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- When I was a teenager, I came across a poem that changed the way I perceived the world. It was a long poem with a one word title: IF, written by R. Kipling. I strongly believe that we have to use authentic materials when teaching, but this kind of materials is difficult to come by. Most of the poems, articles or books are too difficult or inappropriate for young learners, or they don't contain enough of the target structure. This is why I was so happy when I realised that If, the poem in question, is one long, well structured, neat conditional.
- My 6th Graders dug their teeth into the poem and with great effort they constructed their own If poems. These poems, and more, constitute The Second Poetry Collection by the Living Poets Society. What follows is a sample of their work.
If
If you are always a friend of justice and never betray it,
If you stand up for an innocent man,
Even when it is almost sure that he is doomed,
If you help a man even if he doesn’t deserve any help,
You’ll be more than a man,
You’ll be a good man.
Kostis G.
|
If
If you can have friends that are true
If you can open your heart to everyone
that needs and loves you
If you can always be yourself
If you can do things and don’t mind what
others say
You’ll be a man my son.
Dioni M.
|
If
If you are not afraid to try something new.
If you learn to fight for the fair
If you don’t give up in difficult moments
If don’t care only for yourself
Or you learn to appreciate what you have
Your life will blossom
Kilo M.
|
If
If you go to Sahara without a map,
If you climb Everest without a rope
If you swim with Sharks
If you see thrillers and you laugh
Then don’t be sure you are really brave
When you are alone without help.
Irene M.
|
If
If you are always
a friend of Justice
And you never
betray it
If you stand up
for an innocent man
Even when it is almost sure that he is doomed,
If you help a man
Even if he
doesn’t deserve any help
You will be more
than a man,
You’ll be a good
man.
Kostis G.
|
If
If you can watch a movie again and again
And keep laughing at the same thing
If you can control your mood
If you can feel it’s already summer when you hear music
If you can imagine that book continuing
If you can make your anxiety go away just by singing
Then you know how to have fun.
Zoe K.
|
If
If
you can be there for your friend in hard times,
If you can be yourself all the time with
him,
If you can support his decisions,
If you can share, laugh and argue in the
same time,
If you can accept his difference,
Then you can call yourself a true friend.
Ariadne V.
|
If
If you can always tell the truth,
If you can stay calm when other people
hurt your feelings,
If you can face any situation without
running away,
If you don’t give up
And try hard,
You’re a man.
Aris
|
If
If you smile often,
If you turn on the oven,
If you bake it to golden,
If you let it all shine even,
If you don’t make it alright the first time,
If you try with soul and mind,
Then, you’ll be a real poet.
Electra
|
If
If you can be true to people,
If you stand by your friends,
If you say the truth, even if it’s hard,
If you forgive even when you’re wounded,
If you try to love someone, even if you
hate him,
You’ll be a Man, my son.
Marina
|
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