"Ramadan" by Kazim Ali When reading a new piece of poetry, I like to read it out loud without any knowledge of the poet or meanings of new vocabulary. Then, after a read-through, you can slowly unpeel the onion of understanding. First, get to the know the poet. This often gives a whole new perspective on the piece. Then, break down any new language to get further meaning. After all of that, have a little discussion about it to explore individual feelings and ideas. This is such a great way for students to develop communication, reading comprehension, and critical thinking skills. If you want to get really fancy, you could encourage your student to start their own poetry journal. They can add new poems you read together along with some art, and maybe even some poetry of their own. Here's a new poem to explore. Find information about the poet by clicking on their name to read a full biography. After a read-through try some of the following questions with your student to expand their prospective. Ramadan BY KAZIM ALI You wanted to be so hungry, you would break into branches, and have to choose between the starving month’s nineteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-third evenings. The liturgy begins to echo itself and why does it matter? If the ground-water is too scarce one can stretch nets into the air and harvest the fog. Hunger opens you to illiteracy, thirst makes clear the starving pattern, the thick night is so quiet, the spinning spider pauses, the angel stops whispering for a moment-- The secret night could already be over, you will have to listen very carefully-- You are never going to know which night’s mouth is sacredly reciting and which night’s recitation is secretly mere wind-- Explore the poet KAZIM ALI Question prompts for discussion What do you know about the celebration of Ramadan? What do you think the writer meant by the line, "Hunger opens you to illiteracy, thirst makes clear the starving pattern?" What can we learn by reading more poetry by the author? Do you get any pictures in your mind from the poem as you read it? Does this poem spark your imagination in any way, does it conjure and memories or dreams? Kazim Ali, “Ramadan” from The Fortieth Day. Copyright © 2008 by Kazim Ali. Reprinted by permission of BOA Editions, Ltd. P.S. for more homeschooling ideas, go to Blossom Learning.
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