Return-Path: <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f9D4Z1006885; Sat, 13 Oct 2001 00:35:01 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2001 00:35:01 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <000d01c1539f$841ec8c0$fb4ffea9@sgwsnet> Errors-To: alcrsb@langate.gsu.edu Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Anna Kalina" <askalina@cts.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:1753] Re: Poetry X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 6393 Lines: 162 That's a difficult question, Daphne...perhaps it would be appropriate and useful in the classroom for high school and college levels. Certainly college! It is disturbing, but also very real, and the language is beautiful as: "I remember writing poems about the future daydreaming at the window into velvet sky." The poem also raises awareness, and that is always useful. -Anna ----- Original Message ----- From: "Daphne Greenberg" <alcdgg@langate.gsu.edu> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 6:40 PM Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:1749] Re: Poetry > Yes, I agree-it is very emotion-packed. I wonder if it is too emotion-packed for the classroom. For example, maybe it could trigger women with previous/current abuse histories. What do people think-is it best to avoid introducing such strong materials to our learners in a classroom setting? > Daphne > > >>> askalina@cts.com 10/12/01 12:38 PM >>> > Daphne, the poem you posted is very emotion-packed! I second Julie's thank > you for posting it. I, too, am enrolled in a literacy seminar class, and > interested in poetry and journal writing as literacy tools...I think both > have great potential. For a learner, experimenting with poetry and/or > journal writing, I think, can make the process of literacy "real," that is, > make it one's own, and meaningful. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "julie randolph" <jewelyr@hotmail.com> > To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> > Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 8:39 AM > Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:1741] Re: Poetry > > > > Thank you, Daphne, for the poem. > > I'm new to the listserv and I'm enrolled in a literacy seminar in which we > > are discussing approaches to teaching literacy. Poetry, in my opinion, is > > such a vital approach. (Poetry and journal writing seem pretty close to > > me). Writing about things close to the heart gives literacy a personal > > purpose (other than simply being able to contribute to the community).... > > Another illustration of this power is the book PUSH by Sapphier. I just > > read it last night--I've heard that some literacy tutors use this book in > > their approaches. > > Julie Cornett > > > > > > >From: "Daphne Greenberg" <alcdgg@langate.gsu.edu> > > >Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@nifl.gov > > >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> > > >Subject: [NIFL-WMENLIT:1740] Poetry > > >Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 00:06:00 -0400 (EDT) > > > > > >About a year ago some of you wrote about the power of poetry in the adult > > >literacy classroom. Someone sent me this poem and I think that the rich > > >vocabulary and imagery, coupled with the relationship to current events, > > >make this a very powerful poem to share, read, and discuss with learners. > > > > > >I Stand By Your Ear Unseen > > > > > > I stand by your ear unseen. > > > Before the flogging they buried me to my waist in mud. > > > One hundred times and one, they beat me with a cane. > > > Because I was wearing a burqa > > > the mullah was spared the sight of my blood. > > > When my family took me home I was unconscious. > > >they were forbidden to seek treatment. > > > When I died the next morning no one was surprised. > > > It was three days after my 18th birthday. > > > > > > I stand by your ear unseen. > > > When I was 14 I wanted to be a teacher. I remember > > > laughing with my friends on the way home from school. > > > I remember writing poems about the future > > > daydreaming at the window into velvet sky. > > > Impossible, then, to believe what would come > > > after the Taliban took our town. > > > > > > > > > I stand by your ear unseen. > > > When I was 15 they came. The wide world choked shut. > > > Collapsed to a point of fear, hunger. Constant. > > > My sisters and I ate what brothers left. Little. They > > > could leave the house for classes, for work. > > > My mother's office job was taken away. > > > When my uncle would accompany her > > > she took her turn wearing a neighborhood burqa > > > so she could look for food. She sold our books. > > > > > > > > > I stand by your ear unseen. > > > Three years. My youngest sister sickened. > > > My father carried her to the hospital but > > > they told him to throw her away. She died at the door. > > > That's when my anger endangered all of us > > > In her name I started a secret school. To read > > > to write, five little girls and I risked our lives. > > > I would d it again. It was a way for ghosts > > > to have hands and voices for awhile. > > > > > > > > > I stand by your ear unseen. > > > When another decree was issued, that houses with women have all windows > > >painted black, we had no funds. > > > My father was gone, forced into the militia. > > > My mother had nothing left to sell. > > > They marched in to bully us > > > found the hidden school slates behind my bed. > > > Hauled to the mullah, I told nothing. > > > He shut the door and raped me. > > > > > > > > > I stand by your ears unseen > > > Famine and depression make periods scant. > > > I didn't know about the baby at first. > > > My aunt had the right herb in a hidden pot on her roof. > > > She stayed while my baby bled out. > > > A new decree, forbidden to make sound when we walk, > > > caught her when she left. She didn't have shoes that were silent. > > > They beat her on the street until her accompanying son > > > in his panic tried to shield her > > > by sacrificing me. The mullah learned everything. > > > > > > > > > I stand by your ear unseen. > > > He announced my offense of having an abortion > > > which proved I was promiscuous. > > > My crimes cloaked his and no one > > > could do anything but pray I might survive. > > > That prayer was not mine. I was ready to depart. > > > I do not ask for personal mourning. Twelve million living > > > women and girls require your outrage. > > > Lift your veil! Open your ear. > > > > > > > > > By: Sue Silvermarie, an American supporter of the > > > Revolutionary Assoc. of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) > > > > > > The RAWA website address is: > > > http://rawa.false.net/index.html > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > > > > > > >
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