Teach This Poem: “Caprice” by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, translated by Peter H. Goldsmith

Listen closely to the song “Lovefool” by the Cardigans.

The following activities and questions are designed to help your students use their noticing skills to move through the poem and develop their thinking skills so they understand its meaning with confidence, using what they’ve noticed as evidence for their interpretations. Read more about the framework upon which these activities are based.

1. Warm-up: Read these definitions of the word “caprice.” Join with a partner or small group to write a definition of the word in your own words. Then join with another group and rewrite your definition. Share with the class. What might a poem that includes this title include? 

2. Before Reading the Poem: Listen closely to the song “Lovefool” by the Cardigans. Which lyrics or phrases stand out to you? Why? How would you describe the mood of the song? Does the song relate to the definition you just read? 

3. Reading the Poem: Silently read the poem “Caprice” by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, translated by Peter H. Goldsmith. What do you notice about the poem? Note any words or phrases that stand out to you or any questions you might have. 

4. Listening to the Poem: Enlist two volunteers and listen as the poem is read aloud twice. Write down any additional words and phrases that stand out to you. You might enjoy listening to this reading of the poem. 

5. Small Group Discussion: Share what you noticed about the poem with a small group of students. Based on the details you just shared with your small group, how does the poem connect to the resources from the beginning of class? What connections can you make between the title and the poem? Why? What metaphors can you find in the poem? 

6. Whole Class Discussion: (Teachers, we suggest splitting this poem up and thinking about each of the contradictions in this poem individually.) The poem is full of contradictions. Work in pairs or small groups to read your lines closely. What is your line saying? Try rewriting these contradictions in your own words. Share your new lines with the class. What does this poem say about love? How does this compare or contrast with how we view love today? 

7. Extension for Grades 7-8: Write your own poem that uses the same or different ideas about love as “Caprice.” Try using metaphor and/or contradictions in your poem. Share with the class. 

8. Extension for Grades 9-12: Learn more about Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz by watching this video and/or reading this brief biography. If you are interested, you can read more poems by Inés de la Cruz. Respond to her from your perspective. What might you want to say to this poet? Why? Does anything in her work resonate with your world today? Share your letter with your teacher, and if you feel comfortable, your class.

Find more poems for teens about lost love and the grief of breakups. Poems like “One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop and “Wait” by Galway Kinnell remind us that moving on is possible, even though it may be a profoundly painful process. Robert Frost’s “To Earthward” treats the pain of heartbreak differently. In these poems, you will find passion and tenderness, sorrow and rejuvenation. 

Sonnet: a fourteen-line poem traditionally written in iambic pentameter, employing one of several rhyme schemes, and adhering to a tightly structured thematic organization.