The Second Coming

1. T.S. Eliot was a contemporary of Yeats and a Modernist poet. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” also deals with apocalyptic themes and questions of morality. Compare and contrast “The Waste Land” with “The Second Coming.” Create a Venn diagram detailing the poems’ similarities and differences; consider the use of an online tool like Venn Maker or Meta-Chart, if possible. Conclude by offering your opinion of which poem you prefer, and the reasoning for your choice. Present your analysis to an audience.

3. Collage is a Modernist art form that involves combining different images and media. T.S. Eliot’s poem, “The Waste Land,” is a language-based collage that juxtaposes elements like music lyrics and nursery rhymes. Make a digital or paper collage of images and words that illustrates “The Second Coming.” Write a short explanation of your visual interpretation.

2. Write your own version of “The Second Coming.” Using blank or free verse, begin with a short stanza that describes how you perceive the world today. What challenges does humanity face? What issues do you think need to be fixed? In the second, longer stanza, describe what you think will happen to the world. What does your vision of the Second Coming look like? Is it positive or negative? Include your poem with other students’ responses in a class gallery walk.