{"id":258,"date":"2025-08-23T14:56:53","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T14:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/?page_id=258"},"modified":"2025-11-05T15:28:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T15:28:09","slug":"texts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/texts\/","title":{"rendered":"Texts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Students should choose the subjects of their two close reading assignments from the authors and texts featured on the syllabus.\u00a0 For their final critical essays, they can chose\u00a0 from among the authors and texts featured on the syllabus or from those included in Edward Hirsch, <em>The Heart of American Poetry<\/em> (2022).\u00a0 These authors and texts are listed below.\u00a0 Also note that students may use the same poems and revised material from their earlier close reading essays in their final critical essay assignments.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Sample Final Essay Topics<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>PERIOD:\u00a0 Revolutionaries (Wheatley, Adams, Jefferson)<\/li>\n<li>PERIOD:\u00a0 Civil War Poetry (Melville, Whitman, Dickinson)<\/li>\n<li>PERIOD:\u00a0 Civil Rights Poetry (Brooks, Hughes, Angelou)<\/li>\n<li>THEME: Patriotic Dissent Over Time (Dickinson, Popel, Smith)<\/li>\n<li>THEME: Early Feminists Through the &#8220;Pantry Door&#8221; (Bradstreet, Adams, Truth)<\/li>\n<li>THEME:\u00a0 Singing America in Different Keys:\u00a0 (Whitman, Hughes, Ginsburg)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Featured Texts (for close readings)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Abigail and John Adams,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/abigail-and-john-adams-letters-1776\/\">Letters<\/a>\u00a0(1776)<\/li>\n<li>Maya Angelou,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/maya-angelou-still-i-rise-1978\/\">\u201cStill I Rise\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1978)<\/li>\n<li>Anne Bradstreet,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/anne-bradstreet-the-author-to-her-book-1666\/\">\u201cThe Author to Her Book\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1666)<\/li>\n<li>Gwendolyn Brooks,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/gwendolyn-brooks-we-real-cool-1960\/\">\u201cWe Real Cool\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1960)<\/li>\n<li>Emily Dickinson,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/emily-dickinson-because-i-could-not-stop-for-death-1862\/\">\u201cBecause I could not stop for Death\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1862)<\/li>\n<li>John Dickinson,<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/john-dickinson-the-liberty-song-1768\/\">\u00a0\u201cThe Liberty Song\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1768)<\/li>\n<li>Bob Dylan,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/bob-dylan-the-times-they-are-a-changin-1964\/\">\u201cThe Times, They Are A-Changin\u2019\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1964)<\/li>\n<li>Robert Frost,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/robert-frost-the-gift-outright-1941\/\">\u201cThe Gift Outright\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1941)<\/li>\n<li>Amanda Gorman,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/amanda-gorman-the-hill-we-climb-2021\/\">\u201cThe Hill We Climb\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(2021)<\/li>\n<li>Woody Guthrie,<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/woody-guthrie-this-land-is-your-land-1940\/\">\u00a0\u201cThis Land Is Your Land\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1940)<\/li>\n<li>Joy Harjo,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/joy-harjo-rabbit-is-up-to-tricks-2008\/\">\u201cRabbit Is Up to Tricks\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(2008)<\/li>\n<li>Robert Hayden,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/robert-hayden-middle-passage-1945-1962\/\">\u201cMiddle Passage\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1945, 1962)<\/li>\n<li>Langston Hughes,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/langston-hughes-i-too-1926\/\">\u201cI, Too\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1926) and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/langston-hughes-harlem-1951\/\">\u201cHarlem\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1951)<\/li>\n<li>Thomas Jefferson,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/thomas-jefferson-declaration-of-independence-1776\/\">Declaration of Independence<\/a>\u00a0(1776)<\/li>\n<li>Emma Lazarus,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/emma-lazarus-the-new-colossus-1883\/\">\u201cThe New Colossus\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1883)<\/li>\n<li>Abraham Lincoln,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/abraham-lincoln-first-inaugural-1861\/\">First Inaugural<\/a>\u00a0(1861) and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/abraham-lincoln-gettysburg-address-1863\/\">Gettysburg Address<\/a>\u00a0(1863)<\/li>\n<li>Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/henry-wadsworth-longfellow-paul-reveres-ride-1860\/\">\u201cPaul Revere\u2019s Ride\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1860)<\/li>\n<li>Herman Melville,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/herman-melville-shiloh-a-requiem-1866\/\">\u201cShiloh: A Requiem\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1866)<\/li>\n<li>Marianne