Connect Through Poetry

This is the actual poem I had to recite in public. It was actually easy to memorize. The fact is that since I did not articulate it enough or hear myself saying it often enough made me miss out on the entire experience of learning it. I don't, however, blame myself for this. It just freed me in my approach to a language, and I learned from it so much so that I was able to shine at the next few competitions with better prizes.



MADRE (Carlos Oquendo de Amat)

Tu nombre viene lento como las músicas humildes
y de tus manos vuelan palomas blancas

Mi recuerdo te viste siempre de blanco
como un recreo de niños que los hombres miran desde aquí distante

Un cielo muere en tus brazos y otro nace en tu ternura

A tu lado el cariño se abre como una flor cuando pienso

Entre ti y el horizonte
mi palabra está primitiva como la lluvia o como los himnos

porque ante ti callan las rosas y la canción.

Source: http://www.educared.org.pe/estudiantes/literatura/oquendo2.htm

If you are at any point in Spanish, try to read the lines. Line by line..
Then try to assess how many times you felt like you connected to or recognized a word or phrase. Have you seen them in word or print before? In audio or media? Do the words, phrases, or images help you to experience the mood or tone or relate them to experiences in your own life? For example, is this how every one feels about moms? On Mother's Day? In general? In life? How is your experience different? Why is the writer/poet speaking in this way about the "madre." How does he convey the meaning of the words?

If not, review the lines and try to do this for the second time. If it is still
unfamiliar, don't worry about it. It takes a bit to really digest it and make it yours. There are other examples of this you can use. If you don't like poetry, try a
copy of a newspaper in your language of study. Are you familiar with it? Or is it leaping up to your eyes in a blur?

(If you find a tape or someone experienced to read it for you, it also helps.)

When you first study a language, that will happen. Everything being a blur, I mean..

It doesn't mean you are unskilled or not clever.

Your eyes (and brain) are revealing to you your particular level. If you passed through the initial stages that you were supposed to, you will have some knowledge
or skill with the particular piece. If you haven't, I would wait until that point. If the material is tempting you to tackle it right away, then be a little brave and ask your instructor or have a talk with them. This is where I am getting stuck. Can you help me find a way I can get out of this rut? Can you help me see where I am going wrong? If this is the case, the teacher will motivate you to learn. If you are experiencing a disability, then you will know this and be curious to find a way to overcome it.

I do recommend poetry, because it is beautiful, concise, fun, and doesn't consume as much time when you suffer from the overwhelming amount of information coming at you in the area of language study. It actually frees you to look at prose differently later on, if you do continue on in Spanish.

Poetry comes out on your tongue in a clean manner. It dances with your tongue and enables you to try the words at leisure. Remember this is the way the natural progression of language takes. Hearing sounds and then trying them out when you are ready. Sometimes, some people need a photo with the word to motivate them..These people usually love the visual method of learning something.

I once had an experience with a young adult corporate couple with their first baby. They were telling me that their baby was not talking. I picked her up and faced her to me and asked her: "What do you mean you are not talking?" I asked the baby why she wasn't talking. She immediately started to dance in my arms, beaming at me. She started sputtering and making spit come out in bubbles as she watched my mouth and elated words coming forth toward her. She started speaking from that point on. She opened her mouth and tried to emulate my vocal movements.

The young couple had been talking to her. But everytime, they were somewhere else in the room or in another remote part of the house, or in front of their tv with her, and they never thought they should talk to her, face to face. She never probably grasped they were talking to her. She couldn't see their faces or mouths, even. They were that busy in their first year and with all their friends visiting and passing by the little tyke. She actually reminded me of myself trying to learn a new language in another country, not mine own. People are too busy to talk to a baby.
Some may not even have a chance to read to a child.

(Point to Ponder: What about a child who is not allowed to have books at home based on political or cultural or even religious beliefs? How do we motivate these children then? A lot of these children do well with tutors or in homeschooling!

I imagine her nannies were all depressed sorts and didn't even see the need to interact with a baby. Although, that is only supposition...just kidding!!! :)The busyness of the day always seems to interfere, doesn't it?

Anyway, she is a total gabber today! She took to conversation like it was second nature. All it took was one ugly mug!

Mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, practice away.

Don't worry if your child's teacher doesn't look so pretty or even isn't tall like Barbie. In some cases, it doesn't matter. All you need is a chatter - box like me> :)

Well, maybe in Speech and Language pursuits...