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for this assignment you will read and analyse the poem “i am offering this poem”.

1. what does the title mean? take a look at the title and reflect on what it means. write your thoughts about the meaning of the title.

2. put it in your own words. read the poem two or three times. you will see something different each time you read the poem. write a brief summary of the poem in your own words. highlight or list some of the words (nouns, verbs, phrases) that are important to understanding the poem.

3. what do you think the poem means?
( who is the subject of the poem, what are they talking about, why do you think the author wrote the poem, when is the poem happening, where is the poem happening, what is the poet’s attitude, how does the poem shift from person to person or between different times or places)

4. poetic devices: tools of the poet
(identify different poetic devices how they convey the poem’s message; simile, metaphor, personification, tone, point of view, imagery, alliteration)

5. theme
(identify the theme of the poem. how does the theme convey the poem’s message? )

6. poem analysis - choose 2 of the poetic devices from above (question 4) and explain in 3-5 sentences how the poetic devices to develop the theme.

! (also, i can write the poem in the comment section if you need but if you are answering this then you have probably already done it.)

“i am offering this poem”
by jimmy santiago baca
i am offering this poem to you,
since i have nothing else to give.
keep it like a warm coat
when winter comes to cover you,
or like a pair of thick socks
the cold cannot bite through,

i love you,

i have nothing else to give you,
so it is a pot full of yellow corn
to warm your belly in winter,
it is a scarf for your head, to wear
over your hair, to tie up around your face,

i love you,

keep it, treasure this as you would
if you were lost, needing direction,
in the wilderness life becomes when mature;
and in the corner of your drawer,
tucked away like a cabin or hogan
in dense trees, come knocking,
and i will answer, give you directions,
and let you warm yourself by this fire,
rest by this fire, and make you feel safe

i love you,

it’s all i have to give,
and all anyone needs to live,
and to go on living inside,
when the world outside
no longer cares if you live or die;
remember,

i love you.