dont worry yr hair

1. This poem lists many of the everyday anxieties people worry about. Which of these worries usually concern you most? Did the poem help you feel better about them?
2. The author writes this poem in the second person, addressing the reader directly as “you.” How does that affect your reading of it? Does it make it feel more immediate and direct?
3. The poet writes “a tree grows inside yu”. What do you think the tree represents? If you had a tree growing inside you, what would it look like?
4. This poem, like most of bill bissett's work, uses unconvential syntax and spelling. Why do you think the author spells words like this? What might he be trying to say about language and convention?
5. This poem often uses repetition to increase the urgency of the poem. How might you relay this urgency with your voice and body when reciting it?
6. Write a poem meant to inspire people. Address it directly to the reader. Tell them what you think they should he hopeful about. What you think is beautiful about the world, or about people. Challenge yourself to be optimistic about the world.

Useful Links

Here is a profile on Bill Bissett in The Toronto Star, which discusses his inspirations and his literary legacy: https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2019/04/26/poet-bill-bissett...

Watch this video of bill bissett reading his own work. How does he use his body and vocal intonations to enliven his reading of the poem? Even more importantly, how does he use pauses? How does silence increase the poignancy of some moments? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwPDJgmOAmw