Good job today!
Due Monday:
- Bring in your Warriors Summer Writing
- Write a first draft of your own Theme B poem. You may borrow lines, repeat patterns, use the example from Langston Hughes (be INSPIRED by him). But, whatever you do, your must add the following content to the poem: likes, dislikes, school, home/travel, identity, ideas about you and others, what makes us Americans, etc. Requirements are the following:
- Must be 1 full page.
- Must be typed.
- Must have a title.
- Must follow the format (structure) of his original poem.
- Must say “inspired by Langston Hughes” at the end. This will be posted for the school eventually, and graded. 🙂
- Bring in a copy of the book (your summer classic) that you will Book Talk. We will discuss book talks Monday and Tuesday.
ThemeBOrig – link to the original poem
Copy of my version below:
_______________________________________________________
My Theme for Core A and B
The instructor said,
Go home and write
a page tonight.
And make that page come out of you –
Then, it will be true.
And I consider…what will this page need to say to be true?
I’m 32, mother, sister, colleague, teacher –
Artist and analytical, sensitive and powerful
Sure, and unsure, too.
Born in San Francisco, great grandparents from Japan.
Roots in Rochester –great grandparents from Whales.
They settled upon arrival, in different ways.
I take the B train now. Atlantic, Dekalb, Grand, Broadway, West 4th.
Up the ramp, then stairs. Turn to Bleeker and past the busy people.
Up one flight, into the corner classroom where I can witness tourists,
Porto Rico, and students who are becoming.
It’s not easy to know what’s true from one day to the next,
even though I am grown. I used to think, “When I get older it will all work out”.
It doesn’t – I still have to do the work.
Brooklyn, New York,
Berkeley, California, I feel you:
Me you, you me. We – me? Me. Who?
Me.
Well, I enjoy traveling, mothering, learning and eating sushi.
I like surprises, ocean-walking, being in love.
I like songs that hold memories – Cold Play, Tu Pac, Paul Simon.
I like being me, I think. And that makes me like you.
I see you. I see us. You – me. On the morning subway
in your face is me. Me – you. In your morning tired – I feel it, too.
That’s American. That’s who.
Even though you are not same. Different stop. Different name.
We are a part of each other. That’s American.
Sometimes I don’t want to be a part of you, nor you me.
We clash, we bang, we stare, we shame.
Nevertheless – me, you – are WE. That’s American.
I guess you learn from me –
Although you’re older or younger or male or one ethnicity or not my friend.
I may be somewhat more free.
Maybe you are somewhat more free?
But we are, that’s true!
This is my page for Core A and B
By Sara Momii Roberts,September 2010
Inspired by Langston Hughes Theme for English B