Thursday, February 21, 2013

Homonym Poem

Brenda Hillman wrote a brilliant poem called"Cleave and Cleave" which examines these words that sound and can be spelled the same but have opposite meanings. I'd like you to think of two words that are homonyms but mean different things. , e.g. lie and lie, stone and stone, bear and bear, write and right. Here is a complete list. Think of an emotional situation in memory that these homonyms might speak to, then imagine yourself "encountering" each of these words separately, in concrete examples- e.g. you are writing your name on a blackboard as a child, over and over; the sun is spilling in the window, fading the slate as you write. you start to think about your "right" to be yourself, and you look at your self, the clothes you are wearing, your hands, etc...Then bring both words together at the poem's conclusion, like Hillman, who dramaticized the words' opposite meanings by ending with two strong sentences: You might say, e.g." I will write my name over and over on the glass." Then, "I will disappear: my right." This poem is taken from The Practice of Poetry by Behn and Twichell.

38 comments:

  1. Bennet Daniels
    Hour: 3
    2/21/13

    Homonym Poem

    My goal was to sear the meat on the skillet
    And as if he was a seer, my dad told us of his new idea
    The birds of the valley flew so low that you could see their cere
    The longer we stayed, the sere became more apparent

    The sun made us sear in the high mountain valley
    As we talked about the seer we once met
    A bird landed and used the cere in his beak and killed himself dinner
    I began to realize the seer of the nature around us

    As if I were a seer, I predicted the rest of the trip
    How we would all sear in this unbearable heat
    And less sightings of birds and their ceers’
    And as our group, I realized, we are all part of the world’s sere

    ReplyDelete
  2. One day in the park as I was walking along
    wearing a bracelet and singing a song

    I was then stopped by a man I'd not seen
    who said that my wristband was inappropriate and obscene.

    I asked him whyand he said, "Because!"
    "It promotes cancer and other bad stuff!"

    He took it right off and threw it away
    then leaned down to me and said "Oh, by the way..."

    "The music your're listening to is all wrong!"
    "Here! listen up, to a much better song!"

    He quickly then shoved a new song in my ears
    which was lame, it was stupid, and was a pain to hear

    I asked him why I must listen to this bad little song
    and he said "It's not bad if you just sing along!"

    But that didn't suffice with me, not in my head!
    I tapped my foot, and he finally said...

    "I am from a group from the band of banned wristbands and rock bands"
    We go throughout town catching hoodlums who have planned

    to corrupt the young minds of children up here
    by listening to stuff which they should not hear!

    I sat there, puzzled, thinking "this isn't right!"
    I can listen to whatever I want, it's my constituional right!

    I marched down to the court house and said "This ain't legal!"
    You shouldn't take music from folks like a seagull!

    The people agreed, and made a new law
    banning the band of banned... you know by law

    They no longer operated for now they stand
    as the banned band of banned wrist bands and rock bands!

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  4. stare at the bus driver
    who demands a fare
    while people around
    sit and stare.
    He has raised the price
    since I have last ridden this bus
    and soul is cold as ice.
    The money that is with me
    is not enough for the new fare
    so he left me in the street.
    The world is not fair
    I think as I stand on my feet.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Blue- A feeling of deep sorrow
    Blue-The color of the ocean or the sky

    Blue
    As I tread across the beach I see the ocean with dark treachorus waves
    one big mass of deep dark blue
    all the feelings welled up inside me cannot be described in any other way than blue
    the gloomy blue that you find in a sweater that’s not warm enough to keep out the wind
    or the blue you find in tear filled eyes just waiting to overflow
    I don’t want the world to see me mean and angry and sad and blue
    but then my friends make the blue a bit lighter
    kinda like a deep turquoise
    when I feel okay but with masses of mossy sadness still lying on my shoulders
    suddenly with each smile it’s like a big heavy blue quilt has been lifted off of me
    and then I can stop lurking in my shadows and live in the moment
    I start to notice a sky blue
    a blue that goes on and on dissapearing into something beautiful
    a sunset
    where all the pink’s and yellow’s and red’s parallel my joy
    until I realise there was never blue at all

    ReplyDelete
  6. affect - change
    effect – result or consequence

    It starts with a spark
    A person
    Only one is needed
    They have an idea
    They tell others
    They affect them
    Now others have that idea
    And it spreads
    And spreads
    Until someone thinks
    That that idea should be acted upon
    Now there are uprisings
    Rebellions
    And soon
    A revolution starts
    And the upper power
    Falls
    And now that idea
    That was created by one person
    Becomes a reality
    The ending effect
    That one person
    They affect others
    And a new era
    Is the ending effect.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dual Duel

