Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People/ MODULE 4/ Social Studies Poetry

Carole Boston Weatherford; designed by Semadar Megged.2002. Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People. New York. Philomel Books.

ISBN 0-399-23726-7. 

Remember the Bridge is written to remember the slaves, conductors, and passengers of the Underground Railroad and the Civil War Soldiers. This book in its entirety is about African Americans.  The poems are in chronological order from the time the African Americans left Africa clear up to Martin Luther King Jr.  The book covers slaves such as Harriet Tubman and it also covers African American sports and music.  The book contains 27 poems that are written in a very simple manner and are age appropriate. This is more a photo essay that is written in poetic form describing the African-American history from Africa to the present time.  Paired with the poems are photographs that take readers back to when the poem was written.  These poems discuss the struggle that these people went through.  Some of these poems leave you sad and really thinking about the loss and hardships that the African Americans encountered throughout their lives.  The last poem "I Am the Bridge" leaves the reader with a feeling of hopefulness that we are continuing in history in a more responsible way. 

All these poems will extend and enrich a person’s insight or knowledge on African Americans.  Young readers will learn about slaves and gain knowledge on this topic that they otherwise would not know.  These poems will be understood by young readers but will challenge them with the topic that is presented to them.  This entire book will stimulate emotions as each poem is read.  When you read poems like “The Slave Storyteller” you feel the emotions of the salves and feel pain for them as to what their lives were like. 

There is one poem per page in this book, usually on the left hand side with a corresponding photograph on the right hand side.  The photos are done in browns and whites and black colors.  The photos really complement the poem.  Since they are real photos of people you really get a feel for how the time period was.  In the back of the book is a section titled “Author’s Note” that tells the story of how Carole Boston Weatherford embarked on the journey of finding information about African Americans.  There is also a “photo and illustration credits” section in the back that tells when the pictures were taken and by whom.  This is really interesting to look at and find out how long ago the pictures really dated back to.          

The poem that I am going to share with you is titled Martin’s Letter.  I liked this poem because it really showed Martin Luther King Jr. feelings on how difficult was to raise a black child in a white world. 

Martin’s Letter

(From Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Though sermons rolled off his tongue,

Martin could not find words

to tell his little brown girl

why Funtown’s gates were closed to her

or that the “Colored Only” sign

on the drinking fountain didn’t mean

the water was a different hue.

But in a jail cell in Birmingham,

he found words to tell the holy men

why he would not halt the marches.

He would rather fight off

police dogs and face fire hoses

than wipe his daughter’s tears.

Classroom/Library Connection

Recommended audience:  Ages 10 and up

Before reading:  Before reading the poem Martin’s Letter I would have a discussion with the children about who Martin Luther King Jr. was. I would ask the children what he did while he was alive and what life was like for black people back then. 

During reading:  I would read the poem slowly so they can truly appreciate the poem and understand what Martin Luther King Jr. is trying to say about all the difficult things he has to explain to his child. 

Reread the poem: I would then discuss the poem with the children and ask them what they think it means. I would present some research on Martin Luther King Jr. I would go line by line and see if the children could tell me what is happening.  I would ask them what they have learned about this famous man and then present their assignment to them. 

After reading: From the book, students will select an African American and research their life. They will talk about their early life, their schooling (if any), their older years, and why they are important to history. This paper will be written as a report one page in length.