Poem/Song Lyric Project | Guidelines

Important Dates:

_________________ – a copy of the poem or song lyrics you are interpreting is due. Make sure your name, the title of the work and the name of the author or authors appears at the top of the paper.
Speeches will begin on: ________________________

The assignment:

Pick a poem or set of song lyrics that you like and understand well. You may search for poems in the library or on-line. If there is a particular author you like, a librarian can direct you to entire collections of that artist’s work. The same applies if there is a style or era you prefer, i.e.: modern poetry, love poetry, feminist poetry, etc. Song lyrics can be found online and are often packaged with the CD.

Construct a speech in which you explain, analyze and interpret aspects of the poem or song. Your speech should identify, define and explain all important literary terms contained within the literature. Furthermore, a detailed interpretation of what each stanza is conveying should be included. Very difficult or dense works may need an almost line-by-line explanation. Longer works such as “The Raven” by E.A.Poe should probably be avoided because a detailed interpretation will go far beyond the assigned length of the speech: FIVE MINUTES. The last part of your speech should be a discussion of the overall topic and the message of the poem. What does this work say to you specifically and why? What is the message of the work?

You are responsible for an oral presentation on your poem or song of choice. You must provide the song in playable format (iPod, CD) or read the poem to the class. You will then present your findings to the class in these possible sections:

History of artist or poet
Historical context of piece (if relevant)
Explanation of lyrics
Personal response (what the piece means to you)

Note: should you use a secondary source for any information included in your presentation (encyclopedia, magazine, etc.) you must provide a bibliography.

Lyric or Demonstration Speech Presentation | Evaluation Form

Name of student giving speech: ____________________________________________

On a scale of one to five, with five as the highest, rate the student in the following categories:

Text Box: Notes: 1. Eye contact score: _______