Why do we read poetry? November 5, 2009

I have had a stressful work week; there are some days when  vocationally believing teaching is where you should be is simply not enough.  As Queen of Disorganisation I am coping badly with my ‘teacher on the move situation’; the A2 devised pieces reached tears and tantrums stage yesterday and the ‘London 2010′ trip is going to have to be soul-altering to make up for the hours I have lost in mindless administration.

I miss teaching A-level poetry (I miss the English that has ‘disappeared’ from my timetable, despite the opportunities Drama teaching has afforded me) and the GCSE poetry is months away on my scheme of work…although during an msn conversation tonight a ‘friend’ told me that you could be a teacher without being ‘Dead Poets’ Society’ Robin Williams.

I was reminded of his inspirational and aspirational monologue about ‘Why we read poetry?

We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business these are all noble pursuits necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, and love; these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman “Oh me, Oh life of the question of these recurring. of the endless trains of the faithless of cities filled with the foolish. What good amid these? Oh me, Oh life.” “Answer…that you are here and life exists….You are here. Life exists, and identity. The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.” The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?

It used to be pride of place on my English classroom wall and the first handout I handed to my A level English students…. Tomorrow I vow to be closer to the inspirational teacher I so long to be. The words of my verse are not those that I expected but then again I’m not finished with the ‘writing’….

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