General Overview of Literature Appreciation (Poetry Revision) - SS3 Literature Lesson Note

General Overview of Literature Appreciation (Poetry Revision)

Literature appreciation is the ability to understand and enjoy literature. It involves recognizing the literary devices and techniques that authors use to create their effects, as well as understanding the themes and messages of the work.

To appreciate poetry, it is important to be familiar with the following:

Literary devices: Literary devices are techniques that poets use to create certain effects in their writing. Some common literary devices in poetry include simile, metaphor, personification, symbolism, and imagery.
Poetic forms: Poetic forms are the structures that poets use to organize their poems. Some common poetic forms include sonnets, free verse, and haiku.
Themes: Themes are the central messages or ideas that a poem explores. Some common themes in poetry include love, loss, identity, and nature.
Literary Appreciation 

African Poetry

Black Woman by Léopold Sédar Senghor: This poem is a celebration of Black womanhood. It explores the themes of beauty, strength, and resilience.
The Grieved Lands by Kofi Awoonor: This poem is a lament for the environmental destruction and political corruption that have plagued Africa. It explores the themes of loss, grief, and hope.
The Leader and the Led by Christopher Okigbo: This poem is a meditation on the relationship between leaders and followers. It explores the themes of power, responsibility, and accountability.
A Government Driver on His Retirement by Gabriel Okara: This poem is a humorous and satirical look at the life of a government driver. It explores the themes of corruption, bureaucracy, and the Nigerian experience.
The Song of the Woman of My Land by Tchicaya U Tam'si: This poem is a tribute to the women of Africa. It explores the themes of strength, motherhood, and hope.
Raider of the Treasure Trove by David Rubadiri: This poem is a celebration of African culture and heritage. It explores the themes of identity, tradition, and the importance of storytelling.
Non-African Poetry

The Journey of the Magi by T.S. Eliot: This poem is a retelling of the story of the Magi, who traveled to Bethlehem to visit the baby Jesus. It explores the themes of faith, doubt, and the journey of life.
Binsey Poplars by Gerard Manley Hopkins: This poem is a meditation on the beauty of nature and the passage of time. It explores the themes of beauty, loss, and the transience of life.
Caged Bird by Maya Angelou: This poem is a powerful expression of the longing for freedom. It explores the themes of oppression, hope, and the human spirit.
The Good-Morrow by John Donne: This poem is a love poem that celebrates the speaker's love for his beloved. It explores the themes of love, beauty, and the importance of living in the present moment.
Bat by Ted Hughes: This poem is a vivid and disturbing portrait of a bat. It explores the themes of darkness, fear, and the animal kingdom.
Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas: This poem is a powerful meditation on death and the importance of living a full life. It explores the themes of mortality, courage, and the human spirit.
Literary Appreciation Activities

Here are some activities that as SS3 students we can do it to appreciate the twelve poetry revision texts:

Identify the literary devices and poetic forms that the poets use. Students can pay attention to the language and structure of the poems to identify the literary devices and poetic forms that the poets use. For example, they can identify similes, metaphors, personification, symbolism, imagery, sonnets, free verse, and haiku.
Analyze the themes of the poems. as Students we can think about the central messages or ideas that the poems explore. They can discuss the themes with classmates or write essays about them.
Compare and contrast the poems. Students can compare and contrast the poems in terms of their themes, poetic forms, and language. For example, they can compare and contrast the ways in which the poets explore the theme of death in Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night and Bat.
Create artistic or musical representations of the poems. Students can express their appreciation for the poems by creating artistic or musical representations of them. For example, they can draw or paint pictures inspired by the poems, or write songs or poems about them.