 points

 The graphic organizer  The graphic organizer  The graphic organizer

Graphic is filled out in its is filled out with is incompletely filled
Organizer entirety with almost all complete out or contains many
(25 points) complete sentences. sentences. phrases and
 The analysis is in-  There is some fragments.
depth with evidence. analysis with little or  There is no analysis
no evidence. of the poem.

20-16 points 15-11 points 10-0 points

 There are a minimum  There are a minimum  There are fewer than
Magazine of five to seven of five to seven five sentences.
Paragraph complete sentences. almost complete  There is no
(20 points)  There is clear and sentences. supporting evidence.
convincing  There is some
supporting evidence. supporting evidence.

5-4 points 3-2 points 1-0 points

Grammar,  There are virtually no  There are a few  There are several
Usage, and spelling, punctuation, spelling, punctuation, spelling, punctuation,
Mechanics or grammatical or grammatical or grammatical
(5 points) errors. errors. errors.

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