- What is your subjective response to the poem?

- Highlight or underline moments that call up a strong reaction. Why do you think those
lines elicit such a response?
- What task does the poem set for itself?
- Does it belong to some identifiable form/genre? If so, what are the expectations of the
genre?
- How well does the poem fulfill the expectation it creates?
- How do its specific elements (language, imagery, symbols, figures of speech, rhythm,
sound, rime) work to communicate meaning?
- Reread the poem, does it seem better/worse than it did initially?

The Spider and the Fly

Mary Howitt

“Will you walk into my parlor?” said the spider to the fly;
“’Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy.
The way into my parlor is up a winding stair,
And I have many pretty things to show when you are there.”
“O no, no,” said the little fly, “to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne’er come down again.”

“I’m sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;

Will you rest upon my little bed?” said the spider to the fly.
“There are pretty curtains drawn around, the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I’ll snugly tuck you in.”
“O no, no,” said the little fly, “for I’ve often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed.”

Said the cunning spider to the fly, “Dear friend, what shall I do,
To prove the warm affection I’ve always felt for you?
I have within my pantry good store of all that’s nice;
I’m sure you’re very welcome; will you please to take a slice?”
“O no, no,” said the little fly, “kind sir, that cannot be;
I’ve heard what’s in your pantry, and I do not wish to see.”

“Sweet creature!” said the spider, “You’re witty and you’re wise!
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I have a little looking-glass upon my parlor shelf,
If you’ll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself.”
“I thank you, gentle sir,” she said, “for what you’re pleased to say,
And bidding you good-morning now, I’ll call another day.”

The spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly fly would soon be back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready to dine upon the fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing
“Come hither, hither, pretty fly, with the pearl and silver wing:
Your robes are green and purple; there’s a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead.”

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little fly,

Hearing his wily flattering words, came slowly flitting by.
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew

My subjective response after reading this poem is that this poem didn’t feel like most of
poems that I’ve read, that includes a lot of poetic dictions that has different meanings.
Perhaps it’s because this poem is intended to children, the approach is different. It’s more
simple and fun to read. Most of the content includes dialogue, making it more like a story.
This poem tells us about a spider who tries to lure the fly into her web so that she can eat the
fly. However, the fly didn’t fall into the spider’s trap right away, he always refuse. But in the
end, the spider is able to lure him. Because this poem is intended for children, the message of
this poem is also suits for children. The message of this poem is so that they shouldn’t be
easily affected by sweet words because there may be evil motive behind those sweet words.
Perhaps the expectation of the genre is related to this as well (the genre is children’s
literature), that the poet wanted the message to reach the audience (children) through an easy
to understand and fun poem, so the poet used illustration like this. I think the poem fulfill the
expectation that the genre creates. Despite all of that, this poem also includes some poetic
dictions in several dialogues.

The Fly
William Blake

Little fly,
Thy summer’s play
My thoughtless hand
Has brushed away.

Am not I
A fly like thee?
Or art not thou
A man like me?

For I dance
And drink and sing,
Till some blind hand
Shall brush my wing.

If thought is life
And strength and breath,
And the want
Of thought is death,
Then am I
A happy fly,
If I live,
Or if I die.

This poem, comparing to the previous poem has a deeper meaning. The length is shorter than
the previous poem, and it requires a great attention before understanding the actual meaning
of the poem. Although short, but I can understand the message of this poem. This poem tells
us about a man who accidentally kills the fly. However, in the end the fly “tells” the man to
live the life to it’s fullest, because we never know when we will die, just like what happen to
the fly, because it was very sudden.
I like how this poem is from two point of view, in the first two stanzas it tells us how the man
was regretted after he killed the fly accidentally. However, in the last three stanzas it tell us
from the fly’s point of view, it doesn’t matter because God has determine our fate since the
beginning.
The genre of this poem is life and death. The expectation that this genre set is perhaps related
to the message of this poem, how the readers able to learn about death after reading the
poem. This poem has fulfill the expectation, for the message is to enjoy life because we never
know when we will die.
Even though this poem is short and simple, it is able to deliver the message quite well.

I think the first poem is mediocre, and the second poem is excellent.
The first poem is mediocre because it takes longer time to read, and intended for children
while the second poem has deeper meaning, which I like more. Despite of the simplicity, the
poem is able to deliver the message quite well. Also, the first poem is in a more story form.
Two of the poems consist of the same elements : the fly. The length is very different, and the
message is quite different as well. However, I like the second poem more because I can relate
to it more. It’s as if the second poem is intended to young adults / adults.