The Language Teacher
05 - 2001

Poessays in the English Language Classroom

John Pereira, Simon Potter, Wayne K. Johnson

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What is a "poessay?" Rather than being a word that you might find in the dictionary, it is a neologism formed from "poem" and "essay," its two constituent parts. On the one hand, it is poetry to be appreciated for its sounds, rhythm, dramatic impact, and imagery. On the other, it contains a flowing message, an insightful opinion, or a rhetorical argument that is usually expressed in linear prose. Examples are given after the following explanation of their pedagogic use: that is, how poessays might be useful for teaching English in Japan.

First of all, it is worth noting that poessays appeal to Japanese sensitivities in their brevity, nonlinearity, imagery, provocativeness, and humor. They are easy to read and understand, while opening up potential depths to explore. As you will see when you read them, many can be entertaining, yet at the same time convey serious thoughts, making poessays enjoyable and stimulating learning materials for English courses.

For oral English classes, poessays can first be read aloud to practice pronunciation and to get a feel for their sounds and rhythms. That poessays are not flat or monotonous adds excitement and encourages students, whether reading or repeating, to put life into their own spoken English. Once a few poessays have been read aloud for their artistry, it is possible to explore their messages, to delve into their intellectual content. A variety of techniques might be used to do so. Direct questions and answers, whether in the form of Socratic discourse (which can be fun) or something less involved, is one way to engage students. Another is to have students discuss a few poessays in pairs or groups, monitored by the teacher who might throw in a comment or two. After a sufficient amount of time has passed, the pairs or groups can report to the entire class. It is, of course, important to note that any given poessay offers a "main point" and insights, which elicit an array of responses (agreement, disagreement, or combinations), and should inspire related concepts and experiences to filter into the discussion.

For written English classes, there are at least two important uses of poessays. One is to write them. For some students this will be easy and fun, but for others it might be more of a challenge. In either case, composing poessays is a good learning experience for students: writing the English correctly (spelling and basic grammar) blends with artistic self-expression and finding the right words. Even students who feel they are deficient in English and/or in artistic ability are likely to get absorbed by the challenge.

The second use of poessays is to write about them. One or a few poessays, selected by the teacher or the students, can lead to pages of explanatory prose. Depending on the aims of a class and the level of its students, an assignment could range from a page to several, encouraging subjectivity and creativity on the part of the students.

Sample Set I

The following poessays were written by university students and published through Seika University as Communicative Times. We would appreciate receiving any interesting poessays, written by your students, that might be published in future editions (email: <sampachi@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp>). Anyone who would like a free copy of the latest issue should send a self-addressed stamped (80 yen) envelope to: Editor, City Press, 25-18 Okanonishi-cho, Misasagi, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto-shi, 607-8421.

Clone The scientist who produced the clone said this is the smartest man in the world He is a genius True but does he know his mother's name? Asuka Matsumiya	Moon The moon changes every night half moon full moon crescent moon and new moon But no the moon is always a full moon Are we also like the moon? Yumiko Toguchi	Train This morning I got up late I hopped on the train The train was crowded The train shook My head swam because I was sleepy	I crashed into my neighbor I said I'm sorry After a while "Ouch!" My foot was trodden on but my neighbor pretended to sleep Yoriko Nagatani
Communication She doesn't know Japanese or English but she has beautiful hair and a pure heart She is my friend my dog Yukari Tanaka	Almighty Birds can fly but I can't I can use chopsticks but birds can't He can run quickly but she can't She can sing well but he can't No one is almighty Yohei Kurita	Money I don't like Him because he uses me Ryosuke Saeki	Legs I have three lovely legs the first is my bicycle the second is my motorcycle the third is my car and they are all mine Kana Okuda
Double Standard My teacher said that trying is more important than getting the correct answer But when I tried hard and made a mistake he gave me minus points so tell me what does trying mean? Kumiko Onishi	Lunch Time It will be lunch time soon Everybody will go to the dining room I want to go there too I want to have lunch too But I have no money Takayuki Fukano	Far Out What is nearer to me than myself? But because of its nearness I can't know myself Keiko Nishimura	Harmony My hands are very big But I don't hate them because I have to live with them until I die so I get along with them Yoshiko Honda
No Coffee Break Who is the hardest worker in the world? The politician? The lawyer? The carpenter? No no no! he who works non-stop is sometimes he works slowly and sometimes he works fast yes he who lives in my left breast is O my sweet heart! Masami Yamashita	War and Peace Making war is the worst act in the world How will war disappear? When will war disappear? The only way I think is for all of us to kill ourselves! Kazuhiko Nishiguchi	Thanks Thank you for cooking for me every day Thank you for cleaning my room for me every day Thank you for working for me every day And thank you for being concerned about me every day I appreciate what you do for me but I'm too embarrassed to say it and so I write it here Hiroe Kido	Loyalty Honda is my partner my friend He is very old but he's doing fine He has run 75000 kilometers He tries hard but tires easily Hiroyuki Matsuyama
My Father & Me My father regards everything except scholarship as trash so when he asked me what I learned recently and I told him it was the price of vegetables my father cried Saeko Hada	Soul Brothers I have no money no car and no girlfriend But I have a good friend He has no money no car and no girlfriend Kantaro Iwasaki	My Pet I have a cat he is a selfish cat and he is a proud cat My neighbor says pets resemble their owners Keiko Yuno	Kindness On a crowded train I told an old woman to sit in my seat But she said I'm not that old! Miho Kawamura
D-Grade Soon it will be 11 PM and my family is already asleep but not me I'm wide awake as I fell asleep in class today Keiji Yamanaka	Values It's only the rain but it makes some people happy and others sad! Masaaki Karahata	Art of Living Workers say we have money but no time Students say we have time but no money Life is not simple! Kuniko Katsumata	Hometown Oh the countryside! how I love the blue sky clean water fresh air and pretty flowers oh so beautiful! Yes the countryside but can I live there? Where are the jobs? Mizue Kakizoe
Love Letter Dear Earth I want you to know I like delicious fruit fresh water and clean air I also like the beautiful sky emerald sea and the big big mountains Thank you good earth for everything! Yoko Kawaguchi

