MODULE 6—POETRY BREAK—A SERIOUS POEM ABOUT A DIFFICULT OR SENSITIVE SUBJECT IN CHILDREN’S OR TEENS’ LIVES

MODULE 6—POETRY BREAK—A SERIOUS POEM ABOUT A DIFFICULT OR SENSITIVE SUBJECT IN CHILDREN’S OR TEENS’ LIVES


BIBLIOGRAPHY
Myers, Walter Dean. 2003. BLUES JOURNEY. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. New York: Holiday House ISBN 0823420795

INTRODUCTION
Discuss with the students other works by Walter Dean Myers and the type of topics that he chooses (ones that make us stop and think).



blues journey (written the way Myers titled it)
NOTE: The lines are written just as Myers as done
Blues, blues, blues,
blues, what you mean to me?
Blues, blues, blues,
blues, what you mean to me?
Are you my pain and misery,
or my sweet, sweet company?

Going on a journey,
looking for my supposed-to-be
Going on a journey,
looking for my supposed-to-be
I’m riding that blues highway
and Lord, it’s riding me

Hollered to my woman,
she was across the way
Said I hollered to my woman,
she was across the way
I said I loved her truly, she said,
“It got to be that way”

Heard the top deck groaning, yes, and the ocean roar
Heard the top deck groaning, yes, and the ocean roar
Heard my brother crying till I couldn’t hear no more
O Lord, O Lord,
Ain’t it hard when your brother’s crying
Any you don’t hear him anymore?

Blackbirds fly, hound dogs howl and bark
Yes, blackbirds fly, you know hound dogs howl and bark
I see my true love sitting, crying in the dark

Blues, won’t you free me,
let all this suffering cease?
Said blues, won’t you free me,
let all this suffering cease?
Give me a feather pillow,
and let me rest in peace

Pain will push and poke you,
despair will scrape the bone
Pain will push and poke you,
despair will scrape the bone
Misery loves company,
blues can live alone

The root woman told me
that my day was coming soon
The root woman told me
that my day was coming soon
Soon’s a mule reads the Bible,
and Christmas comes in June.

The preacher climbs the mountain,
but the devil gets his dues
You know the preacher climbs the mountain,
but the devil gets his dues
A poor man gets his kicks,
fast dancing to the blues

I know you don’t want me, you cast my love out to the sea
I said I know you don’t want me, there goes my love out to the sea
I’m fishing for affection, hope your heart comes in to me

I’m busting sod on Parchman’s,
if the sun don’t lay me low
You know I’m busting sod on Parchman’s,
if the sun don’t lay me low
There’s nine kinds of dying
a rich man will never know

Life can be so hard,
living in a two-room shack
You know how hard it is, child,
living in a two-room shack
Ain’t nothing in your parlor,
a little less in back

Strange fruit hanging, high in a big oak tree
Strange fruit hanging, high in a big oak tree
You can see what it did to Willie,
can you see what it does to me?

The thrill is gone, but love’s still got my heart
The thrill is gone, baby, but love’s still got my heart
I can feel you in this music, and it’s tearing me apart

I gave my woman money, I offered her my hand
Gave her all my money, said, “Baby, take my hand”
She smiled from here to Sunday, then spent it on another man!
(Now you know that’s wrong!)

I was standing at the crossroads, didn’t know which way to go
Standing at the crossroads, didn’t know which way to go
My heart was pulling one way, my head said take it slow

The road is long, the moon is hanging low
The road is long, blood moon is hanging low
Past time to rise, past time to cut and go

Skipped out of Memphis, ‘cause I was on the news
Skipped out of Memphis, ‘cause I was on the news
Rode to Chicago in a freight car with the blues

My landlord’s cold, cold as a death row shave
My landlord’s so cold, cold as a death row shave
Charged fifty cents for a washtub, three dollars for my grave

If you see a dollar, tell it my full name
If you see a dollar, honey, tell it my full name
Say I’m being sociable, and it can do the same

I’m half scared of dying, half scared of being strong
I’m half scared of dying, half scared of being strong
Guess that’s why I end up staying in that raging storm too long

Blues, blues, blues,
blues, what you mean to me?
Blues, blues, blues,
blues, what you mean to me?
Are you my pain and misery,
or my sweet, sweet company?


Blues, blues, blues
sliding through the night
Blues, blues, blues
sliding through the night
If you looking for a soft bed,
I’ll leave on the light


EXTENSIONS

Other poetry books about serious subjects:

Johnson, Tony. 2008. VOICE FROM AFAR: Poems of Peace. Illustrated by Susan Guevara. New York: Holiday House ISBN 9780823420124

Kherdian, David. 1996. BEAT VOICES: AN ANTHOLOGY OF BEAT POETRY.
New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0688149162

Merrell, Billy. 2003. TALKING IN THE DARK. New York: Push ISBN 0439490367

Myers, Walter Dean. 2008. HERE IN HARLEM: POEMS IN MANY VOICES.
New York: Holiday House ISBN 0823422127

Tamblyn, Amber and Tamblyn, Russ. 2005. FREE STALLION: POEMS.
New York: Simon & Schuster ISBN 1416902597