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THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONGLIBRARIES

Hong Kong Collectiongift from

Hong Kong (China). Education Dept,

The Learning and Teaching

of Poetry

(Secondary 1-3)

A Resource Package

OF HO/I, ^^G3 Engnsn Section

^ Curriculum Development InstituteL &*

' ^ Education Department

©2002

BIB nr NO

DATE REC'D 1 G A?1? 20C2

CLASS NO. \ (

AUTHOR NO. _-* 7

English SectionCurriculum Development Institute

Education DepartmentHong Kong Special Administrative Region

12th Floor, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

First published 2002

All rights reserved. The copyright of the materials in this package, other than those listed in the

Acknowledgements section (pages iii-iv), belongs to the Education Department of the Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region.

Duplication of materials in this package other than those listed on pages iii-iv is restricted to non-profit

making educational purposes only. Otherwise, no part of these materials may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the Education

Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

ISBN 962-8103-86-5

Preface

This resource package on "The Learning and Teaching of Poetry (Secondary 1-3)" is the

outcome of the collaboration between members of the Curriculum Development Council

(CDC) Ad Hoc Committee on English Literature (Secondary 4-7) 2000-2001 and the

English Section, Education Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,

in facilitating the learning and teaching of English Literature.

The study of literature is a valuable experience. Apart from sharpening learners' aesthetic

sensitivity, it enhances their understanding and appreciation of language and culture. It

offers them insights into human nature and relationships, and raises their awareness of

the motives and forces that shape human behaviour. Poetry, with its fascination with

sounds, creation of imaginary characters or situations, and exploration of philosophical

issues and human emotions, plays a vital role in nurturing learners' abilities of literary

appreciation and understanding.

Poetry also supports the learning and teaching of English language. As specified in the

CDC Syllabus for English Language (Secondary 1-5) 1999, one of the Dimension Targets

of the English Language curriculum is to develop learners' capability to use English to

respond and give expression to real and imaginative experience. In this regard, the use of

poems in the language classroom has much to offer, as it develops learners' language

sensitivity as well as cultural awareness, creativity and critical thinking. Thus, while this

package is produced with the main aim of promoting the learning and teaching of English

Literature, teachers of English Language are greatly encouraged to select and adapt the

activities herein for use in the language classroom.

Aims

This resource package aims to

• facilitate the learning and teaching of English Literature at junior secondary level;

• provide resources and ideas for teachers on how to teach poetry; and

• help learners approach poetry analytically and creatively.

How to use this resource package

The resource package is distributed in a resource file and an audio CD.

The resource file is for teachers' handy reference. It consists of a collection of works

(24 poems and 9 song lyrics), each accompanied by some suggested activities.

The works, selected from a variety of sources, go under seven themes which appeal to

young learners' interest and experience: "Growing up", "Love and Relationships", "The

Natural World", "Science and Technology", "Hong Kong", "Humour" and "Description".

A few works by young writers, some of whom are students of local secondary schools,

have been specially chosen to inspire other young learners and to show them that writing

poems is very much within their capabilities.

While the texts of the majority of the works have been published in the resource file for

teachers' use, it has not been possible for five of the poems to be included, despite the

effort made to seek copyright permission. For these five poems, bibliographical references

are provided to help teachers locate them. Teachers might also try to look for them on the

Internet.

The suggested activities engage learners in a variety of ways, such as critical thinking and

appreciation, discussion and free expression of personal responses, exploration of different

cultures, self-reflection and creative work. Teachers may even find some of these activities

suitable for use in senior secondary classes. In any case, teachers are welcome to use and

adapt the activities to suit the abilities, needs and interests of their learners. They may

make copies of these activities for use in the classroom.

The audio CD consists of the audio versions of the poems and songs for which copyright

clearance has been obtained. These are included to enhance learners' appreciation of, and

give them more exposure to, the works.

We welcome feedback and suggestions from teachers when they have tried out the

resource materials with their learners. Comments and suggestions can be sent to the

Chief Curriculum Development Officer (English), Education Department, Room 1206,

Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, by e-mail to

<[email protected]> or <[email protected]> or by facsimile on (852) 2834 7810.

For further enquiries about this package, please contact the English Section on (852)

2892 5854 or (852) 2892 5873.

Acknowledgements

We are most grateful to the following members of the Curriculum Development Council(CDC) Ad Hoc Committee on English Literature (Secondary 4-7) 2000-2001 for their

expert advice and untiring effort in selecting the poems and songs for this resource package,

and developing and refining the activities:

Austin, Lyn Hong Kong Examinations Authority

Cunanan, Theresa Diocesan Girls' School

Ingham, Michael Lingnan University

Kennedy, Graham Hong Kong Examinations Authority

Li, Carrie Heep Yunn School

Li, Catherine Marymount Secondary School

Slethaug, Gordon The University of Hong Kong

Tham, Simon Quality Assurance Division, Education Department

Yam, Elsie St. Paul's Secondary School

Special thanks are due to members of the CDC Key Learning Area Committee onEnglish Language Education 2000-2001 for reviewing the draft of the resource package.

We are also grateful to members of the CDC English Literature Subject Committee(Secondary) 1997-1999 for initiating the development of this package.

We would also like to thank the following organizations/individuals for permission to

reproduce copyright material:

Austin, Lyn for the haikus

Bahlke, George W. for the poem "Sun" by his late wife Valerie Worth

Berrie, Andrew for the poem "The Magnificent Pendulum Clock"

Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency for the poem "One Question from a Bullet"

Chan, Candy of Heep Yunn School for the poem "The Legend of Chris Wong"

Egmont Children's Books Ltd. for the poem "Us Two"

EMI Hong Kong for the sound recording of "Born Free"

EMI Music Publishing Hong Kong for the melody and lyrics of "What a WonderfulWorld"

Hal Leonard Corporation for the melody and lyrics of "Longer"

Harold Ober Associates for the poem "Madam and her Madam"

Henry Holt and Company, LLC for the poem "The Last Word of a Bluebird

(as Told to a Child)"

Hind, Joanna for the poem "What if People Had Buttons"

James Reeves Estate and Laura Cecil Literary Agency for the poem "The Sea"

Murphy, Mike for the poem "How Long"

Orion Publishing Group, Ltd. for the poem "The Nose"

peermusic (S.E. Asia) Ltd. for the melody and lyrics of "Puff the Magic Dragon"

Penguin Books Ltd. for the poem "Billy McBone"

Shaffer, Ulrich for the poem "Let's Talk about It"

So, Wai Man Ruby of Belilios Public School for the poem "AutobiographicalNote"

Sony/ATV Music Publishing (Hong Kong) for the melody and lyrics of"Born Free" and the lyrics of "Morning Has Broken"

Thomson, Charles for the poem "I've Got a"

Tong, Frances Yao for the poem "You Are ..."

Universal Music Limited for the sound recording of "What a Wonderful World"

Universal Music Publishing Ltd. for the melody and lyrics of "Que Sera, Sera(Whatever Will Be, Will Be)"

Warner/Chapell Music, H.K. Ltd. for the melody and lyrics of "Carry on TillTomorrow", "I am a Rock", "Puff the Magic Dragon", "We are the World" and"What a Wonderful World"

ContentsPage

I. Growing up

1. Let s Talk about It 1

2. Shy 4

3. You Are.. . 7

4. Only the Moon 10

5. Us Two 13

6. Mirror, Mirror 15

7. Que Sera, Sera 18

(Whatever Will Be, Will Be)

8. Puff the Magic Dragon 20

9. Carry on Till Tomorrow 22

10. I am a Rock 24

II. Love and Relationships

11. We are the World 27

12. Longer 29

13. How Long 31

14. World Geography and 33

the Rainbow Alliance

HI. The Natural World

15. Sun 35

16. Ant 37

17. The Sea 39

18. Born Free 43

19. What a Wonderful World 45

20. Morning Has Broken 47

21. The Last Word of a Bluebird 49

(as Told to a Child)

IV. Science and Technology

22. What if People Had Buttons ... ? 52

23. I've Got a 54

V. Hong Kong

24. Autobiographical Note 56

25. Haikus 59

VI. Humour

26. Bitter Butter 61

27. The Legend of Chris Wong 64

28. Madam and her Madam 67

29. Billy McBone 70

VII. Description

30. The Magnificent Pendulum Clock 73

31. Diamond Cut Diamond 75

32. The Nose 77

33. One Question from a Bullet 79

End Notes 82

Glossary of Terms 83

I. Growing up

Let's Talk about ItI knowthat you thinkyou knowwhat is good for me,

but

I also think

that I know

what is good for me.