    There are two
    Two men
    Two pistols
    Two bullets
    Two reputations on the line
    Only one can survive
    It is a matter of honor
    Dual honor
    One man may have started it
    But they will both end it
    There is dual skill needed
    It is aggression and presicion
    Guts and grit
    Honor and freedom
    Victory means life and restored honor
    Failure means death
    They stare daggers into the others eyes
    Then they turn
    They stand back to back
    Onlookers take a step back
    To be free of stray bullets
    They take ten paces then turn
    Two shots are fired
    One man left standing
    Honor in victory
    Honor in defeat
    Dual honor is what is left
    After the duel

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  9. Allowed- to be permitted
    Aloud- audible

    An angry sound
    With a condescending tone
    Rings out from the back of the bus
    His hurtful words
    Are met with silence
    His terrible thoughts having been said aloud
    The driver steps in
    Blacks are not allowed to disobey
    “Ms. Parks, give up your seat.”
    But the woman doesn’t respond
    Glued to the seat
    She will stand her ground
    Tired of intolerance
    The officers file in
    Take Ms. Rosa Parks away
    It seems as though she will never win
    When the others emerge
    Stand up together
    A movement has begun
    Slowly but surely their voices are heard
    Decades later she has won
    Her story will be told aloud
    To children in 1st grade
    Who must understand
    For the sake of their future
    The importance being allowed to oppose

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ball Bawl

    It was a hot summer day
    and I was ready to play
    I walked up to the base
    Feeling in the right place
    The pitcher threw the ball
    and it began to fall
    the ball soared towards the base
    and hit me in the face!
    I began to bawl
    and we got into a brawl
    I picked up the ball and
    threw it towards the sand
    where the pitcher was laying
    after he was saying
    'I'm so sorry, please don't bawl"
    I walked over to him and stood very tall
    Giving him a hand
    replying everything is fine and grand

    ReplyDelete
  11. I looked around as I climbed the trail
    I almost stepped upon a snail

    But as I narrowly escaped
    I fell and my knee was scraped

    As the blood began to flow
    I looked to my left and saw a scared doe

    I did not know why she had that look of fear
    Until I looked further and saw a bear was near

    I rose to my feet to run away
    But the universe was set to ruin my day

    As I ran from the bear’s terrible din
    my clothes were torn from my skin

    And now I stood completely bare, about to be eaten by a bear

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  12. Won and one

    The game was finally won
    Even though the teams were even
    It was finally done
    Thanks to that kid named Stephen
    Stephen was a special one,
    Scoring the last goal
    It must have been fun
    But that kid named Cole
    Also helped
    because he passed the ball
    The crowd yelped
    As he took a fall
    Cole and Steven showed
    that one dude’s talents can explode
    but sports conclude
    that there is no “I” in “team”

    ReplyDelete
  13. Better Bettor
    Karat Carrot

    There stood a man in a stylish sweater
    He looked around him and knew he was better

    He went to the table and made his bet
    Not thinking about his trouble with debt

    Across from him another took a bet
    The man went over and they met

    They each made a deal
    The winner of the bet, the money, from the other he would steal

    The loser would become the debtor
    The question is, who is the better bettor?

    The loser looks back on that day with grief
    How, he wondered, did he become a thief?

    His family could only afford carrots
    His family has been begging over and over like parrots

    Because of the bet made so many years ago
    The memory makes him weep with woe

    He remembers the day when he could buy karats for his wife
    He thinks sadly of his old, happy life

    This man gives his wife carrots instead of karats
    Because he was not the better bettor

    ReplyDelete
  14. Every day on the way home
    I pass the roots of a great magnolia tree
    Standing for ages
    Tall and proud
    Watching over me
    As I take the route home

    Each day I admire its beauty
    Leaves and blooms
    Reaching for the sky
    Roots buried deep in the ground
    Watching over me
    As I take the route home

    Sometimes I sit in its shade
    Petals drifting over me
    Scattered by the wind
    Gently swaying
    Watching over me
    As I let my thoughts fly

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  15. In a kingdom far away,
    The queen’s food was stocked on a tray

    She transformed into such a glutton
    That every one of her shirts lost a button

    She ate eight chickens and cakes
    And eight beefy steaks

    She even washed every meal down
    With eight shakes colored brown

    One day she asked the king
    How she became this enormous thing

    His response was full of fears,
    “You ate enough for eight people for the past eight years.”

    ReplyDelete
  16. Teachers say I know all the answers,
    I reply, “It’s in my genes.”

