Source: The Collected Poems of Audre Lorde (W. W. Norton and Company Inc., 1997)
Think-Pair-Share
Instruct students to think about the following prompt individually before discussing it with a seat partner and then sharing their thoughts with the class.
Say these Directions:Think about how you felt on your first day of middle school. Choose one symbol or figurative image that matches that feeling. Then share your idea with a partner and explain how your image connects to the feeling.
Ask: How did you feel on your first day of middle school? What is one symbol or figurative image you associate with how you felt that day?
On my first day, I felt excited but also nervous. One symbol I associate with this is a yo-yo bouncing up and down, up and down.
Connection to Today’s Learning
Say: Today, we’re going to read and discuss a poem about how it feels to be fourteen years old. We’re going to focus on the symbols and figurative language that the poem uses and how it helps capture the emotions it talks about. Then, for homework, you will write your own, similar poems!
Fluency Practice
Display the poem “Hanging Fire” by Audre Lorde and read it aloud, exaggerating “with the door closed” at the end of each stanza to emphasize how overwhelmed and anxious the speaker is. Share that poets use repetition to show something. In this poem, it shows a lack of connection or help between the speaker and the mother.
Say these Directions: As you listen to the poem, pay attention to who is speaking and how the speaker seems to feel. Think about what details in the poem help you understand the speaker’s emotions.
Lead a brief discussion about the subject of the poem. Discuss who the speaker is (remembering that this is different than the poet) and what they seem to be feeling.
Ask: Who is the speaker?
The speaker is a fourteen-year-old with big, conflicting feelings about things.
Ask: How does the speaker seem to feel?
The speaker is sharing all the things in her life that she can’t talk to her mom about. She feels very overwhelmed, nervous, and alone.
Briefly remind students of the meaning of prosody and its importance when interpreting poetry in particular.
Say these Directions: Remember, prosody is the patterns of rhythm, sounds, stress, and intonation that you use when reading poetry. As I read this time, pay close attention to my prosody choices, and think about how they help capture the poem’s meaning.
Read the poem aloud a second time.
Ask: What prosody choices did you notice in my reading, and how did they affect how you heard the poem?
I noticed that you read it like you were really rushing and running out of breath until you got to the end of each stanza, and then you did a big stop after “and momma’s in the bedroom with the door closed.” That helped me really hear how nervous the speaker is and how much it hurts her that she can’t talk to her mom about what’s happening.
Have students work with a partner to practice fluency and prosody while reading the poem to each other and giving feedback.
Say these Directions: Read the poem with a partner and practice using prosody to show meaning. As you listen to each other, give feedback about how pauses, emphasis, and rhythm help communicate the speaker’s feelings.
I like the way you read with such feeling. I wonder if you need to pause at the end of every line. It might work better if you pause at the end of each stanza instead.
🎯PURPOSE
Support students in using prosody choices (pace, pauses, emphasis) to hear the speaker’s anxiety and isolation so they can later cite specific lines and explain how repetition and line breaks shape meaning.
Validate different accents/voices; success is communicating meaning, not sounding “the same.” Encourage students to choose emphasis that matches their interpretation.
🗣️SAY / ASK
Before partner practice, name a prosody focus: “Read the stanza like one breath, then stop hard on the repeated line.”
During partner feedback, require 1 prosody move + 1 meaning claim (emotion/relationship).
“When I emphasized ‘___,’ it made the speaker sound ___, which suggests ___.”
“The repetition of ‘___’ creates the feeling of ___.”
“My partner’s pause at ___ helped me understand ___.”
👁️WATCH FOR / SUPPORT IF NEEDED
After partner practice, collect 1 “prosody → meaning” statement from 2–3 students.
Revoice vague feedback (“read better”) → “Slow down on ___ and pause after ___ to show ___.”
Lift identity language: “she’s scared” → “the speaker’s identity as a 14-year-old feels ___ because ___.”
If reading is monotone → Prompt: “Circle 3 words to emphasize, and add a pause after the repeated line.”
If student can’t explain effect → Prompt: “Finish: ‘This prosody choice shows ___ because ___.’”
Students use at least one purposeful pause/emphasis.
Students link prosody to a specific emotion (overwhelmed/alone/anxious).
Students reference repetition/line breaks as meaning cues.
Connection to Today’s Learning
Say: We are going to dig even deeper into this poem, examining its symbolism and language choices, and how both help express emotions.
Part A: Literal and Figurative Meaning: “Hanging Fire” (L.6.5a, RL.6.5) (10 minutes)
Distribute a copy of the poem “Hanging Fire” to each student. Explain the importance of reading poems several times to get a deeper understanding each time. Tell students that this read will look for literal and figurative meanings.
Read Aloud for Literal and Figurative Meaning
Instruct students to listen carefully and follow along as you read the poem aloud again. Ask them to note any lines that have figurative or symbolic meanings.