I know

you mean well,

but

I also mean wellfor myself,

and in the end

I have to live my life.

10

15

Can we talk about it

and come up with something better

than either your or my opinion?

Ulrich Schaffer

Reprinted courtesy of Ulrich Shaffer

1. Listen only to Stanza one and Stanza two of this poem and answer these questions:

H"H

(a) Who might be the "I" in the poem? *

I(b) Who might be the "you" in the poem?

(c) What is their relationship? Are they friendly, loving, caring, lacking in

understanding or hostile towards each other?

2. Before listening to the last stanza, discuss how the poem might continue and end.

3. Now listen to the last stanza of the poem. Is the suggestion what you imagined the

conclusion would be? How might the question in the stanza be answered?

4. With another student, consider the following situations. Choose one of the situations,

and prepare a conversation between the two characters.

CfQ

Situation 1

A

B

You are a young person who spends more than three hours chatting on

ICQ every day.

You are a parent whose child always stays up very late at night on ICQ.

You are worried that this is bad for school work and his/her health.

Situation 2

A

B

You are a student who spends at least two hours playing electronic or

computer games every day. You have just had an argument with your

mother who wants you to work harder in your studies.

You are a dear friend and classmate of A. You feel that he/she has not

been doing well at school lately. He/She always yawns and hardly

concentrates during lessons. You really want to help your friend.

Situation 3

A

B

You are thinking of studying in England together with your cousin but

you also feel sorry about leaving your family friends and classmates in

Hong Kong.

You are As father. You think this is a very good chance for your son or

daughter to improve his/her English, get in touch with a foreign

culture and learn to be independent.

ShySometimes when I don't want to go

To visit someone I don't know,

They never stop to ask me why.

5he's shy

They say 5

She's shy

Or if we're leaving someone's house,

They say I'm quiet as a mouse

When I forget to say good-bye.

She's shy 10

They soy

She's shy

Cat's got her tongue, they always say,

She often does clam up this way,

She's silent as a stone today. 15

She's shy

They soy

She's shy

I am not shy - or if I am

I'm not a mouse or stone or clam. 20

I like to look and listen to

What other people say and do.

If I can't think of things to say,

Why should I say things anyway?

I don't see why 25

That makes me shy

Mary Ann Hoberman

Reprinted courtesy of Gina Maccoby Literary Agency

1. In the poem, the adults compare the girl to three things. What are they?

Why is each chosen?

2. (a) Identify the rhyming words in the poem with the help of the following table:

Stanza one: "go" rhymes with

€why" rhymes with

Stanza two: "house" rhymes with

"goodbye" rhymes with

Stanza three: "say" rhymes with

"today" rhymes with

Stanza four: "am" rhymes with

W rhymes with

"say" rhymes with

(b) Why are these chosen to rhyme?

3. Consider the chorus:

"She's shy

they say

she's shy"

Discuss the following questions:

(a) These rhyming and repetitive words have been chosen for musical effect,

but there may be other reasons as well. What might they be?

CTQ

(b) Why is the chorus repeated?

Ig* (c) Why does the chorus change in the last two lines?

OQ

4. Do you think this girl is shy after all? What advice would you give her?

5. Have you ever been labelled in a certain way that makes you feel uncomfortable?Write a diary entry to describe that feeling. Why do you think you have been

labelled that way? Is there any way to change that?

6. Do other people see us the way we see ourselves? How do you think other peoplesee you? Who understands this "real you" the best?

You Are...You are a sandy seashore,

Decorated with everlasting shells,

With cool water caressing you,

Under the clear blue sky.

You are a cozy comfy house,

Always making me feel welcomed.

An old pine tree,

Always there for me.

You are a metaphor,

Sometimes clear and sometimes not.

A colorful cloud,

Forever changing and never stopping.

At times I don't fully understand you,

But I do try really hard to,

For you are a lighthouse in the dark,

Guiding me through my soul. 16

Frances Yao Tong

Reprinted courtesy of Frances Yao Tong

1. The speaker compares "You" to different things in the poem, like "a sandy seashore"

in line 1.

(a) List the other things the person has been compared to by filling in the following

table.

Stanza 1

Stanza 2

Stanza 3

Stanza 4

i)

ii)

iii)

iv)

v)

vi)

You Are...

a sandy seashore

(b) What do the objects tell you about the speakers feeling towards that person?

i) a sandy seashore:

ii)

iii)

iv)

v)

vi)

o

(c) The "You" in the poem is generally compared to natural objects. But Stanza

three compares him/her to a metaphor. What are the possible reasons for this

change and what are the effects?

OQ

^ 2. Based on the description of any ONE stanza, draw a sketch / picture of "You".

3. Who could be "You" in the poem? Support your answer with reasons. Then share

your ideas with a partner.

4. The poem is written by a 12-year-old student. Find two or three examples that

might indicate the age of the speaker/author.

5. Think about your relationship with another person close to you. Find one stanza

that you think suitably describes your relationship with him/her. Explain your

choice.

6. Write a short poem of four lines describing one person close to you. You can keep

the same title "You Are ..." or create another one.

7. Read your poem aloud in class.

Only the Moonby Wong May

Source:

Thumboo, E. (1976). The Second Tongue:

An Anthology of Poetry from Malaysia and

Singapore. Singapore: Heinemann, Educational

Books (Asia).

1. When the poet was a child, she associated the moon with different things.

When you were a small child, what did you associate the following things with? ^

OComplete the following sentences by putting the letters "a", "b", "c" and "d" 3

(Column B) in the right blanks under Column A. g*CTQp

When I was a child I thought... *O

Column A Column B

the sun was a. a firefly

sunrise was b. the last train

sunset was c. an orange

a star was d. a rosebud

Now complete as many of the following blanks as you can.

shooting stars were

wind was

rain was

thunder was

lightning was

rainbow was

2. Discuss the following:

(a) What stories are told about the moon in the Chinese culture? Did you,

or do you still, believe any of them? Give reasons.

(b) Why does the poet now see the moon as "nothing but the moon",

_ and not what she believed as a child?tCfQg (c) Have you had similar experiences (i.e. change of points of view)?

nPj

Share them with your partner(s).

Us TwoWherever I am, there's always Pooh,

There's always Pooh and Me.

Whatever I do, he wants to do,

"Where are you going to-day?" says Pooh:

"Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too. 5

Let's go together," says Pooh, says he.

"Let's go together," says Pooh.

"What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh,

("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.)

"I think it ought to be twenty-two. 10

Just what I think myself," said Pooh.

"It wasn't an easy sum to do.

But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he.

"That's what it is," said Pooh.

"Let's look for dragons," I said to Pooh. 15

"Yes, let's," said Pooh to Me.

We crossed the river and found a few -

"Yes, those are dragons all right," said Pooh.

"As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.

That's what they are," said Pooh, said he. 20

"That's what they are," said Pooh.

"Let's frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh.

"That's right," said Pooh to Me.

"I'm not afraid," I said to Pooh,

And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo! 25

Silly old dragons!" - and off they flew.

"I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he.

"I'm never afraid with you."

li

&

f* ~\~ ~

So wherever I am, there's always Pooh,

There's always Pooh and Me. 30

"What would I do?" I said to Pooh,

"If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True,

It isn't much fun for One, but Two

Can stick together," says Pooh, says he.

"That's how it is," says Pooh. 35

A.A. Milne

X *JFrom Now We Are Six © A.A. Milne. Copyright under the Berne Convention.Published by Methuen, an imprint of Egmont Children's Books Limited,London and used with permission.

1. "Us Two" is about a young boy (in other poems and fiction, he is calledChristopher Robin) and his favorite teddy bear, Pooh, who seems to have a lifeand thoughts of his own. Can you find examples of this kind of companionshipin other poems, stories, films and cartoons?

