This week's poem is Mary Carolyn Davies' "If I Had Known" (visit https://lydonteaches.com/quite-excellent or search "Quite Excellent on iTunes or Google Podcast) to listen to it and hear the required word. This word ***MUST*** be used in your response.
This response counts as your participation for the week. To receive full credit, you must:
- Write an original response that includes a TAG, a topic sentence that provides a claim, a short direct quotation, and commentary to explain how the quote supports the claim. 
- Response should be paragraph-length 
- Original response is due by WEDNESDAY 
- Be sure to explain WHAT meaning is created (based on your reading) and HOW it is created! 
- Reply to any TWO responses from other students by FRIDAY. 
- Replies should agree and expand, disagree and disprove, or question and offer an alternative to the original response or any other replies. 
"If I Had Known"
If I had known what trouble you were bearing;
  What griefs were in the silence of your face;
  I would have been more gentle, and more caring,
  And tried to give you gladness for a space.
  I would have brought more warmth into the place,
            If I had known.   
If I had known what thoughts despairing drew you;
  (Why do we never try to understand?)
  I would have lent a little friendship to you,
  And slipped my hand within your hand,
  And made your stay more pleasant in the land,
            If I had known.
