Spoken Word Poetry Article

          What is poetry? Poetry can be defined in several different ways. Perhaps the only thing that comes to mind when the word poetry is thrown about is Shakespeare. But it is so much more than that. It is an expression of thought. It’s an opportunity for an ordinary person to speak their mind in a creative manner. Spoken word poetry is one of the most common types of poetry. There is no limit when it comes to performing or writing poems. It can be inspiring, depressing, humorous, or just down right dumb, yet it never fails to be superior.

 

            Shane Koyczan, a well-known spoken word poet, catches the world’s attention with his inspirational poem “To This Day” when he performs it on Ted Talks. Koyczan pulls on the heart strings of the audience when he tells the story of what it is like to be young, different, and insecure. As well as telling the story's of others, he also gives the audience a look at his past. He tells the crowd to “look a little closer, stare a little longer” until they find something they love about themselves. This poem is particularly inspirational although there are other types of poems are just as high-quality and well spoken as Koyczan’s.

 

            In the poem “The Impotence of Proofreading”, Taylor Mali uses intelligent humor to prove to each person that “proofreading your peppers in a matter of the utmost impotence.” He uses numerous clever examples of mistakes that can occur when we rely on spell-check to fix all of our mistakes. Though this poem can be difficult to take seriously, Mali does an excellent job at getting his thoughts across to everyone in the room and anyone that may choose to listen to it.

 

            “Pretty”, a poem by Katie Makkai, can also be considered as an inspirational poem. She takes the time to present to the audience that the word pretty is just a word. It is just a word that should not define a person. As well as saying that to the audience, she also says that when she has a daughter she will tell her that “the word pretty is not worthy of everything [she] will be, and no child of [hers] will be contained in five letters.” Makkai uses her unique perspective to prove that no one will ever be pretty, but instead they will be pretty amazing, or pretty intelligent, but never just pretty. Makkai, Mali, and Koyczan all rise to the expectations of all spoken word poets.

Battle of the Brands

     It has happened again. Another teenager lost their life last Friday in the Orchard Park Shopping Center in Kelowna. After a new shipment of clothes came into American Eagle last week, a war broke out between young teens trying to buy new shirts that looked extremely similar to the ones they were wearing. But what was different about them? Well, the new tops cost $80 more than the Wal-Mart brand and had a small eagle logo precisely placed on every shirt. Who wouldn't want that?

When the doors to the mall opened last Friday, the young girl fought her way through the crowd in attempt to reach the front of the line. During the cramped dash to American Eagle, the victim tripped and was trampled by over one thousand people. Everyone was so focused on getting the expensive new brand name clothes that no one noticed the young girl lying motionless on the mall floor. But I guess it is not their fault for not noticing. That tiny logo in the corner of a shirt, that they were so desperately running for, can define a person for the rest of their life.

It’s great that brand names have become so important for the youth. Without Lulu Lemon, American Eagle, and Abercrombie and Fitch, the world would be filled with clothes that don’t have a stitched on logo displaying to everyone how much that person paid for their outfit. It is lucky that there was only one death during these past three weeks. With name brands like these, there should normally be at least one death a week.

Writing with Detail- Funeral Feels

     The chiming of the church bells pounds in my head as my family and I walk through the doors. The smell of flowers quickly surrounds me as if I am being wrapped in a blanket of overwhelming scents. I can hear stories of my grandpa flowing from families and friends. "He was a good man" is constantly being thrown around within conversations. As we sat in our seats, the chestnut brown bench is smooth and strong. It is not only holding my weight, but supporting every emotion that is about to pour out of me. The ceremony begins. As soon as I see my dad and three uncles carrying in my grandpa's casket I am no longer able to contain myself. My vision blurs and tears rapidly fill my eyes. Without any hesitation they start running down my cheeks and the salty liquid approaches my lips. It has come time for my family to step up to the casket to see my grandpa one last time. He looks as good as ever. The suit he wears is nicely pressed and it looks as if there is almost a slight smile upon his face. This is my final goodbye.

Cliches and Dialogue

     George looked up from shoeing the horse to see the outline of Curley's wife in the doorway of the barn. They were alone.
   
     "What're you doin' in here? It's six in the mornin'. Shouldn't you be held up with Curley somewhere?" George snarled.
    
