RELEVANCE OF POETRY FOR TEENS - INTERACTIVE

Relevance of Poetry for Teens

1. Do you remember learning this poem? I ask them to take a poem and hold it up to the light like a colour slide or press an ear against its hive. I say drop a mouse into a poem 5 and watch him probe his way out, or walk inside the poem’s room and feel the walls for a light switch. I want them to waterski across the surface of a poem 10 waving at the author’s name on the shore. But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with rope and torture a confession out of it. They begin beating it with a hose

2. Let’s Discuss! Does poetry have relevance for teenagers? Have you ever read a poem that has resonated with you? Have you ever read a poem that has reflected or connected to your own experiences and feelings?

3. Let us see what these people have to say… Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9-V7RXN6wI

4. Some themes that are relevant…

5. Discussion Guidelines

6. Use these questions to guide your conversation: What specific teenage issues or experiences does the poem address? What themes are evident in the poem? How do the themes relate to common experiences of teenagers today? In what ways does the poem fail to relate to you or other teenagers? Are there aspects of the poem that seem disconnected from teenage experiences or feelings? What emotions does the poem evoke? How might these emotions reflect the experiences of teenagers? Does the poem address cultural or social issues that are pertinent to teenagers in different communities or societies?

7.   Let them be as flowers, always watered, fed, guarded, admired, but harnessed to a pot of dirt.   I’d  rather  be a tall, ugly weed, clinging on cliffs, like an eagle wind-wavering  above  high,  jagged  rocks.   To have  broken  through the  surface  of stone, to live, to feel  exposed  to the madness of the vast,  eternal  sky. To be  swayed  by the  breezes  of an  ancient  sea, carrying my soul, my seed, beyond the  mountains  of time or into the abyss of the bizarre     I’d  rather  be unseen, and if then shunned  by everyone, than to be a pleasant-smelling flower, growing in  clusters  in the  fertile  valley, where they’re praised, handled, and plucked by greedy,  human  hands.   I’d  rather  smell of musty,  green  stench than of sweet,  fragrant  lilac. If I  could  stand alone,  strong  and free, I’d  rather  be a tall, ugly weed. "Identity" by Julio Noboa Polanco

8. We have been friends together, In sunshine and in shade; Since first beneath the chestnut-trees In infancy we played. But coldness dwells within thy heart, A cloud is on thy brow; We have been friends together— Shall a light word part us now? We have been gay together; We have laugh'd at little jests; For the fount of hope was gushing Warm and joyous in our breasts. But laughter now hath fled thy lip, And sullen glooms thy brow; We have been gay together— Shall a light word part us now?     We have been sad together, We have wept, with bitter tears, O'er the grass-grown graves, where slumber'd The hopes of early years. The voices which are silent there Would bid thee clear thy brow; We have been sad together— Oh! what shall part us now?   “We Have Been Friends Together” By Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton

9.   My pants could maybe fall down when I dive off the diving board. My nose could maybe keep growing and never quit. Miss Brearly could ask me to spell words like stomach and special . ( Stumick and speshul ?) I could play tag all day and always be "it." Jay Spievack , who's fourteen feet tall, could want to fight me. My mom and my dad—like Ted's—could want a divorce. Miss Brearly could ask me a question about Afghanistan. (Who's Afghanistan?) Somebody maybe could make me ride a horse. My mother could maybe decide that I needed more liver. My dad could decide that I needed less TV. Miss Brearly could say that I have to write script and stop printing. (I'm better at printing.) Chris could decide to stop being friends with me.   The world could maybe come to an end on next Tuesday. The ceiling could maybe come crashing on my head. I maybe could run out of things for me to worry about. And then I'd have to do my homework instead. “Fifteen, Maybe Sixteen Things to Worry About” By Judith Viorst

10. When you are old and grey and full of sleep, And nodding by the fire, take down this book, And slowly read, and dream of the soft look Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;   How many loved your moments of glad grace, And loved your beauty with love false or true, But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, And loved the sorrows of your changing face;   And bending down beside the glowing bars, Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled And paced upon the mountains overhead And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.     When You Are Old” By  William Butler Yeats

11. This girlchild was born as usual and presented dolls that did pee-pee and miniature GE stoves and irons and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy. Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said: You have a great big nose and fat legs. She was healthy, tested intelligent, possessed strong arms and back, abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity. She went to and fro apologizing. Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs. She was advised to play coy, exhorted to come on hearty, exercise, diet, smile, and wheedle. Her good nature wore out like a fan belt. So she cut off her nose and her legs and offered them up.   Barbie Doll By Marge Piercy In the casket displayed on satin she lay with the undertaker's cosmetics painted on, a turned-up putty nose, dressed in a pink and white nightie. Doesn't she look pretty? everyone said. Consummation at last. To every woman a happy ending.

