Beginning with "Life is the only way," write your own list poem using "A Note" as a model. Your poem must use the same (with minor variations) number of words and structure as Szymborska's. Use what you learned this week to compose a stronger poem.
Try to find a rhythm to the words you choose (note the number of syllables as well as the number of words). Be careful to punctuate exactly the same way and be aware of how the poet has used punctuation to divide and compare ideas. Post a copy of your poem to the blog before coming to Wednesday's class.
Be prepared to do a recital of your poem (please practice ahead of time!) and speak for one to two minutes on the process you followed and any difficulties you experienced. Marks will be assigned as follows: quality of poem—50%; recital—25%; remarks on process—25%.
NOTE: Check your formatting carefully after copy and pasting poem. You'll need to add spacing. Try to have your poem look exactly the same as the original handout if you can!
NOTE: Check your formatting carefully after copy and pasting poem. You'll need to add spacing. Try to have your poem look exactly the same as the original handout if you can!
A Note
ReplyDeleteLife is the only way
to go ahead without back,
bring wind fog rain and snow,
inside backpack;
to be a loner,
or on a remote trail;
to tell rain,
from it I got stronger;
to face agaist wind,
I’ll continue,
to discover the truth of my life.
An extraordinary chance
to take a rest for a moment
an idea appeared
with hesitate in the mind;
and if only once
to doubt original mind,
end up journey at anytime of your road,
mislay your pursuit in the world;
and to follow the crowd in the dust to old;
and to keep on not thinking
something important.
A Note
ReplyDeleteLife is the only way
to walk along railway,
wander around the world day and night,
roam with shadow;
to enjoy sunset,
or chase Apollo’s step;
to recollect past
from everything it used to be;
to skim old pictures,
wipe off dust,
to reminisce your smile and tears.
An extraordinary chance
to reverse to a moment
a wish we made
by meteor shower in the sky;
and if only once
to redo something we regret,
end up holding your hands till the last,
lose your ring on the road;
and to wish finish could be start for both;
but to keep in my mind
something unforgettable.
- 108 words
A Cook’s Note
ReplyDeleteLife is the only way
to ladle steaming broth,
sweat onions in a pan,
cook with joy;
to stoke a fire,
or dampen one down;
to know fresh
from everything that’s not;
to squeeze yellow lemons,
manage your time,
to deliver hot food to friends in your home.
An extraordinary chance
to remember all the meals
we shared together
with the years passing by;
and if only once
to cut your finger on a knife,
end up throwing away a ruined stew,
mistake a table for tea spoon;
and to smell sweet fragrance of oranges at noon;
and to keep on with cooking
something delicious.
—2015; 8th version
It enraged me
ReplyDeleteThat was a new, beautiful, high building neighbourhood with areas of grass and trees scattered within buildings, a colorful kindergarten is setting on the middle ground of them. The sky was blue with clouds floating slowly and freely under that on the kindergarten field kids were playing happily. Some were toddling in a line to climb up and down slides one by one, some were lifting their innocent faces to their teacher, asking and following teacher’s voice, some bit larger playful boys were catching up each other with pure giggling. They were so cute and clean. Life was beautiful.
I lived in a suite of one building in this neighborhood. It was in the second floor of total thirty one stories. From the window of my bedroom I could sharp watch the opposite kindergarten below. Almost every morning after getting up, I liked to open the window, standing at front it for a while, inhaling fresh air, stretching my body, watching children’s saying “bye-bye, mom…” while waving their tender hands, turning over to greet their teachers. I seemed smelling fragrance from plants tens of meters away, hearing pure voice of kids from the kindergarten, “our country is a garden, flowers in the garden are blossoming…” The air was sweet, the surrounding was charming, the day was new. I got full of vitality. I would start a fresh and energetic day.
