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Immensity: A reading with immigrant writers
“Writing united us. But could we actually pull off a reading?” In Portsmouth, a group of New Hampshire poets and immigrant writers came together to write poems, share stories and inspire one another. They wrote about memory, immigration, home, family and imagination. As Leidiane put it, “We fit together like water, each in its own way.” And eventually, they stepped onto the stage to share their voices with the community.
‘I hope I will learn to dance a different dance I’ve never danced before’
The students at Broken Ground School learned Nepali, Bollywood, and hip-hop dances with Bhutanese dancer Pujan Wagley—and turned movement into poetry. As they danced, they wrote about feeling “happy,” “excited,” “silly,” “joyful,” and “floating.” Together, poetry and dance became a way to build friendships, imagine new possibilities and “learn to dance a different dance.”
A story from the house of extravagant colors
A chorus of thirty-five international students welcomes poet Juan Felipe Herrera to their classroom: “Welcome to our house of extravagant colors / in our classroom on Lake Street / which is for all of us a place of pause / on the road of our lives.” They sing, share stories and write poetry together as Herrera tells them, “Your voice is the natural and beautiful voice that everyone has.”
‘Joseph’s Big Ride’ in 3 languages at Broken Ground School
At Broken Ground School, “Joseph’s Big Ride” got a magnificent launch with families from around the world. Terry shared the story with colleagues from Bhutan and Rwanda, reading it in three languages: English, Nepali, and Kinyarwanda. With ice cream sundaes, a painted Joseph and Whoosh, and a gym full of families, a story written in English became something much bigger.