8814 – Work and Play.

The poem, Work and Play, by Ted Hughes, is about the contrast between the ideas of work and play, as well as comparing the benefits and by-products of work and play, showing how they can differ from their definition with attitude. For example, the swallow is hard at work, contentedly so, and ignoring factors that could make the work not so fun, just enjoying itself while the humans are so intent on having fun, and are trying so hard to make everything perfect and ignoring the simple pleasures in life, it just turns from play to work.

After reading the poem for the first time, I would have never fully understood the poem without the learning activities we did. One in particular was when we printed out the poem and made a poster with it, and had to find pictures to match up with the stanzas of the poem. Because of that visual aid, I was able to understand the poem and the meaning behind it, and would be able to explain it to someone else if needed.