For our 4th week at the O-School we explored how to use our five senses to recall memories. I passed around different objects to students that represented the five senses, a seashell (touch), a toy pumpkin (taste), scented candle melts (smell), orange binoculars (see), and on my phone, I played sounds of a playground (hear). We told interesting stories from when we were younger.
Together we read the poem “When I Was Six,” by Aimee Nezhukumatahil. In her poem Nezukumatahil uses sensory details to describe how earliest memories from when she was six years old. My mother waters the tomato & pepper plants/I steal drinks from the penny-taste of the garden hose/ I am six and I am laughing with a mouth full of cashews/ I think nuts is the funniest word I have ever heard/ I break all of my mother’s lipsticks & glue them back together. Students enjoyed the poem and remembered doing some of the same things when they were younger, especially the line about gluing the mother’s, broken lipsticks back together, I admitted to doing that too when I was a kid.
Below are the poems and drawings of students’ memories when they were younger. I also want to share a beautiful song that I was introduced to by one student from The Dreamers Group.
The Terrapins
When I Was 11
I saw many things, some of which
I hope to see again.
I want to clean and throw it away.
I felt rough concrete cut up my fingers
as my hands slapped the ground,
when I fell.
I smelled the fresh cut grass,
my neighbors grass never
smelled this fresh.
I tasted the blood falling
onto my tongue.
It was metallic and salty.
I heard dogs barking.
They’re chained to the fences.
Cicadas chirped their songs,
filling the night air.
When I Was 8
I saw my mom cook.
She cooked pink salmon,
rice and spinach.
I touched my dog,
and petted her
as we played together.
I smelled the salmon.
I tasted the rice.
I heard my mom,
as we talked about
things.
When I Was 11
I played with Legos.
Legos and Pegos.
I touched Legos and Shaygos.
I smelled onions in the kitchen.
Onions and Punions.
I tasted smoothies.
Blueberries and Showberries
I hear the Lego bricks
come together.
Wind and Fins.
The Dreamers
Touch is Trash
I hate the sense of touch
Slimy, itchy, disgusting and more
I could go without
