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Monday, December 2, 2013

Words

     Spoken Word Poetry is amazing to listen to.  This week we will listen to two poets.  Their language. rhythm, and performance status is inspiring.  Words on the page speak volumes.  Watching the words come to life, well, this is magical.  
     If you click the name of the artist, you can watch their performance.  Marshal Davis Jones performs a poem where he talks about misspelling the word Father in a spelling bee.  Sarah Kay performs the poem "If I should Have a Daughter."  Both poems speak to us.
    Your assignment--Listen to both poems.  Choose which one speaks to you.   Explain why you like the poem.  Pull specific lines, parts, images that jump out at you.  Explain why you like them.  

42 comments:

Unknown said...

I chose the poem “If I Should Have a Daughter” by Sarah Kay. I really liked this poem because she tells us how life is. She doesn’t lie to us and say how everything is perfect in the world because it’s not. However, she does tell us how we can pick ourselves up after a tragedy or let down. I really enjoyed the part of the poem where she talks about how the two things she will have for her daughter is chocolate and rain boots. Chocolate was said because it cures everything, well most things in life. And for the things in life that cannot be cured by chocolate, rain can do the trick. The daughter can put on her rain boots and go outside and let the rain wash away all her doubts and depression. I also enjoyed the quote where she said, “You will put the star in starting over.” I just thought this was a motivational line telling us that people make mistakes but those that stand out and shine are the people that get back up and try again.

Paul Matsko said...

I chose the poem If I Should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay. i really enjoyed listening to her. She explained a lot of important things that we should know. Like how to pick yourself back up after something horrible has happened to you. She talked about how she was in high school and went to a poem class after school and was the youngest one there by decades, and how the others weren't bothered at all. Her words were very powerful and she had a really good flow going through out her speech. I learned how to never give up and reach the goal you are going after. When you put something in your mind, work hard towards it and it will be accomplished. She was an excellent poet that pursed-ed her dream of being one.

Unknown said...

I chose the poem "If I Should Have a Daughter” by Sarah Kay. I chose the poem because she explained support. When Kay said, " So the first time she realizes that Wonder Woman isn't coming, I'll make sure she knows she doesn't have to wear the cape all by herself because no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal." She tells how someone will always care to be there when I fail and to support me to try again. She also gave advice to learning how to pick myself up when I fail. When she said, "And yes, that means catching all of those miseries and hurt, but it also means that when beautiful, amazing things just fall out of the sky, I'm ready to catch them." She tells how if I were to fail, I have to accept it and try again. I have to be strong and I cannot worry because it will eventually turn into something amazing.

Unknown said...

I liked the poem "If I should have a daughter". I thought it really spoke to me and she gave some good advice. I liked when she said to "apologize when you're wrong, but never apologize for your eyes shining too bright". She talked about things like how life is really hard at times, but there can also be many good things that come from it, and she will always be there to help her daughter along the way.
-Cali Brandt

Nick Morton said...

I chose the poem "If I Should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay. This poem spoke to me because it hit so many aspects on our lives as humans. For instance with the quote "And she’s going to learn that this life will hit you, hard, in the face, wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach." she talks about how were going to get knocked down, but in the end we always need to kick us back down. It's going to be unfair but we need to stand strong. Also the quote "But I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily, but don’t be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it." It shows that although our world and lives are fragile, we still need to live our lives to the fullest, take risks, explore, have fun. Lastly is the quote "When you step out of the phone booth and try to fly, and the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape." This spoke to me because it shows us that the people that are supposedly our "friends" can actually be the ones holding us back. I chose this poem because it really hits the nail on the head with the ups and downs of life.

Unknown said...

I chose the poem "If I Should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay. I enjoyed this poem and I was able to connect to it because she talks about a mother daughter relationship. I liked when she talked about life knocking us down, but then when we get up we just get kicked in the stomach. SHe explains that life is hard and we all go through our own issues, but Kay gives the audience hope because of the mother figure she had and the figure she plans to be.

Marissa Jenkins said...

Personally I enjoyed both poems. They were very impactful and both speakers spoke with such passion and enthusiasm. But “If I should have a daughter” by Sarah Kay spoke to me just a little bit more.
I think one reason that I felt more of a connection to this poem is because it was from a females point of view and I could relate to her poem, “This life, will hit you, hard, in the face, wait for you to get back up, just to kick you in the stomach, but getting the wind knocked out of you, is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.” She speaks from experience, and I can relate to her experience, which is why the poem jumps out at me.
She speaks of the past and of the present. Mentioning her past knowledge and applying it to her future daughter, giving her advice so that she is prepared of what’s to come.
Another thing that I enjoyed about her poem was how she presented it. She was very confident with herself and really knew what she was saying. It did not seem like it was rehearsed, but was rather coming straight from the heart.

