My poetry out loud poem

My poem is "Old Ironsides" by Oliver Wendell Holmes. I feel a connection with the poem because it speaks so much about the glorious past being laid to rest. It talks of how the ship Old Ironsides was a glorious fighter that brought victory through the work of heroes. However, despite all of its glory, its going to be picked apart by the "harpies of the shore." Instead of living on in its glory, it is going to sit in a museum to rot. I feel like I can connect this with my own thoughts often. I personally feel like I've had some great days in the past that will never come again, and that how I remember them will have a great impact on me as a person. To convey this during my performance I will try to show my distaste for this in my use of the word "harpy" and "pluck". I might go for a nostalgic look, but that might be pressing my own dramatic ability.

Thank you for your time.

-Aaron

Extra credit: Applying the things I've learned

Certainly I used the skills that I learned about last time! I would never, ever, ever write just to write and be done with it. In all reality, that blog was very true. Last time I wrote about how the greatest challenge was the commentary and coming up with original thoughts. This time, I went back through and asked myself, "Is this obvious?" Believe it or not, it really helps. That simple question allowed me to weed out those tiny obnoxious rebellions and crush them with a titanium fist while screaming some obscure movie reference. Thats just the kind of intense experience I have writing paragraphs. Like this one. In the end, I think it really helped me to keep my thoughts away from repetitiveness and restatements and instead helped me to come up with original thoughts.

I've always believed originality is one of the most important parts of being a good reader. Even if its not original per se.

-Aaron

Poetry Out Loud

Part one:

1. A Locked House, by W. D. Snodgrass

2. Break of Day in the Trenches, by Isaac Rosenberg

3. Alone, by Edger Allen Poe

4. Old Ironsides by Oliver Wendell Holmes

    Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Part two:

Of the poems above, I enjoyed Alone and Kubla Khan. These poems kept me entertained in a greater fashion and I got the messages. Old Ironsides was fun looking at because of the historical aspect.

The other two poems I did not enjoy as much as I got less of the meaning out of them.

I will probably take Old Ironsides further and memorize it.

Part three:

The easiest will probably be understanding a poem. If I didn't connect with a poem in the first place, why would I recite it? Another easy one will probably be dramatic appropriateness. It just seems like it would be easier then the other aspects

The one I would have more difficulty scoring well in would be voice and articulation. I tend to get nervous and could stutter. Maybe. Physical presence can also be difficult if you don't really get the tic of a poem.

Part 4:

I watched Danse Russe and thought the reciter put a lot of voice into the poem to portray the meaning.

I also watched Forgetfulness and I thought it was successful again because the reciter really changed their voice for the meaning of the poem so the point could easily be taken.

Part 5:

After having went around on the poetry website, I can say that it seems someone put a lot of work into it. However, I do not really go out of my way to see poetry and honestly this contest is just another assignment for me.

Yes, I know my blog is late. AGAIN.

-Aaron