Monday, February 24

Tuesday, Feb.25 ~ "Honest"



Stanza ONE Quiz on Block Day 2/27-28
Can you memorize the next two lines?
"If" by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
 Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
 But make allowance for their doubting too.
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
 Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
 And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

Carousel Walk: Your goal is to make sure that you can identify the device within each example. You are welcome to take notes, but it is not required.

Journal 20: Billy Collins (Practice together outloud)
  1. Identification: First name all the devices in the poem below.
  2. Short Answer: Consider Collins' use of random stanzas. Why do you think he chose to split up the text this way? Does it add anything to the meaning or rhythm of the poem?

"Introduction to Poetry" by 









 I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light(1)
like a color slide(2)

or press an ear against its hive.(3)


I say drop a mouse into a poem(4)
and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem's room(5)
and feel the walls for a light switch.


I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.


But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.(6)



They begin beating it with a hose(7)
to find out what it really means.









Today's Featured Device- Enjambment- from a French word enjambment, means to step over or put legs across. In poetry it can be defined as a thought or sentence that does not come to an end at the line break but continues on to the next line. Why do poets use this feature? Where do you see it in the first stanza of "If"?











HW: Journal 21: "Honest"


    

  • Identify all the numbered devices in the poem.
    • 




















"Honest" by Rudy Francisco


Dear hands, I get it.

You like writing poems,



But you can't bring a metaphor to a gun fight.*







Dear eyes,



There are things that I would tell you  (1)



But we both know how terrible you are at keeping secrets. (2)







Dear heart



I trust you



Don’t **** this up







Dear hands, I said I know



That you like writing poetry,



But you can't bring a metaphor to a gun fight.*







Dear legs



Walking is the easy part



Now find a reason.







Dear Brain



You’re a good listener



But you give terrible relationship advice.







Dear hands, I know    (all the bold 3)



That you like writing poetry,



But you can't bring a metaphor to a gun fight.







I was born on July 27th, I hear that makes me a Leo
I don't really know what that means



I'm 5 foot 6... and a half. I weigh a hundred and forty-five pounds.



I don't know how to swim, and I'm a sucker for a girl with a nice smile



And clean sneakers. (4)







I'm still learning how to whisper



I'm often loud in places where I should be quiet



I'm often quiet in places where I should be loud (5)



I was born feet first and I've been backwards ever since (6)







I like ginger ale...



a lot.



I've been told that I give really bad hugs



People say that it feels like I'm trying to escape
Sometimes it's because I am, and secretly I get really nervous (7)
Every time someone gets close enough to hear me breathe.



I have this odd fascination with things like sand castles and ice sculptures
I assume it's because I usually find myself dedicating time to things
That will only last a few moments



That's also why I tend to fall in love with women



Who would never love me back



I know it sounds crazy, but it's actually much easier than it seems



And to be honest, I think it's safer that way



See relationships, they often remind me that I'm not afraid of heights or falling



But I'm scared of what's gonna happen



The moment that my body hits the ground



I'm clumsy. Yesterday, I tripped over my self-esteem (8)



I landed on my pride and it shattered like an iPhone with a broken face (9)



Now I can't even tell who's trying to give me a compliment







I've never been in the military, but I have this Purple Heart (10)



I got it from beating myself up over things I can't fix



I know it sounds weird but sometimes,



I wonder what my bed sheets say about me when I'm not around (11)



I wonder what the curtains would do if they found out



About all the things that I've done behind their backs



I've got a hamper that's overflowing with really, really loud mistakes



And a graveyard in my closet, I'm afraid that if I let you see my skeletons



You'll grind my bones into powder (12) and get high on my fault lines (13)







Hi, my name is Rudy



I enjoy frozen yogurt, people watching



And laughing for absolutely no reason at all



But I don't allow myself to cry as often as I need to



I have solar-powered confidence, I have a battery-operated smile (14)



My hobbies include editing my life story, hiding behind metaphors



And trying to convince my shadow that I'm someone worth following (15)



I don't know much, but I do know this



I know that heaven is full of music



I know God listens to my heart beat on his iPod



It reminds him that we still got work to do.
















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