Poetry, standardized tests, and how I got my peanut butter cookie recipe--

Today's the day! From 1-3 at NCCR, there will be a community open mic in the radio station performance space, livestreaming for all the world to hear! We will be celebrating community, good words, and the 30th anniversary of National Poetry Month! 

I have selected three poems to share, one of which is by Jane Kenyon, titled "Ice Out." Now, here's the funny story about me and standardized tests. I discovered this poem, and Jane Kenyon's work, through proctoring some tenth grade standardized test decades ago. I was not as widely read in poetry as I am (and still am becoming), but I fell in love with the poem. I read the questions, and found them awful. But when it came time to turn in test materials, somehow (!!) that page of the test booklet ended up in my papers. I still have the purloined page in my files at work. 

(I have a history with standardized tests-- when I was in elementary school, probably around 4th grade, I got in trouble while taking the IOWA tests. I reopened my test booklet after I was done --a sin-- to copy out the recipe for peanut butter cookies in the test. My teacher got mad, but then when she saw why I went back into the test, she allowed it. I still use that recipe for peanut butter cookies. True story.)

And while we are on the subject of standardized tests and poetry-- the poems that I've seen on the College Board practices are, for the large part, pretty damned awful. Seriously. The one I saw yesterday was not a good one to write about, in my humble opinion. It was by Grimke, and it was written to Wordsworth. It was pretty bland, but the word choice, due to the age of the poem, was unnecessarily complicated. There were not a lot of literary elements used that a student could focus on to write the timed essay-- let's just say, there are far better poems with richer language for kids to hang their hat on. And the poems in the multiple choice section are dense and difficult, too. Why? I mean, seriously-- there are so many gorgeous poems that are far more engaging and evocative. It's a travesty. No wonder so many kids hate poetry. The same analysis and writing objectives can be met without tossing them under the bus.

Anyhow, I'm on "vacation," which is to say, more flexible time for a week. One major thing I must do in the next two days is go through the galleys for my new book! Hooray! I am going to spend my time working on that so I can get them sent back out on Monday. 

Have a great Saturday. If you are local, head on down to the radio station. Bring a poem to share!

Hug your loved ones, 

C