Step+4


 * Research** the background and __style__ or your poets. (What symbols, motifs, and themes are prevalent?) and write a brief synopsis for each. You must be able to characterize his/her writing style - not just unimportant biographical information. Please document your sources accordingly to avoid plagiarism.


 * Allen Ginsberg**
 * Allen Ginsberg was an American poet who was a very influential leader of the Beat Generation (a group of post-World War 2 writers who came to prominence in the 1950s). As part of this group, he openly opposed things like militarism, sexual repression and economic materialism. Ginsberg uses a gritty vernacular and an improvisational rhythmical style that seems almost haphazard and amateur to many of the poets from his time. Some say that Ginsberg's poetry is very naturalistic, and that is is simply an extension of human speech and communication.
 * Ted Hughes**
 * Ted Hughes was born in 1930 in Yorkshire, England. As he became older, he served in England's Royal Air Force in World War 2. Hughes started writing poetry after the war, in which his country life had a lasting impact. Hughes often wrote his poetry with lots of natural things, especially animals. Hughes uses these animals not only for their naturalism, but for symbolism. Many say that it is Hughes's love for animals that inspired him to start writing poetry. In his poetry, Hughes often uses riddles of language, and may even throw in a //touch// of melodrama. Hughes died in 1998.
 * John Burnside**
 * John Burnside is a Scottish poet who was born in 1955. He is one of the only two poets to have won both the //T. S. Eliot Prize// and the //Forward Poetry Prize// with his works. Aside from writing poetry, Burnside has also written a plethora of children's stories. Burnside's poetic language is intensely lyrical, and often borders two completely different worlds. One one side, he presents the earthly experience of life is presented with serious, sensual language. Both his intense knowledge of ecology, and his true love for the natural world fuel his poetry, allowing him to present the information in a very wonderful way. One the other side, his poems continually break free of the body and personal, placing himself right in the middle. This region has been dominated by Burnside as he fills his poems with ghosts, angels, our ancestors and our own future lives.


 * Works Cited: **
 * "Allen Ginsberg." //PBS //. PBS, n.d. Web. 14 May 2013.
 * "Ted Hughes." //: The Poetry Foundation //. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 14 May 2013.
 * "John Burnside - Poetry Archive." //John Burnside - Poetry Archive //. Poetry Archive, n.d. Web. 14 May 2013.