2. Does the bear always agree with what the boy says? What does this tell us abouttheir relationship?

3. The third stanza of the poem is about the boy's encounter with dragons. Theillustration, however, suggests that there might not really be any dragons. Is thereany hint of this in the poem itself? What is it?

4. If there is a line that sums up the message to this poem, what is it?

5. What does this poem suggest about growing up?

6. Why might it not be clear whether or not the teddy bear is alive?

7. Write a short poem about your relationship with a stuffed animal/a toy/an animal.Begin like this: "Wherever I am, there's always ...."

8. The poem is presented in the form of a dialogue. How does the dialogue structureadd to your understanding of the poem?

Mirror, Mirrorby Chung Yee Chong

Source:

Thumboo, E. (1976). The Second Tongue:

An Anthology of Poetry from Malaysia

and Singapore. Singapore: Heinemann,

Educational Books (Asia).

1. The phrase "Mirror, Mirror" is taken from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Consider the following: _

b(a) What role does the mirror play in the Snow White story? 3

(b) Why does the wicked stepmother talk to the mirror?

(c) What do you think are the reasons for making use of the story in this poem?

2. How might the poem be different if the speaker were male?

3. As you grow up, do you think you have more worries and doubts about some

things in life? Write down two things you feel uncertain about as a teenager.

Show them to your partner. Do you share the same worries?

4. Think about how much you and your life have changed between now and, say,

four years ago. In groups of three, talk about three of the following areas:

• Physical growth (e.g. Taller? Stronger?)

• Character development (e.g. Shyer? Braver?)

• Hobbies and interests

• Relationship with family members

• School life (e.g. studies, school functions or activities, teachers)

• Social life (e.g. circle of friends)

• Overall, do you feel happier? Or do you feel sadder?

5. Do you like growing up? Why or why not? Discuss this with a partner or in a

small group.

CfQS 6. What changes would you expect to have in your life in four years' time? You may

like to think about the areas suggested in Question 4 and make a list of expected

changes. Compare your list with your friend's.

7. Imagine that the mirror you have used for years wrote a letter to you. It presented

the changes it saw in you all these years and how it thought about those changes.

Now play the role of the mirror and draft the letter. Then discuss the draft with a

partner. Re-draft the letter based on your partner's feedback.

Que Sera, Sera(Whatever Will Be, Will Be)When I was just a little girl

I asked my Mother, "What will I be?

Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?"

Here's what she said to me:

"Que sera sera, Whatever will be, will be. 5

The future's not ours to see.

Que sera, sera, What will be, will be."

When I grew up and fell in love

I asked my lover, "What will I be?

Will I have rainbows day after day?"

Here's what my lover said:

Now I have children of my own, 15

They ask their Mother, "What will I be?

Will I be handsome? Will I be rich?"

I tell them tenderly:

"Que sera sera, Whatever will be, will be.

The future's not ours to see. 20


Jay Livingston and Ray Evans

10

"Que sera, sera, Whatever will be, will be

The future's not ours to see.


Reprinted courtesy of Universal Music Publishing Limited

1. How would you describe the mood of this song?

Q Playful?

Q Sad?

Q Thoughtful?

Q Questioning?

Q Other: ?

Write two or three sentences explaining your choice.

2. What difference does it make to the song that the speaker is a girl?

In line 17, the child asks the mother, "Will I be handsome?" How does this

phrasing affect your understanding of the speaker and poem in any way?

3. The song has a certain idea of fate - "Whatever will be, will be". What is your

opinion about this idea?

4. How does the music affect your attitude to the lyrics?

5. Imagine you are the song writer. Someone asks why you use the Spanish

expression, "Que sera". Suggest one or two possible reasons.

s

Puff the Magic DragonPuff, the magic dragon

Lived by the sea

And frolicked in the autumn mist

In a land called Honalee* 4

Little Jackie Paper

Loved that rascal Puff,

And brought him strings and ceiling wax,

And other fancy stuff. 8

(Chorus)

Together they would travel

On a boat with billowed sail

Jackie kept a lookout perched

On Puff's gigantic tail 12

Noble kings and princes

Would bow whene'er they came,

Pirate ships would lower their flag

When Puff roared out his name. Oh! 16

(Chorus)

A dragon lives forever

But not so little boys

Painted wings and giant rings

Make way for other toys. 20

One grey night it happened,

Jackie Paper came no more

And Puff that mighty dragon,

He ceased his fearless roar. 24

His head was bent in sorrow,

Green scales fell like rain,

Puff no longer went to play

Along the cherry lane. 28

Without his life-long friend,

Puff could not be brave,

So Puff that mighty dragon

Sadly slipped into his cave. Oh! 32

(Chorus)

Leonard Lipton & Peter Yarrow

(* See End Note 1 on page 82)

© 2000 Warner/Chappell Music, H.K. Ltd.Reprinted courtesy of peermusic (S.E. Asia) Ltd.

1. In your own words, describe the relationship between Puff and Jackie Paper.

2. Describe your relationship with a real or imagined friend. Think about g*OQc

• when your relationship began and how it grew ^

• your activities together, secrets shared, memorable events

• any problems or distance between you that developed

• the relationship right now

3. Most songs and poems have some kind of development based upon language,

stanza or verse divisions, and character change. Describe the development in this

song.

4. In what way do the repeated sentences (i.e. the refrain/chorus) affect your reaction

to this song?

5. What does this song say about growing up?

6. When Peter, Paul and Mary sing this song, there is an obvious change in tone.

Where does this change occur? How does this help you understand the lyrics

better?

Carry on Till TomorrowIn younger days, I told myself my life would be my own

And I'd leave the place where sunshine never shone

For my life's too short for waiting when I see the rising sun

Then I know again that I must carry on

Carry on till tomorrow, there's no reason to look back 5

Carry on, carry on, carry on

Beyond the shadows of the clouds and onward to the sky

Carry on till I find the rainbow's end

For my life's too short for waiting when I see the rising sun

Then I know again that I must carry on 10

Carry on till tomorrow, there's no reason to look back


Drifting on the wings of freedom, leave this stormy day

And we'll ride to tomorrow's golden fields

For my life's too short for waiting when I see the rising sun 15



And when the heavy journey's done, I'll rest my weary head

For the world and its colours will be mine

For my life's too short for waiting when I see the setting sun 20


Carry on till tomorrow, there's no reason to look back

Carry on, carry on, carry on ^ ^̂ b??^ ' ^x

Peter William Ham and Thomas Evans

© 2000 Warner/Chappell Music, H.K. Ltd.

1. Central to this song are images relating to nature, especially the weather.

List the phrases containing those images, stanza by stanza. The first one

has been done for you.

Sunshine never shone

2. How would you describe the weather or day's cycle in each stanza?

3. Why does the song use images of weather? What is the relationship between

those images and the feelings of the speaker?

4. Stanza three uses the phrase "wings of freedom". How does this phrase relate

to the other images you have identified in question 1 and to the attitude of

the speaker?

5. This is a song about the process of growth and decay. Is it positive or negative?

Discuss.

I am a RockOn a winter's day

In a deep and dark December,

I am aloneGazing from my window to the streets below

On a freshly-fallen silent shroud of snow.

I am a Rock.I am an Island.

I've built walls, a fortress deep and mighty

That none may penetrate.

I have no need for friendship,

Friendship causes pain.

It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.


10

15Don't talk of love

Well, I've heard the words before.

They're sleeping in my memory.

I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died

If I never loved, I never would have cried.

I am a Rock. 20

I am an Island.

I have my books

And my poetry to protect me.

I am shielded in my armour.

Hiding in my room, safe within my womb, 25

I touch no one and no one touches me.


And a Rock feels no pain,

And an Island never cries. 30

Paul Simon


1. Why is this song called "1 am a Rock"?

2. Why is the rock compared to an island?

3. The song begins with an image of winter. How does this image affect you?

4. Why is the snow cover described as a "shroud" (line 5)?

5. Is there any line in the song which suggests that the speaker is female or male?

If so, does your reading of the song change as a result?

6. Stanza one deals with loneliness (not including the refrain). Stanza two deals with

frustration. Stanza three deals with love. Where does this development lead in

Stanza four?

