Japanese Internment Poem

 

    Now that you have seen, read, and even experienced some of the prejudices that had occurred to Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, you are to write a free style poem.  This poem should include all the different feelings, sights, and sounds that you think that the Japanese Internees may have experienced.  Below are examples of poems that students from the Compañeros class of 2000-2001 wrote.  Use it as a guide to help you write your poem.  I will be grading this poem as a quiz.  I should see all the things that are included in this rubric.  You may write it in Spanish or English.  If you need extra help, I will stay after school with you, but let me know.  Due Friday 12/14/01

 

Does your poem show some of the feelings or emotions that the Japanese may have felt? 

(Examples may be feelings such as joy, sadness, pride, fear, anger etc.)                                                                    20pts.

Does your poem show some history, such as names of places?                                                     10pts.

(Examples may be Pearl Harbor, home, internment camp, U.S. etc.)

Does your poem show some description of the Internment Camps?                                              10pts.

(Examples may include numbers, weather, barbed wire, etc.)

Does it show sounds, smells, or sights?                                                                                                  20pts.

(Examples may include children crying, screams, trains, baseball, manure etc.)

Does your poem flow well and does it have a title?                                                                               10 pts.

(Make sure your stanzas are connected and not thrown together so that they do not make any sense.)

Effort is shown.                                                                                                                                                 20 pts.

(The poem should look like you thought and organized before handing it in.  Do not hand in a poem that was done in 5 minutes.  Take this seriously and hand in your best work.)                                                                                                                      

Edited: Grammar and spelling.                                                                                                                     10 pts.

(Read your poem again before you hand it in for mistakes.  Have a friend double check it for you.)

 

I am poor and I am sorry

People are banging on my door

I played football for a living

I feel like I am in a competition

I skate in the rink in Wyoming

And chill in the

Community enterprise store

You do not know me

I die when I am lonely

So America, look, listen

Give me some Money

I am on my knees begging

Please help me.

 

By. D.O.

 

Japanese people have been

Discriminated against

But they are just as good

As Kings and Presidents

They got kicked out of where they lived

And were placed where

I wished I never be

They were intimidated

And very frustrated

They were not respected

But now they know never to trust

And to always be ready

For whatever comes

 

By: S.I.