In light of April's personalization of learning during the "Teaching Terms" lessons, it seems like a meaningful time to use our monthly poetry packet reflections to discuss the personal impact that poetry has had on your lives. Please follow directions below.
1.) You're at a job interview with your favorite writer/poet/author. Your answers to their interview questions will determine whether you get the job. (This is BIG because you're banking on finally moving out of mom's basement...). Take the interview by posting your responses to questions A, B and C.
A. What three words best describe you?
B. What published poem speaks to WHO YOU ARE? (Post it w/ author's name. Hint: words DO NOT need to physically be in poem--it would be less shallow if it actually didn't...)
C. Picking apart tone, theme, imagery and/or diction, why would you pick this one to say something about you?
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A. Risk-taking, venturous, thoughtful
ReplyDeleteB. Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
C. The imagery of having two roads to choose from, just the general option, reflect what ive faced throughout my life i believe. There were many times in my life that forced me into many options, but i had to choose only one. The protagonist's choice to take the road less traveled by also is me. I like to look at new options rather than always going the same exact routine. The theme of it as well is about taking chances and "going for it", which is how i like to view my life. Im always open to new suggestions,and will full heartedly go that way with no hesitation.
A. Observant, inquisitive, insightful.
ReplyDeleteB. “I was in the Darkness” by Stephen Crane. Since it’s only five lines I wanted to post it here.
I was in the darkness;
I could not see my words
Nor the wishes of my heart.
Then suddenly there was a great light —
"Let me into the darkness again."
C. Sorry for the memoir…
Ever since I was a child, my life has always been a culmination of hope and disappointment. In defining who I am, I feel it’s only necessary to delve into my past and expose the feelings and experiences that have shaped my character.
I know that each person is forced to deal with their own source of struggle, and it comes in varying levels of difficulty, but for me…. my struggle was a day to day occurrence that grew in intensity as the years wore on. Mainly stemming from a dismal family life, and mixed in with low self-esteem, my struggle was born.
Like I said, the hardship started since I was a kid, and up until maybe a year ago it’s been like a snowball effect. It made me an overly sensitive, overall “sad” person. I remember times when I couldn’t go a day without crying myself to sleep, when I no longer knew what it truly felt like to be “happy” anymore, and times when I had given up to the point where I no longer wanted to wake up in the mornings — the eternal rest and emptiness was my prized desire to put my soul at peace. For all those years… I, too, was in the darkness as the poem states. I woke to darkness, lived in darkness, slept in darkness. And of course darkness in this sense would be a metaphor for depression.
The second line of the poem is one which is most important to me. Dealing with my situation as a kid and onto adulthood was hard because I didn’t know how to tell anyone or suppress the feelings. Eventually I ended up keeping it all inside and everyday it was like another piece of me was being chipped away. However, after the 8th grade poetry unit, I realized I had taken a liking to poetry and its art form. It was then when I turned to poetry to vent my feelings and to express myself in the simplest way possible. In Crane’s poem, I took the line “I could not see my words” to symbolize how I was too deep in my darkness for my poetry to help me.
The third line goes back to me being empty inside — like my heart had turned to stone. Thus I was unable to take pleasure in the little things or find the happiness that I had lost. But it seemed as though there was a shift in my home life about a year ago, that I attribute to being the ‘great light,’ which dissolved some of the darkness I had been living in. The imagery from this line represented the intense degree of change I had felt… Breathing and taking each day step-by-step has been a little easier.
Despite all of my progress, I know a part of me will always in some regard belong to the darkness that I had become accustomed to. That’s what the last line of the poem means to me. I know that the effects of my “struggle” are inescapable and I will always carry the weight with me, somewhere in the back of my mind. Overall, the poem had a tone of submission to the ‘darkness’ that I had related to. But what this experience and this life has shown me is that I am much stronger than I thought, because I am still standing here today. I am marvelously wonderful and unique and have gained talent in poetry that I would’ve otherwise been unaware of.
The negativity in my life has created who I am, but I have shaped it to form my individuality.
