Creativity and Poetry

1. Creativity and Poetry Alicia M. Bonelli

2. Objective Using Pablo Neruda’s “Oda al Tomate” in addition to several classroom activities, students will learn to engage their creativity while studying important aspects of Spanish poetry and language.

3. Step 1 Each group will receive one fruit or vegetable. Your group’s task is to describe the item according to such traits as color, texture, shape, aroma, and taste. Observations should be recorded on a chart.

4. Example

5. Step 2 Collect and record the observations made by each group for each different item. Place this master chart on the board. Topics of discussion for the class include: appropriate vocabulary, adjective endings, and spelling

6. Examples • Vocabulary: “rico” instead of “bueno” • Adjective Endings: “la manzana roja” instead of “la manzana rojo” • Spelling: “pimiento” instead of “pimento”

7. Step 3 I will now read Pablo Neruda’s “Oda al Tomate” out loud to the class. Follow along on your worksheets.

8. “Oda al Tomate” La calle se llenó de tomates, mediodía, verano, la luz se parte en dos mitades de tomate, corre porlascalles el jugo. En diciembre se desata el tomate, invade lascocinas, entrapor los almuerzos, se sienta reposado en los aparadores, entre los vasos, lasmantequilleras, los salerosazules. Tiene luzpropia, majestadbenigna. Debemos, pordesgracia, asesinarlo: se hunde el cuchillo en supulpaviviente, en unaroja víscera, un sol fresco, profundo, inagotable, llena de ensaladas

9. “Oda al Tomate” de Chile, se casa alegremente con la claracebolla, y paracelebrarlo se deja caer aceite, hijo esencial del olivo, sobresushemisferiosentreabiertos, agrega la pimienta sufragancia, la salsumagnetismo: son lasbodas del día, el perejil levanta banderines, las papas hiervenvigorosamente el asado golpea con su aroma en la puerta, eshora! vamos! y sobre la mesa, en la cintura del verano, el tomate, astro de tierra, estrella repetida y fecunda, nosmuestra suscircunvoluciones, suscanales, la insigne plenitud y la abundancia sin hueso, sin coraza, sin escamasniespinas, nosentrega el regalo de su color fogoso y la totalidad de sufrescura.

10. Step 4 We will now analyze the poem as a class. Topics of analysis include: sentences, figurative language, and especially personification.

11. Examples • Sentences: How many are there in the poem? • Four • Figurative Language: Why would the street be filled with tomatoes? • The street could be the location of a farmers’ market. • Personification: What is personification? Give examples from the poem. • The attribution of human characteristics to something non-human. For example, the barbecue's aroma “knocked” at the door.

12. Step 5 As a homework assignment, you must make a creative interpretation of the poem. Examples include: drawings, comics, skits, and videos.

13. Step 6 Your group’s final task is to write an original ode. Guidelines will be provided to facilitate the group’s work. The odes will be read aloud to the class.

14. Other Applications • Poems • Short stories • Songs • Films • Art • Media

15. Bibliography • García Lorca, Francisco, and Donald M. Allen. The Selected Poems of Federico García Lorca. New York: New Directions, 1961. • Neruda, Pablo. Odas elementales. Ed. Jaime Concha. Madrid, Spain: Catedra, 2003. • Oliver, Mary. A Poetry Handbook. Orlando, Florida: Harcourt, 1994.