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=**The Puritans-1600's**=



One major poet of the early American Puritans is Edward Taylor. To understand Taylor's work, one must understand the basic principles of the Puritans. This group of early Americans understood the importance of hard work, which they believed was a way that human beings (who are inherently sinful) could achieve good works. They were Calvinistic, meaning that there was election by God. The Puritans saw one example of election from God as having religious uprightness and worldly success. In order to find God's glory in the world, they used Ramist logic. By utilizing this type of logic, the Puritans sought to find divinity by starting with written Scripture and find evidence for it in the world. The Puritans had two general writing styles. One style is the Plain style, which has little poetic diction and rough language. The other style is Metaphysical poetry. This type of poetry links images together and makes comparisons. There is also a form of wit, which also consists of rough language.

Pleas follow the link to view a discussion on Taylor's "Huswifery".

=**The Early National Period**=

During the era of the American Revolution many writers were developing a sense of American pride. They believed that the new nation had the potential to compete with Europe in developing into one of the most powerful nations in the world. In regards to poetry, the Puritan style was no longer utilized. In this time of great change and developing national pride, poets were beginning to explore the idea of someday creating an authentic American tradition of poetry without the large amount of European influence. There was also a developing variation of language and style in poetry in different regions of the country.

Please follow the link to view a discussion on Freneau's "On Mr. Paine's Rights of Man".

=**19th Century**=



This was a time of rapid change and also an era in which American poetry was trying to find an identity. This era is commonly referenced as the Industrialization era. The country was expanding with wars and purchases. Along with this expansion came many political debates and regional conflicts. The time period provided a setting for the beginning of a cultural shift in American poetry. The most popular poets early in the century were known as "Schoolroom" or "Fireside" poets. Here we will examine two poets from the century.

Please follow the link to view a discussion on Longfellow's "A Psalm of Life".

Please click on the link to view a discussion on Whitman's "Facing West from California's Shores".

=**The Modernist Period (1914-1939)**=



This was an era of great change for American culture. There was a great advancement in technology, science, art, and social changes. Artists of this era were more prone to experiment with their work because it was a time in which the major patterns of life seemed to be broken down. The major factor that initiated this type of thought was WWI.

Please click on the link to view a discussion on Frost's "Design".

=**Harlem Renaissance (1917-1929)**=

This was an era where the poetry of African-Americans greatly developed. With an increase in the black population in urban areas, there was a distinct sense of culture that was beginning to expose itself with talented artists. In regards to poetry, it is very experimental with a distinct social agenda. Blacks artists were trying to motivate African-Americans to believe in themselves through their art.

Please follow the link to a discussion on Hughes' "The Negro Speaks of Rivers".

=**The Contemporary Period (1939-Present)**=

In this era which includes the present, there has finally been a creation of an identity for American poetry. However, there are always critics who never stop analyzing American poetry and try to find flaws. Many poets write about historical events and their experiences in their particular societies. Other poets focus on ideas regarding how the mind functions and creates ideas. Many different schools of poetry have Developed in American since the beginning of the Contemporary Period.

Please follow the link to view poets of the Contemporary Period.

=**Nature In American Poetry**=

As poets in America were trying to find some kind of American poetic identity, a number of poets began to look at nature for a source of divinity, meaning, and other reasons. The topic of nature has always been an inspiration for poets in America ever since the Puritans began writing about it, and it is still a topic in modern poetry.

Please click on the link to view Emerson's "The Snow-Storm"

=**Efforts to deviate from European Traditions**=

In the effort to create an identity for an American poetic tradition, many writers could not deviate from the European influences. There was a complex history in American poetry, but it was hard to say whether or not there was actually an identifiable American poetic tradition that was not influenced by Europe. In response to this struggle, some poets continued to try and create a distinct American tradition of poetry while others fled to Europe and disregarded American culture.

Please follow the link to view a discussion of Barlow and Poe

Please follow the link to view a discussion of Pound and H.D.

Please follow the link to view a discussion of Eliot and Moore

=**Works Cited**=

Taylor, Edward. "Huswifery." //The Norton Anthology of American Literature.// Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol.1 New York:Norton,2008.142

Print.

Freneau, Philip. "On Mr. Paine's Rights of Man." __The New Anthology of American Poetry__. Ed. Stephen Gould Axelrod, Lamille Roman,

and Thomas Travisano. Vol 1. New Brunswick, NJ: Rugers UP, 2003. 103-104, Print.

Longfellow, W. Henry. "A Psalm of Life." Baym 7. 645-646.

Whitman, Walt. "Facing West from California's Shores." Baym 7.1057.

Frost, Robert. "Design." Baym 7.788.

Bradstreet, Anne. "The Prologue." Baym 7.98-99.

Dickinson, Emily. "112." Baym 7.1201.

Hughes, Langston. "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." Baym 7.1089.

Brooks, Gwendolyn. "We Real Cool." Baym 7.1364.

Harper, Michael. "American History." Baym 7.1555.

Lee, Li-Young. "Eating Alone." Baym 7.1672.

Emerson, Ralph W. "The Snow-Storm." Online. http://www.bartleby.com/248/155.html

Soto, Gary. "Afternoon Memory." __New and Selected Poems__. Online. http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19703.

Ginsburg, Allan. "A Supermarket in California." Baym 7.1425.

Barlow, Joel. "The Hasty-Pudding." Online. http://www.bartleby.com/102/91.html.

Poe, Edgar A. "To Helen." The Oxford Book of American Poetry. Ed. David Lehman. Oxford: Oxford Up.2016-63.Print.

Pound, Ezra. "In a Station of the Metro." Baym 7.845.

H.D. "Oread." Baym 7.851.

Eliot, T.S. "The Waste Land." Baym 7.869-71.

Moore, Marianne. "To a Snail." Baym 7.856-7.