A: Competitive, joyful, outgoing
ReplyDeleteB: Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou
C: This poem exposes to the world that a woman doesn't have to be the stereotypical "size 2 model" to be phenomenal. I've never been the tall or skinny type to catch the boys eye as I walk down the halls. But throughout my life I have realized that those qualities don't really matter, it is the person who is on the inside that makes the difference. The tone in this poem that I identified is self confidence, the main character knows who she is and what she wants. Imagery is clearly evident in this poem through the "stride of my step" and the "curl of lips" and many more, its gives off the image of a woman who holds independence and holds her own.
A phenomenal woman can come in all different shapes and sizes!
A. Friendly, Hard-working, thinker and a snappy dresser
ReplyDeleteB. All That is Gold Does Not Glitter J.R.R. Tolkein
C. This poem best describes me due to it's symbolism. Throughout the poem we read about events that most find hopeless but are overcame. The parallel structure of these symbols "Not all those who wander are lost" portray who I am. Throughout my life I feel that no matter who says I can't it doesn't mean anything to me. The only one who really matters in opinion are my friends and family. Not just the people who use me but the people who say that I could succeed even though the odds are against me. This poem's strong symbols also symbolize my passions in life. My goal to become a doctor who is able to make a difference in another's life is my ultimate life goal. Treating a cold might not mean anything to anyone other than the one cured but just like in the poem "The crownless again shall be king." Meaning the smallest acts of kindness make the biggest differences.
A. "Energetic", purposful, proud
ReplyDeleteB. "In the Depths of Solitude" by Tupac Shakur
C. This poem speaks to my person because it describes a man who yearns to know himself entirely, much like I do. The theme is evident in the first two lines of the poem, which state "i exist in the depths of solitude pondering my true goal". The goal that the author describes is the overall purpose of the life he was given. Shakur goes on to talk about the struggle he experiences finding himself while also keeping his emotions from going crazy. It is often difficult for a person to continue an inner conflict that only that person can solve. This can lead to lonliness, or "solitude" as the author states. Shakur choses to describe his internal challenge of finding his purpose as a place of "solitude" because he cannot rely on anyone else to tell him what his purpose is. That answer can only be found by himself through life experiences or internal discussion. The line that struck me in this poem was in stanza two, which states "a young heart with an old soul". This paradox shows the struggle Shakur has with finding himself. He goes on to ask how he can have "peace" with two contradicting 'entities' in him. Shakur purposely states this paradox to show that though he is a young man, his internal conflict has caused him to grow wise, because he is forced to contemplate lifes deepest questions on his search for enlightenment. I chose this poem as an expression of who I am because I am a huge introvert. This causes me to keep my emotions and thoughts often to myself. By doing this, I am forced to have conversations with myself (im not crazy though). I, like Shakur, find it important as well as difficult to find my purpose for living. Though I do not think I will ever be truly 'enlightened', I will continue to try to solve lifes crulest riddle (hey that would make a good title of a poem).
A)Easygoing, imaginative, crazy
ReplyDeleteB)"The Hunter" by Unknown Author link:http://f2.org/humour/language/nonsense.html#Hunter
C)The irony in this poem is the theme itself, the speaker tells of amazing battles that he has fought with monsters that would awe whomever heard it except, the 'monsters' are all perfectly normal, everyday animals. It is this type of irony, this type of random crazy that truly appeals to me. I like being able to do the unexpected, to break free from the repetition of everyday life, even despite the outcome. Not only can I imagine myself as being the type of person who would exaggerate an encounter with a housefly but, I've already done things similar to that. Ultimately, it is the irony, the unexpected, the slight insanity, that truly characterizes me and makes me who I am. And in parting, FEAR ZE PANCAKE!! FEAR IT!!