Say these Directions: As you listen and follow along, look for lines that may have a deeper meaning beyond the literal one. Underline words or phrases that seem symbolic, vivid, or especially important, and be ready to explain what they suggest about the speaker’s thoughts or feelings. After reading, lead a discussion with the whole class on the meanings of some of the poem’s figurative language.
Say: We will now share the lines you underlined and explain what they might suggest about the speaker’s thoughts, feelings, or experiences. Be ready to point to specific words and explain how they help develop the poem’s meaning.
Ask: What possible symbolism did you underline? How does this help develop the ideas in the poem?
One line that stood out to me is “The boy I cannot live without still sucks his thumb in secret.” The literal meaning is that he sucks his thumb, but the symbolic meaning is that he’s immature and still a little boy. He’s also a boy the speaker can’t live without. This develops the poem’s idea by showing how confusing and frustrating it is to be caught between being a child and being an adult.
Ask: What are some images from this poem that stood out to you? They can be notable because they’re powerful or because you have questions about them.
The most notable image to me is when the speaker repeats “momma’s in her bedroom with the door closed.” I think it’s a really powerful image because it shows how much you still need your mom at this age and how much less available she might feel sometimes and how scary that can be.
🎯PURPOSE
Help students move from noticing images to explaining how imagery/figurative language reveals identity and emotion, using a quote + interpretive verb + identity/emotion vocabulary.
Offer choice: students can analyze identity as age, family role, student self, or social belonging without sharing personal experiences.
🗣️SAY / ASK
Require short evidence (2–8 words) and an interpretive verb (suggests/reveals/implies).
Push from “what happens” to “what it shows about being 14.”
“The image ‘___’ suggests ___ about the speaker’s identity because ___.”
“This line reveals the speaker feels ___, which connects to being ___ years old because ___.”
“The repetition of ‘___’ emphasizes ___, making the speaker seem ___.”
👁️WATCH FOR / SUPPORT IF NEEDED
Use the 3-step response routine: quote → interpret → identity/emotion.
Upgrade “It’s about being nervous” → “This image reveals ___ about the speaker’s identity because ___.”
Upgrade “It means mom isn’t there” → “The repeated line implies ___, which shapes the speaker’s sense of ___.”
If interpretation is plot only → Prompt: “Name the feeling + why that feeling fits the image.”
If student generalizes (“she’s sad”) → Prompt: “Use an expanded emotion phrase: ‘a ___, ___ kind of sadness.’”
Students cite one image/line as evidence.
Students use an interpretive verb (suggests/reveals/implies).
Students connect image to identity/emotion (adolescence, tension, isolation, belonging).
Teacher Tip
Try to avoid discussion questions that might pressure students to share personal details, such as asking whether they identify with the speaker. Ensure that students know that the classroom should be a safe space to share difficult experiences, but that they never have to share anything personal that they don’t want to.
Situation
Try this
Struggling with: Recognizing symbolic or figurative meanings
Try rephrasing questions to be more leading. Ex. “Why do you think the speaker shares that the boy she ‘cannot live without’ still sucks his thumb? What does this say about both the speaker and the boy?”
Ready for extension: Using symbolic and figurative meanings
Ask: Think back to the symbol you chose for how you felt on your first day of middle school. How does that symbol explain how you felt? I chose a yo-yo because it felt like I kept going up and down a lot and couldn’t relax. This helps explain how I felt because it shows that I felt unsteady and nervous.
Pulse Check
How does the repeated line “and momma’s in the bedroom with the door closed” help show how the speaker feels about her mother in this poem?
It shows that she appreciates her mother and thinks she’s impressive.
Incorrect: The speaker wants to be with her mother, but she does not indicate any belief that her mother is impressive.
It shows that she’s angry at her mother and thinks she’s unfair.
Incorrect: The speaker thinks many things are unfair, like not making Math Team, but does not direct anger toward her mother.
It shows that she needs her mother and thinks she’s unavailable.
Correct: The speaker lists her issues and anxieties and repeatedly notes that her mother is not there.
It shows that she’s afraid of her mother and thinks she’s mean.
Incorrect: The speaker does not express fear of her mother and wishes she were more available.
Part B: Imagery Discussion (L.6.5a, RL.6.5) (20 minutes)
Transition students into small groups for this part of the lesson.
Graffiti / Table Talk
Graffiti/Table Talk
Hand out a copy of the 3 Column Chart graphic organizer to each student.
Label (or instruct students to label) the three columns “Images,” “What the Speaker Thinks/Feels,” and “Lessons.”
Briefly model filling the chart and making connections between information in the different columns.
Say these Directions: Reread the poem and fill in the first two columns of your chart. Record important images from the poem, then explain what each image helps you understand about what the speaker thinks or feels.
Say: If I were going to use the example about the boy sucking his thumb, then I’d write “boy sucking his thumb” in the first column. In the second column, I’d write, “He’s immature.” In the third column, I’d write, “It’s hard to like a boy who is so babyish.”
Instruct student groups to reread the poem and silently fill in the chart.
