Poetry Assignment 1
Due Wednesday, October 8
This assignment has two parts. The first part is a poem of between 100 and 150 words. The second part is a few sentences that interpret the poem. Type your poem and interpretation and hand it in during class on the 6th.
The broad topic of the poem is everyday culture, but do not use the word “culture” in your poem. Think of everyday culture as culture that is not tied to special events such as wedding ceremonies, funerals, and festivals. Instead, what are the activities that you do on a day-to-day basis? How do you communicate with people? What are the objects that are important for your everyday life?
Start with an image that is important to your everyday life. Aim for descriptions of concrete practices rather than abstractions. Your poem should refer to the senses--sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
Ideally, your poem will address your everyday struggles and conflicts. You should try to address issues related to gender, socioeconomic class, and/or sexuality. If this is hard for you now, just write a poem about some concrete part of your everyday life. I will help you to find deeper significance in the idea of your poem if you need it.
The poem should not be about Asian Americans as a group. In fact, it could be bad for your poem if you try to make broad generalizations about Asian Americans.