1 of 50

AAPI Women Voices: Identity & Activism in Poetry

LESSON 6

Form and Review

Image Credit: Pixabay (Royalty Free)

AsianAmericanEdu.org 1 AASC.UCLA.edu

2 of 50

Form and Structure

The particular pattern and organization of the poem
This can be created through the length of the lines, their rhythm, and the use of literary devices like rhyme and repetition

AsianAmericanEdu.org 2 AASC.UCLA.edu

3 of 50

“Sing with Your Body”

Features to notice in “Sing with Your Body”:

Observe the unique spacing she uses throughout to mimic dancing.
The placement of the line “go quickly”.
Your interpretation of each line and of the concluding line.

AsianAmericanEdu.org 3 AASC.UCLA.edu

4 of 50

“Sing with Your Body” by Janice Mirikitani

Sing with Your Body

for my daughter, Tianne Tsukiko

JANICE MIRIKITANI

We love with great difficulty

spinning in one place

afraid to create

spaces

new rhythm

the beat of a child

dangled by her own inner ear

takes Aretha with her

upstairs, somewhere

go quickly, Tsukiko,

into your circled dance

go quickly

before your steps are

halted by who you are not

go quickly

to learn the mixed

sounds of your tongue.

go quickly

to who you are

before

your mother swallows

what she has lost.

Image from Untold Stories Through Poetry

AsianAmericanEdu.org 4 AASC.UCLA.edu

5 of 50

“Sing with Your Body” by Janice Mirikitani

Question	Class	Notes
What words, phrases, or lines in “Sing with Your Body” draw your attention?
What is Mirikitani trying to convey?
What does the concluding line, “go quickly to who you are before your mother swallows what she has lost” mean?

FORM: CLASS DISCUSSION

AsianAmericanEdu.org 5 AASC.UCLA.edu

6 of 50

“Sing with Your Body” by Janice Mirikitani

FORM: CLASS DISCUSSION

One thing poets can do via poetry is to share how to deal with change.
What in your life is changing?
Is everything the same as it was?
Record some things that have changed recently for you.

AsianAmericanEdu.org 6 AASC.UCLA.edu

7 of 50

		SIMILE	META-PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI-TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTATION	NEGATIVE CONNOTATION
1	“the loo, the crew, the whole slough”
2	“If I could I’d gin, I’d bargain, I’d take a little troll”
3	“Bamboo, pine, plum, Resilience, strength, beauty”
4	“I am camellias that bloom at your door”
5	“and memory is a burnt wire”
6	“my crawling, crack-crazed street sprawled out”
7	“like a river of roots, we spread, connect, grow”

Reviewing literary devices:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 7 AASC.UCLA.edu

8 of 50

		SIMILE	META- PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI- TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTA-TION	NEGATIVE CONNOTA-TION
1	“the loo, the crew, the whole slough”
2	“If I could I’d gin, I’d bargain, I’d take a little troll”

Reviewing literary devices:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 8 AASC.UCLA.edu

9 of 50

		SIMILE	META- PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI- TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTA-TION	NEGATIVE CONNOTA-TION
1	“the loo, the crew, the whole slough”					√
2	“If I could I’d gin, I’d bargain, I’d take a little troll”

Reviewing literary devices:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 9 AASC.UCLA.edu

10 of 50

		SIMILE	META- PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI- TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTA-TION	NEGATIVE CONNOTA-TION
1	“the loo, the crew, the whole slough”					√
2	“If I could I’d gin, I’d bargain, I’d take a little troll”				√

Reviewing literary devices:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 10 AASC.UCLA.edu

11 of 50

		SIMILE	META- PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI- TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTA-TION	NEGATIVE CONNOTA-TION
3	“Bamboo, pine, plum, Resilience, strength, beauty”
4	“I am camellias that bloom at your door”

Reviewing literary devices:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 11 AASC.UCLA.edu

12 of 50

		SIMILE	META- PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI- TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTA-TION	NEGATIVE CONNOTA-TION
3	“Bamboo, pine, plum, Resilience, strength, beauty”						√
4	“I am camellias that bloom at your door”

Reviewing literary devices:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 12 AASC.UCLA.edu

13 of 50

		SIMILE	META- PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI- TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTA-TION	NEGATIVE CONNOTA-TION
3	“Bamboo, pine, plum, Resilience, strength, beauty”						√
4	“I am camellias that bloom at your door”		√

Reviewing literary devices:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 13 AASC.UCLA.edu

14 of 50

		SIMILE	META- PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI- TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTA-TION	NEGATIVE CONNOTA-TION
5	“and memory is a burnt wire”
6	“my crawling, crack-crazed street sprawled out”
7	“like a river of roots, we spread, connect, grow”

Reviewing literary devices:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 14 AASC.UCLA.edu

15 of 50

		SIMILE	META- PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI- TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTA-TION	NEGATIVE CONNOTA-TION
5	“and memory is a burnt wire”							√
6	“my crawling, crack-crazed street sprawled out”
7	“like a river of roots, we spread, connect, grow”

