Poet Cynthia Zarin shares a poem she wrote after reading an article about a trial in which Abraham Lincoln, while working as a lawyer before becoming president, successfully defended a murder suspect. Quotes "I was struck that so much has been said and written about Lincoln but we do not know what his own voice sounded like. And here was the first record we had of his colloquial speech." -Cynthia Zarin Warm Up Questions 1. Who was Abraham Lincoln? 2. What do you know about him? Discussion Questions 1. What did you think about the poem? 2. What do you think Zarin is trying to say with her poem? 3. What type of poem would you write about Lincoln? 4. Can you write a poem based on a newspaper article? Try it. Additional Resources Read the transcript Cynthia Zarin at the Poetry Foundation