Unknown said...

I liked Spelling Father by Marshall David Jones the most because how personal the story is and how other people could relate. Sarah Kay can be relate able and stands for a good cause. Spelling father is a more personal story, even though it was a dream it involved events in his life. It involves what happened in his life and how it has changed his view in life. In today's world a lot of people has had the same situation which can hit home and be emotional.

Unknown said...

When listening to "If I Should Have a Daughter" and "Spelling Father", on my behalf I liked both. But "If I Should Have a Daughter" was the one that had most spoke to me. What Sarah Kay tells us in her poem is what we expect from life and it's reality. She tells us that life is hard and its never going to get easy. I like how she described she doesn't have to wear the cape by herself. Because if she did she couldn't handle it all. she will still have to take all the pain around her but she will never be alone.

Unknown said...

The poem I chose was "If I Should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay. The reason I chose this poem is because she tells us how life really is. It's not something that come easy or always works in your favor or the way you hoped. But no matter how many times you are knocked down and disappointed you have to get back up and be ready to fall back down. The reason I really liked this poem is because all the imagery she used it made it able to relate to and drew a clear image in my mind that she was trying to give her audience. The thing I liked most that she said was, "apologize when you're wrong, but never apologize for your eyes shining too bright". Apologize for your doing of wrongs but never apologize for who you are. You are you and you should never need to apologize for that.

Anonymous said...

I like the poem "If I Should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay the most because of the way she uses the idea to teach the audience the most important life lessons she's learned about. Through out the whole poem she is motivational to be independent which is one of the most important things somebody can learn to do in their life. She teaches us ways to move on after devastation and heartache. I love how she says "you have to get the wind knocked out of you for your lungs to realize how much they like the taste of air." It really encourages moving forward after something horrible happens. Overall, the whole poem is an amazing combination of support and love which is all people really need.

Anonymous said...

I like the poem "Spelling Father" by Marshall Davis Jones. Even though he was asked to spell the word father, he spelled the word mother. This was him showing how he felt about the importance of a mother. A part that stood out to me was "One mistake they'd never make is abandoning their seed." He is showing the love from a mother to her child but throughout the poem he also shows the love from a child to their mother. He has great enthusiasm when narrating his poem.

Unknown said...

The poem that spoke to me was "If I should Have a daughter" by Sarah Kay. I like this poem because it was realistic. People get hurt and they fail at things but in the end they just have to pick themselves up and start again. she said "..but getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air". This quote speaks to me because when people start to do something they forget why they started in the first place. By failing or getting the wind knocked out them, they remember just how much they enjoyed the activity.

hallie314 said...

I absolutely loved both poems, but the one that spoke the most to me was "If I Should Have a Daughter." This is probably because my mom and I have always been really close, and the more high school goes on, the more my mom becomes my best friend. She has taught me everything I need to know about dealing with the world. Just like Sarah Kay, my mom is a realist. She doesn't sugar coat the fact that not everything in life will be a perfect and beautiful, but the bad days make you appreciate the good days that much more, just like when Sarah Kay says, "But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air." My mom has always taught me to be tough when I have to. She is without a doubt the toughest person I know. The last lines remind me so much of her and what she has taught me. Kay says, "And when they finally hand you heartache, when they slip war and hatred under your door and offer you handouts on street-corners of cynicism and defeat, you tell them that they really ought to meet your mother." If one day I have a daughter, or son, I will give everything I have to make sure they are the strongest they can be, just as my mom has done.

Riczo 5-6

Unknown said...

I liked the poem "Spelling Father" by Davis Jones. When he was asked to spell father he spelled mother. I think is shows the importance of his mom in his life. In the song, the line "One mistake they'd never make is abandoning their seed." this shows how important the mother and child bond is. Over all I really enjoyed how he presented the idea of the poem.

Jesse Marinaro said...

The poem I chose was "If I Should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay. I though she was very inspirational and everything she said made sense. All you have to do is put forth effort. She explains how to pick yourself up after something really dramatic occurs and I liked that. She says this with the "And she’s going to learn that this life will hit you, hard, in the face, wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach." quote. Also she put forth effort to become a poet and that is exactly what she did.

Mitch said...

