and I am not who I was,

though some principle of being

abides, from which I struggle

not to stray.

When I look behind,

as I am compelled to look

before I can gather strength

to proceed on my journey,

I see the milestones dwindling

toward the horizon

and the slow fires trailing

from the abandoned camp-sites,

over which scavenger angels

wheel on heavy wings.

Oh, I have made myself a tribe

out of my true affections,

and my tribe is scattered!

How shall the heart be reconciled

to its feast of losses?

In a rising wind

the manic dust of my friends,

those who fell along the way,

bitterly stings my face.

Yet I turn, I turn,

exulting somewhat,

with my will intact to go

wherever I need to go,

and every stone on the road

precious to me.

In my darkest night,

when the moon was covered

and I roamed through wreckage,

a nimbus-clouded voice

directed me:

“Live in the layers,

not on the litter.”

Though I lack the art

to decipher it,

no doubt the next chapter

in my book of transformations

is already written.

I am not done with my changes.

Stanley Kunitz, "The Layers" from The Collected Poems of Stanley Kunitz. Copyright © 1978 by Stanley Kunitz.

By the time this poem was written, Kunitz had already lived through the better part of 20th-century history, including two world wars, the Great Depression, and the political and cultural upheaval of the 1960s. Indirectly, then, the poem might reflect the "feast of losses" Kunitz had witnessed throughout that turbulent century.

By the late 1970s, Kunitz had also lost some personal literary and artistic friends, including the poet Theodore Roethke and the painter Mark Rothko. More broadly, many celebrated American poets had died suddenly, often under tragic circumstances, during the previous two decades: Sylvia Plath (suicide), Delmore Schwartz (mental illness, alcoholism and had a heart attack), Randall Jarrell (struck by a car --possible suicide), John Berryman (suicide - jumped off a bridge), Anne Sexton (suicide) , and Robert Lowell (heart attack while swimming) among them.

Kunitz's closeness with these poets varied, but he was deeply involved in the poetry community as a whole (for example, he founded or co-founded two venerable literary institutions: Poets House in New York City and the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts). Thus, his elegy for "friends [...] who fell along the way" might encompass some of these famous writers, and mark a troubled chapter in literary history.

The poem "Layers" was published in 1978 when Kunitz was 73 years old. He served as Poet Laureate of the United States in 2000 and 2001.

and I am not who I was,

though some principle of being

abides, from which I struggle

not to stray. (5)

as I am compelled to look

before I can gather strength

to proceed on my journey,

I see the milestones dwindling (10)

toward the horizon

and the slow fires trailing

from the abandoned camp-sites,

over which scavenger angels

wheel on heavy wings. (15)

out of my true affections,

and my tribe is scattered!

How shall the heart be reconciled

to its feast of losses? (20)

In a rising wind

the manic dust of my friends,

those who fell along the way,

bitterly stings my face. (24)

exulting somewhat,

with my will intact to go

wherever I need to go,

and every stone on the road

precious to me. (30)

when the moon was covered

and I roamed through wreckage,

a nimbus-clouded voice

directed me:

“Live in the layers,

not on the litter.” (37)

to decipher it,

no doubt the next chapter

in my book of transformations

is already written.

I am not done with my changes. (43)

I have been told how exceptional Masters students are in everything they attempt and accomplish. "Do it with thy might" is more than a motto; it is a way that you conduct yourself and I am hoping this will be the case on Wednesday when we share the Harkness Table as scholars in our attempt to do a "deep dive" into Stanley Kunitz poem entitled, "Layers."

1. "Poet X" by Elizabeth Acevedo:

- Identity: The protagonist navigates her identity as a young woman, an Afro-Latina, and a budding poet, struggling against societal expectations and family dynamics.

- Voice: The power of self-expression and finding one's voice through poetry is central to the narrative.

- Coming of Age: The journey of self-discovery and empowerment as the protagonist confronts issues of race, religion, and sexuality.

2. "Signs Preceding the End of the World" by Yuri Herrera:

- Migration and Borders: The story follows a young woman's perilous journey across borders, exploring themes of migration, displacement, and the experience of being an outsider.

- Identity and Cultural Hybridity: The protagonist's journey raises questions about identity, belonging, and the collision of cultures.

