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What
Does Nature Think About Poetry?
Program
Area
This activity
can be used in the Grade 9 Language Program, or in Grade 10 English,
as well as in English and E.S.L. classes at the senior level.
Text substitution may be necessary for general and ESL students.
This activity may be most suitable as an introduction to a poetry
unit, or as a quick activity when students question the value
of poetry in their lives.
Learning
Outcomes
Teaching, learning and evaluation will focus on the students
ability to:
- Create
a classroom context where creativity is not laughed at;
- Describe
a feeling external to ones experience;
- Deduce
an emotional response in a non-human aspect of nature.
Classroom
Development
- This
activity starts as a background discussion centred around the
idea of the relation between our species and nature. Instruct
students to brainstorm a consensus description of what Nature
means to them. Advanced classes may wish to extend this to include
an analysis of the impact of nature on their lives, on literature
and culture, or their impact on nature both an individuals and
collectively. The key idea to be addressed is that though we
as a species have some understanding of our impact on nature
and natures impact on us, very little thought has been
given to what nature might think of us, and how nature might
be seen through its own eyes. Have students present their findings
either on the board to the class, or to another group through
the Jig-Saw mechanism.
- Continue
this activity with a selection of poetic texts which feature
descriptions of aspects of nature which avoid anthropomorphization.
I would suggest poets such as Gwendolyn MacEwen or Ted Hughes.
The following is a comprehensive selection of Hughes work
which should fit into this activity: The Thought-Fox, Mountains,
The Jaguar, Hawk Roosting, Fern, An Otter, October Dawn, Pike,
Thistles, The Howling of Wolves, Wodwo, Owls Song, Rock
has not learned, Eagle, West Laithe, The Wild Duck, Earth-Numb,
The Stone
- Not
all of these poems present animals or inanimate nature completely
divorced from human influence. They do, however, provide students
with a variety of models for the poetic contemplation of a nature
undominated by civilized humanity. Poems which do describe human
influence tend to focus, in part, on how our actions deaden
the life found in nature rather than glorifying in our anthropomorphic
domination of it. An interesting exception is the poem Wodwo
which describes a proto-human apparently in tune with his/her
context.
- These
poems are sophisticated in their poetics, but they are direct
and they should stimulate the most jaded students into some
form of response.
Product
Ideally,
students would produce a poetic work. Students should be directed
to encounter one or more poems in their reading log or response
journal. Then they should choose a particular animal, object or
theme which strikes them and working, alone or in a small group,
they should explore it. Direct them to build a point form outline
considering how this aspect of nature functions within its own
context. The goal is to describe this aspect of nature without
any reference to humans or human modes of existence. Productions
should be read to a partner, editorial changes be suggested, and
the final products should be read to the class by the partner.
Background
Information
Both Hughes
and MacEwan seem to be trying to build new mythologies for western
society. Their poetry tries to clean away much of the dogmatic
social and religious demands made on literature and poetry. The
essence of these new mythologies appears to be found in the ideas
of a direct physical and spiritual encountering of nature.
Timing
One 40 min
period is sufficient for the group work part of the activity.
Class time may be provided for composition and journal writing.
Some class time should be allotted for the presentation of compositions.
Advanced students may be able to complete the entire activity
in an 75 min class.
Resources
Hughes,
Ted. Selected Poems: 1957-1981. London: Faber, 1982.
MacEwen, Gwendolyn. The Shadow-maker. Toronto: Macmillan,
1969.
MacEwen, Gwendolyn. Magic Animals: selected poetry of Gwendolyn
MacEwen. Don Mills: Stoddart, 1984.
Cross-disciplinary
links
- Possible
extensions include the submission of completed works to electronic
journals or the creation of a class wide yearly creative journal
through whatever class in the school studies desktop publishing.
- An excellent
extension would be for the English students to assist the ESL
students in developing editing skills with regards to the revision
of the poems.
Student
Activity Guide
Some people
do not like poetry. Other people cant live without it. These
are facts of life. The ability to read, understand, and even write
a little poetry, however, is an important part of your being able
to understand language, the world you live in, and yourself. If
you apply this idea to the music you listen to, you will see that
it is true. Lyrics are one part of poetry. This activity will
have you looking at poetry about the part of the world that has
no humans in it.
If you thought that poetry was irrelevant, or too confusing,
perhaps this activity will give you an in to the world
of poetry. Try it.
To be successful in this activity you only need to have
an open mind, to be willing to try something weird, to be willing
not to laugh at anyone willing to try something weird, and not
mind being laughed at by a classmate without an open mind.
How this
is Going to Get Done
- First,
you have to have an idea of what Nature means to
you.
- If you
are a really active class you may want to describe the impact
of nature on your lives, on literature and culture, or your
impact on nature both an individuals and collectively.
- When
you think that you really know what nature is, have a look at
some of the poems that your teacher has collected which feature
descriptions of aspects of nature which avoid anthropomorphic
descriptions:
The Product
- The
next step in this activity is to read some of these poems, alone
or in a group. Then try writing about the poem(s) in your writing
folders and Response Journals. Consider how this description
agrees or disagrees with your idea of what nature is. Did you
think about what nature thinks about you or us?
- Now
try to write a poem or short descriptive fiction. Choose an
aspect of nature that strikes your imagination. Discuss your
choices in a group. You may all want to write on the same topic.
- After
you have talked and made notes, go off on your own and write.
It does not have to be good. It only has to be honest. When
you finish, read it to a partner, let him/her suggest changes.
- The
final products should be read to the class by the partner.
Extending
the Activity Beyond the Class
Possible extensions include the submission of completed works
to electronic journals or the creation of a class wide yearly
creative journal through whatever class in the school studies
desktop publishing.
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