     "I just came to find a snack. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?" Curley's wife replied sarcastically.
    
     "Well there ain't any apples in here! You of all people should know that by now. Now scat, I got stuff to do."
    
     "Now I don't get it, I would bend over backwards to help you fella's on the ranch but ya'll seem to hate my guts. What did I ever do to you?"

     George hesitated and turned away. "You didn't do anythin'," he said softly, "now just leave me alone alright?"
    
     "Yer cute as a button, did anyone ever tell you that?" Curley's wife said seductively. "Yer much cuter than Curley ever was."

     "I don't know what yer tryin' to do here but I'm not so sure I like it. 'Spose Curley comes looking for you. He'll be madder than a wet hen if he finds you in here talkin' to me."

    Curley's wife began to scream. "Forget Curley. I'm sick of him always tellin' me what I can and can't do!" She shrank into the corner and began to cry. "It's always his way or the highway. There ain't ever an in between."

     George moved closer to her and sat down. "I'll tell you what. If he walks in, I'll take the fall for you bein' in here. I'll say I asked you to help me with the horse or somthin' like that."

     "Can I ask you somethin' George?" Curley's wife began, "Why havn't you taken a swing at Curley yet. I mean, he attacked for best friend for god's sake! Why don't you hurt him? And on the topic of yer so called best friend, why do you keep puttin' up with him? He seems like a pain in the butt to travel with."

     "Two wrongs don't make a right. Plus, I'd say Lennie did a pretty good job at givin' him a taste of his own medicine. And Lennie, well he's a weird guy. He sure does get on my nerves but I don't think I could live without him."

     Curley's wife began to get up. "You know George, I'm glad I got to talk to you. Oh and just thought I'd let you know, a little bird told me that you're almost as popular as Slim. Congrats." She moved closer, kissed George softly, and walked out.

     "Well what do you know," George murmured happily to himself, "sometimes the early bird really does get the worm."

    

I Have A Dream

     I have a dream that one day my cat will not scratch every person that walks through our door. I have a dream that our guests won't hide in fear when they see him coming near. I have a dream that one day he will let strangers pet him without getting attacked. Part of his anger might come from the fact that he has had a cone on his head for the past year, but he has been this way for much longer than that.

     He used to be playful. He used to be friendly. He used to chase the laser pointer no matter who was controlling it. Well not anymore. Now all he does is sleep. Now all he does is curl up on the couch and growl at strangers who walk by. Now he won't chase the laser pointer, but instead, he will stare bitterly at who ever is controlling it.

     Don't get me wrong. He is a very lovable cat. There are still some times when he will cuddle up with his family and be peaceful. There are still some times when he will chase a bouncy ball down the hall and try as hard as he can to bring it back. There are still some times when he will roll around on his back begging us for attention.

     Unfortunately, visitors fail to see this side of him. They see him as hateful and vicious. They see him as burden in our house. They see him as an unpleasant cat to be around. Even though others have a negative perspective towards him, I love him and wouldn't give him up for anything.

Definition of Ciara

     Ciara Dacosta has many figures in her life that define her. They range anywhere from real-life human beings to fictional characters. Her role model throughout her life has been Shania Twain. Listening to Shania's music never fails to lift her spirits. Her incredible music talent and amazing personality displays everything that Ciara looks up too. Although not a movie from her own generation, Ciara is infatuated with the movie Grease. She lives her everyday life as Sandy, a quiet girl who knows what she wants and does what it takes to achieve it. Achieving an unimaginable relationship with her brother is a top priority. Ciara and her brother have a unique relationship that can be compared to the famous cartoon characters, Bart and Lisa Simpson. Perpetually, they annoy one another and have short-lived arguments, but at the end of the day there is no way that they could imagine life without each other. Likewise, imagining life without her mom is unthinkable. They share a relationship like Lorelai and Rory Gilmore from the well-known television show, The Gilmore Girls. Attached at the hip, Ciara and her mom share a relationship like no other; they communicate everything with each other and keep little to no secrets. Noticeably, Ciara can compare her life to many different fictional and non-fictional characters. She lives a marvelous life that she wouldn’t trade for anything.

