Discuss how the poet uses specific words and phrases to express the poem’s tone and theme.

Poem 5: JOURNAL RESPONSE
Contrary to popular belief, poets don’t just throw in ‘poetic devices’ to bewilder students; the most successful writers create a ‘marriage’ of style and substance, developing their themes, reactions, and emotions through the most effective language and images available.
For example, look once again at the poem, “Bird in the Classroom”. Think about the feelings Thiele wants to convey. Now check the diction  in the poem.
• Discuss how the poet uses specific words and phrases to express the poem’s tone and theme.
Poem 5:
BIRD IN THE CLASSROOM
Colin Thiele
The students drowsed and drowned
in the teacher’s ponderous monotone –
Limp bodies looping in the wordy heat,
Melted and run together, desks and flesh as one,
Swooning and swimming in a sea of drone.

Each one asleep, swayed and vaguely drifted
With lidding eyes and lolling, weighted heads,
Was caught on heavy waves and dimly lifted,
Sunk slowly, ears ringing, in the syrup of his sound,
Or borne from the room on a heaving wilderness of beds.

And then, on a sudden, a bird’s cool voice
Punched out song. Crisp and spare
On the startled air.
Beak-beamed
Or idly tossed,
Each note gleamed
Like a bead of frost.

A bird’s cool voice from a neighbour tree
With five clear calls — mere grains of sound
Rare and neat
Repeated twice . . .
But they sprang the heat
Like drops of ice.

Ears cocked, before the comment ran
Fading and chuckling where a wattle stirred,
The students wondered how they could have heard
Such dreary monotones from man,
Such wisdom from a bird.

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