7. Discuss the following:

(a) Stanzas one and three (not including the refrains) have something in common.

What is it? Describe the relationship between Stanzas one and three.

(b) Stanzas two and four (not including the refrains) have something in common.

What is it? Describe the relationship between Stanzas two and four.

(c) Why might the lyrics writer divide the song this way?

8. The song seems to present certain values or beliefs in a negative way, for example,

"It's laughter and it's loving I disdain" in line 12.

(a) Does the speaker really mean it? Provide reasons for your response.

OQ

£(b) Find similar examples and discuss them.

9. Is there any change in attitude in the song?

II. Love and Relationships

We are the World*There comes a time when we hear a certain call

When the world must come together as one.

There are people dying oh

And it's time to lend a hand to life

The greatest gift of all.

We can't go on pretending day by day

That someone somewhere will soon make a change

We are all a part of God's great big family

And the truth you know love is all we need.

f We are the world w

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day so let's start giving.

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

It's true we'll make a better day 15

Just you and me.

Well send them your heart

So they'll know that someone cares

And their lives will be stronger and free.

As God has shown us 20

By turning stone to bread

So we all must lend a helping hand.

When you're down and out there seems no hope at all

But if you just believe there's no way we can fall

Oh oh oh! Let us realize

Oh that a change can only come when we stand together as one.

(Repeat*)

Michael Joe Jackson and Lionel B. Richie


25


1. Who does the word "we" (line 1) refer to? Who does the word "they" refer to?

[2. According to Stanza one, what is the greatest gift of all? £

Q-

8?„ „ „ , I3. What is the relationship the speaker wants to be developed between "they" and "we"? §

i4. What in the speakers opinion is lacking in our world? Give reasons for your answer.

5. Stanza three suggests "let's start giving". Can you suggest what we can do in our daily

lives to help make a better world for us and others?

6. How can you make your days happier at school?

7. Share with your classmates an experience in which your teachers/parents/friends

help you solve a problem when you feel really down.

8. If possible, watch the music video and write a few sentences about how you feel

afterwards.

LongerLonger than there've been fishes in the ocean

Higher than any bird ever flew

Longer than there've been stars up in the heavens,

I've been in love with you.

Stronger than any mountain cathedral. 5

Truer than any tree ever grew,

Deeper than any forest primeval,


I'll bring fire in the winters,

You'll send showers in the springs, 10

We'll fly through the falls and summers

With love on our wings.

Through the years, as the fire starts to mellow

Burning lines in the book of our lives,

Though the binding cracks and the pages start to yellow, 15

I'll be in love with you.

I'll be in love with you.

Longer than there've been fishes in the ocean

Higher than any bird ever flew

Longer than there've been stars up in the heavens,


I am in love with you.

ban Fogelberg

20

Longer

Dan Fogelberg

OP: EMI SONGS LTD./EMI APRIL MUSIC/INC../HICKORY GROVE MUSIC

1. Refer to Stanzas one and two. List at least five examples of how the speaker

describes his/her relationship with his/her lover.

2. What does the speaker try to tell us by mentioning the four seasons in Stanza three?

o

3. What does the speaker compare his/her relationship with his/her lover to in £ft

Stanza four?

4. A lot of comparisons are used in the song. How true to life are these comparisons?

How LongHow long before this world will be,

A safer place for you and me?

How long before all wars will cease?

How long before there's lasting peace? 4

How long before we speak no more,

Of tanks and guns and nuclear war?

How long before we see the birth,

Of true respect for Mother Earth? 8

How long before we don't need chains,

And tolerance and conscience reigns?

How long before we see the light,

And justice rules instead of might? 12

How long before there's no more hate?

How long before it is too late?

How long before humanity,

Can live in peace and harmony? 16

How long before we all will see,

A world where everyone is free?

How long before all this will be?

It's up to you! It's up to me! 20

Mike Murphy

Reprinted courtesy of Mike Murphy

1 . In a small group, consider one of the questions below and give reasons for

your answer. _

(a) Do you think this world is a safe place to live in? L,

(b) Will wars ever cease? <

(c) Will there ever be a nuclear war? g

(d) Will the problem of world pollution ever be solved? ng

(e) Will human beings ever live in harmony? ^

5-g

2. Work in pairs. Read the poem aloud to your partner. Ask him/her to listen for the

rhyming words without looking at the poem as you read it. Then, read out the

poem again, but this time pause before the second rhyming word at the end of each

couplet. Ask your partner to give the rhyming word.

3. Write a "wish list" of things the writer wants to see and doesn't want to see in the

world of the 21st century. Then write a similar but perhaps slightly different "wish

list" of your own.

4. In groups, perform the poem for the class.

5. Write another rhyming couplet to include before the final verse, for example,

"How long before the terrorist,

Will disappear and not exist?"

6. Write a short poem in any form you like with the title "How far?" or "How much?"

World Geography andthe Rainbow Allianceby Meiling Jin

Source:

Collie, J. and Ladousse, 6.P. (1993). Paths into Poetry.

Oxford: Oxford University Press.

r

1. There is a contrast in the poem between the "real" world and the "dream"

world of the future or the past. Find words/phrases/images in the poem that

are associated with either of the categories below. Some of these have been

done for you.J

6World of reality World of dreams &.

EKingston should we ever £5"

nowhere free jjg*

2. Discuss the possible meanings of "rainbow" in line 11.

3. What do you think "ancestors coffins" (line 17) stand for?

4. Where does the speaker really want to go?

5. What is the significance of the repetition of "You and I" in the poem?

How do you feel about your being included in the poem?

6. What effect do the questions (lines 7, 9, 15 and 17) have on the mood of

the poem?

7. Do you think the speaker of the poem will eventually be able to find the

place where we, i.e. the speaker and the reader, belong? Give your reasons.

III. The Natural World

SunThe sun

Is a leaping fire

Too hot

To go near, ^

But it will still

Lie down

In warm yellow squares

On the floor 8

Like a flat

Quilt, where

The cat can curl

And purr. 12

Valerie Worth

Reprinted courtesy of George W. Bahike

1. What are the simile and the metaphor in this poem?

Htr2. What images of the sun have the words created? JL

3. What is the difference between the two images?

4. Make a list of more similes and metaphors of the sun you can think of.

Draw them.

5. Based on the format of this poem, write another on a similar topic, e.g. snow,

moon, water, etc. You may plan your poem like this:

First stanza: A comparison — What is the chosen topic like?

(Use a metaphor.)

Refer to the sense of touch — Is it hot or cold?

Is it rough or smooth, etc.?

Second stanza: Another way in which this topic appears.

(Use another metaphor.)

Third stanza: Use a simile to continue the image described in

the second stanza.

Antby Zoe Bailey

Source:

Sadler, R.K. and Hayllar, T.A.S. (1997).

Poetry for Pleasure. Melbourne:

AAacMillan Education Australia.

1. In lines 1-8, how does life above ground compare to the ant's home underground?

32. What sound do the raindrops make as they fall to earth? JL

3. Find one example of each in the poem:

(a) Alliteration

(b) Assonance

(c) Metaphor

(d) Onomatopoeia

(e) Personification

(f) Simile

(You might like to refer to the section "Glossary of Terms" on pages 83-88if you are not sure about their meanings.)

4. Find 10 action words in the poem and explain why they are effective.Draw pictures for three of them.

5. Imagine you are the ant. Tell the story of your escape from the flood to yourhusband Anthony/your wife Antonia.

6. If possible, see the film "A Bug's Life". Do you see any similarities between thepoem and the movie?

The SeaThe sea is a hungry dog,

Slant and grey.

He rolls on the beach all day.

With his clashing teeth and shaggy jaws

Hour upon hour he gnaws 5

The rumbling, tumbling stones,

And 'Bones, bones, bones, bones!1

The giant sea-dog moans,

Licking his greasy paws.

7

A

And when the night wind roars 10

And the moon rocks in the stormy cloud,

He bounds to his feet and snuffs and sniffs,

Shaking his wet sides over the cliffs,

And howls and hollos long and loud.

