"Sonrisas"

We spent today looking at Pat Mora's poem "Sonrisas." We annotated it, discussed it and then answered the questions below on the back of the annotation. Finish these for homework if needed.

Sonrisas

I live in a doorway
between two rooms. I hear
quiet clicks, cups of black
coffee, click, click like facts
budgets, tenure, curriculum,
from careful women in crisp beige
suits, quick beige smiles
that seldom sneak into their eyes.

I peek
in the other room señoras
in faded dresses stir sweet
milk coffee, laughter whirls
with steam from fresh tamales
sh, sh, mucho ruido,*
they scold one another,
press their lips, trap smiles
in their dark, Mexican eyes.

1. On the back of your annotation, do the following:

Sketch (draw) the poem in some way, either literally or symbolically. Be prepared to explain your sketch.

2. On a separate sheet of paper, answer these questions.

In what way might you live in a doorway between two rooms? What would the two “rooms” be? What would be happening in them? Explain.