An “I Am” poem is a type of poem in which the poet reflects on their identity, thoughts, feelings, and experiences or those of a hypothetical or imaginary character. The poem typically follows a structured format where each line or stanza begins with the phrase “I am” followed by a description or statement.

For this performance task, students will create an “I am” poem for the city of Gao; Jenne-Jeno/Djenne or Timbuktu. Students should use creativity and descriptive language but also reference factual information gathered from completed Activity 2 Question Sheets.  Students should write the “I am” poem speaking and writing as the soul of a city, in prose or poetry supported by a drawing.