Say these Directions: Now, take some time to reread the poem and fill in the first two columns of the chart. Include at least two images and explain what each one reveals about the speaker’s emotions.
Images
What the Speaker Thinks/Feels
Lessons
Boy sucking his thumb
Ashy knees/what if I die?
Momma’s in the bedroom with the door closed
He is immature.
The speaker is bouncing between ideas.
The speaker needs her mom’s help, but she’s not available.
It’s hard to like a boy who is so babyish.
Both big and small issues can become major concerns.
Feeling disconnected from a parent really hurts.
After about half the available time has passed, instruct students to discuss their responses with a partner.
Say: Look at each other’s thoughts, and discuss or ask each other questions if you need to. Add to your own graphic organizer based on what your partner shares.
Whole-Group Discussion
Say these Directions: Share your chart with your partner or group. Discuss your ideas, ask questions, and add new thinking based on what you hear from others. Be sure to use evidence from the poem when responding.
Finish this portion with a discussion about the major elements of the poem.
Ask: Who is the speaker, and what is she trying to say?
The speaker is a fourteen-year-old girl who’s worried about a lot of things and wishes her mom could help her with them more.
Ask: How would you summarize this poem now that you’ve read it more carefully?
This poem shows how when you’re fourteen, you’re stuck in the middle of everything. Big and small problems all seem huge, and you really need someone to help you sort it all out.
Ask: How do the imagery and figurative language help make the poem more powerful? How do they help us understand what the speaker thinks and feels?
The imagery and figurative language help the reader feel what the speaker is feeling instead of just hearing it. Having a crush on a boy who still sucks his thumb paints a clearer picture than “I have a crush on an immature boy.”
Ask: Do you feel empathy for the speaker of this poem? What about the poem makes you feel that way?
I do feel empathy for the speaker because I can see that she’s really stressed out, even though some of the things she’s stressed out about might seem pretty small. Even if I haven’t had any of the same experiences, I can still understand how she feels because of the way the poem jumps so quickly from one idea to the next. I feel her stress!
🎯PURPOSE
Support students in discussing imagery collaboratively (Graffiti/Table Talk) using clear, evidence-based interpretations and identity/emotion language so their charts move beyond literal summary.
Allow students to discuss identity/emotion in third person (“the speaker”) to maintain safety and choice—no pressure for personal disclosure.
🗣️SAY / ASK
Before silent charting, set a minimum: 2 images + 2 feelings + 1 “lesson” connected to empathy/community.
During partner talk, require “agree and add” or “clarify” using a sentence stem plus one quoted word.
During whole-class share, ask: “Which image most reveals identity, and what’s your evidence?”
“In the image ‘___,’ the speaker seems ___ because ___.”
“This reveals the speaker’s identity as ___ (a 14-year-old / a daughter / a student) because ___.”
“One lesson the poem suggests is ___; the evidence is ‘___.’”
👁️WATCH FOR / SUPPORT IF NEEDED
Revoice “lesson is ‘life is hard’” → “The poem suggests ___ about adolescence because ___.”
If students list images with no meaning → Prompt: “Add ‘This shows ___ because ___.’”
If students can’t form a lesson → Prompt: “Start with ‘Being 14 can feel like ___.’ Use one image as proof.”
Students complete chart with image + feeling + lesson (not just images).
Students use at least one piece of quoted evidence during discussion.
Students link imagery to empathy/community (why readers understand her more).
Situation
Try this
Struggling with: Choosing imagery
Instruct students to start by focusing on how the poem and its images make them feel instead of thinking too much about the meaning. Ex. “What line from the poem gave you the strongest feeling? What was that feeling? What do you think the speaker was feeling at that point in the poem?”
Ready for extension: Making connections between thoughts
Challenge students to sum up as many of their group members’ thoughts as possible with one sentence. The speaker feels trapped in the middle of many different emotions and wishes she had someone who could talk with her to sort it all out.
Reflection
Reflect on today’s discussion of “Hanging Fire” by Audre Lorde, and self-reflect on your understanding of the poem using the Reflection protocol.
How confident are you in your ability to read and analyze poetry?
Rate your confidence level on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the least confident and 5 being the most confident. Then write a sentence or two describing what parts of today’s activity were the easiest and most difficult for you and why.
Quick Write
Say these Directions: Write a brief response to the question below.
Ask: How can figurative language build community and empathy? Include an example from “Hanging Fire.”
Optional Sentence Starter:
“Figurative language can build empathy by ____.”
Figurative language can build empathy by painting an image that helps us see through someone else’s eyes. If a writer uses plain language, you may know what they’re thinking, but when they use figurative language, you also know how they feel. When the speaker in this poem “Hanging Fire” says that “momma’s in the bedroom with the door closed,” the reader feels how disconnected the closed door makes her feel.
Instruct students to write one stanza of their own version of this poem in their Homework Journal, following the model below. Students may also deviate from the model if they would like to create their own version of the poem.
