Today begins our month long journey into the world of poetry. I know some of you will find our travels exciting, yet others of you are already moaning at the thought of reading poetry. Ms. Cerra, Ms. Krueger and I have tried to put together a wide variety of poems in hopes that you may find at least one that appeals to you.My first offering is a poem by Richard Brautigan, a counter-culture poet of the 1960's and '70's. (Yes, the photo is only about 40 years old.It wasn't taken during the Gold Rush Era.) When he wasn't trout fishing in Montana or visiting Japan, he spent much of his adult life in the San Francisco Bay Area. His lighthearted poetry makes it hard to believe that he was a tortured soul that committed suicide in 1984 at the age of 49.
Click on the link to read Brautigan's tribute to his girlfriend, Marcia with "Gee, You're So Beautiful That It's Starting to Rain." Post comments related to the Sights, Sounds, Emotions, Literary Elements, and Theme of the poem.
After you've completed looking at the poem through the explication lenses, click on the Richard Brautigan Wikipedia link above. Read the last paragraph of the Life section to learn about Marcia's connection to his death. Does knowing this information color your interpretation of the poem written 16 years before his death?
