Themes

The Sound of Freedom

Aim: To write poems that reflect on the meaning of freedom.

Materials: Paper and pencil

Procedure:

1. Have students view and discuss the work of art below.

2. Share with students what the artist wrote about the object:

“What are the sounds of freedom? The wind rustling through grasses, the murmuring of exiles, desert sounds, a joyous song with a tambourine. Miriam’s cup is a restless vessel, like her ancient well accompanying the people of Israel along their journey. It is heard as well as seen, its cymbals dancing in response to the slightest vibration of the table.”

Discuss the artist’s statement with the class.

3. Ask students to write poems titled "The Sounds of Freedom." You might encourage them to write their poems in the form of Haiku. Japanese Haiku are very concise, consisting of three lines.The first line generally has five syllables, the second line seven syllables, and the third line five syllables. Haiku is especially appropriate to this topic, as Haiku are meant to be very descriptive and often deal with themes such as nature, feelings, and experiences.You can find some examples to share with your students here.