My Poem
I saw a perfect tree today
LILLIAN ALLEN
I saw a perfect tree today
From my cabin bed on a Via Rail train
Through the North of Ontario
I saw a perfect tree today
It was tall and thin and scraggly and prim
Then I saw another just as perfect
Short and sturdy with branches and brambles
And then another with a rugged fat trunk
Older than the rest, but just as perfect
I saw a dozen trees in a clump sharing the light
So their growth was stunted
But regal they were, plumped and perfect
And then a small twisted tree
with leaves fallen, trunk slanted
all the more perfect
I saw tens and hundreds, and thousands
And hundreds of thousands of trees
Not one single tree exactly like another
And yet they were all perfect, all perfect trees
A man-child from Mississauga heading to bend steel
To make his fortunes in the Alberta oil fields;
“I’ve never seen so many trees in my whole life”
A balding dude 30 years a social worker
Retiring home to Winnipeg, calms;
“Where I come from they cut them all down,
long, long, long before I was born.”
And I am reminded—This land, this land
Where cities have sprouted,
Blooming glistening skyscrapers at night
T’was all covered with trees once
One big forest we were once
All perfect trees.
Curricular Competencies Reflection
When choosing my poem, I was looking for something with 25 or more lines. I searched on the poetry in voice website for a poem which fit the requirements. Beyond that I wanted to recite a poem that covered the themes of beauty. We did numerous in class activities to prepare us for our final recitation. I found that tone mapping the poem helped me to feel more comfortable with the poem. The daily recitation made me feel more comfortable with presenting in front of others. Another strategy that helped me was to write the poem a few times to help with memory. Completing the paragraph gave me a deeper insight into the poem as well as the author. Analyzing the poem helped me to alter my tone map for the presentation.
Core competencies Reflection
I can contribute to and work with criteria to improve my own work; evidence of that is when we revised feedback from peers as well as the teacher to improve my work. We did this when reciting our poems.
In discussions and conversations, I help to build and extend understanding by sharing ideas with my peers. I also do this by asking questions and communicating with my classmates.
Examples of where I communicate clearly and purposefully can be seen in group and class discussions. I bring forward my ideas as well as listen to what the group has to say.