Introduction
“Poetry is always being created anew, in new places, by unforetold hands and voices. In this, it is like the many movements against demoralizing power. We don’t know where either will come from.” – Adrienne Rich1
From the militant performance poetry of the Black Arts Movement, to the playful, musical verse of Juan Felipe Herrera, many contemporary poets have addressed issues of social justice, with the goal of increasing the visibility of marginalized communities in America, and drawing attention to acts of injustice. Such poetry can foster a sense of community in several ways. Poetry which is written to be read aloud, such as performance poetry, can create a sense of community by exposing people to different perspectives, while also helping them “find new ways of looking at worlds they already know” 2; poetry focused on increasing visibility can empower communities by revealing their “vitality and beauty” to the world3; finally, poets can foster community solidarity around social justice issues by appealing to a sympathetic audience.
During the course of this unit, I will immerse my students in reading and writing poetry, focusing on discussion of their own communities and the social issues that are important to them. We will study a series of poems linked by their emphasis on themes of social justice and community, written by contemporary African American, American Indian and Chicano/a poets. Teaching rhetorical elements through reading and writing poetry can give students a fun, fresh understanding of how those elements interact, while also giving them a voice to express their own views on issues they are passionate about. My hope is that reading the work of a diverse combination of contemporary poets, and relating the issues to our surroundings, will make writing poetry relevant and interesting to my students.
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