But on quiet days in May or June, 15

When even the grasses on the dune

Play no more their reedy tune,

With his head between his paws

He lies on the sandy shores,

So quiet, so quiet, he scarcely snores. 20

James Reeves

© James Reeves from COMPLETE POEMS FOR CHILDREN (HEINEMANN)

Reprinted by permission of the James Reeves Estate

1. Read the poem, then match the poetic techniques in Column A with the examples

in Column B. The first one has been done for you. In some cases more than one

answer can be accepted. If you need help with the techniques, refer to the section

"Glossary of Terms" on pages 83-88.

Column A

A. Alliteration

B. Assonance

C. Contrast

D. Enjambement

E. Metaphor

E Onomatopoeia

G.Personification

H. Repetition

Column B

E the sea is a hungry dog (line 1)

clashing teeth and shaggy jaws (line 4)

. hour upon hour he gnaws/The rumbling,tumbling stones (lines 5-6)

. bones, bones, bones, bones (line 7)

. snuffs and sniffs (line 12)

. howls and hollos long and loud (line 14)

But on quiet days in May or June (line 15)

he scarcely snores (line 20)

ft

2. Do a rhyme scheme for the poem. The first three lines have been done for you.

The sea is a hungry dog,

Giant and grey.



Hour upon hour he gnaws


And 'Bones, bones, bones, bones!'



And when the night wind roars





But on quiet days in May or June,



ABB

Hsr



So quiet, so quiet, he scarcely snores.

3. Can you visualize the poem? On separate sheets, draw pictures to show the

comparison between the dog and the sea, as suggested in the table below:

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Picture 5

Picture 6

Picture 7

Picture 8

The sea is a hungry dog,

Giant and grey.



Hour upon hour he gnaws





And when the night wind roars





But on quiet days in May or June,






Look at the pictures you have drawn. Do you think that the comparison is

appropriate and effective?

Suggested activity for the poems "Ant", "Sun" and "The Sea":

Form groups of three to four.

Each group chooses one poem and performs it.

Born FreeBorn free, as free as the wind blows,

As free as the grass grows,

Born free to follow your heart.

Live free, and beauty surrounds you,

The world still astounds you, 5

Each time you look at a star.

Stay free, here no walls divide you,

You're free as a roaring tide

So there's no need to hide.

Born free, and life is worth living 10

But only worth living 'cause you're born free.

Do/7 Block

"Born Free"-100%

OC: Don Black / John Barry

OP: Sony/ATV Songs LLC

SP: Sony/ATV Music Publishing (Hong Kong)

1. (a) What does the poet/lyrics writer compare man's freedom to?

Born free to

Live free, and

The still astounds you,

Each time you .

Stay free, here ,

You're free as

So .

Born free, and life is worth living

But only worth living 'cause you're born free.

(b) Could you use other comparisons to illustrate the same idea? £L

I1

(c) Could you change such similes into metaphors?

2. Do you feel that you enjoy the freedom mentioned in the song? Why or why not?

3. Apart from being "born free", what other things make life "worth living"?

4. This song is set in a natural landscape. Write a poem on freedom set in a city.

You might consider using the following suggested format:

Born Free

Born free, as free as ,

As free as ,

M V

What a Wonderful WorldI see trees of green, red roses too

I see them bloom for me and you

And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night 5

And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

The colours of the rainbow so pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces of people going by

I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do

They're really saying I love you. w

© 2000 Warner/Chappell Music, H.K. Ltd.Reprinted courtesy of EMI Music Publishing Hong Kong

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow

They'll learn much more than I'll never know

And I think to myself what a wonderful world

Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world.

Robert Thiele and George David Weiss

1 . What wonderful things does the song writer find in (a) the natural world, and(b) the human world?

2. Think of five more things to prove that it is "a wonderful world". Which of Zyour five senses do they appeal to? fj j j

I

3. This is a very colourful song, showing the lyrics writer's admiration of the world.In a similar way, write a poem showing your appreciation of a certain subject.You might consider using the following suggested format:

What (a) Wonderfiil

I see of green, red

I see them

And I think to myself what a wonderful

I see blue and white

The bright , the dark

And I think to myself what a wonderful .

The colours of

Are also on

I see

saying .

I hear

They'll

And I think to myself what a wonderful

Yes I think to myself what a wonderful _

4. Write a poem on the theme of "seasons", "times of the day", etc. As preparation,form groups and collect images and words that will help you with the writing.

Morning Has BrokenMorning has broken, like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning

Praise for the springing fresh from the world 4

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven

Like the first dewfall*, on the first grass

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden

Sprung in completeness where his feet pass 8

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning

Born of the one light, Eden saw play

Praise with elation, praise every morning

God's recreation of the new day 12

Eleanor Farjeon

(*See End Note 3 on page 82 )

"Morning Has Broken" - 100%OC: Cat Stevens / Eleanor FarjeonOP: Cat Music Ltd.SP: Sony/ATV Music Publishing (Hong Kong)

1. Comment on the rhymes used in the song.

H

2. List the similes used in the song. Could you suggest any other possible comparisons JL

that depict similar descriptions? £

3. What different things about morning does the lyrics writer admire?

4. Why does the writer use expressions like "first morning", "first bird", "Eden"

and "Gods creation"?

5. Make a list of the words and similes you can think of to describe a Hong Kong

morning.

6. Collect pictures, drawings and images about Hong Kong mornings and write

captions for them.

The Last Word of aBluebird(as Told to a Child)As I went out a Crow

In a low voice said, 'Oh,

I was looking for you.

How do you do?

I just came to tell you

To tell Lesley (will you?)

That her little Bluebird

Wanted me to bring word

That the north wind last night

That made the stars bright 10

And made ice on the trough

Almost made him cough

His tail feathers off.

He just had to fly!

But he sent her Goodbye

And said to be good,

And wear her red hood,

And look for skunk tracks

In the snow with an axe -

And do everything!

And perhaps in the spring

He would come back and sing.'

Robert Frost

20

"The Last Word of a Bluebird as told to a child" by Robert Frostfrom THE POETRY OF ROBERT FROSTedited by Edward Connery Lathem,© 1930 by Henry Holt and Co., © 1944 by Robert Frost.Reprinted by permission of Henry Holt and Company, LLC

1. Read the poem aloud with a partner.

2. Which line has four syllables?

3. Fill in the boxes below to show the chain of speakers by which the message

will reach Lesley:

Lesley

4. Do a rhyme scheme for the poem. The first three lines have been done for you.

Note that lines 18 and 19 rhyme although this is not clear from the written words.

As I went out a Crow



How do you do?

I just came to tell you

To tell Lesley (will you?)

That her little Bluebird

Wanted me to bring word

That the north wind last night

That made the stars bright

And made ice on the trough

Almost made him cough

His tail feathers off.

He just had to fly!

But he sent her Goodbye

And said to be good,

And wear her red hood,

And look for skunk tracks

In the snow with an axe —

And do everything!


He would come back and sing.'

A

B

5. How many rhyming couplets are there in the poem?

6. Which words in the poem have capital letters (except the initial word of each line)

and why?

7. What is the effect of the exclamation marks in lines 14 and 20?

8. In your own words, what is/are the most important part(s) of the message?

9. You are Lesley. Send an e-mail to the Bluebird in reply to the Crow's message.

IV. Science and Technology

What if PeopleHad Buttons...?What if people had BUTTONS

And I could CONTROL them

Or PROGRAMME them

To behave how I wanted?

Wake up - GAME START

SELECT MODE:

HAPPY for Mum

(She spends SO much time in GRUMPY mode)

HELPFUL for Dad

(It's about time he cleaned my bedroom) w

CONTENTED for brothers and sisters

(That'll get them off my back) -

and for me?

What shall I be today?

LAZY (It's Sunday). 15

Tomorrow?

CLEVER (it's school).

The next day?

AGREEABLE (I need the pocket money!)

How much EASIER life would be - 20

Depending on who's pressing the buttons, of course!

Joanna Hind

Reprinted courtesy of Joanna Hind

1. How does the speaker find his/her parents, brothers and sisters? Explain your

answer. aC/D

2. Would life be easier if people had buttons and you could programme them to g

behave in the way you like? Give reasons for your answers. CL

2-o*3. If you could programme your parents to behave how you wanted, how would you ^

like them to behave? Explain your choice.