- Language and Communication: The novel delves into the complexities of language barriers and communication breakdowns, reflecting broader themes of understanding and misinterpretation.

3. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou:

- Racism and Segregation: Angelou vividly depicts the racial injustices and inequalities faced by African Americans in the Jim Crow South.

- Resilience and Self-Discovery: The narrative explores the author's journey towards self-acceptance and empowerment despite the adversity she faces.

- Family and Community: The importance of family, community, and mentorship in shaping one's identity and providing support during challenging times.

4. "Deaf Republic" by Ilya Kaminsky:

- Resistance and Oppression: Set in an unnamed town under military occupation, the collection explores themes of resistance against tyranny and the consequences of oppression.

- Silence and Language: The deaf community's use of sign language as a form of resistance against the oppressive regime highlights the power of communication and the limitations of spoken language.

- Allegory and Political Commentary: The narrative serves as an allegory for political repression and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Before you enter the class on Wednesday, please do the following:

1. Look back on the major themes and central ideas of the main works you have studied this year. What are some of reoccurring themes within the works? Add your responses under the appropriate "wall" in the padlet. (5-7 minutes)

2. Read the Post "Historical Context" to discover a bit more about the poet Stanley Kunitz. (1 minute)

3. Read the poem, "Layers" by Stanley Kunitz (2 minutes)

4. Use any of the following Analytical Tools that you are comfortable with to perform an initial deconstruction of the poem. Please do not feel pressured to cover every aspect within the analytical tools. Just do your best and come ready to share your findings during the Harkness session on Wednesday. (15 minutes)

   a. TP-CASTT

   b. SIFT Literary Analysis

   c. SOAPS-Tone

5. Complete the 3-2-1 Bridge VTR Under the "3-2-1 Bridge" Padlet Wall (2 minutes)

During Class:

1. Using "Harkness" we will look do a thorough analysis of the poem "Layers." Each pair/triplet will be responsible for serving as the "expert" for the assigned lines (Using the VTR : Think-Pair-Share) and once you have presented your findings we will open it up to the whole class to respond using the VTR: Connect-Extend-Challenge).

2. Record your findings on the Padlet (Making Thinking Visible)

After Class Discussion:

1. Complete the 3-2-1 Bridge VTR Under the "3-2-1 Bridge" Padlet Wall (2 minutes)

2. Complete the Bridge section

3. Complete I Used to Think ... Now I Think (CW/HW)

4. Complete: Headlines (CW/HW)

5. Complete Metacognition Questions (Homework)

Words you can use to describe an author’s diction:

denotative, connotative, concrete abstract,

formal, informal/conversational/colloquial

old-fashioned, trendy, local, universal, euphonious cacophonous, monosyllabic, polysyllabic

Figures of speech commonly used to create imagery:

simile direct comparison of unlike things, usually using like or as

metaphor direct comparison of unlike things that assumes that one is the other

synecdoche metaphor in which a part of a thing represents the whole—or vice versa

metonymy metaphor in which a word is exchanged for another word closely related to it

hyperbole deliberate exaggeration for effect understatement deliberate downplaying for effect personification attributing human qualities to inhuman objects

pun play on words; using a word with multiple meanings symbol a word or object in a story that represents something else—usually larger or more significant than itself

analogy comparison of two unlike but parallel things or situations

oxymoron use of words that seem to contradict each other

Sound devices that create imagery:

alliteration repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words

consonance repetition of consonant sounds at the ends of words

assonance repetition of vowel sounds

onomatopoeia a word that sounds like what it is

Words to use to describe an author’s style of language:

artificial false

learned educated, experienced

bombastic pompous, ostentatious

literal word-for-word, simplistic

colloquial slang/vernacular

moralistic righteous, puritanical

concrete specific, particular

obscure unclear

connotative suggestive, allusive

obtuse dull-witted, undiscerning

cultured cultivated, refined

ordinary everyday, common

detached removed, separated pedantic didactic, scholastic, bookish

emotional expressive

plain clear, obvious

esoteric understood by a chosen few

poetic lyric, melodious, romantic

euphemistic insincere, affected

pretentious pompous, gaudy, inflated, affected

exact precise

provincial rural, rustic, unpolished

figurative illustrative

scholarly intellectual, academic

formal academic, conventional

sensuous passionate, luscious

grotesque hideous, deformed

simple clear, intelligible

homespun folksy, homey, rustic

symbolic metaphorical, allegorical

idiomatic peculiar, vernacular

trite common, banal, stereotyped

insipid tame, dull

informal casual, relaxed

jargon (n) vocabulary used only for a profession

vulgar coarse, indecent, tasteless

Common stylistic elements

rhetorical question poses a dilemma; creates satire euphemism substitutes a milder or less offensive word; avoids offending audience, but often undermines speaker’s credibility

aphorism Universal saying. Also called a maxim or proverb. Appeals to a wide audience, often common or unrefined in outlook.

