The book cover has faded to motel blue,
its binding frayed, torn in places.
Wafting mildew style, it opens flat.
On the yellowed inside cover, stained
around the edges when Agnes flooded
the Susquehanna, Mildred Martin inscribed
Mildred Martin on the left, Robinson Crusoe, p. 50
on the right below the price: $1.49.
Mildred bought the book when,
as my father would say, hamburger
was a nickel and movies a dime. “I rejoice
to concur with the common reader,” Virginia
quoted Dr. Johnson for her epigraph. This 1932
edition was published nine years before
Virginia walked to the River Ouse, filling
her pockets with stones (“our knowledge
of Jane derived from a little gossip,
a few letters, and her books”—words no one
has read these 20 years). And Elizabeth, oh
Elizabeth, “None of the books ever got it right.”
Cynthia Hogue
from her book The Never Wife
Mammoth Books, 1999
used by permission of the poet
LESSON PLANS
For an English Classroom
Lesson Plan for Cynthia Hogue’s “The Common Reader”
by Laurie Williams
This is a good poem to use for an annotation exercise.
Have the students read the poem in small groups. As they read the poem, have them identify words, names, phrases that they could look up to discover what this poem is referencing.
Once they have a list of words to search, then have them look at the overall structure of the poem.
Number the lines on the left hand side.
How many lines does this poem have?
How many stanzas?
Is each stanza the same number of lines?
If they do not know the words septet (7 line stanza) or sestet (6 line stanza), have them add those words to their poetry vocabulary.
How many sentences does this poem have?
What words are repeated?
Have the students read the poem again, individually, and then write down individual questions they have about the poem.
In their groups, have them search for the answers to those questions in their search of the words, names, and phrases.
Ask students to give their opinions about the following questions. What does the poet expect readers to know coming into the poem? What does she expect readers to find out?
Have students write up their findings, being sure to include where they got their information and if the source is reputable.
Then have them annotate the poem.
For a Math Classroom
Lesson Plan for Cynthia Hogue’s “The Common Reader”
by Laurie Williams
Have students read this poem in class.
After reading it, either in groups or individually, have students look up current prices for the book Robinson Crusoe. Have them come up with a hardcover price, a paperback price, and a rare book price.
Have them look up prices for hardcover and paperback books by decade– 1990s, 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, etc. until they find the price of around $1.49.
When was the last time Robinson Crusoe cost that amount?
How much has it increased in each decade?
What will the book probably cost in 2020? 2030? 2040?
What factors will help determine the increase or decrease in the cost of a book?
For a Science Classroom
Lesson Plan for Cynthia Hogue’s “The Common Reader”
by Laurie Williams
Have students read this poem in class
Have students identify Agnes and Susquehanna
Is Agnes a river or something else?
Where is Susquehanna?
Have them look at how flooding affects or affected the Susquehanna area.
What is the average rainfall in that area? How often do floods occur? What happens to the terrain after a flood? after a drought? What are the current conditions of that area?
Have them then identify the River Ouse.
What is the average rainfall in the area of the Ouse? How often do floods occur? What happens to the terrain after a flood? after a drought? What are the current conditions of that area?
What are the parallels between Agnes and Susquehanna and the Ouse?
Have students either map these two areas, or write an essay on their findings.