I personally liked the poem "If I should have a daughter". The song relates to me because it talks about getting knocked down and getting back up. Sometimes life is hard and you just have to deal with it. When you do though it won't be easy. That's how life is it's not just about taking the easy road. One can't enjoy life just going through the motions. This is why I liked the poem "if I should have a daughter because of the way it spoke to me.

Erin Janecko said...

I really liked "If I should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay. Just like Sarah I really looked up to my mom and want to be a great mother one day. In one line she gives a lesson her mom taught her by saying "But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air." It says how her mom always taught her to perceiver and never give up. This speech really motivated and inspired me.

Unknown said...

The poem that spoke to me was "If I should Have a daughter" by Sarah Kay. I enjoyed it because she doesnt sugar coat anything, she just tells it how it really is. The line that stuck out to me was "you have to get the wind knocked out of you for your lungs to realize how much they like the taste of air." It really encourages moving forward after something horrible happens. She explains how there is no easy ways out and you have to learn to deal with the hardships with a smile

Unknown said...

The poem I chose is "If I Should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay. This poem speaks to me because it talks about living life. She tells about her life experience, "you have to get the wind knocked out of you for your lungs to realize how much they like the taste of air." This quote shows she had a rough experience but moved past it. I like it because she puts her life into the poem.

Unknown said...

The poem I chose was "Spelling Father" by Marshall Davis Jones. In this poem, Jones talks about how for him, the word "father" is spelled "MOTHER." The reason for tis is because his mother also took up the role as father in his life. His father left him as a child, so he does not consider that man to be his father. To him, a father must never abandon his seed. I was really moved when he said, "Fathers are master gardeners. They tend to every leaf, removing the weeds, placing us in the windows of opportunity so that we can lean towards the sun and never forget that the sky is the limit." Jones's father abandoned his seed and left his mother to be the lone gardener. He goes on to say that "dead beat" is spelled "FATHER." This is moving because it really shows the impact that not having a father has had on him. This poem helped me see that I am lucky to have a great relationship with both of my parents.

Unknown said...

I chose "If I Should Have A Daughter" by Sarah Kay. I enjoyed listening to how passionately she felt about this topic. All the points she talked about is how I want my child to be in life. It spoke to me because my mother has taught me many of those things like when Kay talks about "the world made of sugar" and "not being afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it". I liked that because she tells you to not be afraid, to take risk and try things. When Kay states "She's going to learn that this life will hit you, hard, in the face", it gives me a sense of trust in her words because I've learned life isn't easy and when reality comes into play it is not nice. I over all liked how she presented this poem with power and determination.

Unknown said...

“If I Should Have a Daughter” by Sarah Kay is the poem that i chose. I really like this poem because she is straight forward and doesn't make anything sound better than it is. Although she points out the imperfections in life, she in turn gives some advice how do pick yourself back up. She explains that life isn't always easy and you will be hurt a lot, but you always have to get back up and keep moving on. She says, "Apologize when you're wrong, but never apologize for your eyes shining too bright." This means to realize when you are wrong and make sure you make it right, but always do what makes you happy, without letting others tell you it isn't right.

Unknown said...

I really enjoyed the poem "If I Should Have A Daughter" by Sarah Kay. She had a very captivating voice along with meaningful life lessons. I liked how she did not sugarcoat the difficulties her daughter will face. The part that really stuck out to me is when she said: "This life will hit you, hard, in the face, wait for you to get back up, just so it can kick you in the stomach. But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air." She is saying that you have to have bad times before you can appreciate the good ones. I also liked when she said "This world is made of sugar, it crumbles so easily but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it." She is saying that life is hard sometimes, but at the same time we have a lot to be thankful for and that living is a beautiful thing.

Unknown said...

I chose the poem "If I Should Have A Daughter" by Sarah Kay. This poem speaks to me because it explains how life really is with no sugar coating and it explains how you should react to the world around you. A quote that I liked from this poem was "Rain will wash away everything if you let it" because it gives me advice on how to deal with past traumatic experiences. Another quote that I liked from this poem was "Your voice is small, but don't ever stop singing" because it shows even though you are small, you shouldn't be afraid to express yourself. Sarah Kay spoke to me throughout most of her poem and I like to think of her as inspirational.

Taylor Vlna said...

The poem I chose was "If I Should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay. The reason I chose this poem is because she tells us how life really is. It's not something that will always come easy to us but no matter how much you are let down and disappointed you have to get back up and just know it might happen again. The quote I liked most that she spoke was, "apologize when you're wrong, but never apologize for your eyes shining too bright". I really liked this line because sometimes you do have to man up and apologize when you're wrong but sometimes an apology isn't needed ecspecially when you're just believing in yourself or being yourself.