The Beatles

     Born on July 7th, 1940, Richard Starkey, known as Ringo Starr, was the drummer in The Beatles. He sang lead vocals in many of their songs. He also wrote and co-wrote some of their songs including "What Goes On" and "Don’t Pass Me By". He struggled with several illnesses during his youth, but by age 17 he had cofounded his first band. He later joined The Beatles in 1962, replacing Pete Best, after their success in Germany. After The Beatles break up in 1970, Starr released many singles and albums recorded with former Beatles members. Starr was also an actor whom starred in Beatles' films, hosted television shows, and children's television series. Starr is still alive today touring the Pacific Rim with his band Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band.

Term 4 Assignment #2

Dear Administration,    

            Since the time I was born, I have done astounding things. By 1997, I had crawled on the moon. By 1998, I had won 13 Olympic medals. By 1999, I could walk. My purpose in life was to discover the 8^th wonder of the world and I succeeded. You’re welcome. When it is snowing, I snowboard down 60,000 meter slopes. When it is sunny, I swim across the Atlantic Ocean. When it is raining, I sit at home and watch T.V. Counselors look to me for advice. I know the secrets of Area 51. Last June, I travelled the world in 20 days. Last September, I outran a cheetah. Last December, I celebrated Christmas with my family. I have starred in 8 movies with Channing Tatum, had lunch with Zac Efron, and walked the Walk of Fame with Ryan Gosling.

Adding Detail

            The beeping of the monitor seemed to pound in my ears. Waiting was the most painful part. The words that could follow the doctor’s entrance were unthinkable. Dead. Critical condition. Full recovery. These were all plausible options of which some I did not want to hear. The chair was ice on my legs as I counted the dirt-stained tiles on the floor. The door creaked open as the nurse entered the room.

            “I have important information about your grandfather.”

Silence fell over my family like a tsunami wave hitting the shore. The doctor talked but all I could hear was a slight mumbling. What was he saying? I could tell it wasn’t something worth smiling over by the looks on my family’s faces. We had to continue waiting. Several other families left the room with looks of happiness. Others with looks of despair. It was a mystery as to how we would leave. The doctor entered the room once again.

            “He is going to make a full recovery.”

The waiting room was no longer a room of silence and heartache, it was now filled with joy and laughter.

Spoken Word Poetry

Poem 1:
1. Poet: Shane Koyzcan

2. Poem: To This Day

3. Synopsis: Shane pulls on the heart strings of the viewer when he tells the story of what it is like to be young, different, and insecure. As well as telling the story's of others, he also gives the audience a look at his past.

4. Important poetic technique: Shane is able to connect with the audience through his own stories about bullying and life decisions. He was also able to create imagery in the listener's/reader's mind by illustrating that "we are not abandoned cars stalled out and sitting empty on a highway." By making these connections and creating imagery, it makes the poem and its theme so much stronger.

5. Favourite line: "And if you can't see anything beautiful about yourself, get a better mirror, look a little closer, stare a little longer, because there is something inside of you that made you keep trying, despite everyone who told you to quit." There are so many lines throughout this poem that caught my attention, but this line definitely stood out. What Shane is trying to say in this line is that no matter how much someone dislikes themselves, there is something beautiful inside of everyone, even if that person is the only one that can see it.

Poem 2:
1: Poet: Sarah Kay

2: Poem: If I Should Have A Daughter

3:Synopsis: In this poem, Sarah is more or less making a list of the things she would do and say to her daughter if she were to have one. She talks about what she would do to help her daughter learn about the world we live in as well as helping her become a better person.

4: Important poetic technique: The duration of this poem is an apostrophe to her hypothetical daughter. She goes on about how she will "paint the solar systems on the back of her hand" and tell her "[her] voice is small but don't [she] ever stop singing." Sarah also has the ability to make this poem seem like an important life lesson, but is also able to throw some humour in here and there.

5: Favourite line: "This world is like sugar and it can crumble so easily, but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it." In my opinion, what Sarah is trying to say in this line is that the world around us can dissolve and turn to black so instantly but we can't be afraid to take chances and live a little.

Poem 3:
1: Poet: Marshall Davis Jones

2: Poem: Touchscreen

3: Synopsis: Marshall is concerned that society today is so caught up in technology that they are losing touch with who they truly are. He also illustrates all of the changes that have occurred since technology has become more advanced.

