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

Lesson 39: May Day

by Sara Teasdale

Performer: Librivox - Westwinds12

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 describes the sights, sensations, smells, and sounds of the first day in May. The melancholy narrator wonders if they will ever see another first of May again.

Vocabulary

Maple: A tree or shrub with lobed leaves, winged fruits, and colorful autumn foliage, grown as an ornamental or for its timber or syrupy sap.
Clenched: Close into a tight ball
Communion: The service of Christian worship at which bread and wine are consecrated and shared.

Concepts

1. Sara Trevor Teasdale was born in 1884 in St. Louis, Missouri. See her picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Teasdale's birth state of Missouri (MO) on the map of the continental United States.

3. Teasdale had two brothers and a sister, who were much older than she. Her first spoken word was, 'pretty.' Her mother suggested that her love of pretty things is what inspired Teasdale to write poetry.
4. Teasdale eventually married, but the marriage ended in divorce after fifteen years. After her divorce, she devoted herself to her poetry.
5. Teasdale was frail and sickly for most of her life. After suffering from chronic pneumonia, Teasdale died in 1933 at the age of 48 in the Samoan Islands.

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 below painting by Helen Allingham. 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 41 of 'Poetry Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the poem?

1 / 5

Answer 1

The title of the poem is 'May Day.'

1 / 5

Question 2

What is the name of the poet who wrote 'May Day?'

2 / 5

Answer 2

The name of the poet is Sara Teasdale.

2 / 5

Question 3

What happens in the poem?

3 / 5

Answer 3

The poem describes the sights, sensations, smells, and sounds of the first day in May. The melancholy narrator wonders if they will ever see another first of May again.

3 / 5

Question 4

Who are the characters in the poem?

4 / 5

Answer 4

The only human character is the narrator.

4 / 5

Question 5

Why might Sara Teasdale have wondered whether she would see another May first?

5 / 5

Answer 5

Sara Teasdale may have wondered whether she would see another May first because she was frail and sickly for most of her life.

5 / 5

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'May Day.'
2. What is the name of the poet who wrote 'May Day?' The name of the poet is Sara Teasdale.
3. What happens in the poem? The poem describes the sights, sensations, smells, and sounds of the first day in May. The melancholy narrator wonders if they will ever see another first of May again.
4. Who are the characters in the poem? The only human character is the narrator.
5. Why might Sara Teasdale have wondered whether she would see another May first? Sara Teasdale may have wondered whether she would see another May first because she was frail and sickly for most of her life.

References

'Sara Teasdale.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.