Taylor Vlna said...

The poem I chose was "If I Should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay. The reason I chose this poem is because she tells us how life really is. It's not something that will always come easy to us but no matter how much you are let down and disappointed you have to get back up and just know it might happen again. The quote I liked most that she spoke was, "apologize when you're wrong, but never apologize for your eyes shining too bright". I really liked this line because sometimes you do have to man up and apologize when you're wrong but sometimes an apology isn't needed ecspecially when you're just believing in yourself or being yourself.

Unknown said...

The poem that really spoke to me was “Spelling Father” by Marshall Davis Jones. What stood out to me about the poem was how personal it soon became. I found the poem incredibly relatable as soon as he said when he was asked to spell the word father, he spelled mother because I grew up in a single parent home without a father figure. One line that struck me was “one mistake they’d never make is abandoning their seed”. I believe that that is the line that truly shows how important a parent is in a child’s life because what a person needs most in life is love and support, and someone who grows up in a single parent environment will feel that those two necessities are absent. What also stood out to me was when he began listing slang terms used for father and one was “dead beat”. Some may view the term offensive, but it is so powerful and in my opinion can make the poem so relatable to people in similar circumstances.
Dynia 5/6

Cassidy Oliver said...

I chose the poem "If I Should Have A Daughter" by Sarah Kay. This spoke to me because I am daughter myself. It spoke to me because she didn't hold anything back. She stated how life is and it never stops. The way she spoke to us was meaningful she was able to keep my attention through out the entire poem. The quote I stood out to me was, "And she gonna learn that this life will hit you hard, in the face, wait for you to get back up just to kick you in the stomach." This teaches strength and inevitable that we all face in life. It's not easy, this is a lesson we should need to learn. It reminds me a lot of how my mom taught me, she taught me to be strong willed and this quotes fits into what I have experienced in my own life.

Unknown said...

The first poem with Marshall Davis Jones speaks to me. Although I can’t relate to it, I can just understand what he went through based on the specific details he gave such as the lines “And I hope that I’ll be a great of a father that she was for me, who did not ask me to spell dead beat. She would have liked dead beat, here it is: F A T H E R, D A D, D A D D Y, P O P, P O P S like the slang. You asked me to spell father. Where I am from, in my life, father is, always has been, and always will be, spelled M O T H E R.” The emphasis and presentation of the poem is a lot more influential and powerful than it would be if it was just being read. It allows the audience to visualize and think of what the speaker went through. It represents what he went through and the bond he has with his mother.
Cody Taylor 3rd period

Unknown said...

The poem that spoke to me was "If I Should Have a Daughter," by Sarah Kay. It spoke to me because of the way she spoke and the diction she used in her poem. The line that jumped out to me the most was "If I should have a daughter, instead of mom, she is gonna call me point B, because that way she knows that no matter what happens, at least she knows she can always find her way to me." This stuck out to me because that is similar to what my mom has always said to me. She is always there when I feel like no one else is, and I always know where to find her when I am in need of her. Throughout this poem, Kay explains how she will teach her daughter many things and how she will teach them, and the way she is explaining is very similar to what my mom had always said to me.

Unknown said...

The poem that speaks to me is Sarah Kay's poem, "If I Should Have a Daughter." I like the poem because to me a lot of the scenarios Kay talks about apply to my life when with my mom. "If I should have a daughter, instead of calling me Mom, she will call me Point B." I like this sentence because my mom is always the go-to option when the first thing I tried to do was unsuccessful. Then Kay goes on to say, "I'll always keep an extra supply of chocolate and rain boots near by, because there is no heartbreak that chocolate can not fix." This was a line I felt applied to my life when looking back at the heartbreaks I faced during high school. My mom was always there with food or shopping to make the pain go away. Lastly, "This world is made of sugar. It can crumble so easily but don't forget to taste it" is a line that stood out to me. I like this line because I could visualize it in my head as Kay spoke.

Unknown said...

I chose the poem "If I Should Have A Daughter," by Sarah Kay. I loved her enthusiasm when she spoke. It compelled me to listen and absorb her every word. My favorite line is "I'll make sure she knows she does't have to wear the cape all by herself because no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal." I am one of those people that hates to see others in pain. Even if that person has done me wrong or betrayed me in some way, i still want to reach out and take that pain away from them. I can't help it, I'm a Humanist.

