Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People by Carole Boston Weatherford

 Weatherford, Carole Boston. Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People. New York: Philomel Books, 2002.  ISBN 0399237267

Weatherford’s collection of African American history gives a rich poetic and photographical representation of the challenges faced by the race. The book encompasses poetry covering African American history spanning over 400 years including prominent people from Harriet Tubman to Dr. Martin Luther King. Also included are works depicting farm work, basket weaving, quilt making and the book's namesake, a bridge, metaphorically made of people “leaving paths of memories.”

Poems, within the book, are told in stanzas with poetic meter, with several told in rhyme. An example would be from this excerpt of Bronze Cowboys

When bison roamed the wild, wild west

dark riders rode the Pony Express

over the mountains, across the plains,

past coyotes, bobcats and wagon trains.

The sing-song rhyming pattern of many poems helps to lighten the somber, and often striking, images (a beaten slave) that accompany the literary work.

Pictures included with each poem are either illustrated by engravings or an actual photograph depicting its accompanied literary work. Images do not include captions but are cited at the end of the book.

To introduce a Food Science and Nutrition lesson about Ethnic Foods, I would recite the poem below.

Soul Food

Black-Eyes peas, collard greens,

dirty rice and pinto beans,

brown sugar glaze on smokehouse ham,

pickled beets and candied yams;

chicken and dumplings, turkey and stuffin’,

buttermilk biscuits and corn bread muffins.

Grandma rose early to prepare this spread,

to bake pound cake and gingerbread,

to shell peacans for Derby pie

and clean a mess of fish to fry.

She asked a blessing before we ate

and always set an extra plate

for an unexpected visitor.

Her home, like her heart, an open door.

Displaying the poem on the overhead, I would ask students to list foods mentioned in the poem and spend time discussing what makes them considered soul food and what significance did  some of those food items play in the African American culture.

A tasting of soul food would also add to the lesson.  Pickled beets, yams, dirty rice and other dishes would be available for tasting during the unit.