Poetry and Public Life

Rationale

“What is the difference between living, and surviving—is there a difference? Do Black people live or survive? Do White people live or survive?” “I think Black people are surviving, because they have to fight for everything they have, and hold on to everything, because it’s so precious. I think White people are living, because they have the money and they have the resources.” This was a discussion I had with one of my 4^th grade students. I was astonished at his response, and left in awe that someone so young could conceptualize a system that many minorities identify with. Do minorities just survive? If so, why? Is there a system that prohibits minorities from making gains as easily as their counterparts? Is there really a difference? On what terms does America deem itself beautiful? Are there conditions to this beauty? Who is seen on the portrait that makes up a beautiful America? Are minorities in the picture, and is their image one that is ‘fighting’ to hold on, because it’s so precious? The spark in this conversation is why I would like to explore the topic of beauty, race and acceptance with students at the elementary level—and particularly, lead this investigation through various forms of poetry.

When I think of beauty I look in the mirror and admire my reflection. I carefully examine what I see, and quite often smile back at the image looking back at me. Unfortunately, being a woman of color and a minority I question whether my ‘beauty’ is accepted in America. Though it has been nearly 60 years since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Black Americans still suffer racial injustice. I teach at an African Centered Academy where students are encouraged to embrace their heritage and celebrate their ancestry. I find this task rather daunting when students are uncertain whether they ‘make up’ a beautiful America. I will travel with my current class to the 5^th grade. All of the students I teach in this class are of African American descent. I have been an ear to many of my students that have witnessed racial injustice first hand or through the media. The media in particular is what drives many of the emotions that my students come across the threshold with regarding racial relations. In Sharon Flake’s premier novel The Skin I’m In, one character asks: “What does your face say to the world?” These students are plagued with this question every time they enter a space where they are identified as the minority. As a woman of color, I wonder when I walk down the streets of a predominately White neighborhood, am I seen as someone who is welcomed? Many questions tend to flood my mind, such as: “Do they think I will steal something?” “Do they think I can afford to buy anything from this store?” “Do they know that I have a Master’s Degree, and am a highly educated woman?” “What do I have to prove to be accepted by these people?” If I am puzzled with these questions, I wonder what questions my students have, especially with the media at their fingertips. I know that this topic pushes the envelope, and is quite controversial, but my students are at the forefront of controversy the moment they walk out the door. Why? Is America a place full of beauty that accepts Black Americans, and all other minority races and creeds?  As my students confront these questions, I want to empower them to think critically, and navigate through systems that are seemingly set against them.

At the elementary level poetry is not widely studied. It’s unfortunate that many times students are ill prepared for the rigor that responding to poetry calls for. According to the Common Core State Standard in Reading Literacy Craft and Structure students in 5^th grade must “explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.²⁴” My school district’s current curriculum does not present in depth studies of poetry at the elementary level. My unit will grant students opportunities to explore various forms of poetry and allow deeper understanding of poetry according to the standards. Moreover, poetry is one of the most complex forms of literature. If my students are equipped with skills for reading poetry, it may help to decrease some of the literacy deficits seen when students transition to middle school.

Teaching Black American poetry is essential at the Elementary level, because students are constantly looking for a vehicle to channel their inner voice. Often times, the voice of the child gets tuned out. If a child appears naive, their cries for help may often be overlooked. In the age of media, children are susceptible to any and everything. The unfortunate event of death is now seen in the public eye, and often recorded. Consequently, there is not much hidden from the child, and their innocence is often stripped from them before they know it. Since Black poetry evokes the black experience in depth, students at the elementary level should see the variety of ways in which this experience is portrayed. Often times the Black experience is seen as one that is engulfed in oppression and persecution. Students need to see how poetry has changed over the years. Is there a continued sense of oppression and persecution, or is there an underlying sense of hope, and belonging in America? These questions are essential for this age group. Although poetry at the Elementary level is often confined to rainbows and butterflies, and drowned in fantasy, the reality that some students face does not reflect a magical image. Students need opportunities to confront these issues, because often times by middle and high school it is too late.

In addition, when students see poetry that confronts the issues they face, it is like a pillow of comfort, and they notice they are not alone in the world. Studying poetry that is challenging and thought-provoking may help students view the world from a different perspective. As students take a deeper look at race, acceptance and beauty, they will determine their value in society. Many of the poems outlined in this essay do not portray the Black American experience as one that is celebrated and admirable. I want my students to figure out why this is. I want my students to acknowledge difference, but appreciate their own beauty, despite what may not be seen as part of the totality in America.

Students at my school listen to music on a daily basis—primarily hip hop and often R&B. I want my students to examine the lyrics of the songs they listen to. I want them to be equipped with the skills to read songs as poetry, because they are poetry. I want them to examine the trends in the types of songs they recite, and determine whether race, acceptance and beauty are common themes.

Doing this unit at my school is like trying on the perfect sized shoe, it fits right in with the African Centered framework. Throughout this unit, students will analyze poetry and write poetry about their own experiences regarding beauty, race and acceptance. As students unpack these comprehensive layers, they will be able to write using the various styles of poetry that we have reviewed in the unit, such as: Negro Spirituals and Hymns, Contemporary Poetry, Blues/Harlem Renaissance Poetry and Hip-Hop.  The students will write using the conventions of poetry, such as: rhythm, meter, rhyme, repeated lines, to name a few. Students will be able to declare which type of poem they write, such as: sonnet, acrostic, haiku, ode, limerick, free verse, etc. Finally, students will be able to articulate the rationale for poetic selections.