LESSON 2

Imagery in Poetry

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Familiarize the different kinds of images or
imagery in literature.
Identify the images used in poetry to
communicate experience.
Discuss the connotative meanings of the
imagery used or created in the poem.

BEFORE READING

A Poem by Jose Y. Dalisay, Jr.

ABOUT THE POEM

The speaker in the poem

recounts how he used to patronize a
food stall for its tasteful and satisfying
dishes. Though he later found out that
the dishes being served were dirty and
unhygienic, he still justified the food’s
dirt by its taste.

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MAKE CONNECTIONS

Do you enjoy eating street foods? What do you think are the most popular
street foods in the Philippines? Are there any of those that bring back ‘special’
memories for you? What are they?

- Street foods hunting is one of my hobby and among all the street food I’ve
tried , the most popular for me is the “barbeque” any variety of it can
satisfy my cravings. The moment I go across our street where different
streetfoods are being sold , barbeques only got my attention because it
always reminded me how fulfilling it is to do with your loved ones.

ANALYZE LITERATURE: Imagery

Imagery is language that makes a picture in

your mind. In poetry, it is a vivid and vibrant form of
description that appeals to readers’ imagination and
senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell). These
are otherwise known as sense of the mind. These
sensory details in imagery bring works to life.

The following are the different types of imagery

in poetry.

Visual imagery: In this form of poetic imagery, the poet appeals to the reader’s
sense of sight by describing something the speaker or narrator of the poem sees.
It may include colors, brightness, shapes, sizes, and patterns.
E.g. “Mama, the gown I wore that night is fading
In the closet, unwashed black velvet exuding
Beauty irretrievably gone. It’s a backless
Sleeveless tube with big slits on the side,
Silver sequins on the padded bosoms, and white
Gloves for the spectacular beauty that I am.”—Ronald Baytan, “Queen”

Olfactory imagery: In this form of poetic imagery, the poet appeals to the
reader’s sense of smell by describing something the speaker of the poem inhales.
It may include pleasant fragrances or off-putting odors.
E.g. “Because behind the scent of women
That put leis ’round your neck,
The stinking smell of estuaries
Suffocate the people of Tondo.”—Romulo P. Baquiran, Jr.,
“My Country Is No Paradise, Mr. Jacobson”

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Auditory imagery: This form of poetic imagery appeals to the reader’s sense of
hearing or sound. It may include music and other pleasant sounds, harsh noises,
or silence. In addition to describing a sound, the poet might also use a sound
device like onomatopoeia, or words that imitate sounds, so reading the poem
aloud recreates the auditory experience.
E.g. “Her coos and cry
Are now all echoes
Being reviewed in my skull…”—Mae Monteclaro Roca, “Amira”

Gustatory imagery: In this form of poetic imagery, the poet appeals to the
reader’s sense of taste by describing something the speaker or narrator of the
poem tastes. It may include sweetness, sourness, saltiness, savoriness, or
spiciness.
E.g. “Kay tamis ng oras sa sariling bayan,
Kaibigan lahat ang abot ng araw…”—Jose Rizal,
“Ang Awit ni Maria Clara”

Tactile imagery: In this form of poetic imagery, the poet appeals to the reader’s
sense of touch by describing something the speaker of the poem feels on their
body. It may include the feel of temperatures, textures, and other physical
sensations.
E.g. “Candles melt
the hard darkness
inside the church.”—Danton Remoto, “Candles”

Kinesthetic imagery: In this form of poetic imagery, the poet appeals to the
reader’s sense of motion. It may include the sensation of speeding along in a
vehicle, a slow sauntering, or a sudden jolt when stopping, and it may apply to
the movement of the poem’s speaker/narrator or objects around them.
E.g. “Palay siyang matino (He’s a behaved palay)
Nang humangi’y yumuko, (Who bowed when the wind blew)
Ngunit muling tumayo, (But stood up again)
Nagkabunga ng ginto.” (And bore gold)—Ildefonso Santos, “Palay”

Organic imagery: In this form of poetic imagery, the poet communicates

internal sensations such as fatigue, hunger, and thirst as well as internal
emotions such as fear, love, and despair.
E.g. “Perhaps she was just bored.
Bored with the man
Of the missing rib
Who was beginning to repeat
Himself, having run out of names
For the rest of the world.”—Fatima Lim, “The Forbidden Tree”
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USE READING SKILLS: Analyze text’s lexical features

As you read the poem, determine the type of imagery created by the
words or ideas that are listed in the chart below. Then tell the possible meanings
of these imagery/images. A sample has been done for you.