A. Passionate, Hopeful, and Creative
ReplyDeleteB. "Still I Rise"- Maya Angelou
C. The Imagery of a woman who walks through life without a stress in the world and is free from care of the scolding eyes would describe the passionate perspective on my life rising above the struggles that I have faced and will face in the future. The line "Did you want to see me broken?" reminds me of when I was a little younger where other girls would make fun of me because I didn't look like them, or I didn't have the clothes they had and I didn't wear makeup like they did and I didn't care about it, I was perfectly happy on how I was and "broken" was exactly how I felt when they would taunt me, making me feel as low as "dust" and this poem is parallel to how I wanted to "rise" above their "bitter" and "twisted lies". The theme of Angelou's independence not only gave me hope, but motivated me to be more of myself and not just another statistic stereotypical teenage girl, but my own independent young adult growing into a woman. Her confidence speaks through her word choice, the "haughtiness" of how she laughs reminds me of my giggle, and how if something makes me happy and or is making me happy, I'm not afraid to let people know how happy I am, I mean really...happiness should be shared and therefore I will be more than happy to share my happiness with whoever wants to laugh. Her prideful choice in words gives the reader a sense of overwhelming assurance that the speaker knows who she is and what she wants and isn't afraid to speak her mind and tell the world that in all of these struggles, from her past and "pain" she will "rise". In the 6th stanza, her words "shoot me with your words", "cut me with your eyes", and to "kill me with your hatefulness" paints the picture of how much negativity that the speaker goes through from her peers, that may be her friends, other people or even her family, and through it all she will still "rise" determined to prove them wrong and show them that whatever they say will not beat down her powerful spirit. Teenagers all around the world, experience negativity and this poem is a great statement for those who try to "rise" above and strive through life, as hard as I try to strive to graduate proving the scolding eyes around me that I am better than their "twisted lies". As I move on through life, the confidence I strive for with myself in the future will always be referenced to Angelou's perspective about her life, that although my past was full of pain, and put-downs, my future will continue to "rise" and I will always get better at living without a worry on others breaking me down.
A. What three words best describe you?
ReplyDeleteQuirky, introverted, passive-agressive
B. What published poem speaks to WHO YOU ARE?
"Cheddar Cheese and Chocolate Cake" by Juliet Gainsborough
C. Picking apart tone, theme, imagery and/or diction, why would you pick this one to say something about you?
Starting with its title, the poem connects two ideas that are different yet similar: cheddar cheese and chcolate cake are unrelated items which fall in the same food category. The poem also uses paradox in that "I like crazy parties, whipped cream, and solitude," using the contrasting image of crazy loud music versus solitude; yet it speaks to the fact that a period of self-reflection is much needed admist one's hectic life. Or perhaps the author is speaking to the expectations of society; in society extroversion is much encouraged while introversion is frowned upon, which is quite applicable in my case. In society one may put up a facade and push one self to be outspoken; in one's own company the person reverts back to his or her introverted self. The diction of the poem is simple and straight forward; I am much like that. I am a simple person who isn't concerned with luxuries, nor am I pretentious(at least I hope I don't come across as such a person.) This poem is a free-verse poem, lacking musical meters; it doesn't have rhymes either. From this people may see it as being irregular and unstructured; yet the poem incorporates parallel structure in each line, making the poem much more cohesive. I am generally a disorganized, liberal extremist; yet inside I am a person who seeks structure, peace and order in life. And by the way, I do love chocolate cakes and my dream is to own a bakery in my future :)
A. What three words best describe you?
ReplyDeletehead-strong, goal-oriented, benevolent
B. What published poem speaks to WHO YOU ARE?
unknown by Wesley Hall
With your imagination driven by love,
this figment of reality given from above.
Satellites drifting through your seductive mind,
waiting for the day we all come to find.
To break the secret of this ellipse.
To see through the divinity eclipse.
To discover the source of the light.
To remove the shroud from our sight.
To realize the illumination from within.
To not repeat the parable ellipse again.
Breathe the omega and experience this mystery,
leave these vessels in the mist of history.
Witness the elements of space and time shatter,
becoming one with the universe as diffuse matter.
C. Picking apart tone, theme, imagery and/or diction, why would you pick this one to say something about you?
In line one, Hall states, "With your imagination driven by love.." This goes along with the words I chose to describe myself with because with imagination and love, you get all the words I put down to describe myself. It correlates with "head-strong" because with your imagination, you have your ideas, that only you are passionate about. It also goes along with "goal-oriented" because when you make a goal, you do it based off of something you love and wish for yourself. Lastly, it goes along with benevolent because with love, comes friendliness. There are many, many metephors within this poem. For example, "To see through the divinity eclipse." It's not really an eclipse inside your mind. It's relating the eclipse to your thoughts going against other's ideas and being happy about it. There's a source of light behind the eclipse (other's ideas) and you're eclipse (idea) blocks out everyone else's ideas. This to me explores benevolence perfectly because when you have an idea, that's right, and goes against all other's thoughts and opinions, it gives you the greatest happiness.
