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You need to explicate (explain) one of the following poems: Komunyakaa’s “Facing It” (page 362), or Dove’s “American Smooth” (page 379), or Tufariello’s “Useful Advice” (page 397) or Ruark’s “The Visitor (page 337), or Dunn’s “The Sacred” (page 324). Use two sources (but NO sources from the World Wide Web–in other words, no www. sources, only sources from the library or LSUA library databases), and use MLA format, with typed, double-spaced, and Times New Roman 12-point font. Do NOT use the word “you” or the words “a lot.” The essay needs to be at the shortest 1000 words (usually over three pages but check your computer’s word count), not including your Works Cited page. Failure to follow any of these requirements means points off. (I’d summarize the poem telling what is says and how it says it, then discuss techniques. When it suited my argument,    prove that  you can explicate a poem. If you research the poet, you may find book reviews that mention his or her style—you can apply that information showing how the review agrees or disagrees with the poem you’ve selected. You may find critical articles about the poet’s work—see if there is anything you can use to agree or disagree with; you have a good bit of room in this assignment as long as you explicate the poem and tell me what other scholars have said about the poem or the poet.”