Sean McClain said...

I choose the poem "Spelling father" by Marshall Davis Jones because his lack of a father growing up was somewhat reminiscent of my father nearly killing himself in the last three years. All of his lines about, "So that we never forget that the sky is the limit/planting kisses on our cheeks/hugs on our backs" reminded me how lucky I am to have a father who loves me and cares for me along with my mother. My father's depression was severe enough that he had a plan, knew how he would do it, had rationalized his suicide enough that he felt okay leaving us here, alone without him. Marshall Jones only received that from his mom, she stood in for both Mother and Father, but i've been lucky enough to always have both, even when I nearly lost the one.
Sorry this was submitted right against the deadline, when people hear about this they tend to try to...empathize? I guess that's the right word, and it just pisses me off, so I waited a bit so no one'd see. I'm not ashamed, I want that clear, I just hate how people try and seem like they care more than they do about me and my family. Sorry, see you tomorrow morning Mrs. P.

Andy Hoza said...

I personally like the Spelling father poem better because the speaker was better than the other girl and i liked the video editing on it. This poem does not really relate to my life at all really because my father has been there for me since i was born. I liked how in this poem it was telling us how single mothers are amazing people and they can be both parents. i liked how it was also a short story how he was about to win the spelling be but he lost it to show his point of view. This guy was just a good speaker and it was just interesting listening and watching.

Unknown said...

The poem that i liked most was "Spelling Father", the reason that i like it is you can feel, see and hear that pain that his mother went through. The title father is the same as a "Master Gardner" someone who will tend to their "Seed"; their child, they will love and encourage that child. The sacrifices made the "Walking Nightmare" that his mother went through to make sure that her baby would have that father figure in his life. But "that's how it is where he is from" Mothers are fathers and fathers are scum that abandon their "Mistakes". That feeling is horrible, that is what i see from this poem and that is why i found to stir feelings in me.
Nathan Acevedo

Unknown said...

i personally liked the poem spelling father because it explain how important single mother are in the world and what some kids will be without them. this poem stands out to me because of the certain pop up during the poem and how his facial expressing showed me how serious he was about this poem.

Unknown said...

I liked Sarah Kay's "If I Should Have A Daughter". It was a very compassionate and sincere poem. Sarah Kay explains the hardships of life but gives positive advice on how to deal with it. One line that really stuck out to me was, "This world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily, but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it". I felt that line summed up the entire poem. It shows how life can seem bad but at the same time it can bring so many good things and be so enjoyable. Sarah Kay throughout the song depicts different situations of when life is rough but gives advice in the lyrics, "And no matter how many land mines erupt in a minute, be sure your mind lands on the beauty of this funny place called life". I liked how Sarah Kay said life was funny. I thought that was very relatable because not only do you have to be serious in life but you also have to take it lightly and enjoy it, not be high strung all the time.

Unknown said...

I chose the poem "If I Should Have a Daughter" by Sarah Kay. I really liked listening to her. She spoke the truth and was honest about life. She speaks about how life will knock you down but you should never be afraid to take chances and risks. She says "Apologize when you're wrong, but never apologize for your eyes shining too bright." She believes that you should admit that you are wrong, but never apologize for being who you are, I also believe this is true. The poem was overall inspiring and I did enjoy it, it opened up my eyes to many things about life in just the few minutes it took to listen to the poem.

Unknown said...

I chose the poem "If I should have a Daughter", i chose this because it talks about real like and the struggles that we would need to face. A line that stuck out to me was "That this life will hit you hard in the face just waiting for you to get back up so it can kick you in the stomach." This is just a example of her saying how sometimes life can give you troubles and it won't get that easier.

Lizzy Gehlmann said...

Our family doesn't have any family traditions to be honest. I guess we wait till everyone gets there to eat and that's about it. We say grace before a meal. Other than that there isn't any family traditions that we follow. Were just a boring family and don't do anything fun.

Unknown said...

I really enjoyed "If I Should Have A Daughter" by Sarah Kay. I thought that her outlook on the world was fascinating and real, something that should be taught to every child at the earliest age possible. She says, "And she's going to learn that this life will hit you hard in the face,wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach." If I ever knew one thing to be absolutely true, its this. I also appreciated the truth in the fact that even people that try to help others get hurt. "When you open your hands to catch and wind up with only blisters and bruises." I can relate to this as my father has always taught me that those who help people are the ones who bear the most pain. He always says that it was my responsibility to carry the pain of others if it is within my power to do so.