Read and write

After reading “In Just?” and “Christmas, 1970,” please answer the following questions:

Regarding “In Just?“

1. Almost all of the words in this poem are in lower-case. What is the effect of the arrangement of words on the page? What effect does this have when you look at the poem? How does the visual representation relate to the content of the poem?

2. Is the balloonman a “good guy,” or is he sinister? How can you tell?

3. Does the poem actually end? If so, where?

Regarding “Christmas, 1970,”

1. What is the role of race/nationality in the poem? 

2. How is the tree described?  Why do you think it is described in this way? 

3. This poem includes a number of details about time. How do place and time intersect in this poem? Why are they important?

“In Just?“: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47247/in-just

“Christmas, 1970,”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/53741/christmas-1970