A. Honest, Hardworking, Reliable (It is an interview)
ReplyDeleteB.The Rose that Grew from Concrete, Tupac Shakur
C.
Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping it's dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.
It has an optimistic tone, because he sees this rose that overcame all odds and grew somewhere impossible, and he wants it to live long. The theme is overcoming the odds. A rose does not grow in concrete, and "nobody else cared", so it was not nurtured, the rose represents someone who comes from a bad environment that few make it out of, but it grew because of its dreams, it gave it the strength to continue on. It could have been a weed that grew, but that is not special like a rose, weeds grow everywhere, so making it a rose gives the poem more of an impact. This poem represets me because I also grew up in a bad environment, but made it out a better person than I could have been, more like a rose less like a weed.
A. What three words best describe you?
ReplyDeleteJoyful, Funny, center of attention.
B. What published poem speaks to WHO YOU ARE?Being Famous by Nancy Ames
C. Picking apart tone, theme, imagery and/or diction, why would you pick this one to say something about you?
I find the tone of this poem to be comic and chatty. I fell like the theme of this poem is Happyness can't be bought and or earned(referring to fame). The dicton found in this poem feels condescending to me. The author describes being famous and preforming for people as "feed the hungry" where as I see it as feeding your " ego"
why would you pick this one to say something about you?
I pick this poem to say something about me becaues I want to be famous one day, whether it be an animator for pixar, actress,or something else, anthing.I feel like I have a vision that everyone need to see, the whole world needs to see, and this poem gets what im saying, and i love how it compares fame as being an "irresistible wind" that , as most say about love "sweeps you off your feet" thats the way I feel about fame!! I feel like Being Famous by Nancy Ames says everything I have wanted to say forever, everthing i wanted to know about being famous. thats why i picked it!
A. Although this question is probably looking for character traits, I cannot simplify my character into three words, so the best answer I can give is rather superficial: student, athlete, environmentalist
ReplyDeleteB. The poem I chose is "Do'nde jugara'n los nin~os?" by Fher Olivera and Alex Gonzalez. The lyrics and an English translation can be found at http://lyricstranslate.com/en/%C2%BFdonde-jugaran-los-ninos-where-will-children-play.html
C. Not to say that my life is easy, but it has been unfairly more easy than most other people's. As a result of this, I often look at the world as a whole in an attempt to find difficulty. This song is about problems faced by the entire world.
The primary literary device is hyperbole used to dramatize the situation. Examples of this include the world spliting in two, the sky breaking, and the personification of the sea vomiting oil. This is contrasted with the imagery in the first stanza of a blue sky, forests, clean water, and an abundance of fish.
When I first heard this song, I realized that this was how I look at the world.
A. Insightful, creative, thoughtful
ReplyDeleteB. My favorite poem is Life to me by Anees Akbar
Life is every where
It is in you now and forever it shall stay
Life is the wind blowing sideways
Life is the winter and the summer
I am Life You are Life We are Life
I love Life and Life loves me
Life and I play beneath the midnight sun
Life and I play beneath the morning moon
Life brings me soup when I am ill
Life kisses me good night and greets me with a smile
Life is sad and it is lonely
Life is evil and Life is blunt
Life is a true friend and never lies
I am Life You are Life We are Life
C. The tine is light and honest, like you can imagine someone telling them self this in the morning as they get ready for work or school. The theme is important to me because for a while i though the world hated me and that life was miserable, but than i realized that it wasn't it was all about how you see it, and this poem is all about seeing life from a positive perspective. Its honest about what life is and doesn't hold back because it might hurt someone. I think this poem speaks to me because it is like me, I might be blunt and say what I think, but I never do it to hurt someone, and no matter who you are or even what you might think of me I want everyone to succeed.
Purple me
ReplyDeleteI almost chose "still i rise" too, i love the message and how deep it goes into the emotion about life and what it takes to get through