repetition Adds poetic or rhetorical rhythm; reinforces a dominant mood or meaning.

irony When pervasive, can either characterize an author as subtle and deep or as cynical and pessimistic.

allusion Characterizes an author culturally by identifying him with an audience who would recognize the same allusion.

paradox Can characterize an author as clever or trite, depending on the perceived originality of the paradox.

first person creates emotional closeness with the audience, since the speaker is confiding to us his personal thoughts and experiences.

second person Creates intense emotional connection to the reader; puts the reader literally in the narrator’s place. Is risky, however, because it is considered informal and (sometimes) inappropriate.

third person Creates emotional distance between the narrator and the audience; often creates a feeling of objectivity or detachment from the subject matter.

•  key words, (but, yet, however, although)

•  punctuation (dashes, periods, colons, ellipsis)

•  stanza divisions

•  changes in line or stanza length or both

•  irony

• changes in sound that may indicate changes in meaning changes in diction

texture)

metaphor, simile, repetition, omission, unusual word order,

slang, etc.

2) Message or moral: Why did the author create this work?

Identify the speaker’s age, gender, class, and education.

The voice tells the story. Whose voice is being heard within the text?

What can you tell or what do you know about the speaker that helps you understand the point of view expressed?

Is this a political event, a celebration, an observation, a critique, a reflection, or …?

Identify the context of the text.

Does the speaker specify an audience?

What assumptions exist in the text about the intended audience?

What is the message?

How does the speaker convey this message?

Is there more than one subject?

How does the author present the subject? Does he introduce it immediately or do you, the reader, have to make an inference?

Is the author emotional, objective, neutral, or biased about this topic?

What types of details “tell” the author’s feelings about the topic?

What types of diction (choice of words), syntax (sentence structure), and imagery (metaphors, similes, and other types of figurative language) help reflect the tone?

How would you read the passage aloud if you were the author?

3 Thoughts/Ideas

2 Questions

1 Metaphor or Simile

Your new responses to the topic/poem

3 Thoughts/Ideas

2 Questions

1 Metaphor or Simile

BRIDGE -- Explain how your new responses connect to your initial response

I used to think...

Now I think...

How does your headline differ from what you would have said yesterday (Before our discussion)?

What did you enjoy most about the poem?

What did you enjoy most about the Harkness discussion?

What did you find challenging?

What questions do you still want to ask?

How does the poem connect to Master's motto ... "Do it with thy might?

and I am not who I was,

though some principle of being

abides, from which I struggle

not to stray.

When I look behind,

as I am compelled to look

before I can gather strength

to proceed on my journey,

I see the milestones dwindling

toward the horizon

and the slow fires trailing

from the abandoned camp-sites,

over which scavenger angels

wheel on heavy wings.

Oh, I have made myself a tribe

out of my true affections,

and my tribe is scattered!

How shall the heart be reconciled

to its feast of losses?

In a rising wind

the manic dust of my friends,

those who fell along the way,

bitterly stings my face.

Yet I turn, I turn,

exulting somewhat,

with my will intact to go

wherever I need to go,

and every stone on the road

precious to me.

In my darkest night,

when the moon was covered

and I roamed through wreckage,

a nimbus-clouded voice

directed me:

“Live in the layers,

not on the litter.”

Though I lack the art

to decipher it,

no doubt the next chapter

in my book of transformations

is already written.

I am not done with my changes.