Imagery-Connotation Chart

Word Type of Imagery Possible

Meaning/Connotation

1. two-ringgit dish visual cheap, affordable food

2. hawker’s prawn Gustatory

Street food

3. fragrant broth Organic A pleasing aroma of a broth

that makes you hungry

A taste of a certain food

4. succulence gustatory

5. joyfulness with the

gustatory
garlic sauce. satisfaction

Where the food is being

6. city’s slime visual
cooked and prepared;filthy
or dirty

7. waterborne diseases kinesthetic

Indirect signals

8. reason grapples Organic

thoughts

9. sordid possibilities organic

Least expectations

10. stomach’s heart organic

Abdomens emotion/being

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 grateful

DURING READING

A Poem by Jose Y. Dalisay, Jr.

1For the second time in as many days Analyze Literature

2I come to her, and have the same Supply the missing word:
The imagery in the lines “For
3Two-ringgit dish of hawker’s prawn the second time in as many
days/I come to her and have
4Steamed in fragrant broth, and its succulence the same…dish” implies that
5Completes the speaker in the poem
in joyfulness with the garlic sauce.
having dinner in Penang
(verb) a particular food stall.

6The next morning, Elangovan says to me:

7“Those
Use Reading Skills
prawns were fatted on the city’s slime—
8Look
Analyze text’s lexical
here, it’s in the papers,
features
9Waterborne diseases on the rise!” Use the Imagery-
Connotation chart to
10And while my reason grapples identify the imagery created
by the underlined words
11With the sordid possibilities, and to give their possible
meanings.
12My stomach’s heart has no regrets,
13Having loved, without the need of asking,
14Having departed more complete, in trusting. Culture Note

Street food culture is thriving in the Philippines, and Filipinos, like other Southeast
Asians, are creative and experimental in their methods of preparing and serving their
street food. Describe your favorite street food in terms of preparation and presentation.
- One of my favorite street foods aside from barbeques , I also prefer kwek-kwek.
This filipino street food is a product of hard boiled egg dipped into savoured
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yellow-orange batter affiliates Literature
with pepino and canofbethe
dipPhilippines 5 spicy
into tasty ang
‘sinamak’.
 AFTER READING

Name: ETABAG, CHRISTINE MAE C. Subject:LIT11A

Yr/Cr/Sec:1BSE-E Date:9/29/2022

READING CHECK

Grasp the poem’s full implications and suggestions to answer the following
questions.

1. Who is the speaker in the poem?

- The speaker in the poem is one of those people who tried to eat street
foods in a certain food stall then later on patronizes its satisfying and
tasteful dishes despite the fact that those being served were dirty and
unhygienic.
2. How did the speaker find the “dish” based on the positive images/imagery
created by the words “fragrant”, “succulence”, and “joyfulness” in the first
stanza?
- The speaker find the dish as tasteful and juicy from its aroma and to its
texture that reach his level of satisfaction.
3. How would you describe the “dish” based on the negative imagery created by
the words/lines fatted on the city’s slime, waterborne diseases, and sordid
possibilities?
- in describing the dish based on the imagery created by the words /lines
fatted on the city’s slime, waterborn diseases and sordid possibilities , I can
say that such diseases were filthy as it was cooked in not so clean place
that it may cause some bacterial infection we cant determine and lead us
into unexpected outcome.
4. What do you think was the initial reaction of the speaker when he found out
in the news that the “prawns” served to him were fatted on the citys slime.