Moore, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/marianne-moore-the-student-1932\/\">The Student\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1932)<\/li>\n<li>Esther Popel,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/esther-popel-flag-salute-1934\/\">\u201cFlag Salute\u201d<\/a> (1934) and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/archives.dickinson.edu\/document-descriptions\/personal-adventures-race-relations-esther-popel\"><em>Personal Adventures in Race Relations<\/em>\u00a0(1946)<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Tracy K. Smith,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/tracy-k-smith-declaration-2018\/\">\u201cDeclaration\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(2018)<\/li>\n<li>Sojourner Truth,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/sojourner-truth-i-am-a-womans-rights-1851\/\">\u201cI am a Woman\u2019s Rights\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1851)<\/li>\n<li>Frances Ellen Watkins,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/frances-ellen-watkins-bury-me-in-a-free-land-1858\/\">\u201cBury Me in a Free Land\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1858)<\/li>\n<li>Phillis Wheatley, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/phillis-wheatley-on-being-brought-from-africa-to-america-1773\/\">On Being Brought from Africa to America\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1773)<\/li>\n<li>E.B. White,\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/e-b-white-on-freedom-and-democracy-1940-1943\/\">On Freedom and Democracy<\/a>\u00a0(1940, 1943)<\/li>\n<li>Walt Whitman, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/walt-whitman-song-of-myself-51-52-1855-1867\/\">Song of Myself: #51, #52\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1855, 1867),\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/walt-whitman-i-hear-america-singing-1860\/\">\u201cI Hear America Singing\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1860),\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/course-syllabus\/walt-whitman-o-captain-my-captain-1865\/\">\u201cO, Captain! My Captain!\u201d<\/a>\u00a0(1865)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Other poems from the Hirsch book (only for final essays)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>John Ashberry, &#8220;Soonest Mended&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Elizabeth Bishop, &#8220;In the Waiting Room&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Sterling A. Brown, &#8220;Southern Road&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Julia de Burgos, &#8220;Farewell in Welfare Island&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Lucille Clifton, &#8220;won&#8217;t you celebrate with me&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Hart Crane, &#8220;To Brooklyn Bridge&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>T.S. Eliot, &#8220;The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Allen Ginsberg, &#8220;America&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Louise Gluck, &#8220;Retreating Wind&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Michael S. Harper, &#8220;Dear John, Dear Coltrane&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Anthony Hecht, &#8220;More Light! More Light!&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Garrett Hongo, &#8220;Ancestral Graves, Kahuku&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Robert Johnson, &#8220;Cross Road Blues&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Denise Levertov, &#8220;O Taste and See&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Philip Levine, &#8220;To Cipriano in the Wind&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Amy Lowell, &#8220;Madonna of the Evening Flowers&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Frank O&#8217;Hara, &#8220;The Day Lady Died&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Sylvia Plath, &#8220;Daddy&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Ezra Pound, &#8220;The River-Merchant&#8217;s Wife: a Letter&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Adrienne Rich, &#8220;XIII (Dedications)&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Edward Arlington Robinson, &#8220;Eros Turannos&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Theodore Roethke, &#8220;Cuttings&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Muriel Rukeyser, &#8221; St. Roach&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Wallace Stevens, &#8220;Sunday Morning&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>C.K. Williams, &#8220;My Mother&#8217;s Lips&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>William Carlos Williams, &#8220;Spring and All&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>James Wright, &#8220;Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Students should choose the subjects of their two close reading assignments from the authors and texts featured on the syllabus.\u00a0 For their final critical essays, they can chose\u00a0 from among the authors and texts featured on the syllabus or from those included in Edward Hirsch, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":373,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-258","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/373"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=258"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1216,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/258\/revisions\/1216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/fys-pinsker\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}