Reviewing literary devices:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 15 AASC.UCLA.edu

16 of 50

		SIMILE	META- PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI- TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTA-TION	NEGATIVE CONNOTA-TION
5	“and memory is a burnt wire”							√
6	“my crawling, crack-crazed street sprawled out”			√
7	“like a river of roots, we spread, connect, grow”

Reviewing literary devices:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 16 AASC.UCLA.edu

17 of 50

Reviewing literary devices:

		SIMILE	META- PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI- TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTA-TION	NEGATIVE CONNOTA-TION
5	“and memory is a burnt wire”							√
6	“my crawling, crack-crazed street sprawled out”			√
7	“like a river of roots, we spread, connect, grow”	√

AsianAmericanEdu.org 17 AASC.UCLA.edu

18 of 50

Reviewing literary devices:

		SIMILE	META-PHOR	ALLITER-ATION	REPETI-TION	RHYME	POSITIVE CONNOTATION	NEGATIVE CONNOTATION
1	“the loo, the crew, the whole slough”					√
2	“If I could I’d gin, I’d bargain, I’d take a little troll”				√
3	“Bamboo, pine, plum, Resilience, strength, beauty”						√
4	“I am camellias that bloom at your door”		√
5	“and memory is a burnt wire”							√
6	“my crawling, crack-crazed street sprawled out”			√
7	“like a river of roots, we spread, connect, grow”	√

AsianAmericanEdu.org 18 AASC.UCLA.edu

19 of 50

Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Native Hawaiian born and raised in Pãlolo Valley, O’ahu.
Concerned with the coastal use for commercial fisheries, tourism, military, heavy industry, and other activities.
Actively participates in discussions to address these issues to protect the Hawaiian ecosystem.
Board member of Pacific Tongues, an award-winning non-profit organization that cultivates an active Pacific Islander community of activists, writers, poets, musicians, performers, educators, and leaders.

Currently a PhD candidate in English at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.

Image from Untold Stories Through Poetry

AsianAmericanEdu.org 19 AASC.UCLA.edu

20 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet”

by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Image Credit: Pixabay (Royalty Free)

AsianAmericanEdu.org 20 AASC.UCLA.edu

21 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Identify the literary devices Stanza 1

I know girls like you

The kind to run when seeing stacks of words on top of each other

I know the way it makes every part of your body stutter, shake and shatter

How the insecurity you think you’ve locked under your skin

Comes flying past the surface

I know how the repeating consonants remind you of bars

AsianAmericanEdu.org 21 AASC.UCLA.edu

22 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

I know girls like you

The kind to run when seeing stacks of words on top of each other

I know the way it makes every part of your body stutter, shake and shatter

How the insecurity you think you’ve locked under your skin

Comes flying past the surface

I know how the repeating consonants remind you of bars

Repetition

Rhyme

AsianAmericanEdu.org 22 AASC.UCLA.edu

23 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

And walls

Scratch against the back of your throat

Like dry chalk

Identify the literary devices Stanza 2

AsianAmericanEdu.org 23 AASC.UCLA.edu

24 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

And walls

Scratch against the back of your throat

Like dry chalk

Simile

AsianAmericanEdu.org 24 AASC.UCLA.edu

25 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

How you will cramp and cram your tongue into itself

Just to make the sounds seem like they fit falling through your lips

Identify the literary devices Stanza 2

AsianAmericanEdu.org 25 AASC.UCLA.edu

26 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

How you will cramp and cram your tongue into itself

Just to make the sounds seem like they fit falling through your lips

Three sets of Alliteration

AsianAmericanEdu.org 26 AASC.UCLA.edu

27 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Identify the literary devices Stanza 3

I know how you will write

Write

And not know why

Not understand the ocean of water falling out

Because you will refuse

To let a single word under light

AsianAmericanEdu.org 27 AASC.UCLA.edu

28 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

I know how you will write

Write

And not know why

Not understand the ocean of water falling out

Because you will refuse

To let a single word under light

Rhyme

AsianAmericanEdu.org 28 AASC.UCLA.edu

29 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Identify the literary devices Stanza 4

Because you are second language

Second chance

You are back of the classroom

Without a hand

You are broken body

And beated tongue

AsianAmericanEdu.org 29 AASC.UCLA.edu

30 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Because you are second language

Second chance

You are back of the classroom

Without a hand

You are broken body

And beated tongue

Metaphor &

Negative Connotation

Repetition

AsianAmericanEdu.org 30 AASC.UCLA.edu

31 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Identify the literary devices Stanza 5

You are poems

On poems

Because the thought of punctuation makes you want to crawl inside of yourself

Makes you remember

AsianAmericanEdu.org 31 AASC.UCLA.edu

32 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

You are poems

On poems

Because the thought of punctuation makes you want to crawl inside of yourself

Makes you remember

Metaphor

Repetition

AsianAmericanEdu.org 32 AASC.UCLA.edu

33 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Identify the literary devices Stanza 6