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 - Maybe he saw it coming as how he dealt with the news coming from his
friend and instead ranting too, he choose to solve his doubts ny giving
himself reasons to trust and seize the thoughts of the possibilities. The
news didn’t boogle him a bit as he was blinded by how the taste satisfied
his hunger.

5. What was he thinking when he said “…my reason grapples with the sordid
possibilities?
- He was thinking of the possibilities if he still eat those dishes but then he
still justified the foods dirt by its taste . he chose to trust and not
regretting his choice of patronizing such food.
6. Did the speaker have regrets despite knowing the truth? How did he accept
the news/truth? Cite words or lines to support your answer.
- He showed no regrets despite knowing the truth, not even a single
disagreement out of it . He didn’t mind what he has find out as he believe
that he taste satisfied him and he choose to trust.
7. As we look into its deeper meaning, what social issue or reality is shown in
the poem?
- As we look on its deeper meaning we can relate it to pollution. The fact
that we are living in an unhealthy environment knowing that pollution
and and dirt is everywhere . No one else to blame but us , people who are
responsible enough in taking good care our own surroundings. Pollutions
is a result of human irresponsible activities and behavior toward our
natural environment.
8. What values are emphasized/deemphasized in the poem?
- The poem emphasized the happiness over little things that are worth
trusting and fighting for despite the consequences awaits us. But what
deemphasizedhere is the fact that the things we believe that makes us
happy is not right and healthy for us . we tend to forget that sometimes
what made us happy is not being right at all. This teaches us the value of
knowing and doing what is right and what makes us happy when we did
something right or even the happiness we perceive is not good or right for
us.

THINK AND REFLECT

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When is it more important to be happy than it is to be right? Explain your
answer.

- Everyone can find their own happiness everywhere that can give them
beyond fulfillment and satisfaction. For me being happy is being
contented on the the things you have right now and fulfilling and
satisfying yourself with the things you want to do. But being happy should
be integrated with being right, because there are things we thought to be
happy if we do those unrightful things and setting aside what it may cause
us . Otherwise , always being right shouldn’t be tolerated because it may
keep us from doing the things we love to do and makes us happy . So
happiness and being right should be balance accordingly.

USE READING SKILLS: Analyze lexical features

Identify, Label, and Explain. Underline the words/ lines that create sensory
imagery in the song lyrics. Determine the types of imagery that are created by
these words. Then tell their possible meanings.

Huwag Kang Matakot Types of Imagery Possible Meanings

by Eraserheads
Huwag kang matakot
'Di mo ba alam nandito
Kinesthetic - Showing
lang ako sa iyong tabi certainty and
'Di kita pababayaan
kailan man at Kung ikaw assurance
ay mahulog sa bangin ay
sasaluhin kita
Wag kang matakot na
matulog mag-isa
Organic - Showing of
Kasama mo naman ako assurance
'Wag kang matakot na
umibig at lumuha and security
Kasama mo naman ako that no
Huwag kang matakot
matter what,
there is
always a
helping
hand
Huwag kang matakot
Dahil ang buhay mo'y
Kinesthetic - Showing
walang katapusan bravery and
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Makapangyarihan ang
pag-ibig na
positivity as
Hawak mo sa 'yong life goes on.
kamay
Ikaw ang diyos at hari ng
iyong mundo
Matakot sila sa'yo
'Wag kang matakot na
matulog mag-isa
Organic - In a state of
Kasama mo naman ako being held
'Wag kang matakot na Kinesthetic on with
umibig at lumuha
Kasama mo naman ako recurrence
'Wag kang matakot na
magmukhang tanga
Organic -showing
Kasama mo naman ako conclusiveness
'Wag kang matakot sa visual
hindi mo pa makita
Kasama mo naman ako
Huwag kang matakot
Huwag kang matakot
'Di mo ba alam nandito
organic -giving
lang ako sa iyong tabi assurance with
'Di kita pababayaan
kailan man not having any
doubt/hesitation.

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