4. If your parents could programme how they wanted you to behave, how do you

think they would programme you? Explain your choice.

5. Why is there a difference between what your parents want of you and what you

want of them?

I've £ot aI've got a radio,

I play it all day.

I've got a radio

hey! hey! hey!

I've got a computer.

I'm great, I am.

I've got a computer

bleep! bleep! BUM! 16

I've got a cassette.

I play it all night.

I've got a cassette

I'm alright.

I've got a telly.

It's on all year.

I've got a telly -

It's over here.

I've got a CD,

I'm really proud.

I've got a CD -

I turn it up loud. 20

12

There's one thing missing,

Which I can't explain.

There's one thing missing

and that's my 24

Charles Thomson

Reprinted courtesy of Charles Thomson

1. What is the speaker's attitude towards electronic equipment?

C/5c.2. In the last stanza, the speaker says, "There's one thing missing/and that's my".

What is missing in the speaker? Give reasons for your answer.

3. What is the effect of the repetition in the first five stanzas? What is different

about the repetition in the final stanza?

4. What kind of activities do you think the speaker would enjoy in his/her spare time?

List 3 activities and give reasons for your choice.

5. Would you enjoy them? Why?

i?

V. Hong Kong

Autobiographical NoteKing Tin Court, the place, in Shatin:

We had lived there until my age of fourteen.

Every day at 3 o'clock,

We all rushed downstairs,

And played with kids in usual wear. 5

Like Monkeys,

We trotted, we sang, we slipped.

Like dolphins,

We jumped, we sang, we slipped.

Whenever we became weary, 10

We chatted freely.

Regardless of sex,

'Ladies first1 never existed.

As we grow up,

Pure friendship is merely a dream. 15

Gossiping is

The girls' ice-cream,

The poison of sincere hand-shaking,

The way of communicating.

Expensive fashion is a condition of making friends,

In fact, we are making fences.

Boys play with boys,

Girls play with girls,

Once a boy plays with a girl,

There must be a sort of love affair. 25

Whampoa Estate, the place, in Hunghom:

We have lived there for a year.


No more monkeys,

No more dolphins. 30

So Wai Man, Ruby, a Secondary 5 student

of Belilios Public School in 1999(Inspired by Vernon Scannell's "AutobiographicalNote")

Reprinted courtesy of So Wai Man, Ruby

1. How does the writer feel about the days when she was living in King Tin Court?

2.

3.

How does she feel about growing up?

Write a letter to a school friend who has emigrated, talking about the time you

spent together. Try to do so in more simple everyday language. You may begin your

letter like this:

Dear Chris,

Do you remember the good old days when we used to live in King Tin Court?

Hong K

ong

Compare and discuss the difference in language between the poem and the letter.

S3CfQ

4. Pair up with a partner. Ask each other about a change in your life that you feel

deeply about. Find out as many details as you can. Then each write a poem

about the change and the partner's response to it. Where possible, use similes

and/or metaphors. Read the draft to each other, make comments and rewrite.

Haikus*Yellow sky turns grey

Leaves flutter down from the trees

My love is away.

+ + +

Pink dolphins jump high

Whales frolic in the water

Waves prance in delight.

+ + +

Rain thundering down

Trees arch away from the storm

Typhoon season starts.

+ + +

Cycling from Shatin

Feet pedalling steadily on,

A magpie wheels by.

+ + +

Evening in Sai Kung:

The sea blushing fuzzy pink

The sky a red gash.

Rainy Monday night:

Bamboo creaking in the breeze

Frogs croaking loudly.

Lyn Austin

(* See definition on page 84)

1r * V—* r eg, 1/5—^>-^ \ T^^J•"»» ^- "*^*fc \̂ J/ ^^ '"'*•''.-^o^i^9

Reprinted courtesy of Lyn Austin

Yel I low I sky I turns I grey

Leaves I flut I ter I down I from I the I trees

My I love I is I a I way.

This line sets the scene.

This line adds more to the scene.

This line sums up the mood of the scene.

Examine the example provided in the box above. This may help you answer some ofthe following questions.

1. Work in pairs. Each read three of the six haikus aloud. Then discuss the following:(a) Haikus have a unique sound pattern on the whole and in terms of the number

of syllables per line. With your partner, find out about the pattern of syllablesin these haikus.

(b) A haiku appeals to different sensations, like sight, sound, smell, etc.Discuss with your partner which of these different sensations the six haikushave made use of, and the effect the haikus have on you.

2. Find a scene similar to one of these haikus in the district where you live or yourschool neighbourhood. Take a photograph or draw a picture of the scene.

Think of the colours, shapes and movements you see, the sounds or noises youhear, the odours and fragrances you smell, and any other sensations and feelingsyou experience.

Can you see any similarities or contrasts between what you see and feel and thesensations in the haikus?

Jot down your ideas and observations. Write your own haiku as caption to thephotograph or picture.

ffio

P

3. In pairs, think of a month of the year. Discuss the images, sensations and contrasts,etc. associated with that month. Write a haiku about the month, using some of theideas developed together. Record your haiku. Add some sound effect if you can.

VI. Humour

o

Before you read the poem "Bitter Butter" on the next page,

discuss the following in groups:

(a) Have you ever tried to make or cook something for yourself,

your family or friends?

(b) What was the food like?

(c) Was it successful?

Bitter ButterBetty Botter bought some butter,

But, she said, this butter's bitter:

If I put it in my batter,

It will make my batter bitter,

But a bit of better butter

Will make my batter better.

So she bought a bit of butter

Better than her bitter butter,

And she put it in her batter,

And it made her batter better,

So 'twas better Betty Botter

Bought a bit of better butter.

Anonymous

10

1. Practise reading the poem to yourself silently. You might find it helpful to tap your

finger on the desk as you read, so you can get an idea of the rhythm. Can you find ^

one line which has a slightly different rhythm from the others?ffl

O

n

2. Work with a partner. Read the poem aloud to each other.

3. The poem is difficult to read aloud. Why?

4. A poem like this is sometimes called a tongue-twister. What do you think that

means?

5. Do you find the poem funny? Why or why not?

6. See if you can write the first line of a poem beginning with the names and

ending with the food items given below:

Peter Piper pepper

Mary Martin mooncake

Donald Davis dim sum

Charlie Chester chocolate

Before you read the poem "The Lengend of Chris Wong" on the next page,

discuss the following in groups:

(a) What would you rather be? A movie star, a famous politician or a

brilliant scientist?

(b) What are the advantages and disadvantages of being each of these?

(c) Make a list of the things you think a good Chief Executive should do

in his/her job.

(d) Make a list of the things you think he/she should not do.

og

The Legend of Chris WongRich, young and handsome was he,

The most successful person in Hong Kong he might be.

Fame, fortune and wealth he gained,

Reputation in the financial circle he maintained.

Everybody honored him, Chris Wong, 5

The new chief executive of Hong Kong.

However, he was discovered to have bribed in the election,

And he had been committing corruption.

He also committed adultery

With his secretary, Mary. 10

The government discharged him in disappointment,

And he was sentenced to a seven-year imprisonment.

Since then he lost all the fame and wealth he had got,

Throughout the days he suffered a lot.

He no longer lived the way he used to live before, 15

And nobody had actually seen him anymore.

There was a rumor that he worked as a janitor in a school,

Or a lif esaver in a swimming pool.

Somebody had seen him peddling in the street,

And some had seen him selling wheat. 20

Somebody said he was mad,

And some even said he was already dead.

His legend became a widespread story,

For the rest of his life he remained missing mysteriously

Candy Chan, a Secondary 3 student of Heep Yunn

School in 1999

Reprinted courtesy of Candy Chan

1. Work in pairs. Read the poem aloud to your partner.

ffi

2. Legends are normally about people who are brave, heroic or noble in some way. 3

Do you think Chris Wong is any of these? Why or why not? §

3. Are you surprised by what happened to Chris Wong or not? Explain your reasons.

4. When a poem is serious and funny at the same time, it can be called ironic.

Do you think the poem is ironic? In what ways is it serious? In what ways is it

funny?

