Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Does "Dream Song 29" have any consistent structural elements? If you think it does, what are they and why did Berryman use them? How does the structure affect or inform the reading of the poem? If you think the structure is totally random, we think you should look again.
- How does the title affect how the poem is read? Would the poem be significantly different (better or worse) with a different title? Why?
- Imagine you're on the bus and Henry sits down next to you. You can tell he wants to talk. Do you chat with Henry? Why or why not? If you do talk with Henry, what subjects would you try to avoid?
- In what ways does "Dream Song 29" seem song-like? In what ways is it dream-like? Do you think it should have been dreamier or song-ier? Why or why not?
- There are two end rhymes per stanza in "Dream Song 29." In stanza 3, the rhymes are actually identical words. Did Berryman get lazy? Was he unable to think of good rhymes for up and missing? Why do you think he chose to use these identical end words and how does the repetition of the words affect the poem?