Week 135 from FELON

“If Absence was the Source of Silence” by Reginald Dwayne Betts: Annotating, Summarizing, Analyzing, Imitating 

Today we are reading a poem in Felon, “If Absence was the Source of Silence,” on page 31 

to annotate: to make notes on something to help you understand it better

to summarize: to put something in your own words

to analyze: to consider a question on the text, providing supporting examples from the text

to imitate: to create an original piece of writing based on something you have read

Exercise: Read and annotate

1. Read the poem out loud and underline any words you need to look up

2. Write any questions you have in the margins, the white space on the page

3. Put tricky parts into your own words in notes in the margins, the white space on the page

IF ABSENCE WAS THE SOURCE OF SILENCE

©2019 by Reginald Dwayne Betts, from Felon, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York, NY

Optional Exercise: Questions for Comprehension

1. This poem’s title, “If Absence was the source of Silence,” is the first half of a statement. How do you think this poem tries to finish the statement? Take a few minutes and write the second half of the statement, like this: “If Absence was the source of Silence, then____________________.” Another way to ask this question is: What do you think is the main argument of this poem? 

2.  In the middle of the poem, the speaker says “I keep trying to turn this into sense.” Do you think the speaker was successful in turning “this” into “sense?” Is it possible to be successful in this effort? Can you see any specific lines where the speaker is “trying?” Any lines where the speaker is being successful? Any lines where the speaker is failing?

Optional Exercise: Summarize the poem

Write a paragraph summarizing the poem with quotations, in-text citation, and a Work Cited Page

example summary, incorporating quotation and in-text citation: 

Reginald Dwayne Betts' poem If Absence was the Source of Silence is spoken by a parent wondering how they might explain to their sons “what their hands might do, in long / conversations about what the hands / of men do” (Betts 31). The speaker explains an experience in which a childhood friend “told me of men offering her money / for her young & slender body” (Betts 31), and looks forward, dreaming of a day when “all their mothers / & sisters can walk down any street / in this world with the freedom / that comes from knowing / you will be safe” (Betts 31).

Work Cited Page 

Betts, Reginald Dwayne. Felon. W. W. Norton and Company 2020 

Optional Exercise: Analysis

• Question for analysis: How do you think this speaker would define “parental responsibility” or “good parenting?” Use quotation and summary to support your answer.

Optional Exercise: Imitation

1. In your opinion, what is the biggest problem with the world/country/society today? Write a poem in which you imagine a world where that problem has been solved. What does the world look like? How do you feel in that world? How do other people feel? 

2.  In your opinion, what would be the hardest thing to explain to an innocent child? Write a poem in which you do your best to help a child understand. 

3.  Write a poem about parenthood. What makes parenthood difficult? Fulfilling? Joyful? Terrible? What makes a great parent?