I Remember...

Freewriting: Memories

Write for 5 minutes about each of the following topics. Try to describe your memories using more than one sense. That is, don't just describe how people/things/places looked, but also describe the sounds, feelings, smells, tastes, etc. that you remember. Then choose one topic to write more about.

  1. Write about one of your family members (your father, mother, brother, grandmother, etc.). What do you remember doing with that person in the past?
  2. Write about the city or town or the house or apartment where you grew up. What do you remember most about it?
  3. Write about your first love or an old friend. What do you remember about him or her?


Group Discussion: Talking about the Past

Take turns. First, one person in your group should read about one of his/her memories. Then, the other people should ask questions to find out more information about it. Try to help the person remember more details. Everyone should ask at least two questions about each memory. Finally, one person in your group should prepare to tell the class about his/her memory.
 

Sample Poems

Take turns reading the poems below aloud in your group.
 
 

My Childhood
By Jung Sung-jae

I remember my childhood
when I got up hearing the chickens and saw the sunrise.
I remember I spent every morning feeding cattle and
felt the cold drops of dew on the grass.
I remember I played with my friends all day.
But most of all,
I remember the days when I was an
innocent young child.

 
My Old Friends
By Kim Min-sun
I remember my school days
when I spent time with my friends.
We just saved our money to eat and play
and made special days for ourselves.
So we had many kinds of food and traveled to many places.
I remember taking a picture anytime to keep our memories for a long time.
I was very happy just because they were there with me.
But most of all,
I remember the day we talked about each other's problems all night long.
 

The Small Stone
By Cha Jong-In

I remember my first love lived near my house when I was eleven years old.
She always walked on the beach to pick up small stones, and I stood near her.
I knew her, but she didn’t know me.

I remember stealing a glance at her every day and night, but not saying anything to her.
I always walked on the beach to pick up small stones to give her, and I had mingled feelings of joy and sorrow.
I knew her, but she didn’t know me.

I remember the small stone I gripped in my hand on the day she moved.
I thought that it would be the last time for me to see her face, so I pictured her face again and again.
I knew her, but she didn’t know me.

But most of all,
I remember her footprints left on the beach.


Homework for Our Next Class

Hand in two different poems about your memories. The poems can be of any length, but the first line of each poem should begin with "I remember..." The last line might begin with something like "But most of all, I remember...." Be sure each poem has an interesting title. Please type and double-space.
 


Read my students' poems

Download this assignment as an MS Word File
 


Notes

  1. My students’ poems written in response to this assignment are online here: https://ausharjah.tripod.com/students/portfolio/portfolio2.html
  2. If you try this assignment with your own students, I would appreciate it if you let me know whether or not it was successful or if you have any suggestions for improving it. You can contact me here: <rtyson@aus.ac.ae>

Back to Main Page | Poetry Portfolio