Advancing in Poetry Advancing in Poetry    

Lesson 17: A Birthday

by Christina Georgina Rossetti

Performer: Librivox - Mark F. Smith

Directions

Study the poem for one week.

Over the week:

• Read or listen to the poem.
• Review the synopsis.
• Read about the poet.
• Complete the enrichment activities.

Synopsis

Christina Georgina Rossetti's 'A Birthday,' uses several similes to describe the happiness of the narrator who is united with their true love. This poem doesn't celebrate a traditional birthday of a baby being born. Instead, the narrator celebrates the birthday of their new life, which has begun upon being reunited with their love.

Concepts

1. Christina Georgina Rossetti was born in 1830 in London, England.

2. Zoom in and find Rossetti's city and country of birth, London, England, on the map of Europe.

3. Rossetti was born into an artistic family. Her father was a poet and a teacher, one of her siblings was an artist and poet, and her other two siblings were writers.
4. Rossetti was homeschooled by her parents and studied religious books, works of fiction, and fairy tales.
5. Rossetti published her first poems when she was 18 and a full volume of poetry at age 31.
6. Rossetti died of cancer in London, England at the age of 64.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite Poem Information

Recite the title of the poem and the name of the poet.

Activity 2: Study the Poem Picture

Study the poem picture and describe how it relates to the poem. How does the image differ from the poem?

Activity 3: Recite the Poem

Practice reciting the poem aloud.

Activity 4: Complete Book Activities   

• Click the crayon above, and complete pages 105-112 of 'Elementary Poetry 4: Advancing in Poetry.'

References

'Christina Rossetti.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.