4: Important poetic technique: Two important techniques used in the poem are contrasting (juxtaposition), and repetition. Marshall takes habit in contrasting what once was to what is. He catches the readers attention when he discusses that "[they] used to sprint to pick and store blackberries and now [they] run to the Sprint store to pick blackberries." Repetition is also used when he repeats the words "click" and "touch" as if that's all society is doing nowadays.

5: Favourite line: "iPod, iMac, iPhone, iChat, I can do all of these things without making eye contact." I like this line because it is an example of what society has come to. I believe that is also a glance into the future. Soon enough, technology will be able to do things that were thought unimaginable, and that will have people locked in their basements on the computer for days on end.

Off to the Opera in Prague with my fellow Mustangs. -Spring Break 2013

Homework Blues

Homework Blues

           

           “Well you see,” I stated, “I was laying in my room, and as I was getting up to start my homework, my foot started to tingle.”

            “I see. What exactly does this have to do with your homework not being completed?” Mr. Van Camp asked angrily.

            “Please let me continue.”

            Mr. Van Camp snarled. “Okay, okay. Go on.”

            I continued, “So as I was saying, my foot had started to tingle. I then realized that it had fallen asleep. Soon enough, my whole leg was asleep.”

            “So, what you are trying to say,” Mr. Van Camp growled, “is that you couldn’t do your homework because your leg was asleep? The last time I checked, you didn’t need your legs to write a paper.”

            “You’re not letting me explain,” I yammered.

            “This is a waste of time. I do not want to hear any more of this.”

            I heard my voice get louder, “Please just let me finish!” I took a deep breath. “As I was saying, my whole leg was asleep. Then, before I knew it, my entire body had fallen asleep. I couldn’t move off of my floor! I was stuck there all night.”

            Mr. Van Camp was getting agitated, “I’ve heard enough.”

            “You don’t believe me?” I asked quietly.

            “I find it hard to believe that you couldn’t do your homework because your foot was asleep.”

            “It wasn’t just my foot,” I explained, “it was my whole body. I thought I already told you that.”

            “Yes, you certainly did. I am calling your parents now. Please go.”

            I began to whimper, “No Mr. Van Camp, please do not call my parents! I promise this will never happen again!”

            “Leave,” Mr. Van Camp muttered, “now.”

           

I Deserve to Live

Ciara DaCosta
152 Green Court
Penticton, B.C.
V2A 7K5February 22, 2013

Captain Van Camp
Commander
HMS Princess Margaret

O Captain, My Captain:

          I understand that you have a dreadful decision to make, but please hear me out. I deserve to live. I have had an astounding life up until this day and I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to pursue my dreams in future years. Why spare me though, right? A lot of people do not know who I truly am. They think that I am just a mundane teenager who doesn’t care about my life. Well, I am not. In these past 17 years that I have been alive, I have spent my time going on wild adventures. Anywhere from riding every rollercoaster at Six Flags to exploring the sights of Las Vegas; you name it, I have done it. I have even been on some crazy adventures in my hometown of Penticton B.C.

My past may not seem like enough to keep me alive for another day. So I will tell you what I plan to do in my future endeavors. I plan on becoming a world famous veterinarian and saving animals lives all around the world. Without me around to save them, animals may end up like the dinosaurs. After reading my letter, please consider keeping me around and letting me survive this terrible incident. Do not take me away from this world yet. I have so much to live for and I would hate for it to end so soon. I deserve to live.

Sincerely,

Ciara DaCosta

About Me

Predominantly, Ciara is an average high school student that is just trying to get through these insane four years of her educational journey. Her high school life is colourless and tiresome but overall, she has spectacular friends and can`t complain. Although it may seem that she is a relatively reserved individual, she lives a double life as an enthusiastic and energetic animal trainer. Her love of animals contributes greatly to her other lifestyle. Now, one might think that trying to live two lives is like trying to find a circle with two sides, but nothing is impossible. Ciara is a ray of sunlight, who loves to travel, and has a desire to explore the world in both of her lives. She is determined to leave no stone unturned. The universe was blessed with the birth of Ciara DaCosta, and she was blessed with a spectacular family that could never be replaced or forgotten.