As a veteran English teacher I am cognizant of the fact that any teacher or professor of literature “worth his or her salt” can, without my help, write an original, thought provoking, standards-based lesson plan concerning any given piece of literature.  Still, we teachers, at all grade levels, know there are days when a few questions, printable and ready-to-go . . . from beyond our personal acumen . . . are appreciated. Accordingly, consider my following questions as an initial resource related to my work with words. 

I welcome your suggestions (billtecku@gmail.com) that may sharpen and improve the following germane to my first three works within my “Selected Writings.”  Please, during the course of this and coming semesters, visit roadreflections.com to peruse my ink and its “lesson plans.”  Best wishes to you and your students! 

I.  Answer these questions concerning William Tecku’s “Loquacious
    Lake Superior.”

1. “Loquacious Lake Superior” is written from what point of view?

2. What literary technique allows Lake Superior to speak?

3. What are three examples the technique referenced above?

4. What are at least two examples of “local color” details within
    above writing?

5. What is the attitude of Lake Superior toward the person ice fishing
    it?

6. Write at least one text-based example that supports your answer
     in to #5.

7. Can you think of other stories, novels, or poems where it was,
    more or less, essential for a character to successfully fish or hunt
    in order to provide food for his or her table?

8. What 20th century, five-volume work by William Carlos Williams
    used a waterfall to give voice to subject matter beyond the natural
    world?

II.  Answer these questions concerning William Tecku’s
     poem “Salinger.”
 
1. “Salinger” is written in what style of poetry?

2.  If one considers the above poem as a “tribute” to J. D. Salinger’s
    famous, early 1950s novel and his sundry short stories, what lin
    (s) in the poem express empathy toward Salinger’s well-known
    desire to remain out of the limelight for most of his literary career?

3. What 18th century poet, whose poetry is now universally taught at
    the high school and post-high school level, opted to remain out of
    the public eye when she wrote her terse, moving, “slant rhyme”
    poetry?

4. In “Salinger,” why did the poet allude to Holden?

5. What is one “tribute” poem by Walt Whitman and one by W. H.
    Auden?

III.  Answer these questions about William Tecku’s poem “Waking
      Up in the Old Sod.”
 
1. “As aggressive as yesteryear’s invading infantries,” in the poem
    “Waking Up in the Old Sod,” is an allusion to what?

2. What is the setting of the above poem?  

3. What are some details that help bring to life the above setting?

4. In the third stanza of the poem, what lines express the poet’s
    attitude toward those the poet sees as trying to commercializing
    Ireland’s farm land?

5. Why do you think the poet wrote the fourth stanza in only two
    lines?

6. What are three examples of “local color” writing in stanzas #5 - #7?

7. “Patrick” alludes to whom?

8. What is an example of personification toward the end
    of “Waking . . .”?

9. Why do you think the poet wrote the last two lines to end his
    poem?

10. What novel by Kafka began with the narrator waking up?

11. What novel by Kerouac did the narrator, by waking up in Iowa,
      help the reader better understand the narrator’s perception of his
      quest?

12. Did you ever got out of bed and write down your impressions of
     a new environment?  If so, upon later review of your writing, did
     you think your initial work was, to your satisfaction, accurate and
     comprehensive?