This document discusses how poems can be used in different life situations and events, such as times of hardship, weddings, funerals, toasts, romance, and speeches. It provides the example of Winston Churchill using the poem "If We Must Die..." by Claude McKay to rally support against the Nazis during World War II. Students are then assigned to search an online poetry anthology to find a poem and describe how it could be applied to a life event or situation.

1. Putting poems to use
From www.poetryoutloud.org

2. When do we use poems?
• When faced with bad news or difficult times
• At weddings, funerals, or other life-cycle events
• As a toast or grace before meals
• In romantic relationships or during marriage
proposal
• During a speech or effort to move an audience –
whether voters, colleagues, teammates, etc.

3. Famous examples …
To rally support among British
people and strengthen
resistance of the Nazi
movement, Prime Minister
Winston Churchill used Claude
McKay’s “If We Must Die…”
during World War II.

4. Assignment
Using the Poetry Out Loud online anthology, search
for and find one poem and describe what kind of
event, moment, or situation in life that it could be
applied to.
You will be posting this assignment on the forum. In
your post, please copy and paste the poem’s text
(include author info and poem title) and a description
of how or for what it could be used.
To access the online anthology, please access it by
clicking here: http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poems-
and-performance/find-poems