by Archibald MacLeish

Meaning in Poetry
Read this analysis of "Ars Poetica," and make a brief list of the author's main points. Choose one of them and write a paragraph explaining why you agree or disagree.

Doughboy Verse
The term doughboy was used to refer to all American troops sent to Europe during World War I. Read the poems by Captain Archibald MacLeish, and a couple of poems by others. As you read, record the descriptive words used in the poems. Choose three of the most powerful words and list them on the chalkboard along with those choices of your classmates. What overall impression of the war is elicited by these descriptive words?