| by Karen Morrow Durica Somehow a life without poetry seems… Dismal Empty Flat— Not much. So each day in my classroom I read… Sonnets Haikus Free verse— And such. An observer sat in my room one day… Noted poem’s title Evaluated delivery Recorded “lesson” sequence— Said dryly: “It seems There’s no connection curricular-wise… No anticipatory set No vocabulary drill No comprehension query— Do they know what it means?” I could have contrived a defense or two, but… Spirits flowed with peaceful joy Honesty prevailed Simple truth explained— “I read it because it’s beautiful,” I said. She didn’t quite frown but recalled all the same, “We’ve… Standards to meet Timelines to keep Pages to cover— Important content to be read.” I looked from her to my students’ gaze; they… Had relished the words Danced with the rhythm Mused with the meaning— Were richer in spirit than when we began. I read it because it was beautiful. And beauty is… Never superfluous Never irrelevant Always needed— Always in my “lesson” plan. from IRA summer newsletter 7/25/10 |