{"id":6891,"date":"2020-03-21T01:11:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-21T01:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/?p=6891"},"modified":"2023-02-22T15:40:59","modified_gmt":"2023-02-22T19:40:59","slug":"delight-songs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/delight-songs\/","title":{"rendered":"Delight Songs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Author\/Teaching Artist<\/strong><\/b>:<\/strong> Matthew Burgess<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Range:<\/strong><\/b> All ages<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Materials:<\/strong><\/b>\u00a0Paper and pencils\/pens\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overview<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is one of my favorite lessons to kick off a workshop because it is meditative, fun, and accessible to everyone. Even better, it provides a strong foundation for all writing exercises that follow because it emphasizes one of the essential elements of imaginative writing: the inclusion of specific, sensory details.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With younger kids, I call these \u201cdelicious details\u201d and I often ask: \u201cWhat do we add to our writing to make our writing more exciting?\u201d (In booming unison, they reply: \u201cDELICOUS DETAILS.\u201d) With my college students, I emphasize specificity, vividness, and the power of the particular over the general. If this isn\u2019t yet clear, read on and you\u2019ll soon see what I mean. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Steps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. When introducing a \u201cmentor text,\u201d which is the poem or prose passage that will serve as inspiration for the activity, I like to give a little bit of context. Before reading N. Scott Momaday’s<\/a> \u201cDelight Song of Tsoai-Talee\u201d<\/span> aloud, you can mention that he is a contemporary Native American poet who, at six months old, was given a special name from an elderly paternal relative. \u201cTsoai-talee\u201d roughly translates to \u201cRock Tree Boy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Depending on the mood in the room, I like to invite participants to close their eyes while I read the poem, and I preface it with the following instruction: Notice the way the lines of the poem create pictures or movies in the mind. <\/i>The point is not to be solemn or overly serious, but to create a relaxed, peaceful mood that heightens our sensitivity and focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Read the poem aloud slowly, in a natural voice. When you finish the final line, pause to allow everyone to \u2018return to the room\u2019 slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Ask one or more of the following questions: What did you notice? What lines stood out for you?<\/i> Did any particular lines or details feel especially vivid?<\/i> I recommend avoiding analysis or conversations about \u201cmeaning\u201d for this lesson. We want to get creative soon, so it\u2019s generally better not to activate the analytical mind at this moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. That said, the leader of this activity should highlight one key point: Momaday\u2019s use of vivid (\u201cdelicious\u201d) details. Notice the way he doesn\u2019t just write: I am a wolf<\/i>, I am a star<\/i>, I am snow<\/i>. He writes, \u201cI am the hunger of the young wolf,\u201d \u201cI am the farthest star,\u201d \u201cI am the glitter of the crust of the snow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Before writing begins, ask a volunteer to share one possible line beginning with \u201cI am\u2026\u201d If someone shares a line with \u201cdelicious details\u201d in it, show your enthusiasm and suggest that they might include it in their poem. If someone shares a line that might be even better with an additional detail or two, affirm the line as is and also ask: Can you think of any details you might add to make this line even more exciting?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember when one of my second graders, Frederick, raised his hand and shared, \u201cI am a polar bear.\u201d I said, \u201cGreat! Polar bears are incredible. Can you add a delicious detail or two to that line? He paused for about seven seconds, his face visibly flickering with ideas, and replied, \u201cI am the menacing eyes of the polar bear in a blizzard.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

