I+Hear+America+Singing by+Walt+Whitman

We All Hear Different Songs

Prompt: We have been spending the last few days learning about American government and the uniqueness of our democracy and our freedoms and rights. The United States is a country that is made up of many different kinds of people. This diversity and acceptance of differences is what makes America such a great place to live! Here, we will be reading Walt Whitman's "I Hear America Singing" and creating poems about the "songs" we hear.

I Hear America Singing Walt Whitman

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear; Those of mechanics—each one singing his, as it should be, blithe and strong; The carpenter singing his, as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his, as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work; The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat—the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck; The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench—the hatter singing as he stands; The wood-cutter’s song—the ploughboy’s, on his way in the morning, or at the noon intermission, or at sundown; The delicious singing of the mother—or of the young wife at work—or of the girl sewing or washing— Each singing what belongs to her, and to none else; The day what belongs to the day— At night, the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Singing, with open mouths, their strong melodious songs.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Prewriting: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After reading Whitman's poem, take a moment to think of unique sights or people in your day to day life. When you hear the words "American citizen" who or what do you think of?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Drafting:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Begin your poem with: "I hear America singing, the different songs I hear;" <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For lines 2-8, begin each line with "The" followed by someone you think of when you hear the word "American" and a brief description of them. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lines 9 and 10 will describe places you think of as being "American" during the day and night, respectively. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Line 11 will be "Everyone in America sings together, yet they sing their own song."

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We All Hear Different Songs <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">By: Rachel McSwain

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I hear America singing, the different songs I hear; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The bank teller - singing his, smiling at me as he deposits my paycheck; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The librarian singing hers, shushing teenagers in the stacks, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The gas station attendant singing because his shop is full of customers, filling coffee cups on their commute. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The teacher, singing hope to her middle school students, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The garage band drummer, singing to his guitarist, vocalist, and concrete wall, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The businessman, in his pinstripe suit, singing as his dress shoes tap on the sidewalk, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The homeless living in Moore Square, even they sing their own songs, By day, the housewives mill around Cameron Village, swiping their credit cards furiously. At night, only a few windows twinkle at the top of the Wachovia building downtown. Everyone in America sings together, yet they sing their own song.