Poetry’s power to connect people across borders, cultures, and languages is celebrated on World Poetry Day, March 21.
Students and tutors from the University of Rochester’s Language Center appeared on the show “Foreign Exchange” on WAYO, 104.3 FM to read poems in languages such as Arabic, Korean, and Portuguese, along with their English translations. A podcast of the show is available, as is this video of a poem offered by Andrea Cruz Bendezu ’20, an American Sign Language major and tutor.
Through this celebration of World Poetry Day, the center is promoting “all languages, including those that are indigenous and are labeled as less commonly taught, increasing opportunities for these languages to be heard and highlighted,” Valdez says. “The celebration of the World Poetry Day will allow us to promote the diversity, culture, and identity of this campus.”
Dandelions
By Clayton Vallis
YELLOWFLOWER
MANY IN THE GRASS
WAVING IN THE WIND
MAN COMES, LOOKS, ANGRY, SEES
YELLS: “D-A-N-D-E-L-I-O-N-S”
PULLS THEM OUT
MOWS
ALL GREEN
RAIN FALLS, SUN SHINES
GROUND IS WARMED / LIFE BEGINS
SOMETHING STARTS TO APPEAR
LOOKS AROUND
BLOOMS
YELLOW FLOWER
BEES COMES, POLLINATE
FLOWERS WAVING IN THE WIND
EVERY NIGHT CLOSE UP, OPEN UP AGAIN THE NEXT MORNING FINALLY
THEY BECOME A WHITE PUFFBALL, OPEN UP WAVING IN THE WIND
(MORE THAN DANDELIONS)
MAN COMES, YELLS
“T-H-E-R-E”
PULLS ONE OUT
SPREADS
