To James Poem

To James Poem

page 97

Pre-reading vocabulary

• Flung = to throw

• Catapulted = launched with great force ("catapulta")

• Lurched = moved suddenly

To James

Do you remember

How you won

That last race . . . ?

How you flung your body

At the start . . .

How your spikes

Ripped the cinders (cenizas)

In the strech . . .

How you catapulted

Through the tape . . .

Do you remember . . . ?

Don't you think

I lurched with you

Out of those starting holes . . . ?

Don't you think

My sinews tightened (tendones/musculos)

At those first

Few strides . . .

And when you flew into the stretch

Was not all my thrill (emocion)

Of a thousand races

In your blood . . . ?

At your final drive

Through the finish line

Did not my shout (grito)

Tell of the

Triumphant ectasy

Of victory . . . ?

Live

As I have taught you

To run, Boy--

It's a short dash

Dig your starting holes

Deep and firm

Lurch out of them

Into the straightaway

With all the power

That is in you

Look straight ahead

To the finish line

Think only of the goal

Run straight

Run high

Run hard

Save nothing

And finish

With an ecstatic burst (energia)

That carries you

Hurtling (precipitandose)

Through the tape

To victory . . .

Fill in the Blanks

The poem compares LIFE to a...

Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt

There are many words about RACES in this poem. Let's go over some definitions

Multiple Choice

target, aim, objective, purpose

• goal

• cinders

• start

• tape

• ecstacy

Multiple Choice

joy, happiness, delight

• goal

• cinders

• start

• tape

• ecstacy

Multiple Choice

ashes (cenizas)

• goal

• cinders

• start

• tape

• ecstacy

Multiple Choice

the beginning of a race

• strides

• sinews

• start

• dash

• spikes

Multiple Choice

a ribbon marking the end of the race

• strides

• sinews

• tape

• dash

• spikes

Multiple Choice

a shoe with SHARP points for racing

• strides

• sinews

• tape

• dash

• spikes

Multiple Choice

to rush or RUN FAST

• strides

• sinews

• tape

• dash

• spikes

Multiple Choice

running with long steps

• strides

• sinews

• tape

• dash

• spikes

Multiple Choice

tendons/muscles

• strides

• sinews

• tape

• dash

• spikes

For homework...

Answer the questions about the poem from Google Classroom ( Due Saturday 11pm)