Poets of Nature, Revelry, and Rhyme Nature, Revelry, and Rhyme    

Lesson 26: Solitude

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Performer: Librivox - Philippa Willitts

Directions

Study the poem for one week.

Over the week:

• Read or listen to the poem.
• Review the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Read about the poet.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

The poem states people gravitate to those who are happy and shun those who are sad.

Vocabulary

Solitude: The state or situation of being alone.
Weep: Shed tears.
Mirth: Amusement, especially as expressed in laughter.
Echoes: A sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener.
Rejoice: Feel or show great joy or delight.
Grieve: Suffer deep sorrow, especially when caused by someone's death.
Nectared: Filled with nectar, a sugary fluid secreted by plants.
Feast: A large meal, typically one in celebration of something.
Fast: Abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance.

Concepts

1. Ella Wheeler Wilcox was born in 1850 in Johnstown, Wisconsin. See her picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Wilcox's birth state of Wisconsin (WI) on the map of the continental United States.

3. Wilcox infused her poems with passion, optimism, and joy. One of her most famous poems, 'Solitude', contains the line, 'Laugh, and the world laughs with you, Weep and you weep alone'.
4. After her marriage in 1884, Wilcox became very interested in the paranormal. She and her husband promised that whomever passed on first would communicate with the other from the spirit world. When her husband died after thirty years of marriage, she was distraught when no message from beyond came from her husband.
5. Wilcox died of cancer in 1918 at the age of 68 in Short Beach, Connecticut.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite the Title, the Poet's Name, and the Poem

• Each day this week, recite aloud the title of the poem, the name of the poet, and the poem.

Activity 2: Study the Poem Picture

• Study the poem picture, and describe how it relates to the poem.

Activity 3: Narrate the Poem

After reading or listening to the poem, narrate the poem events aloud using your own words.

Activity 4: Color the Poem   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 28 of 'Poetry Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Activity 5: Discuss the Poem

• This poem describes people who are fair-weather friends. Fair-weather friends are defined as 'people who stop being a friend in times of difficulty'.
• True friends are those who help you when you are sad or having trouble.
• Name any people in your life who are true friends. This might include your mother, father, siblings, grandparents, cousins, other close family members, or close friends.
• List some ways that you can be a true friend to your loved ones.

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the poem?

1 / 5

Answer 1

The title of the poem is 'Solitude.'

1 / 5

Question 2

What is the name of the poet who wrote 'Solitude?'

2 / 5

Answer 2

The name of the poet is Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

2 / 5

Question 3

What happens in the poem?

3 / 5

Answer 3

The poem states people tend to flock to those who are happy and shun those who are sad.

3 / 5

Question 4

Who are the characters in the poem?

4 / 5

Answer 4

The characters are the narrator and the rest of the world.

4 / 5

Question 5

Does the poem teach us anything?

5 / 5

Answer 5

The poem states that some people are fair-weather friends that disappear when our lives become difficult.

5 / 5

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'Solitude.'
2. What is the name of the poet who wrote 'Solitude?' The name of the poet is Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
3. What happens in the poem? The poem states people tend to flock to those who are happy and shun those who are sad.
4. Who are the characters in the poem? The characters are the narrator and the rest of the world.
5. Does the poem teach us anything? The poem states that some people are fair-weather friends that disappear when our lives become difficult.

References

'Ella Wheeler Wilcox.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.