N this task, you will write a short essay that contrasts how a poem sounds when read in its original form to how that poem sounds when heard as a song.
Part A
Choose one of the following pairs of poems and songs:

“The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred Tennyson; song “The Lady of Shalott” by Loreena McKennitt
“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson; song “Because I Could not Stop” by Natalie Merchant
“Promises Like Pie-Crust” by Christina Rossetti; song “Promises Like Pie-Crust” by Carla Bruni
“The Two Trees” by William Butler Yeats; song “The Two Trees” by Loreena McKennitt
Plan to read the text version of the poem and listen to the song version a few times to get a good feel for the rhythm of each of the two versions. Then, think about how it contributes to the feeling and meaning of the poem in both situations.

Write a short essay (200–400 words) comparing the two versions of the poem, considering the following questions:

How does the meter of the poem change, if at all, when it is presented in song form?
Does the original poem have a meter that lends itself well to song lyrics?
How, if at all, is the poem changed or presented differently as a song?
Why might the artist have made changes to the poem?