| What is a "poessay?"
Rather than being a word that you might find in a dictionary,
it is a neologism 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 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 whole 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 in 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 1 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 (e-mail: sampachi@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp). |
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who produced the clone said this is the smartest man in the world a genius |
but does he know his mother's name? |
The moon changes every night half moon full moon crescent moon and new moon no |
is always a full moon we also like the moon? |
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I got up late hopped on the train train was crowded train shook |
swam because I was sleepy crashed into my neighbor said a while |
My foot was trodden on my neighbor pretended to sleep |
know Japanese or English she has beautiful hair a pure heart my friend |
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can fly but I can't can use chopsticks but birds can't run quickly but she can't She can sing well but he can't |
one is almighty Money don't like Him he uses me |
three lovely legs is my bicycle is my motorcycle is my car all mine |
said that trying is more important the correct answer when I tried hard and made a mistake game me minus points tell me |
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trying mean? lunch time soon will go to the dining room |
want to go there too I want to have lunch too I have no money |
nearer to me myself? But because of its nearness know myself |
are vary big But I don't hate them because I have to live with them until I die I get along with them |
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is the hardest worker in the world? politician? lawyer? carpenter? no no! |
who works non-stop is sometimes he works slowly sometimes he works fast he who lives in my |
is War and Peace war is act in the world |
will war disappear? When will war disappear? only way I think is for all of us ourselves! |
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for me every day thank you my room for me every day working for me every day And thank you |
about me every day appreciate what you do embarrassed to say it and so I write it here |
is my partner He is very old but he's doing fine He has run 75000 kilometers tires easily Matsuyama |
& Me regards everything when he asked me I learned recently and I told him it was the price of vegetables |
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cried Soul Brothers no money no car and no girlfriend I have a good friend no money no car and no girlfriend Kantaro Iwasaki |
have a cat he is a selfish cat he is a proud cat neighbor says resemble owners |
a crowded train an old woman to sit in my seat but she said that old! |
it will be and my family is already asleep not me wide awake I fell asleep today |
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only but it makes some people happy others sad! |
say we have money but no time say we have time but no money is not simple! Kuniko Katsumata |
the countryside! I Love the blue sky clean water fresh air and pretty flowers so beautiful! |
the countryside! but can I live there? are the jobs? |
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I want you to know delicious fruit and clean air |
also like beautiful sky emerald sea the big |
mountains good earth everything! |
| Sample Set 2 The following poessays were written by Gambari-kun, a foreigner who lives in Kyoto. Some of them are from his book EN not YEN published by Maruzen. |
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resemble stone Buddha's they sit in the classroom row after row looking at you without speaking |
a question and there us of silence try again and more of the same |
is the moment truth I could go crazy lots of foreign teachers do |
simply take a deep breath and for allowing me to speak and my ego wonder at it all |
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really already enlightened who know truth cannot be communicated through words ... continue to speak ... |
cowboy had this to say about the famous Zen Garden a bunch of rocks" is it or isn't it? |
Marriage you marry the right woman is successful you marry the wrong woman next door) your marriage is hell |
or not Killer read dictionary a writer nothing to say |
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for the Road is for people can't get drunk life |
was sitting silently smoking a cigarette the door opened there walked in NO SMOKING |
rushed to open the windows nostrils fuming and eyes bulging even with the windows open |
anger in the room was heavy to leave while the cigarette smoke away |
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ask me the computer a New Age scholar computer has killed old style scholar walking |
dictionary knowledgeable a lot of memory who no longer can compete millions wondering what is a scholar today? |
a sight to behold! cars their owners parked waiting in line to receive hamburgers and french fries |
it clear the world much easier it is an expensive car good taste in food |
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this last day class students look real happy! am I but don't show it |
can't Japan give the world another Daisetsu Suzuki or Okakura Tenshin when hundreds of thousands study live and work |
English speaking countries? you ask me Japanese who study English today I tell you do so to get better jobs |
the ladder of success and are not at all inward looking can do without the within so are unable to explain anything significant |
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used to say by the quality of his shoes looking at my shoes nowadays far from clean and shiny) |
take me for a criminal over the years only this to say tell you |
read too many papers have length breadth no depth |
Good teachers always tell their students their homework has in common with sashimi the better |
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wrapped up my mind in a furoshiki to my Boss year ago (he did the same several years earlier) |
are a good man! he Now I'm like all the others in a wheel that makes Japan go round |
independent spirit more National Fitness Day this auspicious day Japanese stay home do sports on TV |
are easy to write and fun too you need is everyday English and clear mind |
