"It is a test [that] genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood." - T. S. Eliot. Discuss this with reference to at least two poets you have studied.

This would be an example of a typical English Literature IB Higher Level Paper 2 essay question.The student should introduce their essay by analysing the quotation, perhaps considering the difference between 'communication' and 'understanding' – that one can be made to feel something before one can logically explain it – and whether it is really possible to separate 'genuine' from 'non-genuine' poetry. They could use a critical quotation relating to the nature of poetry if it feels appropriate, and should definitely make it clear in the introduction which poets they are going to talk about: for example, Tony Harrison and Elizabeth Bishop. The student should then show excellent knowledge of their chosen poets through close reading of memorised quotations, which should also be examples of how a poem can communicate emotionally without necessarily being immediately comprehensible to that same reader. The close reading should demonstrate knowledge of technical terms whilst remaining relevant to the title question, whether or not the student chooses to agree with the quotation. This should all be divided up into several clear and carefully organise paragraphs. The conclusion should then link the argument back to the introduction, summarise the argument and state an opinion on the title quotation - it should be coherent with the rest of the essay.