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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
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
Que sera, sera, What will be, will be."
Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
10
"Que sera, sera, Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see.
Que sera, sera, What will be, will be."
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
Carry on, carry on, carry on
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
Then I know again that I must carry on
Carry on, carry on, carry on
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
Then I know again that I must carry on
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.
I am a Rock.I am an Island.
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.
I am a Rock.I am an Island.
And a Rock feels no pain,
And an Island never cries. 30
Paul Simon
© 2000 Warner/Chappell Music, H.K. Ltd.
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?
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
(* See End Note 2 on page 82)
25
© 2000 Warner/Chappell Music, H.K. Ltd.
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've been in love with you.
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've been in love with you.
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.
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.
He rolls on the beach all day.
With his clashing teeth and shaggy jaws
Hour upon hour he gnaws
The rumbling, tumbling stones,
And 'Bones, bones, bones, bones!'
The giant sea-dog moans,
Licking his greasy paws.
And when the night wind roars
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,
When even the grasses on the dune
Play no more their reedy tune,
ABB
Hsr
With his head between his paws
He lies on the sandy shores,
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.
He rolls on the beach all day.
With his clashing teeth and shaggy jaws
Hour upon hour he gnaws
The rumbling, tumbling stones,
And 'Bones, bones, bones, bones!'
The giant sea-dog moans,
Licking his greasy paws.
And when the night wind roars
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,
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.
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
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
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.'
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.
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?
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.
Every day at 3 o'clock,
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.
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
Had a mind of his own,
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
Had a mind of his own,
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
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
(* See End Note 4 on page 82)
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've been a bullet too long
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
I've been a bullet too long
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
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,
And perhaps in the spring
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.
Every day at 3 o'clock,
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,
The rumbling, tumbling stones,
And 'Bones, bones, bones, bones!'
The giant sea-dog moans,
Licking his greasy paws.
(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
In a low voice said, 'Oh,
I was looking for you.
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,
He lies on the sandy shores,
So quiet, so quiet, he scarcely snores.
(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