Occasion: The setting looks very post-apocalyptic/apocalyptic, as the mc roams "through the wreckage" This is very much an emotional observation- a reflection so to speak

Audience: This piece is directed towards a younger generation, the author details what he says as though he is speaking to a majority "my book"

Purpose: I think the author wrote it to spread awareness as on older man, the message is very much to embrace the bottom of life

Subject: The subject is about a man reminiscing about his life and journeys

Tone: The author seems to be grateful yet reflective as each life is another layer, but he's a wise man who's seen a lot in his lifetime. Reflective on his regrets

Title: Based on the title, "Layers", the poem might be about delving through multiple layers of somebody's life or of mind or consciousness.

Paraphrase:

I have lived lots of lives many of which aren't mine

I'm not now who I was before

But some of me remains each reincarnation

I'm walking along a path where I see milestones and fires and camp-sites looking back and into the horizon

There are "scavenger angels" flying above

I have made myself a tribe (out of all of the people I've been_ and my soul is broken up into several pieces

How will my heart recover?

The stinging wind of all my friends who have died brings me pain

But I still continue going on wherever I need to go

I treasure every stone of the road

I roamed through wreckage on the darkest knight when the moon was blotted out and a nimbus-cloud said to me;

“Live in the layers,

not on the litter.”

I don't know what this means metaphorically

But no doubt the next chapters of my life (my next reincarnations) are already determined

Because I am not done changing

Connotation:

Connotations as to the poem's true meaning are through the afterlife/reincarnation theme such as mentions of the POV character living lives that aren't their own as well as there being "angels". The primary theme being conveyed through these mechanisms seems to be one of change and transformation, things subsiding and new things coming to be. This one character is at the center of the world, the only thing constant as everything about their life and world eventually dies or otherwise changes around theme.

Attitude:

The poem seems to be a monologue detailing the emotions of the POV character -- see the part where he talks about his friends being dead over the years as he is the only one to survive continually reincarnating

Shifts:

There are frequent line breaks which separate statements into multiple lines when they would otherwise be one sentence

Title:

"Layers" refers to all of the lives this person has lived and all of the changes they have experienced, with both themselves and the world being multi-layered.

Theme:

The theme seems like dealing with immortality and the difficulty of living to see everything around oneself change irrevocably.

My five senses:

• Sight - to the horizons

  • Fires from the abandoned campsites

  • Dark night

Figurative Language:

• "Though I lack the art

  to decipher it,

  no doubt the next chapter" - moving on to the next part of his life, as he currently lacks something in his current.

Theme:

• Life. As he each milestone is a way to improve himself in life and become better by changing himself, life and adaptability to life is the central theme.

Tone:

• Confusion. He does not know what is next. He is not that happy, and thinks by changing himself will potentially change his life in a positive aspect. He does not know how and what he has to change, just that he has to move to a new chapter in his life.

2 -> How old was the author when he wrote it? Does he believe in free will or fate?

1 -> Uses the idea of a "book of transformations" as the story for ones life

3 -> Use of metaphors, personification of his friends into dust, Night/darkness as a metaphors for struggling

2 -> Why did the author write this poem? Why did he include so much/ keep it so vague?

1 -> Uses the idea that life is a journey, milestones can be seen/are physical objects.

1. Walking/Journey: Represents the passage of time, personal growth, and the journey of life.

2. Milestones: Symbolize significant events or stages in life.

3. Camp-sites/Fires: Signify past experiences and memories.

4. Tribe: Symbolizes connections and relationships.

5. Rising Wind/Manic Dust: Represents turmoil and adversity.

6. Moon/Wreckage: Symbolizes darkness, uncertainty, and challenges.

7. Book of Transformations: Implies ongoing personal growth and change.

Image: The poem paints a picture of a journey through various lives and experiences, with imagery of walking, milestones, camp-sites, fires, and scavenger angels. It evokes a sense of movement, change, and reflection.

Language: The language used is a mix of concrete imagery and abstract concepts. It uses metaphors and symbolism to show complex emotions and experiences.

Tone/Theme: The theme revolves around the passage of time, personal growth, loss, and the ongoing process of transformation and adaptation.

Symbols: The poem uses symbols to display ideas about destiny, wandering, fear, loss, change, and a person's layers.

