against citizenship

Writing Workshop

Workshop Title: against

Step 1

Start by reading “against citizenship” by José Olivarez. As you’re reading, think of how the poem reflects the immigrant experience of living in another nation, as is demonstrated by the speaker and their own stories.

Step 2

Ask your students, “What issues does the poem bring up? Don’t just say “immigration.” What about immigration does the poem expose? What other societal issues does it touch on?”
Briefly discuss.

Step 3

Tell your students, “Choose one of the issues from our discussion and develop a list of:

• images or scenes that capture how this issue might look or feel in daily life
• emotions or attitudes someone could have in response to it
• possible comparisons, metaphors, or symbols that could help express its impact

Take a few minutes to brainstorm.”

Step 4

Ask your students to compose a poem similar in sentiment to “against citizenship” in which they take a stand “against” something they find to be unfair, unjust, or inhumane.

Step 5

When the students are done, have them share their responses with one another.

The full presentation may be found HERE.

Analytical Lesson

Area of Focus: Structure

Step 1

If your students are not familiar with the concept of a poem’s general composition and/or “structure,” go through the introductory lesson.

Step 2

Start class by projecting and reading the following excerpt:

“One recent morning on Chicago’s southwest side, the manager of a Mexican grocery store began the day posted at the front door, rehearsing the phrase “I wish to exercise my right to remain silent” in English in case immigration agents showed up asking about employees.

At a Mexican restaurant, the owner stashed newly laminated private signs under the host stand, ready to slap on the walls of the kitchen and a back dining room where workers could hide if agents arrived without a proper warrant.

Inside a house nearby, a woman named Consuelo went to the living-room window and checked the street for unusual cars, then checked the time as her undocumented husband left for work, calculating when he was supposed to arrive at the suburban country club where he’d worked for 27 years, where he’d earned an “all-star” employee award, and which now felt like enemy territory. She lit the first prayer candle of the day.”

Step 3

Now ask your students, “Is this a poem?” Then have them briefly discuss the elements that make the text NOT a poem. Eventually, segue into a discussion about what makes poetry unique to prose.

Step 4

Project José Olivarez’s “against citizenship” on the board and read it aloud with your students. As you’re reading, ask them to pay attention to the stylistic and structural choices that make the poem unique from a piece of prose.

Step 5

Ask your students to open the following document and go over the instructions with them. In this assignment, your students are going to examine José Olivarez’s “against citizenship” and identify how the poetic structure of the piece adds a layer to its impact, message, and meaning. When you’ve gone through the instructions, give your students time to work on the assignment.

Step 6

When your students are done, ask them to share their responses with the rest of the group.

Step 7

If time remains, ask your students to read the exemplar essay to compare their responses.