By Julie Swarstad Johnson
Students will reflect on things that give them strength in times of struggle. The group will create a collaborative poem inspired by Juan Felipe Herrera's "Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way," a bilingual poem that mixes English and Spanish.
Herrera, Juan Felipe. Half of the World in Light: New and Selected Poems. Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona Press, 2008.
Watch the recording of Juan Felipe Herrera reading "Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way." You can find the text of the poem here. Herrera mixes English and Spanish in the poem; it may be helpful to look up any Spanish words and phrases that are unfamiliar to you. Throughout this activity, you can encourage students to mix in other languages as relevant for your group.
In the poem, Herrera says "we toil siempre [always] / in the garden of our struggle and joy."
- After watching the recording, give students 5 minutes total to free write about the following questions: When you have experienced struggle, what has sustained you? What gives you strength and helps you flourish?
Herrera's poem mentions many different objects (e.g. "pearls of corn," "fragrant ríos [rivers]," "the rain en la mañana [in the morning]")
- Play the recording again, and ask students to listen for and write down some of the objects they hear mentioned. Ask students to share what they heard.
- Give students 2-3 minutes to make a list of 5 objects (small or large) that bring them joy during times of struggle
Many of Herrera's objects are connected to verbs (e.g. "pearls of corn flowing," "to toil / tranquilos [calm/quiet] in the field of blossoms," "to stretch los brazos [arms] / tranquilos with the rain en la mañana")
- Give students 2-3 minutes to expand their objects with an action that the object is doing
- Give students another 2-3 minutes to add something they are doing to, for, or with each object
Now it's time to create a collaborative poem aloud! Create the poem by alternating between the refrain "Let us gather in a flourishing way" and student's writing.
- Tell students: We will create a poem together by each sharing one object/action from our list, going around the room. Whenever I raise my arms, we'll say "Let us gather in a flourishing way" all together, with enthusiasm.
- Start with the refrain. Have 3-4 students share, then repeat the refrain. Repeat sharing and saying the refrain together until everyone has shared. Finish with one final refrain
