Collection 10
The Ways We Are
Each of us inevitable;
Each of us limitless—each of us
with his or her right upon the earth . . .
Each of us here as divinely as any is here.
—Walt Whitman
The people who speak in poems will tell you that they sometimes are afraid, envious, confused, sad. And, oh yes, sometimes suffused with joy and kindness and compassion and gratitude and love. You may feel you don’t have much in common with some of the people who speak in poems. Or, you may not like it when one of them hits a nerve or comes too close to home. But whatever happens, when you read a poem, you win. For you get to know people of all kinds, without moving anything (except your brain). All of this may give you a better handle on your own relationships—starting with how you feel about yourself.
Speaking and Listening Focus: Reader’s Theater
Reader’s Theater
You already know a lot of poetry. Most of us can recite a nursery rhyme, a prayer, a jump-rope chant, or a football cheer, and we can sing a few songs or hymns. Start preparing for a poetry reading now by finding one poem you like the sound of and memorizing it.
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