A poem
LEARNING A LANGUAGE
A poem by Olivia McMahon
Learning a language
is like doing a jigsaw puzzle
of a million pieces
with a picture that keeps changing.
It is like getting lost in a foreign city
without a map.
It is like playing tennis without a ball,
like being an ant in a field of grasshoppers.
It’s being an acrobat with a broken leg,
an actor without a script,
a carpenter without a saw,
a storyteller without a middle or an end.
But then gradually
It’s like being out in the early morning
with the mists lifting.
It’s like a chink of light under a door,
like finding the glove you were looking for,
catching the train you thought you were going to miss,
getting an unlooked-for present,
exchanging a smile.
And then one day it’s like riding a bicycle
very fast downhill.
What do you think of this poem?
What is learning a language like for you?
In a piece of paper, complete the sentence below. Then, write your name, year group and the name of your class. Finally, give the completed sentence to your teacher, please.
Learning a language is like...
I will start... for me, learning a language is like a never-ending treasure hunt.