You dumb

You worthless child

With words no worth

Illiterate

They say

Illiterate you believe

Because your vocabulary don’t stretch far enough to understand

The way the attempt at that insult is laughable

AsianAmericanEdu.org 33 AASC.UCLA.edu

34 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

You dumb

You worthless child

With words no worth

Illiterate

They say

Illiterate you believe

Because your vocabulary don’t stretch far enough to understand

The way the attempt at that insult is laughable

Negative Connotation

Repetition

AsianAmericanEdu.org 34 AASC.UCLA.edu

35 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Identify the literary devices Stanza 8

That cage they built with the rules of their words

Make you believe they own your tongue

AsianAmericanEdu.org 35 AASC.UCLA.edu

36 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

That cage they built with the rules of their words

Make you believe they own your tongue

Metaphor &

Negative Connotation

AsianAmericanEdu.org 36 AASC.UCLA.edu

37 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

How bright that light of you shines

Who would have thought your future would be in words

Identify the literary devices Stanza 8

AsianAmericanEdu.org 37 AASC.UCLA.edu

38 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

How bright that light of you shines

Who would have thought your future would be in words

Metaphor &

Negative Connotation

Rhyme

AsianAmericanEdu.org 38 AASC.UCLA.edu

39 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Identify the literary devices Stanza 9

And because you were the last to learn of your brilliance

It will be your job to remember

The fractures of beginning

The way you built your own fortress from nothing

AsianAmericanEdu.org 39 AASC.UCLA.edu

40 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

And because you were the last to learn of your brilliance

It will be your job to remember

The fractures of beginning

The way you built your own fortress from nothing

Positive Connotation

AsianAmericanEdu.org 40 AASC.UCLA.edu

41 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Identify the literary devices Stanza 9

Took those words they called broken

And misused

And lined the whitest of Houses with your dirty brown speech

AsianAmericanEdu.org 41 AASC.UCLA.edu

42 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Took those words they called broken

And misused

And lined the whitest of Houses with your dirty brown speech

Metaphor &

Negative Connotation

AsianAmericanEdu.org 42 AASC.UCLA.edu

43 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Identify the literary devices Stanza 10

Don’t let their walls, cages, rules and commas name you anything other than genius

Than strong

Than beauty

Because you are transformation embodied

Evolution acquired

You are two worlds

In one throat

The closest thing to coexisting

That survives

AsianAmericanEdu.org 43 AASC.UCLA.edu

44 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Don’t let their walls, cages, rules and commas name you anything other than genius

Than strong

Than beauty

Because you are transformation embodied

Evolution acquired

You are two worlds

In one throat

The closest thing to coexisting

That survives

Positive Connotation

Metaphor for being bilingual

AsianAmericanEdu.org 44 AASC.UCLA.edu

45 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

Identify the literary devices Stanza 11

You are Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

A chant sung to the heavens

You are made of words

Built of language

And the last thing you should be afraid of

Is yourself

AsianAmericanEdu.org 45 AASC.UCLA.edu

46 of 50

“Letter to a Bilingual Poet” by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

What do you think the concluding line means?

You are Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio

A chant sung to the heavens

You are made of words

Built of language

And the last thing you should be afraid of

Is yourself

AsianAmericanEdu.org 46 AASC.UCLA.edu

47 of 50

Use the worksheet to discuss the following:

The strengths of the piece & what you might want to improve or change
Two things you like about the piece
Two things you have questions about
Lastly, rate the clarity of the central idea, the concluding line, and the use of the seven literary devices from this unit

“I Am” Poem Feedback Form:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 47 AASC.UCLA.edu

48 of 50

Revise your poem for homework using the comments & suggestions on your feedback form. Consider the following:

What are you trying to convey in your poem? (What’s your poem’s central idea?)
What is your concluding line to convey your message?
What words, phrases or lines do you want to use to draw readers’ attention?
How would you revise them using the 7 techniques?

(simile, metaphor, repetition, alliteration, rhyme, positive and negative connotation)

How would you revise your poem with a different form to convey your message?

Then, write your revised poem!

Homework - “I Am” Poem Revision:

AsianAmericanEdu.org 48 AASC.UCLA.edu

49 of 50

“Black White Whatever” by Kelly Tsai�Performance

Features to notice:

Observe how Kelly changes scenes to provide emphasis.
Think through what she wants the audience to learn.
What is her theme?

Reminder: You will perform your own “I Am” poem in front of class in next lesson

AsianAmericanEdu.org 49 AASC.UCLA.edu

50 of 50

AAPI Women Voices: Identity & Activism in Poetry

Curriculum Developer:

Megan Roberto

Curriculum Contributors:

Prabhneek Heer, Kristy Phan

AsianAmericanEdu.org 50 AASC.UCLA.edu