Describes a teacher's personal memories which, when shared with students, helped make the poetry of Wordsworth and Whitman more meaningful. Suggests that for true comprehension of poetry to occur--Romantic or otherwise--teachers must lead students and model from within their own personal connections. (NH)

Poetry of the romantic age is often uninviting to students, leaving them puzzled because they do not sense the connections between the poetry and themselves. Yet, much romantic poetry can be enjoyed and comprehended if approached in terms of some personal, reflective, and connective readings. Wordsworth and Whitman are often avoided because they…