This is a comparative essay. There is a choice of which poem to focus on. the choices are “Maqam” by Zeina Hashem Beck (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/po…), “Who Burns for the Perfection of Paper” by Martin Espada (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57179/who-b…), “Forefathers” by Bigaro Diop (I will attach as a screenshot), “The Sun” by Charles Baudelaire (https://fleursdumal.org/poem/101), and “The Light of a Candle” by Yosa Buson (https://poets.org/poem/light-candle)
After choosing one of those poems to focus on, answer the following prompt
1. What is the relationship of the poem’s speaking voice to knowing or feeling? to people or society? to nature or things—that is, material objects?
2. Is the poem you have chosen lyric, animist, or haiku? Why would you describe it as such? Defend your claim.
3. Imagine a nagging voice telling you that your poem is not (or not only) what you say it is, but bears features of one
of the two other poetic “modes” you didn’t choose. For example, imagine that the voice tells you that your chosen
poem, which you think is lyric, really could be animist or haiku; or that your chosen poem, which you think is
animist or haiku, really could be lyric. How would you respond to that voice? If you agree, why? If not, why not?
