Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1992. This Same Sky. New York: Aladdin. ISBN: 0-689-80630-2.
Introduction
This poem should be read aloud several times. While it contains a profound�true�statement about life, it may take a few readings to catch the meaning of the poem.
The Land of Mists
In the land of mists
always shrouded in mist
nothing ever happens
And if something happens
nothing can be seen
because of the mist
you get accustomed to mist
so you don�t try to see
Therefore in the land of mists
you should not try to see
you have to hear things
for if you don't hear you can't live
so ears keep on growing
People like rabbits
with ears of white mist
live in the land of mists
Extension
One of the things that makes this poem a "challenge" is the lack of punctuation (commas, periods, question marks, etc.) The reader has no visible clues as to when to pause, what to emphasize etc. Experiment reading this poem aloud. See how the meaning of the poem changes (or the sound of the poem) depending on how it is read. Does it read like a run-on sentence? Was the lack of punctuation part of the poem's original design? Does it add to the poem's meaning or does it distract the reader? It does make you think about how important punctuation in a poem can be. (They may not have given it much thought before, but it is an important part of poetry�and can be crucial in a poem's style.)
The poem would also work well in a geographical setting. English teachers could study poems and literature from around the world; or a geography teacher could branch out into studying poetry. In either case, students could be assigned to find a poem(s)/poet for a particular country. Each student presents a different country. It is important to study the culture/history of the country from which the poem originates.
Module five focuses on multicultural poetry. Selected poems are as follows: