Poetry Basics

Poetry: The Ruined City (Figurative Language)

Objectives Resources
Starter:
W7b work out the meaning of unknown words using  OHP
context, syntax, etymology, morphology and other factors  OHTs
 OHT pens
Main part of lesson:
W11 Appreciate the impact of figurative language in texts

TLW6 Experiment with figurative language in conveying a

sense of character and setting

STARTER (10 minutes)

 Establish objective
 Ask pairs to work out the precise meaning of the underlined words, reinforced,
elaborate, prosperity, endure, lacquer (see Resource 1 - Ruined City OHT), and
to work out any information they can about each word - see Teacher’s guide
sheet (1) (Resource 2)
 Take brief feedback

MAIN (15 minutes)

 Establish lesson objectives and meaning of figurative (creating pictures in
reader’s mind, but more specifically, using similes and metaphors)
 Show Ruined City OHT (Resource 1). Read it to class
 Ask for initial reaction with focus on the mood of the poem
 Talk through use of adjectives and similes, and their effects - see teacher guide
sheet (2) (Resource 3)
 Ask pairs to fill in the blanks in fourth-from-last line
 Talk through their choices and what their choices reveal about how they are
reading and responding to the poem

DEVELOPMENT (10 minutes)

 Give different groups of four pupils different sections of the poem (Resource 4)
and ask them to comment on the underlined bits: are they adjectives, similes or
metaphors? What is their effect? What mood do they create? They should also
discuss and fill in the blanks appropriately
 Give two groups copies of their part of the poem on an OHT (Resource 5) so that
they can annotate and complete it ready to report back to the class

PLENARY (10 minutes)

 Refocus on the objectives
 Take feedback
 Ask the OHT groups to present their ideas to the class
 Ask the class, in pairs, to finish off the last line of the poem

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 Take some suggestions. (The original words were “lie beneath the dreary stones
and barren earth”)

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Resource 1 OHT

The Ruined City

Pao Chao (China 467)

In its golden past,

axles of chariots and carts
often rubbed against each other
like men's shoulders.
Shops and houses stood row upon row
And laughter and songs rose up from them.
Glittering and white were the salt fields;
Gloomy and blue were the copper mines.
Wealth and talents
And cavalry and infantry
Reinforced the strict and elaborate
Regulations and laws.
moats and walls
Were dug and built, to ensure
That prosperity would long endure.
Red lacquer was applied to doors and gates.

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Resource 2

Teacher guide sheet (1): word information

WORD MEANING INFORMATION

 Affixes: re, in, ed. What do
these ‘do’ in other words?
 Other contexts: reinforced
concrete
made sure (they)  Words-within-word: ‘Force’
reinforced
were obeyed suggests something about
the whole word’s meaning.
What?
 Word class: adjective, noun,
verb, etc
 Other context: football –
“over elaborate play”. What
do commentators mean by
elaborate complicated that?
 Word class: adjective, noun,
verb, etc: adjective
 Related words: prosperous
prosperity wealth  Affix: ity. What does this ‘do’
in other words?

endure last  Related words: endurance

 Other languages: does the

lacquer varnish word sound foreign? Which
language?

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Resource 3

Teacher guide (2): figurative language in verse one of ‘The Ruined City’

In its golden past,

axles of chariots and carts
Simile, suggesting strength and
togetherness often rubbed against each other
(idea reinforced by “row upon
row” in next line)
like men's shoulders.
Shops and houses stood row upon row
Simple description using obvious
adjectives suggests the And laughter and songs rose up from them.
simplicity and optimism of life in
the city
Glittering and white were the salt fields;
Gloomy and blue were the copper mines. BUT the next few lines
suggest a different view
Wealth and talents of the city: regimented
And cavalry and infantry and rather grim

The city knows it needs to Reinforced the strict and elaborate

defend itself and hang on grimly
to its wealth. The adjectives
Regulations and laws.
“winding” and “lofty”, however, Winding moats and lofty walls
are more factual than figurative
and atmospheric. What words Were dug and built, to ensure
did students use to supply the
gaps? What do their choices
That prosperity would long endure.
suggest about how they were Red lacquer was applied to doors and gates.
reading the poem?

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The Ruined City (Teacher sheet – not for students!!!!!)

Pao Chao (China 467)

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In its golden past, But after five centuries or are looking for a safe
axles of chariots and three dynasties place to settle.
carts The land was divided like a Bushes and creepers,
often rubbed against melon, confused and tangled,
each other Or shared like beans. seem to know no
like men's shoulders. boundaries.
Shops and houses stood row Duckweed flourishes in the They pull down walls
upon row wells And fill up moats.
And laughter and songs rose And brambles block the
up from them. roads. Deep in my thoughts, I sit
Glittering and white were the Skunks and snakes dwell on down and listen
salt fields; sacred altars To this awesome silence.
Gloomy and blue were the While muskdeer and squirrels
copper mines. quarrel on marble steps. Behind the painted doors and
Wealth and talents In rain and wind, embroidered curtains
And cavalry and infantry Wood elves, mountain ghosts, There used to be music and
Reinforced the strict and Wild rats and foxes dancing.
elaborate yawp and scream from Hunting or fishing parties
Regulations and laws. dusk to dawn. were held
Winding moats and lofty walls Hungry hawks grind their In the emerald forests or
Were dug and built, to ensure beaks beside the marble pools.
That prosperity would long As cold owls frighten the
endure. chicks in their nests. The young girls from east and
Red lacquer was applied to Tigers and leopards hide and south
doors and gates. wait Smooth as silk, fragrant as
for a drink of blood orchids,
The strongholds and and a feast of flesh. White as jade with their lips
fortresses red,
would see to it A solitary reed shakes and Now lie beneath the dreary
That for a myriad generations twists, stones and barren earth.
the family's rule And grains of sand, like
should last. startled birds,

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Resource 4

The Ruined City

Pao Chao (China 467)

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The strongholds and fortresses A solitary reed shakes and twists,

would see to it And grains of sand, like startled birds,
That for a myriad generations are looking for a safe place to settle.
the family's rule should last. Bushes and creepers, confused and _________,
But after five centuries or three dynasties seem to know no boundaries.
The land was divided like a melon, They __________ walls
Or shared like __________. And fill up moats.

Duckweed __________ in the wells Deep in my thoughts, I sit down and listen
And brambles block the roads. To this awesome silence.
Skunks and snakes dwell on sacred altars
While muskdeer and squirrels quarrel on marble steps. Behind the ________doors and embroidered curtains
In rain and wind, There used to be music and dancing.
Wood elves, mountain ghosts, Hunting or fishing parties were held
Wild rats and foxes In the ________ forests or beside the _______ pools.
yawp and _________ from dusk to dawn.
Hungry hawks grind their beaks The young girls from east and south
As ________ owls frighten the chicks in their nests. Smooth as silk, as orchids,
Tigers and leopards hide and wait White as jade with their lips ________,
for a ________ of blood Now…….. (don’t fill this in)
and a feast of flesh.

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Resource 5

Tigers and leopards hide and wait

for a ________ of blood
and a feast of flesh.

A solitary reed shakes and twists,

And grains of sand, like startled birds,
are looking for a safe place to settle.
Bushes and creepers, confused and _________,
seem to know no boundaries.
They __________ walls
And fill up moats.

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Resource 5 (contd)

Deep in my thoughts, I sit down and listen

To this awesome silence.

Behind the ________doors and embroidered curtains

There used to be music and dancing.
Hunting or fishing parties were held
In the ________ forests or beside the _______ pools.

The young girls from east and south

Smooth as silk, as orchids,
White as jade with their lips _____

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