About the Author
What was the name of one of the poems he wrote while in prison?
“I Am Offering This Poem”
“Cloudy Day”
“Who Understands Me but Me”
“Immigrants in Our Own Land”
“The County Jail”
“The Day Brushes Its Curtains Aside”
“When Life”
“Count-Time”
“Oppression”
“A Handful of Earth, That Is All I Am”
Who is the narrator in the poem?
Jimmy Baca
What examples of structure did Jimmy use? (2 things)
Enjambment and caesura
What is the meter of the poem?
None
What are 2 types of sense elements that Jimmy used?
Similes, Symbols, Metonymy
What is his nationality?
He is American
How does the title relate to the poem?
It describes what he is doing in the poem
What is the format of the poem?
4 stanzas with a line of refrain at the end of each
What is the rhyme pattern?
None
How many quotes of symbols or metonymy did Jimmy have in his poem?
5
Why did he go to prison?
He was convicted of doing drugs.
What is the overall tone of the poem?
Loving and hopeful
What lines showed one of the two forms of structure that Jimmy used?
Lines 9-10, or Lines 18-19
What effect does the alliteration that Jimmy uses do to the poem?
Repetition of certain sounds show the severity of the circumstances that happen in the poem. EX: "the winter comes to cover you"
What is one example of an every-day object the poem uses to convey its meaning? (any 1 of the following)
Coat, socks, corn, scarf, guidance, cabin, fire
Who were his parents?
He was an orphan
What is Jimmy trying to express in this poem?
The love and care he didn't receive in his childhood
What do the structure elements do that affect the poem?
They create a sense of separation or connection between each clause
Even though the poem lacks a general rhyme scheme, how does Jimmy incorporate it in the final stanza and what does it demonstrate?
To show how love is given to the people that matter the most to us.
What was the meaning behind the similes that Jimmy used?
To show love, and care
What did he learn in prison? (3 things)
To read, write, and his passion for poetry
What does Jimmy reference when he uses Similes? (More than 1 thing)
Love, Food, Shelter, Safety
What is one pattern that repeats itself throughout the poem?
"I love you", or "I offer you ..."
Why does Jimmy specifically refrain the phrase "I love you" after each stanza?
To emphasize his love because he didn't it during his childhood
What did Jimmy use the symbols to represent?
Warmth, food, clothing, shelter, and guidance.