Short Writing Assignment

Directions

1. Task: Write a short paper in which you explicate and interpret the poem Miracle of Morning by Amanda Gorman copied at the end of this document.
2. Purpose: To practice closely analyzing a work of literature and help you practice explication and interpretation in advance of the Core Assessment essay.
3. Process: The explication should consist of the first two or three paragraphs. Remember that an explication goes through the poem from beginning to end and analyzes how it works. Sometimes it tells the reader what the poem literally says, but only if necessaryyou dont want to frustrate your reader by doing this if the words are pretty self-evident. Beyond just summarizing the text, an explication discusses how the poem creates imagery; how it uses meter, rhyme, repetition, and other sound devices; and how it uses line breaks. In short, your job is to describe how the poet uses content and poetic devices, and to what purpose. That is, dont just point out that something rhymes, or that a particular style of word choice is used, tell us what the effect of this is on the reader. Point to specific lines and/or words, quoting directly from the poem to illustrate your points.

In the second part of the paper, consisting of one paragraph, youll write an interpretation. This doesnt go through the poem from beginning to end but basically gives an argument concerning how we should take the poems meaningwhat its telling us about life, or love, or war, or society, or whatever. The interpretation isnt just a meandering meditation, howeveryou should organize your thoughts and use quotations from the poem in order to convince the reader that your way of looking at the poets intentions is valid. Your explication should lead your readers to your interpretation. In other words, your explication is providing evidence for your interpretation, so the explication and interpretation should be clearly connected.

1. Finally: this paper is something of an exercise, designed to get you practicing explication and interpretation in advance of the Core Assessment essay. Because of that, you do not need to write an introduction and a conclusion, the way you normally would with any essay. For this short paper, just start with the explication, and end with the interpretation.
2. Criteria for Success: The paper presents a detailed explication of the poem by pointing to specific lines and words. The paper has a clear argument that explains your interpretation of the poem as a whole. The interpretation is adequately and effectively supported by your explication, as well as clear logic, textual reference, and convincing rhetoric. The paper indicates a high level of proofreading. It clearly, efficiently, and elegantly makes its points, and uses appropriate citation methods to cite the poem.

Technical Criteria:

• 750-1000 words
• Typed, double-spaced
• The paper is formatted and the poem is cited using MLA style

Submission Details

• Format your document using MLA style as described in the Unit 2 Lecture: Reading and Writing about Poetry
• Cite the poems you are writing about in-text and on a works cited page using MLA style.
• Submit your response as a Word doc or PDF.

Explicate and interpret the following poem:

From Miracle of Morning by Amanda Gorman

I thought Id awaken to a world in mourning.

Heavy clouds crowding, a society storming.

But theres something different on this golden morning.

Something magical in the sunlight, wide and warming.

I see a dad with a stroller taking a jog.

Across the street, a brighteyed girl chases her dog.

A grandma on a porch fingers her rosaries.

She grins as her young neighbor brings her groceries.

While we might feel small, separate, and all alone,

Our people have never been more tightly tethered.

Because the question isnt if we will weather this unknown,

But how we will weather this unknown together.

So on this meaningful morn, we mourn and we mend.

Like light, we cant be broken, even when we bend.