Poetry Assignment 2
Due Wednesday, February 11
This assignment has two parts. The first part is a poem of between 100 and 150 words. The second part is a few sentences that interpret the poem and that explain how you feel your poem expands either the breadth or the depth of Asian American poetry. You might consider how the poem is different from the poems that have been presented in class, or you might consider how it considers topics from other poems in new ways. Type your poem, interpretation, and the expansion represented by your poem and hand it in during class on the 11th.
You will share your poem with your video group, and you will decide as a group what poem or poems you will use in your poetry video.The aim of this assignment is to expand as a class either the breadth or the depth of Asian American poetry. Aim to illustrate undocumented parts of the experiences of Asians, Asian Americans, or people in communities that include Asian Americans. However, the poem should not be about Asian Americans as a group. In fact, it could be bad for your poem if you try to make broad generalizations about Asian Americans. Instead, illustrate a part of your own experience.
Ideally, your poem will address your everyday struggles and conflicts. You should try to address issues related to gender, socioeconomic class, and/or sexuality. If this is hard for you now, just write a poem about some concrete part of your everyday life. I will help you to find deeper significance in the idea of your poem if you need it.