Poet of the Day: Sarah Kay |
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Sarah Kay is an American poet and author of four books. Born June 19, 1988, in New York City, Kay has used her 32 years to become a poet, educator, performer, and codirector of Project Voice. She’s become most known for her TED talks, in which she performs spoken word poetry. Kay holds a master’s degree in The Art of Teaching from Brown University and an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters from Grinnell College.
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This poet belongs in our classrooms because . . . |
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This poet belongs in our classrooms because her poems are enjoyable, relatable, and thought-provoking. Sarah Kay’s poetry invites students who may be intimidated by poetry to engage in discussions that focus on young adults’ experiences. Her poetry also invites students to engage with themes that explore love, expectations, gender and sex, and relationships. |
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"OPEN"
Sometimes, when we kiss, I keep my eyes open. I know it’s impolite. It started when I was in high school, the first boy—the one who tasted like peach vitamin water and sweat—he kissed me as though I was made of tears and he had never seen the sea before. I was scared he would look at me, scared that if he opened his eyes, I would turn into a pillar of salt, so I peeked to make sure he didn’t. First one eye and then the other, our mouths a tightrope, my eyes a set of cheeky clowns trying not to fall. I had never seen another person so up-close before. Things happen to God’s perfect aesthetic. Noses are mountain slopes, cheeks are fields, lips gape and pull, morph and stretch, we are no longer faces, we are landscapes. I was not kissing a boy, I was kissing America. And America tasted like peach vitamin water and sweat. Now it is a habit. Now, it is less about fear and more about curiosity. Today I opened my eyes, and this man—the one who makes the bed when I leave—his eyes were open too. I was embarrassed, and I was furious! Nobody opens their eyes when they kiss! How dare he look at me when I did not know! But when I pulled away from him, he was smiling; he had not blinked. He does not kiss me like an ocean. His eyes do not turn me to salt. This is new terrain.
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Reading Kay’s book No Matter the Wreckage with high schoolers would be a great addition to a poetry unit that includes Romeo and Juliet. Her poetry is so relatable and relevant that it would difficult for students not to get hooked into the beautiful world of poetry. One teaching strategy would be to have students create an opposite or response poem, in which students choose one of Kay’s poems and write a poem expressing the opposite. Kay often focuses on a particular experience with a person, so another idea would be to have students assume the role of that other person and write a response to Kay’s poem. Teachers could also host game days, when students could play games such as Last Man Standing, Scattergories, or Scrabble. Playing games can enhance student engagement while encouraging students to think on their toes and increase their vocabulary. Improving students’ vocabulary will directly influence their ability to understand and write poetry.
Students can also be encouraged to listen to other forms of spoken word poetry such as hip-hop, children’s nursery rhymes, and poetry podcasts. Listening to poetry will help students learn the rhythms and techniques for reading poetry independently—this will enrich their poetry experience and also help prepare them for reading more challenging work, such as Shakespeare.
No Matter the Wreckage
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All Our Wild Wonder
The Type
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Special Thanks to Today's Curator |
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My name is Natalie Gibson, and I’m a senior at the University of Houston. After I graduate, I plan to share my love of reading with junior high students! Although I cannot wait to teach, I ultimately aspire to be a librarian. When I’m not reading, I enjoy spending time in my garden or hiking at Brazos Bend State Park. I’m addicted to coffee, and I’m "slightly" obsessed with my two daughters . . . and kittens. I’m a Mexican food enthusiast and a wannabe francophone.
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