Letter 1, approximately 250 words, addressed to everybody in the group ("Dear Folks," Hello Group," etc.) and submitted by February 24, 2 p.m. (U.S.) and February 25, 20.00 (Sweden). To preserve the structure of the discussion board, please submit your letter at Claroline as an Answer to this initial Letter 1 message posted by the professors.

Read the three poems by the Swedish poet, Tomas Tranströmer. Two poems, "Spår" ("Track" or "Tracks") and "I Det Fria" ("In the Clear" or "Out in the Open"), have English translations by American poets Robert Bly and May Swenson. For the third poem, "Andrum: Juli" ( "Breathing Room, July" or "Breathing Space: July") we have four English versions by four different translators.

Respond to one, two, or all three poems. Reflect in particular on how changes of particular words or phrases among two or more translations of the same poem affect the meaning of the poem for you. If you understand Swedish, you may suggest to your group other possible translations, or suggest translating decisions these writers made to create these poems in English.

• As a way of grasping meanings or understanding your reading experience, write down three words or short phrases that seem to be central or at least quite important to the poem(s) or versions you wish to discuss. Such keywords can be positive, negative, puzzled, or maybe questioning. You might even want to look them up in a good dictionary to further your understanding of how poetic language works.
• For each word or phrase you selected, write a few sentences of your own referring back to the poem in order to explain why you think they are important.

Letter 2, approximately 250 words, addressed to everybody in the group and submitted by March 1, 20.00 (Sweden) and March 1, 2 p.m. (U.S.).

To preserve the structure of the discussion board, please submit your letter at Claroline as an Answer to this initial Letter 2 message posted by the professors (see the Claroline Directions for screen shots).

1. Before you compose your Letter 2, read all the Letter 1 submissions and any second letters already posted by members of your group.
2. Write a personal response about some of the reflections presented there by members of your group. In your Letter 2, addressed to your entire group, refer specifically to at least two members of the group by name, attempting to cite at least two groupmates whose Letter 1 submissions have not already been cited by others if possible.
3. In your Letter 2, identify and explain how a keyword and reflective sentence of theirs contributed to your understanding of a poem. Comment on ways in which their interpretations are similar to and/or different from your own.

Letter 3, approximately 250 words, addressed to everybody in the group and submitted by March 4, 20.00 (Sweden) and March 4, 2 p.m. (U.S.).

To preserve the structure of the discussion board, please submit your letter at Claroline as an Answer to this initial Letter 3 message posted by the professors (see the Claroline Directions for screen shots).

1. First, read the second letters and any additional letters already posted by members of your group and write a personal response about some of the reflections presented there, citing by name at least one person from a college other than your own.
2. Second, either find or create an illustration or music that captures the theme or mood of one of these poems or one version of one of the poems. You will need to locate the artwork online or post it online so your partners at all three colleges can access it. If you create your own art or music, you can attach it as a file or refer us to the Website (include http:// so the link will be active) where you have uploaded it.
3. Third, explain briefly the relationship between the artwork you have selected or created and the poem.

Letter 4, approximately 250 words, addressed to everybody in the group and submitted by March 8, 20.00 (Sweden) and March 8, 2 p.m. (U.S.).

To preserve the structure of the discussion board, please submit your letter at Claroline as an Answer to this initial Letter 4 message posted by the professors (see the Claroline Directions for screen shots).

1. First, read the third letters and explore the art and/or music that has been posted from all the members of your group and write a personal response about some of the reflections presented there and cite by name at least one person from a college other than your own.
2. Second, reflect on this cross-cultural discussion and some ways this conversation and composition have contributed to your understanding of Tranströmer's poems, your knowledge of how poetic language works, and your thinking about poetry as a literary, artistic, and cultural experience.
   • In particular, you may want to include some thinking about how different cultural backgrounds contributed (for example, Swedish poem interpreted by Swedish students for both Swedish and American students as well as by American students for both American and Swedish students).
   • Please describe what interested you the most about this discussion, or surprised you, challenged you, or troubled you.