Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy

Did you know that Carol Ann Duffy is Britain's first woman Poet Laureate? She has this to say about love poems.
“All poems are love poems because all poems are a gift. Even a poem about darker or very painful things is putting something new into the world. A poem is a celebration. Even if it’s just a celebration of language, it’s never a taking away. Poets are great lovers, celebrators, adders. The love poem is looking at that most important of human experiences, and the poet puts into language what we have all felt or gone through, whether it’s falling in love or divorce or the act of making a cup of tea in the morning. (Times Online)

If you'd like to read an analysis of her poem, 'Valentine' then click here.

Whether you want to analyse or not, it's difficult not to feel the power and depth of her poetry. Here's another favourite of mine, a disturbing memory of childhood called 'We Remember Your Childhood Well.'

YC1.1 homework post below - don't miss it!

YC1.1 - 17F HOMEWORK

Before the homework, thanks for being great students tonight. Quite honestly I'd had a lousy day, my throat was really sore, and you put me in a much better mood. Perhaps I should speak so little in all our classes - tonight worked well!

If anyone who didn't get one would like a copy of the handout with the poems, send me an email and I'll either email you a copy or print one out for next class. All the poems are easy to find on the internet, though.

Homework is:

1. - Join the Ning! You REALLY MUST DO THIS! It's such a good opportunity, and there are things we can now do there usefully. http://britishcouncil.ning.com/

2. - Writing 2 session 2, Write a ... and it's on the ning. Here:
http://britishcouncil.ning.com/profiles/blog/list?user=23hwegsag29dq
Sorry, but you'll have to go there to get it. If you've tried to join and can't get in, email me and I'll email it to you.

Enjoy your weekends, have a good week, see you on Friday!

The Link - Topics of the Week, Book of the Month

I've put comments on two existing topics to try to keep the discussion going, and added a new topic on 'Discussion Point of the Week'. Do take a look and have your say!

http://thelink.lefora.com/forum/category/discussion-point-of-the-week/

I'll also add a thread to talk about which book the AC2.2 people think they would like to study. I would like to take a decision on this soon, so do think about it now and give your opinion!