Images: slow fires trailing, abandoned campsites, milestones dwindling toward the horizon, scavenger angels, manic dust of my friends, darkest night, moon was covered, nimbus-clouded voice

Figurative language: feast of losses, I have made myself a tribe out of my true affections

Tone and Theme: The poet appears lost and confused amid the changing between different lives, in which he sees pieces of himself being left behind as he becomes something new. The tone is sad, as the poet is reflecting on all that he is losing, with descriptions of things abandoned, burning, or being looted by scavengers. The entire world around him appears oddly lost as well, such as how he describes the moon as being clouded, the night as being dark, the campsites as being abandoned, etc.

• It seems this poem is about someones life, and how he wants to improve it. My question is what is motivating him to want to change his life? "I see the milestones dwindling

  toward the horizon," I believe, is explaining his current life, and how the current chapter of his life he's in is not fulfilling and he needs a new beginning.

Symbolism: Layers. He explains his life and journey and the many milestone that have contributed to them. Each milestone is a layer of his life.

My five senses:

• Sight - to the horizons

  • Fires from the abandoned campsites

  • Dark night

Figurative Language:

• "Though I lack the art

  to decipher it,

  no doubt the next chapter" - moving on to the next part of his life, as he currently lacks something in his current.

Theme:

• Life. As he each milestone is a way to improve himself in life and become better by changing himself, life and adaptability to life is the central theme.

Tone:

• Confusion. He does not know what is next. He is not that happy, and thinks by changing himself will potentially change his life in a positive aspect. He does not know how and what he has to change, just that he has to move to a new chapter in his life.

Bridge:

• My initial vs. my new response is identical in my understanding of this poem.

3

• Uses I alot

• A little confusing, had to read a couple times - the poem

• Lots of interesting comparisons

2

• Is he insane?

• Is he Immortal?

1

• Oh, I have made myself a tribe

  out of my true affections,

  and my tribe is scattered!

New Responses:

3

• Outdoors man

• Regretful life

• Sole-survivor

2

• Why does it seem as he is the only guy?

• Where exactly is he?

1

• over which scavenger angels

  wheel on heavy wings.

Symbolism:

• editing abilities for the book of transformation

  • hard for him to decipher the process of his life

  • feels like it is impossible to edit the book (his life) - make changes

  • "next chapter ... is already written"

Imagery:

• horizon

• fires

• abandoned campsites

• rising wind - manic dust

• nimbus-clouded voice

Figurative language:

• many metaphors

• personification

  • about campsite, fire, and ashes

Tone:

• mysterious tone

• grieving

• lonely

• repetition of I can or I see or I was

Thoughts/Ideas:

• the author uses imagery to depict the scene and his memory to the reader

• also implies a mysterious tone

Questions:

• Why does the author refer to his life as a book that has already been written?

- post-apocalyptic setting?

- themes of death

- mentions changing, aging a lot

questions:

- multiple lives / immortality -- figurative or literal?

- is the protagonist a reliable narrator?

metaphor or simile:

"no doubt the next chapter in my book of transformations is already written."

1.In "Layers," Kunitz employs the metaphor of geological layers to explore the layers of memory and experience within the human psyche. How does this metaphor deepen our understanding of the complexities of human consciousness?

2. In what ways can you connect the central idea within the poem to the major works you have studied this year? You may want to focus on the central questions surrounding identity, transformation, the significance of the past, resilience, core values and principles, relationships, losses.

3.Analyze the role of nature imagery in "Layers." How does Kunitz use imagery from the natural world to evoke a sense of the eternal and the cyclical nature of existence?

3.Explore the theme of transformation in the poem. How does Kunitz suggest that the process of self-discovery involves shedding old layers of identity in order to reveal new possibilities for growth and renewal?

4.Consider the structure of "Layers" and its impact on the reader's experience. How does Kunitz use enjambment and repetition to create a sense of rhythm and momentum in the poem?

5.Compare and contrast the poem's exploration of memory and identity with other works that similarly engage with these themes. How does Kunitz's approach differ from that of other writers/poets you have explored?

6.Consider the influence of Kunitz's own life experiences on the themes and imagery of "Layers." How might his background as a poet and a gardener have informed his understanding of memory, identity, and the passage of time?

7. Explore the emotional resonance of "Layers." How does Kunitz use language and tone to evoke a sense of nostalgia, longing, or resignation in the reader?

8.Ultimately, what insights does "Layers" offer into the human condition? How does the poem invite us to reconsider our own perceptions of selfhood, memory, and the passage of time?