Abstract
The poem describes the multifaceted role and experience of a language teacher through metaphors and imagery. The poem presents language instruction as both an art and a sacred duty, employing metaphors of a keeper of keys, shepherd, and smith to illustrate the teacher's diverse responsibilities. Through four-line stanzas with consistent rhyme schemes, the work progresses from describing the technical aspects of language instruction to revealing its deeper purpose of fostering cross-cultural understanding. An instructor's personal investment in teaching is portrayed through intimate first-person narration, while imagery of growth, construction, and transformation underscores the developmental nature of language acquisition. The poem is written to be the anthem of the language teacher.
Recommended Citation
Idowu, Deborah
(2025)
"The Art of Teaching Tongues,"
Vernacular: New Connections in Language, Literature, & Culture: Vol. 10
:
Iss.
1
, Article 1.
Available at:
https://trace.tennessee.edu/vernacular/vol10/iss1/1