5. Write your own legend poem about either a movie star or a famous scientist.

Before you read the poem "Madam and her Madam" on the next page,

discuss the following questions in groups:

(a) Where do domestic helpers usually come from and why?

(b) What are their responsibilities? Make a list.

(c) What kind of problems do domestic helpers face?

ffi

o

Madam and her MadamI worked for a woman,

She wasn't mean -

But she had a twelve-room

House to clean. 4

Had to get breakfast,

Dinner, and supper, too -

Then take care of her children

When I got through. 8

Wash, iron, and scrub,

Walk the dog around -

It was too much,

Nearly broke me down.

I said, MadamCan it be

You are trying to make a

Pack-horse out of me?

She opened her mouth.

She cried, Oh no!

You know, Alberta,

I love you so!

I said, Madam,

That may be true -

But I'll be dogged

If I love you!

Langston Hughes

12

16

Reprinted courtesy of Harold Ober Associates

1. Work in pairs. Read the poem aloud to your partner.

2. Do you find the poem easy to read? Why? Why not?os

3. The poem could easily be a blues or rap song. Listen to an example of these songs

in the movie "Sister Act 2" and see if you agree.

4. Imagine you are a domestic helper. Choose one of the poems below. Then see if

you can write a second stanza for it. Try to use some of the responsibilities you

listed before.

I worked for a Hong Kong couple

They were very kind

They had a two-month old baby

Whom I was asked to mind.

I worked for a Hong Kong couple

I had to be very brave,

As they had two little boys

Who would always misbehave.

o

Before you read the poem "Billy McBone" on the next page, discuss the

following questions in groups:

(a) What do you think is the best way to behave in class?

(b) Do you ask your teacher a lot of questions in class, or do you sit quietly

and listen? What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing these

things?

(c) Everyone does something different when they lose concentration in class.

What do you do?

Billy McBoneBilly McBone

Had a mind of his own,

Which he mostly kept under his hat.

The teachers all thought

That he couldn't be taught, 5

But Bill didn't seem to mind that.

Billy McBone


Which the teachers had searched for for years.

Trying test after test, w

They still never guessed

It was hidden between his ears.

Billy McBone


Which only his friends ever saw. 15

When the teacher said, 'Bill,

Whereabouts is Brazil?'

He just shuffled and stared at the floor.

Billy McBone

Had a mind of his own, 20

Which he kept under lock and key.

While the teachers in vain

Tried to burgle his brain,

Bill's thoughts were off wandering free.

Allan Ahlberg

Billy McBone (24 lines, pp 32-33) from HEARD IT IN THE PLAYGROUND by Allan Ahlberg,

illustrated by Fritz Wegner (Viking, 1989). Illustrations copyright © Fritz Wegner, 1989.

Reproduced by permission of Penguin Books Ltd.

1. Read the poem aloud in pairs.

2. What do you think the poet means when he says that Billy McBone "had a mind

of his own"?

3. There are two other "idioms" in the poem which describe how Billy's thoughts

were private. Can you find them?

4. How do you think the poet feels about Billy? How do you think he feels about

the teachers?

5. Read the first two lines of the poems about other students in Billys class in

Column A below. Check the meanings of the idioms in a dictionary. Then see if

you can find the correct third line from each poem in Column B. Write the poem

number in the blank beside the letter.

Column A Column B

1. Steven McPace A. He thought he was very important.

Always kept a straight face

2. Jonathan Spence B. A secret he couldn't tell anyone.

Always sat on the fence

3. Harrison Parfitt C. In spite of whatever was said to him.

Kept putting his foot in it.

4. Benjamin Platt D. His teacher never knew where he was.

Was not to be sneezed at.

5. Tommy McClune E. He couldn't help making mistakes.

Showed up once in a blue moon

6. William Hubbard F. When he was asked to express his

Had a skeleton in the cupboard. opinion.

6. Choose any two of these boys and draw a cartoon which helps to explain the idiom.

o

VII. Description

The MagnificentPendulum Clock

...tick-took

TICK-TOCK

TICK-TOCK

HYPNOTISING

HYPNOTISING

The pendulum goes

UP-DOWN

HIGH-LOW

The cogs go fast and slow

The weight sinks lower and lower and lower

...TICK-TOCK

TICK-TOCK

The hands go stealthily round

OH what a beautiful sound...

TICK-TOCK

TICK-TOCK

TICK-TOCK

tick-tock...

Andrew Berrie

10

15

Reprinted courtesy of Andrew Berrie

1. Read the poem aloud. What does it sound like? What effect is produced?

o2. Put the mark ( A ) on those words that are stressed or have a heavy beat on g

Nt

lines 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 14 and 15. Then read the poem again as you tap at the >o*

places marked ( A ). Is there a difference from the first reading? Why is there a g

difference?

3. Imagine listening to a pendulum clock and staring at its pendulum for a long time.

How would you feel? Does reading the poem give you a similar feeling?

4. Does the shape of the poem help you to understand the poem more? Explain how

this is possible.

yvw, "\

Diamond Cut Diamondby Ewart Milne

Source: Aldridge, J. (1972). Come Down And Startle.

Oxford: Oxford University Press.

1. What are the two main things described in the poem?

dHH•

s?2. What is the shape of the poem? Has the shape of the poem something to do 3.

'"Owith the things described in the poem? g-

3. The poem is about cats. Why is it called "Diamond Cut Diamond"?

4. How does the shape of this poem help you to understand the poem better?

5. Try writing one shape poem of your own.

(a) Decide on the topic that you are going to write.

(b) What is the best shape to bring out your topic?

(c) Give ONE reason why you think this is the best shape to describe something

in your poem.

The Nose (after 6ogol*)The nose went away by itself

in the early morning

while its owner was asleep.

It walked along the road

sniffing at everything. 5

It thought: I have a personality of my own.

Why should I be attached to a body?

I haven't been allowed to flower.

So much of me has been wasted.

And it felt wholly free.

It almost began to dance

The world was so full of scents

it had had no time to notice,

when it was attached to a face

weeping, being blown,

catching all sorts of germs

and changing colour.

But now it was quite at ease

bowling merrily along

like a hoop or a wheel,

a factory packed with scent.

And all would have been well

but that, round about evening,

having no eyes for guides,

it staggered into the path

of a mouth, and it was gobbled

rapidly like a sausage

and chewed by great sour teeth

and that was how it died.

Ian Crichton Smith


Published by Victor Gollancz

Reprinted courtesy of

The Orion Publishing Group Ltd

1. Why is the nose used as the main character in the poem? What poetic techniqueis used here? How does this technique help readers to understand the poem better?

2. Why did the nose go away? Did it get what it wanted?

. What other strange characters have you come across in the texts you have read?Are there any special reasons why they have been chosen?

4. What do you think the nose and the other strange characters represent? In whatways do they look and act like what they represent?

5. Where is the turning point of this poem? Why does the story of the nose endin such a way? What is the lesson learned from the poem?

6. Imagine you are the nose. Write the diary entry of "One day in your life as a nose"based on your understanding of its feelings.

7. Draw a cartoon strip entitled "The story of the nose". Caption each cartoon andadd thought bubbles to show the feelings of each character.

ftCfl

Q

o0

One Question froma BulletI want to give up being a bullet

I've been a bullet too long

I want to be an innocent coin

In the hand of a child

And be squeezed through the slot 5

Of a bubblegum machine

I want to give up being a bullet


I want to be a good luck seed

Lying idle in somebody's pocket 10

Or some ordinary little stone

On the way to becoming an earring

Or just lying there unknown

Among a crowd of other ordinary stones

I want to give up being a bullet


The question is

Can you give up being a killer?

John Agard

By kind permission of JOHN AGARD c/o Caroline Sheldon Literary AgencyONE QUESTION FROM A BULLET from MANGOES AND BULLETSpublished by Pluto Press 1985

3. What other objects does the bullet wish to be? What do these wishes tell you

about the kind of life it is leading and the life it wants to lead?

4. Draw the bullet. Draw what the bullet wants to be.

5. What do you think the "you" refers to in the last line?

6. Do you ever want to be somebody (or something) else? Who (or what) do you

want to be?

