Poetry Break #20: International Poetry

Home

About Me | Favorite Links | Contact Me | Poetry Breaks for Module #1: The Poetry Environment | Poetry Break #1: Classic Poem (by a dead poet) | Poetry Break #2: Picture book with poetry breaks | Poetry Break #3: Song with poem line breaks | Poetry Break #4: A Mother Goose Poem | Poetry Break #5: A Folk Poem | Poetry Breaks for Module #2: Major Poets | Jack Prelutsky | Shel Silverstein | Lee Bennett Hopkins | Douglas Florian | Judith Viorst | Poetry Breaks for Module #3: Poetry Performance | What is Poetry Performance? | Poetry Break #6: Poem with a refrain | Poetry Break #7: Poem accompanied by movement | Poetry Break #8: Poem for two groups | Poetry Break #9: Poem ideal for solo/linearound | Poetry Break #10: Poem to sing | Poetry Breaks for Module #4: Poetry Across the Curriculum | Poetry Break #11: Poem Relevant to Social Studies | Poetry Break #12: Poem Relevant to Mathematics | Poetry Break #13: Poem Relevant to Science | Poetry Break #14: Poem to Use With a Novel or Picture Book | Poetry Break #15: Poem Matched With a Nonfiction Book | Poetry Breaks for Module #5: Multicultural Poetry | Poetry Break #16: African American Poetry | Poetry Break #17: Hispanic American Poetry | Poetry Break #18: Native American Poetry | Poetry Break #19: Asian American Poetry | Poetry Break #20: International Poetry | Poet Study: Arnold Adoff | Arnold Adoff Complete Bibliography | Arnold Adoff Seasons Poem | Arnold Adoff Culture Poem | Arnold Adoff City Poem | Arnold Adoff Chocolate Poem | Arnold Adoff Food Poem | Arnold Adoff Senses Poem | Arnold Adoff Sports Poem | Poetry Breaks for Module #6: Different Forms of Poetry | Poetry Break #21: A Shape Poem | Poetry Break #22: A Free Verse Poem | Poetry Break #23: Poem Written and Published by a Child | Poetry Break #24: A Stump the Teacher Poem | Poetry Break #25: An Original Poem by Mrs. Mann | Complete Website Bibliography

International poetry: Poetry written by a poet who is not an American citizen and does not live in the United States.

Mrs. Mann's Poetry Corner

Galaxy

Introduction: This poem is from Mexico. It was originally written in Spanish but has been translated into English as well. "Lemon Tree" would be a great poem to go along with a unit on fruit(lemons), trees or senses. I have included both the Spanish and English versions, wouldn't it be fun to read the same poem in both languages to your class?

Arbol de limon
(Spanish version)

Si te subes a un arbol de limon
siente la corteza
con tus rodillas y pies,
huele sus flores blancas,
talla las hojas
entre tus manos.
Recuerda,
el arbol es mayor que tu
y tal vez encuentres cuentos
entre sus ramas.

Jennifer Clement



Lemon Tree
(English version)

If you climb a lemon tree
feel the bark
under your knees and feet,
smell the white flowers,
rub the leaves
in your hands.
Remember,
the tree is older than you are
and you might find stories
in its branches

Jennifer Clement
(Translated by Consuelo de Aerenlund)

from "The Tree is Older Than You Are"
A bilingual gathering of poems & stories from Mexico with paintings by Mexican artists
selected by Naomi Shihab Nye
(Simon & Schuster, 1995)

Extension: After reading this poem to your class you could ask what senses were described in the poem. Maybe encourage your students to use their senses when adding detail to their own writing. Another fun extension would be to let your students see a lemon tree (if available) and then have lemons available for them to see, feel, smell and taste.