Analysing ‘This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land’

English

In 'Poetry about Place and Home', pupils create their own poetry to explore their relationship with their home. In 'Single Poet Study: Maya Angelou', pupils analyse the poetry of Angelou, exploring how she uses her work to describe relationships between people and places.

In 'Poetry of Place', pupils explore the language, form and structure of poetry written about place. In 'Poetry of Place and Home', pupils apply these analytical skills to more complex poems and write their own poetry about home.

Poetry about place and home

Historic or outdated representations of people that may portray inequality or injustice.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

when Indigenous people are left to have complete power and freedom

when other countries take control over another country and its land

when a country asks another country for help rebuilding it

What is 'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land' by Emily Clarke about?

relations between European colonists and Native Americans improved

Indigenous culture became more valued and appreciated 

Indigenous people had their culture uprooted

What was one effect of the colonisation of Native America?

'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land' is addressed to …

to give voice to a community who had been denied power and self-expression

to show the effects of colonisation on only her

Why might Clarke have written the poem 'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land' using first person plural?

that Indigenous people were made to feel useless when they are powerful

that Indigenous people were harmful and became predatory 

that after colonisation, Indigenous people found their strength again

What does Clarke's transition from calling the indigenous people "pests" and then "eagles" suggest about her feelings towards colonisation in 'This Poem is Taking Placce on Stolen Land'?

Which words belong to the first person plural?

If using the word 'you', a poem is being written in ...

to make the reader personally reflect on what is being written

to make themselves feel more important than the reader

Why might a poet choose to write in the second person?

What is a connotation of the word 'dove' (the bird)?

What might the poem 'This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land' be about?

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Adult supervision recommended

Introduction

What will you need for this lesson?

Are you ready to learn?

Equipment

Content guidance

Supervision

Worksheet