I teach a "British and American Literature" class for Japanese vocational college students on Tuesday afternoons.
In yesterday's class the poet we were looking at was Carl Sandburg, first his short poem "Fog" and then his poem "Chicago."
I enjoy teaching Carl Sandburg because I always begin by getting the students to write an "English haiku" (or, more correctly, a "senryu") on the topic of "fog."
First of all, I compose a haiku on the spot and cover it up with paper and magnets on the board.
The Japanese students seem reluctant or hesitant. I get the early finishers to write their verses on the board and gradually more and more students get it done and go and write their verses on the board until it is full. Then I reveal my haiku - can you guess which one is mine?
I like the happy spelling mistake which seems like a pun on the word "mist" - "misterious"!
After that, I dictate Sandburg's poem, Fog and then get the students to compare what they've written and read it back to me and up onto the board it goes. There was not much room for it this year so I squeezed it in at the top of the board:
The fog comes
on little cat feet.It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
Okay, here's mine:
When I'm in the fog (5)
I feel invisible (7)
As I touch the sky. (5)
Cheers!
David Hurley
#InspiredFocus