 

Sample Set II
The following poessays were written by Gambari-kun, a foreigner who lives in Kyoto. Some of them are from his book En not Yen (2000) published in Kyoto by Maruzen.

Amazing They resemble stone Buddhas as they sit in the classroom row after row looking at you without speaking You ask a question and there is an echo of silence You try again and there is more of the same	Now is the moment of truth I could go crazy as lots of foreign teachers do or simply take a deep breath and thank them for allowing me to speak and indulge my ego	I wonder at it all Are you really Buddhas who are already enlightened and who know truth cannot be communicated through words . . . I continue to speak . . . .	Ryoanji A cowboy had this to say about the famous Zen Garden "It's just a bunch of rocks" So is it or isn't it?
Borderless Marriage When you marry the right woman your marriage is successful But when you marry the wrong woman (even the girl next door) then your marriage is hell international or not	Killer I'd rather read the dictionary than a writer who has nothing to say	None for the Road Alcohol is for people who can't get drunk on life	Beware Language teachers who say Japanese students can't think logically forget there is an exception to every rule Math students!
Humor I and you and he and she and every human being has a great sense of humor we can all laugh at everybody else	Social Science Michael Jackson wants to be a Caucasian he has had surgery to fix his lips and has even bleached his skin to look white my students write again and again	So when I point out that millions of young Japanese bleach their hair gold and tell them there are probably more blondes in Tokyo than Chicago they	look at me as though I'm a great social critic I would never have thought of that all by myself their eyes seem to say to me
Teacher's Room Billy was sitting silently smoking a cigarette when the door opened and there walked in Mr. NO SMOKING who rushed to open the windows his nostrils fuming and eyes bulging Yes even with the windows open	the anger in the room was heavy refusing to leave while the cigarette smoke gently drifted away	Bloodless Coup Don't ask me ask the computer says a New Age scholar Yes the computer has killed the old style scholar a walking talking dictionary knowledgeable with a lot of memory but who no longer can compete leaving millions wondering what is a scholar today?	Tastes Good What a sight to behold! expensive cars and their owners either parked or waiting in line to receive hamburgers and french fries making it clear to all the world how much easier it is to acquire an expensive car than good taste in food
Secret On this last day of class my students look real happy! So am I but I don't show it	Mission Impossible Why can't Japan give the world another Daisetsu Suzuki or Okakura Tenshin when hundreds of thousands study live and work in English speaking countries? you ask me Japanese who study English today	I tell you do so to get better jobs move up the ladder of success and are not at all inward looking can do without the within so are unable to explain anything significant	Belief Systems My teacher used to say Judge a man by the quality of his shoes Anyone looking at my shoes nowadays (which are far from clean and shiny) would take me for a criminal Looking back over the years I have only this to say Don't believe anything your teachers tell you
Scholarship I've read one too many academic papers that have length and breadth but no depth	Food for Thought Good teachers always tell their students how much their homework has in common with sashimi the fresher the better	Hobby Poessays are easy to write and fun too all you need is simple everyday English and a clear mind	Good Citizen I wrapped up my mind in a furoshiki and gave it to my Boss a year ago (he did the same several years earlier) You are a good man! said he Now I'm like all the others a rib in a wheel that makes Japan go round an independent spirit no more

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