Resources
Bibliography for Teachers
Apol, Laura. “Poetry, Poetic Inquiry and Rwanda Engaging with the Lives of Others Self, Audience, and Activism: Poetry of Witness.” Poetry, Poetic Inquiry and Rwanda Engaging with the Lives of Others (2021): 65-76. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-56562-6_5. This article had some perceptive ideas about this particular genre of poetry.
“Billie Holiday - ‘Strange Fruit’ Live 1959.” Reelin’ In The Years Archive, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DGY9HvChXk. This powerful performance should be used in conjunction with the introductory activity.
Bleiker, Roland. “Pablo Neruda and the Struggle for Political Memory,” Third World Quarterly, vol. 20, no. 6 (1999), 1129-1142, DOI: 10.1080/01436599913325. This article sheds light on Neruda as activist and his beliefs about poetry as rebellion.
Chamblee, Angela E. “Teaching Latino Literature in a World Literature Class at an African American University.” Bloomsburg University, May 2009, https://organizations.bloomu.edu/gasi/pdf_documents/2009_Proceedings_pdfs/ChambleeTeaching%20Latino%20Literature%20in%20a%20World%20Literature%20Class.pdf. Her section about “I’m Explaining a Few Things” was written in a way that was easy to understand and provided me with more historical context for the poem.
“Easy Ways to Use Performance Poetry in ELA.” Spark Creativity, November 21, 2023. https://nowsparkcreativity.com/2023/11/easy-ways-to-use-performance-poetry-in-ela-and-why-you-should.html. This web article also includes a few dramatic performances which might prove useful to students when creating their own.
Emert, Toby. “Talking to, Talking about, Talking with: Language Arts Students in Conversation with Poetic Texts.” The English Journal, vol. 99, no. 5 (Jan. 2010):67-73, DOI: 10.2307/27807195. This article is fantastic and filled with creative ideas to get students engaging with poetry.
Ferguson, Kristen. “Performing Poetry: Using Drama to Increase the Comprehension of Poetry.” 2014, https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Performing-Poetry%3A-Using-Drama-to-Increase-the-of-Ferguson/a6f309551b039030337361cf129a4ab9800508ad. This provides solid rationale as to why dramatic performance of poetry can elevate a student's comprehension and critical thinking skills.
“Guernica - Bombing of Guernica.” PBS, https://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/guernica/glevel_1/1_bombing.html. This is a good overview of this horrific historical event.
Martin, Wendy, and Annalisa Zox-Weaver. “Adrienne Rich: The Poetry of Witness.” Chapter. In The Cambridge Companion to American Poets, edited by Mark Richardson, 409–24. Cambridge Companions to Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Although focused on the poet Adrinne Rich, this has some insightful commentary of the importance of the poetry of witness.
Meeropol, Abel. “Strange Fruit.” 1937, https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.uoregon.edu/dist/7/11428/files/2016/11/Strange-Fruit-29grfuk.pdf.
Neruda, Pablo. “I’m Explaining a Few Things.” Pablo Neruda Selected Poems: A Bilingual Edition, trans. Nathaniel Tarn, (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1970), https://www.poetryinternational.com/en/poets-poems/poems/poem/103-22618_I-8217-M-EXPLAINING-A-FEW-THINGS.
Popoff, Georgia A. and Quraysh Ali Lansana. Our Difficult Sunlight: A Guide to Poetry, Literacy, & Social Justice in Classroom & Community. Teachers and Writers Collaborative, 2011. This book has so many interesting ways to incorporate poetry and social justice in the classroom. Lesson plans are included as well as a wealth of ideas. This is really a must buy.
“Part I: Teaching Neruda’s Poetry.” Tribute to Pablo Neruda: Educational Guide for Teachers. DFW International, 2004, www.dfwinternational.org. This teaching guide has so much information about Neruda and his poetry, including activities to do with students.
“Text-to-Text, Text-to-Self, Text-to-World Teaching Strategy | Facing History & Ourselves,” May 12, 2020. https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/text-text-text-self-text-world-0.
“The Tragic Story Behind Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit.’” Biography.com, August 25, 2020. https://www.biography.com/musicians/billie-holiday-strange-fruit. This article helps teachers understand the complex history behind the poem and song.
Williams, Manuela. “The Poet’s Toolbox: What is Poetry of Witness?” DIY MFA, August 16, 2022. https://diymfa.com/reading/poetry-of-witness/. This helped me truly understand what poetry of witness was and even expanded on the definition.
Comments: