Annotation requires close attention to the various aspects that make up a poem – language, form, historical and literary context, structure, speaker, theme, etc. These are the individual elements we will be focusing on throughout the semester. The annotation exercise will allow you to put that work to use. You must each choose one element of the poem to annotate, that is, explain, clarify, or elucidate, with explanatory notes.

Read the poem through several times. Underline, circle, or otherwise note words and phrases that jump out at you for any reason – interest, confusion, sound, rhythm, etc. Then, return back and identify one of these to write notes on. Insert a footnote in the wiki using the “insert plugin” key. Highlight “PBwiki magic,” then “Footnote.” You may then write your notes, at least one paragraph in length, in the box. The note will then appear at the bottom of the page.