1a. In "There is No Word for Goodbye," what does the speaker compare Sokoya's eyes to?
2a. What does "" mean?
3a. In "If You Should Go," how does the speaker want "Love" to leave?
4a. What should a dream leave behind?
1b. What does this description suggest about the speaker's relationship to Sokoya?
2b. Why do you think Sokoya's people "never leave each other"? Why don't they say goodbye?
3b. Why might a person feel that way about a loved one leaving?
4b. What does this mean? How is a dream like a loved one?
5a. What specific views does Sokoya have about people leaving one another? What specific thoughts about this does the speaker have in "If You Should Go"?
5b. Does Sokoya see departures as permanent? sad? hopeful? How does the speaker in "If You Should Go" view a loved one's departure? How does he or she hope the loved one goes? Why might he feel this way?
6a. What does Sokoya's answer to the question "What is the word for goodbye?" say about her worldviews? How does she probably view relationships between and among people? What do the speaker's words in "If You Should Go" indicate about his or her views about relationships? What does he or she hope to avoid if the relationship with his or her loved one should end?
6b. How might Sokoya respond to the speaker in "If You Should Go"? How might that speaker respond to Sokoya's words in "There Is No Word for Goodbye"?
Imagery. Write down specific images you find in each of the two poems. How do the words create pictures in your mind? What imagery is created in the poem "There Is No Word for Goodbye"? What imagery is created in "If You Should Go"?
Speaker. Think about the speaker of each of these two poems. How would you describe the speakers in these two poems? Do you think the speaker of "There Is No Word for Goodbye" is the author? Why, or why not? Do you think the speaker of "If You Should Go" is the author? Why, or why not?
Learning Other Languages. Using library or Internet resources, find out the word for "goodbye" in as many other languages as possible. For example, in French, people generally say au revoir when leaving each other.
Correcting misspelled Words. Look at the following words. If they are spelled correctly, write correct in the space provided. If they are misspelled, write the correct spelling of that word.
1. privlige
2. noticable
3. separate
4. liquify
5. accidently
6. accross
7. pleasant
8. judgment
9. embarass
10. forfit
What does "There is No Word for Goodbye" reveal about Sokoya's philosophy of life? her culture?
How do you say goodbye? Why do you use the word or phrase you use? What does it say about your philosophy of life?
Think about other people in your life. Do they say goodbye or do they use a different word or phrase? Why do you think they use these words or phrases?
