Imitation Poem Assignment

Up to the North,

To the tip of Borneo's left ear,

Waters crystal, as blue as the sky can be,

I walk on flat rocks,

Leading me up and to the end,

I stand,

Waves crashing at my feet,

The smell of the ocean water,

Wind blowing through my hair,

Mother earth whispering in my ear,

"This is your inheritance,

this is your today and this is your tomorrow",

I embrace this all,

With the steady beating of my heart.

This is mine.

Today.

Tomorrow.

Blood Dazzler by Patricia Smith (Part 1)

Does any particular image run throughout the essay? If so, why does the author chose it? Does it have any "metaphorical significance"? Does it transform in any way from the beginning to the end of the essay?

Why New Orleans Is

The essay gives this vivid image of a city (New Orleans), the people and the social activities they participate in. Reading the first stanza, you get to feel the typical night life of New Orleans. Later on, she continues to talk about how each person has the right to chose their own path and write their own life story. I think the author chose this because she wants the readers to get a full understanding of the life prior to the hurricane. I would guess that the metaphorical significance if this life that they had and lost. It transforms from the beginning to the end in a way that at the beginning she gives a wider framing. She starts with New Orleans as a bigger picture and later narrows down to the people of New Orleans.

"Place" by WS Merwin

How does the writer structure the essay and to what effect?

The writer begins the poem at the last day of the world. This is because, he is telling his plans should the time comes and explains his reasons to it. It then ends, by giving an image of how new life continues to survive the ones that end. This is a linear narrative because it goes chronologically from the end of the world and the bringing out of this new life from it. I think that this writing gives a very strong impact to readers. There is very strong emotions connected to it. Reading it, I am reminded of one of Robert Frosts poem. Although the two poems differ in meaning, but the structure it is written creates a very solemn feeling and seem to have the same reading tone.

The Ninemile Wolves by Rick Bass

Find specific examples of abstract (ideas and concepts) and concrete (specific details, sensory implications) language. What are the effects?

"..., like some batholith sin..."

This abstract example gives an image how men have emerge as an antagonist in the essay. It gives a very strong feeling of the destruction caused by men, of how they are even more dangerous in comparison to the wolves. As that certain paragraph goes on, it moves to making readers think if we, the human race could step back from being this barrier to the existence of wolves. I find that this abstract example to be very strong and reaches deep into readers.

For more concrete examples, I think that parts of the essay where he gives scientific explanation stresses more of the importance his whole essay. "But the thing that defines a wolf more than anything - ... - is the way it travels". This concrete support makes it more than just a story of a wolf. It gives this documentary like feeling to the essay and gives a more vivid image that could flash in readers' minds.

50 Word 'Snapshots'

Visiting Israel

Biblical was my initial thought. Yet, once I got there I found this country that merged both modern and the old world of the bible. The merger of these two worlds was like a beautiful desert mirage. It is a place where you could find the best of two worlds.

Palm Plantation

Orange

Like the burning flame

Orange

Like the sun that melts during sunset

There, each of them are bundled together

Each filled with a secret waiting to be gathered

A secret of old

That talked of liquid gold

Secreted deep within its crust

Until comes the day of harvest

Bangalore, India

I stepped out of the airport to be welcomed by the wall of hot air smelling of spices. The place was fascinating and I was Alice stepping into Wonderland. The people friendly, the buildings fascinating and the food was simply out of this world. What wouldn’t I give for another sip of their delicious mango juice again.

Refuge: An Unnatural History by Terry Tempest Williams

One particular thing that stuck in my mind was her description of the dream (pg 757). There she spoke of women's denial of rights and their isolation. I found it very interesting how she built introduced the dream from a vague isolation of women from all over the world, to the strength that they gathered from their emotional and physical pain. From there she moved on to the part where the women finally stood up to face the outside world. It was there that they found the courage and determination to claim what has been denied of them and their children. She ended the dream with the women no longer submissive to the unequal treatment and to show those who oppress them, that they can no longer be denied their rights by fear.
This to me leads to larger ideas, by creating an analogy on the government's action of keeping people in the dark. Their denial of information and the sufferings that people have to face due to their actions. From all the sufferings and mistreatment, people have eventually rose to protest only to find themselves reprimanded by their behaviors.