Thursday, September 12, 2013

Tips For Studying Mormon Poems

By Helene Norris


A person may read a Mormon poem in order to pass a poetry exam or just for pleasure. Whatever is the case, below are some helpful tips to allow a reader get to grip of what a poet is trying to tell. For those puzzling over Mormon poems, following these tips will make them discuss the poetry with a lot of confidence.

One trick is to read the poems up to the end. Stopping to puzzle over a tricky section can be tempting. By reading the entire poem however, one can get the overall idea that the author is trying to convey. A reader should put the subject matter into consideration, which is what the poem is literary all about, as well as all emerging themes. There are the ideas that the author wants a reader to digest after going through it.

Readers should ask themselves what the mood of the poem is. They should think about what the author wants them to feel towards the end. The overall tone can be uplifting, or it may leave the reader feeling sad. Some Mormon poems have within them a deliberate mood change whereby a seemingly downbeat one finishes with a joyful scene, or vice versa. One should consider how it is structured. The author will have carefully planned its structure; hence the importance looking at how many verses or stanzas it is divided into. Every new stanza probably deals with a new mood or idea, or maybe it consists of a single short stanza to suggest a fast-moving brief event.

Listening to the sound of the words is another vital tip. Since poetry is designed to be read out loud, the reader should not be embarrassed about reciting the poem to themselves. Doing this will allow him or her to find out if it has a regular rhythm or rhyme, together with any words the poet has chosen due to the way they sound.

For instance, the author may use alliteration in order to draw the readers attention to a certain image or line, or even use assonance. Other aural techniques to watch out for are onomatopoeia, whereby words are used to echo the sound word itself, as well as sibilance.

Any other stylistic technique the poet uses is another factor worth putting into consideration. For instance, the way imagery is utilized in a poem is something the reader should check. In simple terms, it is the manner in which use of language helps get an image of the events happening in the poem. Metaphors or similes can be used by the poet to help achieve this, whereby ideas are compared by whoever reads the poem.

A simile draws attention to a comparison through the use of certain words. Metaphors are more difficult to spot since the comparison is direct-the reader is told one thing is something else. It is important to always consider the reasons why the poet chose such particular comparison as opposed to any other.

A reader should not fail to seek help if the above tips do not work. Mormon poems are after all composed to be enjoyed. Therefore, the more a person reads, the less the need to seek reference to these tips.




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