7. The simple instruction before we begin is this: <\/span>write a list of lines beginning with \u201cI am\u2026.\u201d and compare yourself to other things. These details can be found in the natural world, as in Momaday\u2019s poem, or they can be things found in the city, in space, underwater, anywhere. Try to write a minimum of three, and if you get on roll, keep writing as long as you wish. When you reach the conclusion, you might experimient with something similar to Momaday when he repeats, \u201cI am alive, I am alive,\u201d but that\u2019s optional.<\/span><\/i> (Note: if a participant feels compelled to take this in another direction, or to write declarative statements with fewer metaphors, let them go with it.)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. As usual, set the timer for 5-7  minutes. Everyone writes together. When the time is up or you feel a natural conclusion has been reached, invite participants to quietly read what they\u2019ve just written. Then we share aloud.  If you notice that participants are feeling shy or unsure, you might invite participants to read one line, or a few lines, rather than the whole poem. You can go around in the circle so that everyone can shares as much or as little as they wish. (\u2018Passing\u2019 is always allowed.)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. The student poems below could be read in tandem with Momaday\u2019s poem, or you can read them as a concluding activity. Also\u2014as always\u2014participants can smoothly segue to drawing pictures inspired by their newly written poem.  <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Literary Terms, Forms, and Devices:<\/strong> <\/b>Metaphor, repetition, \u201clist poems.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acknowledgments & References:<\/strong> <\/b>For more ideas, see Larry Fagin\u2019s classic T&W book, <\/span>The List Poem: A Guide to Teaching & Writing Catalog Verse.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mentor Text<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

The Delight Song of Tsoai-talee<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am a feather in the bright sky<\/span>
I am the blue horse that runs on the plain<\/span>
I am the fish that rolls, shining, in the water<\/span>
I am the shadow that follows a child<\/span>
I am the evening light, the luster of meadows<\/span>
I am an eagle playing with the wind<\/span>
I am a cluster of bright beads<\/span>
I am the farthest star<\/span>
I am the cold of dawn<\/span>
I am the roaring of the rain<\/span>
I am the glitter of the crust of the snow<\/span>
I am the long track of the moon in a lake<\/span>
I am a flame of four colors<\/span>
I am a deer standing away in the dusk<\/span>
I am a field of sumac and the pomme blanche<\/span>
I am an angle of geese in the winter sky<\/span>
I am the hunger of the young wolf<\/span>
I am the whole dream of these things<\/span>
You see, I am alive, I am alive<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I stand in good relation to the earth
\nYou see, I am alive, I am alive
\nI stand in good relation to the earth
\nI stand in good relation to the gods
\nI stand in good relation to all that is beautiful
\nI stand in good relation to the daughter of Tsen-tainte
\nYou see, I am alive, I am alive<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013N. Scott Momaday<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Student Poems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

I Am <\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am a ninja, silent but deadly.<\/span>
<\/span>I am a brain, here to learn.<\/span>
<\/span>I am a rover, here to explore.<\/span>
<\/span>I am a dinosaur, here to roar.<\/span>
<\/span>I am a sun, here to shine.<\/span>
<\/span>Everyone can become<\/span>
<\/span>what they want to be.<\/span>
<\/span>Everyone has a different legacy.<\/span>
<\/span>We all have different personalities<\/span>
<\/span>in many ways. We have one life\u2014 <\/span>
<\/span>make it a good one.<\/span>
<\/span>I am Rae-Shon Sanchez.<\/span>
<\/span>I am a poet.<\/span>
<\/span>Bye.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013Rae-Shon S., Grade 2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

I Am\u00a0<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am a glowing horse galloping in the night.
I am the snowstorm freezing the air.
I am the Nature creeping in light.
I am a white feather falling from an eagle.
I am the crisp, shining white snow.
As you see, as you see
I am alive. And so here I am
standing, thinking about
who I am.  <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013Naomi C., Grade 2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

I Am<\/strong><\/b>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am the mystery of the sea.
I am the mystery of the sea.
I am an ice bear blending in with the snow.
I am the center of life
because life goes up and down
but at the end it turns around.
I am an eagle flying across the world
without sleeping.
I am the galaxy turning around
and finding more universes.
Every threat might be scary
but every threat might save your life.
So every imagination you have is real.
All you have to do is just look.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013Jimmy G., Grade 2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Delicious Details take center stage in this writing exercise inspired by N. Scott Momaday’s “Delight Song of Tsoai-talee.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":6902,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","featured_image_focal_point":[],"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"6885,6940,3997,5323,3192,4597","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[145],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6891"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6891"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6891\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11725,"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6891\/revisions\/11725"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6891"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6891"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersandwritersmagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6891"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}