If I were , I would

1. Why is the bullet being personified in this poem? What effect is created?

5?2. What could have driven the bullet to think that "I've been a bullet too long"? %2.tt.§

End Notes andGlossary of Terms

8 5.

End Notes

1. Honalee (line 4 of "Puff the Magic Dragron" on page 20)

Honalee probably refers to Hanalei Bay which is on the northern side of Kauai in

the Hawaiian Islands. Supposedly, the song was inspired by legends of a giant

serpent which lived in a cave near the bay.

2. We are the World (page 27)

In 1985 many of America's top pop stars participated in a relief effort to help the

people in Africa who were suffering from hunger. They produced and sang the

song "We are the World". All the profits from the sale of the record and the music

video were donated for the cause.

3. Dewfall (line 6 of "Morning has Broken" on page 47)

Dew is the small drops of water which form on cold surfaces during the night.

Dewfall here refers to the drops of water falling because of the warmth of the new

day.

4. The Nose (page 77)

"The Nose", written by Nikolai Gogol (1809 - 1852), is a story about how the

nose of a Russian called Kovalev disappeared, had its adventure and returned to its

owner.

Glossary of Terms

The following glossary has been prepared as a quick reference. It is not intended as a

prescriptive list to be memorised. Students have to be made aware that the mere

identification of poetic techniques does not serve the purpose of critical appreciation.

They have to perceive the relation between form and meaning.

ALLITERATION

The repetition of the same initial sound(s) in two or more words of a line or closely

adjacent lines. For example,

Betty Botter bought some butter,

But, as she said, this butter's bitter:

(Anonymous, "Bitter Butter", p.62)

ALLUSION

Tacit reference to a historical or literary figure, event or object. An example is Ian

Crichton Smith's poem, "The Nose (after Gogol)" on p.77. The title alludes to Nikolai

Gogol's story "The Nose" (1842).

ASSONANCE

The repetition of similar vowel sounds in the same line or near-by lines, as in "Hour

upon hour he gnaws/The rumbling, tumbling stones" (James Reeves, "The Sea", p.39).

CONTRAST

A literary device to compare two or more characters, ideas or objects so as to show their

differences. The use of contrast is apparent in "Sun" by Valerie Worth (p.35), in which

the sun as "a leaping fire / Too hot / To go near" is contrasted with the sun as "a flat /

Quilt, where / The cat can curl / And purr".

COUPLET

Two successive lines of verse with end rhymes. For example,


He would come back and sing.

(Robert Frost "The Last Word of a Bluebird (as Told to a Child)", p.49)

ENJAMBEMENT

When the sense and grammatical construction of a line carries over to the next, it is

called an enjambement. For example,

Can it be

You are trying to make a

Pack-horse out of me?

(Langston Hughes, "Madam and her Madam", p.68)

FIGURES OF SPEECH

The various uses of words and expressions that depart from customary usage to

achieve special effects.

FREE VERSE

A poetic form with no regular principle of arrangement, whether in line length,

rhyme or stanza pattern:

Whampoa Estate, the place, in Hunghom:

We have lived there for a year.


No more monkeys,

No more dolphins.

(So Wai Man, Ruby, "Autobiographical Note", p.56)

HAIKU

A Japanese lyric form that represents the poets impression of a natural scene or object

in 17 syllables in 3 lines. There are 5 syllables in the first and third lines; 7 in the

second. See Lyn Austin's "Haikus" on p.59 for examples.

IMAGERY

The use of language to represent objects, actions, feelings, thoughts, states of mind and

sensory experiences. An image is more than a mental picture and may appeal to any,

or a combination, of the five senses of sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste. It may

also be abstract (and thus appeals to the intellect) and kinaesthetic (referring to the

sense of movement).

IRONY

The use of words or statements to convey an implication contrary to what is stated

literally.

LYRIC

A poem written in simple and direct style marked by imagination and personal

emotions. It is melodic with a strong musical element.

METAPHOR

An analogy identifying one object with another. Through ascribing the qualities of one

object to another, the idea or image expressed is enhanced in vividness, complexity, or

breadth of implication. For example,

You are a cozy comfy house,

Always making me feel welcomed.

An old pine tree,

Always there for me.

(Frances Yao Tong, "You Are...", p.7)

METER

The regular rhythmical pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in verse. The use of

meter heightens, organizes and regulates the haphazard rhythm of ordinary speech to

achieve a pattern. It is one of those fundamental techniques for structuring a poem,

like rhyme, line division, stanza, form and overall structure.

MONOLOGUE

One person speaking alone, with or without an audience. In poetry it often appears as

a lengthy speech of one person to produce a dramatic effect.

MOOD

The general atmosphere (which may be light-hearted, melancholic, frightful, tranquil,

mysterious) which prevails in any literary work. It is similar in meaning to tone, but a

distinction can be drawn between the two. Mood reflects the attitude of the author

towards the subject while tone expresses the attitude of the author towards the audience.

ONOMATOPOEIA

The use of words to imitate sounds. For example, the sounds of the words "creaking",

"croaking", "howling" suggest their meanings. In poetry, onomatopoeia is often used

to suit sound to the sense in such a way that the verses themselves carry their meaning

in their sounds. For example,





(James Reeves, "The Sea", p.39)

PERSONIFICATION

A figure of speech in which an inanimate object, animate nonhuman, or abstract

quality is given human attributes. For example, the crow in Robert Frost's "The Last

Word of a Bluebird (as Told to a Child)" (p.49) is personified:

As I went out a Crow



How do you do...?

REPETITION

Reiteration of a word, sound, phrase or idea to achieve certain stylistic effects.

For example,

I've got a radio,

I play it all day.

I've got a radio

Hey! Hey! Hey!

(Charles Thomson, "I've Got a", p.54)

RHYME

The correspondence in sound or word-endings, usually at the ends of lines of poetry,

and usually forming part of a stanza pattern. For example,



(James Reeves, "The Sea", p.39)

RHYME SCHEME

The arrangement of rhyming words, usually at the ends of lines, though sometimes

internally, which gives the poem its characteristic pattern. For example, the first stanza

of Allan Ahlberg's "Billy McBone" (p.71) has the rhyme scheme aabccb:

Billy McBone a

Had a mind of his own, a

Which he mostly kept under his hat. b

The teachers all thought c

That he couldn't be taught, c

But Bill didn't seem to mind that. b

RHYTHM

The sense of movement communicated by the regular recurrence of stressed and

unstressed sounds.

SIMILE

A comparison of one thing with another, explicitly announced by the word "like" or

"as", as in "You're as free as a roaring tide" (Don Black, "Born Free", p.43), and in

"...it [the nose] was gobbled/rapidly like a sausage" (Ian Crichton Smith, "The Nose

(after Gogol)", p.77).

STANZA

A grouping of lines in a poem, set off by a space in the text. The stanza is a structural

unit in verse composition similar to a paragraph in prose. For example,

You are a sandy seashore,

Decorated with everlasting shells,

With cool water caressing you,

Under the clear blue sky.

(Frances Yao Tong, "You Are...", p.7)

SYMBOL

A figure of speech in which something (object, person, situation of action) means morethan what it is. Many symbols have come to be well-known through their repeated usein literature. The colour green, for example, often stands for the time of fresh leavesand grass, the spring, and therefore indirectly for youth and love.

THEME

The central idea of a literary work.

TONE

A reflection of the author's attitude towards his audience. The tone of a speakers voicereveals his feelings, wishes, attitudes and beliefs. It may be friendly, detached, serious,playful, sarcastic, condescending, officious and so forth.

The tone of poetry can be indicated by various elements such as connotation, imagery,metaphor, irony, rhythm, sentence construction and formal pattern. There is nosimple formula for recognizing tone. It is the end product of all the elements in apoem.

VERSE

A word with several meanings:• It is used as a synonym for "poetry", e.g. A Book of African Verse.• It can mean metrical writing, e.g. "His later plays were written, not in prose, but

in verse."• It can be used synonymously for "stanza", and sometimes to indicate, as in the

Bible, a single line or sentence.

xitooissa

The learning and teaching orpoetry. (Secondary 1-3) : aresource package.Hong Kong : Englisii Section,

Date Due

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