This is a blog post by Cyrus Armajani and Helen Christian.
To celebrate National Poetry Month, learners who joined our programs at Education and Literacy Services shared their poetry with us! Poetry celebrates the play of language and the perspective the poet brings to the world. Thus, poetry is a great way to also improve literacy skills.
Poetry has space for English Language Learners (ELLs). Because poems defy rules, they can be easily scaffolded and learners can find ways of expressing their voices with their existing vocabulary. Furthermore, poetry is universal. ELLs can learn about or read poetry in their primary language, helping them bridge worlds. Mimi says, “I wrote this poem when I was fifty years old. Through all these years, I have learned that mood will affect how I feel about myself and my surroundings. Try to stay calm. Life is so precious, we should take each day as a 'present'. I was inspired by Zhuang Zhou.”
Fifty Wisdom
by Mimi
Fifty years I earned
What is life to me today?
What wisdom I learned?
Not too happy Not too sad
Every day is a good day
For youth who are incarcerated poetry matters just as much. When students write, share their writings, and listen to the writings of their fellow writers, they find affirmation that their words and ideas matter — even when locked up, most importantly while locked up. Nate says, "Right now, I'm transitioning. Working towards my goals. I want to be financially secure. Poetry helps me think outside the box and put my thoughts on paper. I hope the reader can visualize where I'm from. I want some people to relate to the poem. I want it to be positive and to uplift people."
My City
by Nate
If you came to my city
you would think a tornado hit the streets
you would see trash and hear sirens
7 days a week
the aroma of weed in the air really wreaks.
Grocery stores, family markets and liquor stores
all have the same thing.
As you walk down the block you feel the hot sun
as you sleep at night you might wake up from the sounds of loud guns.
My city is my home, but I want another one, a home
where I can peacefully reside and go outside to have fun
where you can taste the culture it’s like it’s in the air
where you can touch the rails without it being germs or spit there.
If you came to my city I promise you would be scared
and if you see the homes you would wonder
who wants to live there.
Writing poems doesn’t necessarily change the material conditions of incarceration, but it can change one’s mind. Poetry gives the young writer another language, another tool to fight for freedom, to fight for a better world. Matthew says, "Right now, I feel alone and kind of stuck. Poetry helps distract me and express myself. Poetry challenges me by putting my emotions down on paper, rhyming, and being patient. When people read my poem I hope readers get inspired to keep going. Anything in the past that's holding them back keep striving. No matter how bad it gets."
Inside
by Matthew
If my shadow could show
my story it would show a
war all the drama all the
dark nights all the wrongs
all the fights.
My shadow would be hard
to see without any light just
struggle, pain, and lonely nights.
There were times when I
felt small but my shadow
still stood tall.
Let’s celebrate poetry for the voice, freedom, and presence it gives to people, not just as a form of expression, but also as a way to improve our skills, abilities, and ways to take on life’s challenges.
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