Poets Leading the Blind

One of the major skills used in poetry is making careful observation of details.  Observing details allows the poet to create a scene that draws the reader into the poetic experience.  Observation requires fine awareness of all five senses.  Although it may seem like a contradiction, this activity requires that you to close your eyes in order to develop your observation skill.  By using a blindfold, learn to pay special attention to the world around you.

Blindfold

All you need for this activity is a dark blindfold to tie over your eyes.  Working together with a friend or classmate, experience the world as a blind person.  One person acts as a guide, while the other person plays the role of the blind person.

Go with your friend to the garden, the public park, or somewhere on your school campus.  The guide leads the blindfolded partner around the park or garden and describes various items such as trees, birds and flowers.  The guide describes the setting as creatively and poetically as possible.  The blindfolded friend asks questions.  The guide explains and describes using comparison, metaphor and simile.  A sample dialogue might sound like this:

Ken (blindfolded):  Please tell me what the world looks like to you.

Pop (guide):  Come over here and I’ll describe a tree to you.

Ken:  What does it look like?

Pop:  The leaves are bright green with silver on the back.

Ken:  Can you explain “green” to me?

Pop:  Green is the colour of health and freshness for a tree.

Ken:  What about “silver”?

Pop:  Silver is precious, like the touch of an angel.

Ken:  That’s strange, but I think I understand.

Pop:  Here, hold a leaf and feel it by yourself.

Ken:  Funny, one side is smooth like a baby’s face, but the other side is rough.

Pop:  Yes, the smooth side is the green side.

Ken:  Interesting.  Tell me more. How big is the tree?

Pop:  It’s as tall as a house.

Ken:  Can you be more specific please?

Pop:  The tree is twenty times taller than you.  If you climb it, you can touch the sky.

Ken:  Cool, I think I “see” the tree better.   But, how can you climb a tree?

Pop:  Imagine the tree has twenty big arms reaching in all directions.

Ken:  Arms?  I like that.  It makes the tree seem more alive.

Pop:  Yes, some arms reach down to the ground, some to the sky.

Ken:  So, where are the leaves?

All the Senses

Since the blindfolded person does not have vision, they are more dependent on their other senses to experience the world.  To explain the world of colour, you can make comparisons with the other senses.  Practice describing the following things to a blind person.

Poetry Visualization

This activity can also be used in the classroom.  One person uses a blindfold while one partner reads a poem.  Choose a poem that uses a lot of description.  Recite the poem out loud, slowly and clearly.  Allow time for the blindfolded person to create an image in their mind.   The blindfolded person asks for clarification when necessary.

Then, read the poem a second time to refresh and strengthen the image in the listener’s mind.  Finally, discuss and compare how the two partners “see” the poem. 

Visit the Blind

So far, you’ve only imagined what it might be like to be blind.  To deepen your sensitivity to the true difficulties of blindness, it is helpful to meet some blind people. 

Look in the telephone book to find a school for the blind in your area.  Call and ask if they accept volunteers or need any helpers.  Next weekend, visit a school for blind children to play games, recite poetry to the children, or make recordings for the school library.  If there are blind adults, it might be informative to interview them and learn a new perspective about life from them.

There are numerous ways of helping other people, while gaining valuable personal experience.  This visit will definitely be rewarding and make a strong impression on you.  Meanwhile, you’re supporting the blind people and helping them in their struggle to succeed.