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American Literature / Unit 14   AML 1324 short lesson, about 20 seconds

"Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird"

Captions available

The idea

Thirteen short numbered sections circle one bird from different angles, some descriptive, some aphoristic, some almost jokes, without building to a conclusion. The poem is a demonstration that a subject changes with the position of the mind looking at it.

In practice

One bird, thirteen positions.

Where people slip

The sections do not resolve into an argument.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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