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Writing Exercises
Read Nikki Giovanni's poem "Choices." You may also listen to the author read her poem by going to her PBS interview and watch the video from 30:31 to 31:21. (The entire interview with Nikki Giovanni starts at 21:35. See the full video transcript here.)
What does Giovanni's poem mean? Let's use the TP-CASSTT method to learn the answer.
1. Title: What predictions What are your initial or first thoughts about the poem? What might be the theme of the poem? can you make about the poem from the title "Choices" What are your initial or first thoughts about the poem? What might be the theme of the poem? ?
2. Paraphrase: Describe what happens in the poem in your own words.
3. Connotation: What might the poem mean beyond the literal level? Find examples of figurative language and think about their possible connotative meanings. Consider the feelings that the words may give the reader.
4. Attitude: Describe the tone of the poem. What is the poet's attitude toward the subject of the poem? The speaker's attitude? Find and list examples that illustrate the tone and mood of the poem. These are the lines that show attitude.
5. Shift: Is there a shift or a change in the tone or speaker of the poem? Where does the shift happen in the poem? What does it shift from and to?
6. Title: Look at the title again. Have your original ideas about the poem changed? How? What do you think the title means now?
7. Theme: What is the overall theme of the poem? What insight, understanding, lesson, or truth do you see after reading this poem?
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