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BY
MICHAEL JOHNSON,
COMMUNITY
SUPERINTENDENT
SCHOOL DISTRICT 29 |
April
is poetry month and we at CSD 29 believe that the reading and writing of
poetry is critical to the development of the creative vision of young
people.
Alice
Scott, Literacy Coordinator of CSD 29 believes that: “Poetry is the
creative pulse of life, that poetic expressions link words to dreams, it
builds the awareness of the power of words; poetry teaches us to listen,
read, speak and reflect carefully on each word in a way we do not with
other forms of literature”.
Ms.
Scott should know for she is coordinating our district poetry month
activities. Last week we kicked off The Saturday “Writer’s Club”
where students in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades put their
creative writing talents to work. There is nothing more powerful than to
see young people transform words into images, feelings and ideas. We also
have an exciting collaboration with Dr. Gerald Deas called “From Hip Hop
To Hope,” an inspiring poem by Dr. Deas that is also connected to a
wonderful empowering dictionary contest where children search for
uplifting words that began with the letter “E”.
The
Poem reads:
“If
you add an ‘E’ to the word Hop
Hope
will give your mind
A brand new start
There are many uplifting words
That begin with the letter ‘E’
Such as embrace, engage and energy
Educate, elevate and emancipate
Also start with the golden letter ‘E’
And ‘E’ is everybody’s letter
When me become we
When
you hop
You can jump only so high
Hope, on the other hand,
Will make your mind fly
So,
explore with your dictionary or
Computer
And you will finally discover
All of the uplifting ‘E’ words
From cover to cover.”
One
letter can transform “Hop” into “Hope” and one word Hope can
transform a life.
The
power of letters, the power of words.
Mr.
Lennon Murray the principal of P.S. 38 in Rosedale reads the poems of his
students over the public address system each day and now he has students
writing and handing him poems as he moves around the school each day.
Imagine
a school of poets who could write conflict away. Mr. Murray says:
“I
think that poetry is the epitome of the beauty of language and the more
young people are able to master the art and technique of language the
better able they will be to master life’s difficulties.”
Let
us then celebrate this poetry month with creative expressions that affirm
what is good and positive about ourselves, our families, our community and
our planet.
Let
us read the poetry of:
Derek
Walcott
Rita Dove
Octavio Paz
Claude McKay
Dylan Thomas
Maya Angelou
Gwendolyn Brooks
Federico Garcia Lorca
Nikki Giovanni
Sonia Sanchez
Langston Hughes
Ishmael Reed
Robert Frost
Just
to name a few. (Who are your favorite poets?)
But
not only read poetry but write it!
Why not lift each other up in verse,
Design phrases that will encourage,
Build sentences that heal,
Write don’t fight!
Young people just write poems!
Write a poem about you.
Write poems to express your feelings.
Write poems to make a point.
Write poems to take a stand.
Write a poem when you are sad.
Write a poem when you are happy.
Write poems to apologize.
Write a poem accepting an apology.
Write poems of thankfulness.
Write poems to express appreciation.
Write a poem to describe something wonderful and beautiful.
Write a poem about you.
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