'The Planners' by Boey Kim Cheng

​A poem by Boey Kim Cheng

'The Planners'

Self-paced lesson

This is a self-paced online lesson; however, you should record your also record ideas in your English workbook. By the end of the task you should have recorded detailed and thoughtful annotations on your copy of the poem. You can quietly share your ideas with a partner as long as you are not disturbing others.

The lesson will initially guide you through your annotations of the poem. At the end, you will respond to two extended open-ended questions. You will have five minutes for each.

​First, examine the title: 'The Planners'.

Make a note of the connotations associated with the word 'plan' and the term 'planners'.

​(Note: using analytical terminology like 'connotations' will boost your grades).

​They plan. They build. All spaces are gridded,
filled with permutations of possibilities.
The buildings are in alignment with the roads
which meet at desired points
linked by bridges all hang
in the grace of mathematics.
They build and will not stop.
Even the sea draws back
and the skies surrender.

​But my heart would not bleed
poetry. Not a single drop
to stain the blueprint
of our past’s tomorrow.

​Read the poem carefully.

​They erase the flaws,
the blemishes of the past,
knock off useless blocks with dental dexterity.
All gaps are plugged with gleaming gold.
The country wears perfect rows of shining teeth.
Anaesthesia, amnesia, hypnosis.
They have the means.
They have it all so it will not hurt,
so history is new again. The piling will not stop.
The drilling goes right through the fossils of last century.

​Write down your first impressions

​First impressions:

1. Read the poem through twice.

2. Identify key images in the poem.

3. Who is featured in the poem? Explain your answer.

4. Does the poem feel optimistic or pessimistic? Explain your answer.

5. What is your understanding of the dentist metaphor in Stanza 2? 

6. What, in your opinion (so far), is the poet’s message to readers?

​Reminder: you can share your thoughts with a partner as long as you are not disturbing others with your conversation.

​Examine Stanza 1 carefully

​1. Why do you think the planners are only referred to as they?

2. What effect do the caesurae have?

3. Why use the word gridded? What connotations does this word have?

4. Look up the word permutation in the dictionary and write down the definition and three synonyms.

5. What technique is used in these final two lines of stanza one, and what kind of image is created? What is the author’s message here, do you think?

​Respond to at least 3 of these questions. If you are working with a partner, focus on different questions.

​They plan. They build. All spaces are gridded,
filled with permutations of possibilities.
The buildings are in alignment with the roads
which meet at desired points
linked by bridges all hang
in the grace of mathematics.
They build and will not stop.
Even the sea draws back
and the skies surrender.

Share your analysis of Stanza 1 with a partner (either discuss it or simply give one another your English workbooks and have a read).

​

Share with a partner

​Examine Stanza 2 carefully

6. Do you think erasing the past is wise? Why/why not? Why might they want to do this?

7. Why compare city developers to dentists? What is the effect here, in your opinion?

8. Explain what dexterity means. Look it up if you need to.

9. What imagery is created in this stanza?

10. Why the asyndetic (no conjunctions) list? This line seems very significant. Why?

11. How is it possible that history is new again? Explain your understanding of this line.

​Respond to at least 3 of these questions. If you are working with a partner, focus on different questions.

​They erase the flaws,
the blemishes of the past,
knock off useless blocks with dental dexterity.
All gaps are plugged with gleaming gold.
The country wears perfect rows of shining teeth.
Anaesthesia, amnesia, hypnosis.
They have the means.
They have it all so it will not hurt,
so history is new again. The piling will not stop.
The drilling goes right through the fossils of last century.

Share your analysis of Stanza 2 with a partner (either discuss it or simply give one another your workbooks and have a read).

​

Share with a partner

​Examine Stanza 3 carefully

14. How do we see a shift in narrative perspective here?

15. Why be so sarcastic? “My heart bleeds” is an ironic cliche, used to express a lack of sympathy. What’s going on here?

16. Is the speaker suggesting the modern urban environment damages the spirit (the heart)?

17. Why would the speaker’s poetry stain the plans, in your opinion?

18. Do you think the speaker is suggesting the future is already here? How would you explain this line?

19. What technique is used in the poem’s final two words, and to what effect?

20. Why do you think the speaker refers to our collective identity? Are we all guilty in this relentless pursuit of progress? Explain your thoughts.

​Respond to at least 3 of these questions. If you are working with a partner, focus on different questions.

​But my heart would not bleed
poetry. Not a single drop
to stain the blueprint
of our past’s tomorrow.

Share your analysis of the final stanza with a partner (either discuss it or simply give one another your books and have a read).

​

Share with a partner

Practise identifying and analysing techniques

On the next slide, you will be prompted to analyse a poetic technique of your choice. You'll have five minutes to do so. Choose a technique now so that you are ready to begin.

Open Ended

You have five minutes to analyse a poetic technique used in 'The Planners'. Write at least three analytical sentences, be sure to connect the use of the technique to the poet's communication of a message OR mood, and do not forget to identify the technique by name (using correct poetic terminology).

Practise writing about the poem's messages

On the next slide I will prompt you to write three sentences relating to the poem's message. Carefully read the poem now and think about what you could write about.

Open Ended

You have five minutes to write three analytical sentences about the poet's message in the poem 'The Planners'. You are welcome to write sentences that acknowledge the possibility of multiple messages, but it is best to put forward an ultimate interpretation.

Practise writing about the poem's impact

On the next slide I will prompt you to write three sentences relating to your personal response to the poem. How does it relate to your own city and your experience of development? How might it relate to the cities that you are drawn to living in when you are older?

Open Ended

You have five minutes to write a personal response to this poem. How does it relate to planning and infrastructure development in your own city? Do any aspects of this poem resonate with you?

You have finished this self-paced lesson!

​

Well done!