Poetry as a Political Force: Whether in relation to pre-twentieth century historical events,twentieth century historical events, or issues of gender, class, nation, religion and language, we have engaged many political poems throughout the term, though there are great differences between approaches to writing political poetry. For this topic, CHOOSE a selection of 4-6 POEMS each of which engage a specific political issue or historical event (or very similar events), and develop a COMPARATIVE ARGUMENT which explores the significance and effects of writing political poetry. You will want to interrogate why, or why not in some cases, poetry serves as an important medium for the poets? exploration of political issues. In what ways can poetry serve to inform us or move us in ways other forms cannot? How do the formal qualities of poems serve and create meaningful political discourse? Is all politically engaged poetry equally successful? If not, why not? For this topic you will need to summarily explain what your chosen issue is and why it counts as a political issue. Such a basis for your analysis should come early in the paper, but it will also serve to inform and anchor your argument throughout. You can of course find articles on politics in general and then apply the arguments to your own argument. but you could also find articles on the poets your plan to use. there will be critical articles which discuss the poets or some of their work and you can use the points from these to apply to the poems you are discussing. Please use a minimum of three scholarly sources. I found some articles, pls regard them. -Smyth, A., Dodging Around the Grand Piano: Sex, Politics, and Contemporary Irish Women’s Poetry http://pi.library.yorku.ca/ojs/index.php/cws/article/viewPDFInterstitial/8842/8019 -Longley, E., The Poetry and Politics in Northern Ireland http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/stable/30059561 – Stallworthy, J., The Poet as Archaeologist: W. B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/517203?uid=3739448&uid=2134&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3737720&uid=4&sid=21101118530977