I’ve been doing something creative with students in my Vocabulary Building with Latin and Greek Roots and Affixes courses on Outschool. We’ve been writing poetry using lists of words that share the same Latin or Greek root-word origin. I crafted this poem using words derived from the Latin verb iacere “to throw.” This piece is too political to share with students, but I am sharing it here, because I liked how the writing exercise led me to surprisingly nonpartisan conclusion. – kw
‘Patriot’ Politics at the Pub
I have some conjectures I want now to voice,
ideas thrown together; I leave you the choice
to reject these ideas or accept them – that’s fine.
The subject I speak of is not really ‘mine,’
in the sense that I’ve studied it little but feel
a desire to inject my opinion and zeal
into convos. Though having scant knowledge or facts –
only hours of ‘news’ gathered from a network that lacks –
I’ve opinions, gut instincts, and theories sans evidence
that make me most vuln’rable to crazy incidents
like Q-Anon and tweetstorms. I’ve odd predilections
that lead me to challenge results of elections.
Yet please don’t project onto me some quick label
or ban me for years from your Thanksgiving table.
Don’t think I’m dejected or nuts or unkind,
for even in my camp good folks you will find.
We aren’t fans of science or liberals or books;
things you call “objective” require close looks.
Don’t jettison all my ideas ‘cause you think
I’ve gone off the deep end or I’ve come to the brink.
My thoughts are subjective, but your thoughts are, too.
By talking things out we might really get through
to each other. ‘Cause I’m not in abject despair
‘bout the state of our country; it’s free and it’s fair.
And though in democracy, our opinions we give,
Learn must we all, dear, to live and let live.
– Karen M. Wieland
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Copyright © 2022 by Karen M. Wieland, Ph.D
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