12. The Discursive Essay… In preparation for the discursive essay, you may wish to select some different poems . You will need to find some poems DO have relevance to teenagers, and some that DO NOT have relevance. Remember that you do not have to like a poem for it to have relevance for you. The relevance may lie in the message of the poem or the lesson it teaches. The controlled task: You will be writing a discursive essay using the poems you have analysed in class time and/or poems you have found and analysed yourself. The essay will be 350 - 400 words in 1 hour plus 10 minutes planning time. You may bring with you your 5 poems and the notes you have made. You will be arguing whether or not poetry has relevance for teenagers , making reference to both themes and poetic techniques. You will be taught how to write a discursive essay before this controlled task. This kind of essay requires you to discuss both for and against the topic, so you will need to argue that some poems ARE relevant for teenagers, and that some poems ARE NOT. However, you must still decide which side you are on, and state this in the introduction and conclusion. The exact topic will be given to you in class.

13. How to Write a Discursive Essay?

14. Table of contents What is the purpose of a discursive essay? The structure of a discursive essay Elements that make up a discursive essay Steps to organize Your essay 01 02 03 04

15. The p urpose of a discursive essay is to provide a balanced and objective discussion of different perspectives on a topic, with the aim of allowing readers to arrive at their own informed conclusions 01. What is the purpose of a discursive essay? While it may seem similar to an argumentative essay, the main difference between the two is that an argumentative essay requires the author to pick one side and argue for it, while a discursive essay requires the author to present different sides of one argument to form a more complete vision of the subject

16. 02. The structure of a discursive essay Introduction Paragraph 1 Paragraph 2 Conclusion Watching TV is very popular and has both advantages and disadvantages To start with TV can have an educational function. On the other hand, it’s easy to waste our valuable time watching TV. I think that if we choose carefully, TV can benefit us all. Introduction Paragraph 1 Paragraph 2 Conclusion When writing a discursive essay, students should follow a specific format and structure. The first paragraph should include arguments supporting the main idea. The second paragraph should present possible opposing arguments against the main idea.

17. 03. Elements that make up a discursive essay Your purpose of an essay should be expressed here you should also indicate your viewpoint on the topic (which side of the argument you favor). You need to outline what will be discussed. The body of the essay should consist of separate paragraphs, each dedicated to a separate idea. Each paragraph should begin with the main idea, followed by a summary of the argument, and the supporting evidence Finally, the most important aspects of the topic are summarized and a conclusion is drawn based on all the information provided. It can take the form of an opinion Introduction Body Conclusion The most common discursive essay format includes an introduction, the body of the essay, and the conclusion

18. The introduction of a discursive essay should set the tone and prepare the readers for the content of the essay. A good idea is to use a hook as the first sentence of the introduction, followed by a brief overview of the problem and the sides of the argument that will be discussed further . You should avoid using informal/colloquial language, emotional language, over-generalizations, and personal examples in the introduction

19. The main body should consists of a few separate paragraphs with some indicating points and others counterpoints. In the body paragraphs, you should explain why they are right and present arguments for and against the topic, followed by supporting examples and/or evidence. The examples should be linked to the main idea of the essay to make the essay coherent. You should avoid using unclear expressions in the paragraphs and instead, they should develop their statements step by step, describing the whole ‘picture’ of their ideas for or against the topic.

20. To write an effective conclusion, you must remember the purpose of the conclusion, which is to establish your personal opinion on the argument and explain why. While a discursive essay presents a balanced point of view , the conclusion is an opportunity to express your opinion on the matter. However, it is important to note that the conclusion should not simply copy the introduction.

21. 04. Steps to organize a discursive essay 01 The first step is to choose a topic that you feel strongly about and that has two or more sides to it. You can choose a topic from a list or come up with your own unique topic Choose a topic After choosing a topic write down ideas for and against it supported by examples. Brainstorm!!! Once you have chosen your topic, it's time to create an outline. The outline should include the introduction, main body, and conclusion of your essay. Each section should have a specific purpose and should be structured in a logical way. Write an outline 02 03

22. Tips You will have to do some research in order to back up the points you make. This means you mus t have a bibliography of the sources you use in your essay. Whenever you refer to one of the sources in your bibliography - you must reference it. Watch for making wide, sweeping generalizations. Every point you make MUST be backed up with some form of evidence! Your work must be logical and ordered – the points you make must follow each other logically! Use logical connectors to ensure your work is logical. Write to the point – don’t get sidetracked. Use paragraphs. Each new point you add MUST be in a new paragraph. Do not become emotional in this type of essay. It should be based on reason and logic.