Tight outside my window, there was a large square balcony only used for public emergency and strata maintaining passage. Opening the window as usual, I was enraged! A mass of yellow, white, grey, red... trash scattered to the surrounding like a flower shape on the middle ground on the balcony, bunches of thin white plastic bags were blowing splitting under the mess. Rotten, disgusting, evil-smelling over there. Angry, sad, disappointed, I was. Someone above my storey directly threw garbages from its window instead of taking it to the garbage bin. It happened again. Last time when I found it, I asked the stuff of manage office to clean all that. I thought it maybe just a contingency by someone’s non intention. It happened again! No more than it could destroy my day! I wanted to find out the person, bring you to the site, showing you the action by you in such a environment, asking you why you counld not take the trash into the garbage bin which just meters away the building’s entrance. When you was throwing the rubbish from the window, didn’t you think about those kids’ safe and health?. Nowadays, everyone appeals for good environment, quality life, civil bahaviors.
Even a kid knows it is important keeping our surrounding like a large garden. We live on a same land, we have duties to keep it clean, green, beautiful, healthy. If you have difficulties in lives, others could help you, at least I would like. I wanted to tell the person, your indecent act caused lots of damage to the environment, to people living in the neighborhood, to the children studing in the kindergarten. It destroyed me, a common resident’s wonderful day. I said to myself, I should do something to prevent its happening again. It enraged me.(526)
A Note
ReplyDeleteLife is the only way
to have a huge garden,
full of beautiful flowers and trees,
grow on land;
to be a bird,
or fly in the sky;
to go anywhere
until you find a green river;
to find your happiness,
follow your dreams,
to remember to have a wish.
An extraordinary chance
to reminisce for a moment
to sing songs
about someone you love deeply;
and if only once
to face a barrier,
make sure to dissect the cause,
forgive but do not forget once;
and try to close your eyes though and smile to
the world;
and to think intelligently
something important.
Words:105
A Dreamer's Note
ReplyDeleteLife is the only way
to accomplish a dream,
strive daily to survive,
fly up high;
to be a bird,
or fall from the sky;
to learn things
from every possible way;
to accept weaknesses,
get achievements,
to fight every little mistakes in life .
An extraordinary chance
to look back in the past
a brave young girl
who study hard in the dark;
and if only once
to fail and struggle in life,
end up being judge without a fight,
deliver all hope and desire;
and to bear in mind what's important in life;
and to witness a good result
something worthwhile.
A Note
ReplyDeleteLife is the only way
to get hugged with four hands,
Squish the child in your hands,
raise the kids;
to be a rabbit,
or touch the puffy fur;
to tell bright,
from everything it’s not;
to manage daily schedule,
to read a map,
to seek the last of all possible shortcuts.
An extraordinary chance
to love unconditionally
without need for return
of sleepless nights and wrinkles;
and love the music
Should I Stay or Should I Go,
The Radetzky March and All About That Bass.
forget your dreams in the past
and to follow a hope just around the corner;
and to keep on not feeling
something important.
A Simple Note
ReplyDeleteLife is the only way
to enjoy puddles in the rain,
build sun castles on the beach
slide on snow;
To be a butterfly,
or hide in its cocoon;
To speak true
from everything it’s not;
To accept yourself,
open mind in views,
to stop complaints for all causes that give you pain
An extraordinary chance
to embrace any occasion
a laugh, cry and play harder
on different silliness of expression,
and if only once
life doesn’t turn as you wish,
don’t blame yourself or others on those mistakes,
forget and forgive all the past;
go deep in your heart to find the light;
and keep on mind that “life”
is something important.
A Note of beauty in life
ReplyDeleteLife is the only way
to know its beauty is everywhere,
smell blooming cherries in the air,
refresh dizzy minds;
to run on sunshine,
or walk in the rain;
to immerse into forest,
forget anything bothering,
to realize the natural beauty is around you.
An extraordinary chance
to encounter an event
a beautiful scene
made by a poor kind man;
and if only once
to truly see what he does,
grab a handful of rice from what he needs,
save it for donating to the worse off;
and to sense his compassion deeply touch your heart;
and to remember we’re people with
beauty of kindness.
A Note
ReplyDeleteLife is the only way
to see stars in the sky
stare at the outer space
act of faith;
to find the truth
none is absolute;
science can not
from religion it’s not
to delve into science
know God’s mind
is more important than asking and begging
is there a purpose of life
in order that we can survive
does universe exist?
just for human lives
Why human suffer
Under God who is super
Omniscient and omnibenevolent
a tale of contradiction
all things have beginning, only One doesn’t
if you cannot prove it
just say: “I don’t know”