Food Poems

I often times began my workshops by asking the students their favorite Mexican food. I would then write the words on the chalkboard forming a web of words or what some call brainstorming, or just plain lists of words of food: enchilada, menudo, enchilada, tamales, frijoles.

As this list is written, they can be encouraged to copy the list on a piece of paper, that way they can use it later to write poems.

Step 1

Mexican food was used because it was my Ain@ with this classes that for the most part were 100% Mexican. I would then use their words to write a silly 4 line poem on the chalk board.

Step 2

Once all the student have copied this poem, then ask them to stand next to their desk, to stand tall, with their arms at their side, with both feet on the ground and away from the desk. Remind them to hold their head up high so their voice can be heard in the front of the room. Then ask them to pick up the poem they just wrote and we would read it in chorus. Instruct them to read it in their strongest voice, not a loud voice, but their strongest voice, one that comes from their panza (stomach).

This step is repeated, encouraging them to stay in unison. After the third practice, then ask them to return to their seat and now they could write their own poem, a silly poem, one without rhyme, using the words on the board.

The lesson was for them to understand that poetry does not have to rhyme and that it is playing with words from our own vocabulary of words. They were then asked to write their own silly four lines poems using their list of words on the board.

Inevitably, the students become excited about using food in their poems and that it doesn't have to make sense.

Examples from Mrs. Barns class at Dwight Middle School, San Antonio, TX. Word list provided by students.