    Supervisors tell me I can never bore,
    I reply, “It’s in my genes.”

    People comment on how I never get lost,
    I reply, “It’s in my genes.”

    Friends notice I always know the time,
    I reply, “It’s in my genes.”

    Coaches wonder how I always dress appropriately,
    I reply, “It’s in my genes.”

    Shoppers envy that I get the best deals,
    I reply, “It’s in my genes.”

    Little do they all know,
    I carry a smartphone in my jeans.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I was walking down the aisle
    Of the plane
    When the captain said "it's going down
    'Cause I didn't use my brain
    We're over the ocean
    But please don't raise cain
    'Cause we can land on an isle
    And we won't be in pain
    Please move out of the aisle
    And we'll be out of this hurricane"

    ReplyDelete
  18. The Moron's Oxymoron's


    Three deaf wizards, began to walk and heard a fight.
    While a heard of mute donkeys he-hawed all the night.

    James the happy school boy cried, "Fire, fire!"
    Then Jen, the blind cat, saw need for the fyer.

    But a broken down tracker, roamed the week in the forest.
    The weak singer belted in forticimo, a rousing chorus.

    The the dog with no tail shook the Jimmy's all away.
    Then the monkey told the tall tale the rest of the day.

    And the worm said he saw a shooting star,
    While the maiden used the saw from afar.

    The kindergartner thought he knew it all, he knew the game,
    From the old book he found new facts of Charlamange.

    The doctors all got a horrible case of the flu.
    And away the immobile in a magic carpet flew.

    You might think you can read, and understand it too.
    But I think you want to read this again, at the zoo.
    Because too, you read like I want to read, and I do.
    But I too, like to read what I've read, and start over new.


    ReplyDelete
  19. I look at the assorted products,
    As I walk down the aisle.
    What I need are things I can bring,
    On a far away trip of mine.

    I am going to an island,
    And soon enough I will be there.
    I embark on a wonderful journey,
    To the magical paradise.

    I've arrived on the island,
    All is good and well.
    Everything is fine,
    Except my boat which sank.

    So here I am a lonely man,
    Stranded on an isle.
    I promise I'll try to return soon.

    Once I am done thinking.
    I will start shrinking,
    Until I am nothing more,
    Than a part of the shore.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Bluer than the blue sky
    are the puddles at my feet from the rain.
    Whiter than the snow
    are the clouds above my head

    Weather.
    A unique experience,
    whether metaphorical or not.

    Farther from the east
    is the west
    Easier than to persevere
    is to give up

    Whether.
    A unique decision,
    depends on the weather.

    Weather rain
    or sun
    Weather snow
    or clouds

    Whether east
    or west
    Whether persevere
    or give up,

    It’s always nicer to know
    whether there will be weather
    rather than
    what the weather will be.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Assent - To agree
    Ascent - A climb

    Humankind stands before a great mountain
    He begins to climb
    Aspiring to an ascent of the towering peak
    To reach a higher purpose
    To rise above his own corruption
    And as he nears the top
    He finds himself conflicted
    He cannot assent within himself
    He can neither concede nor compromise
    Down he tumbles, felled
    Once again by the hubris and deceit of
    His own nature
    And with Sisyphus standing
    In his shadow
    He begins once more the eternal climb

    ReplyDelete
  22. Team- a group/unit working together, group of people forming one side of a sports competition
    Teem- to have many numbers in one place, to swarm, to pour out/empty

    Our family, our team
    We work hard for each other
    Dedication teems
    Standing next to our brothers
    As shadows grow long
    We continue
    To run along
    Prepared to make a debut
    One team, one goal
    Victory is in sight
    We all play our roles
    For this we will fight
    We come prepared
    As a team
    Excitement flares
    Finally we teem the field

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'll and aisle

    To my darling daughter,
    I cherish the times we used to play
    The backyard that held our sun filled afternoons
    Your cute little smile and your small piggy-tails
    I taught you to ride a bike
    And how to play catch
    You taught me patience, love and compassion
    Sundays filled with the funnies and coffee
    Saying hello to the early morning sun
    The years went by
    And then it all changed
    I moved out and left you alone
    The way that you’ve grown
    You are the best person I have ever known
    Life moved on and you found someone of your own
    I know that I am old
    Maybe a little weak and frail
    You act as my steady hand
    Reading the fine print when I can’t see
    For all the wondrous times we have shared
    I will be there on your special day
    Whether in body or spirit
    I’ll be there to walk you down the aisle
    Love always,
    Dad

    ReplyDelete
  24. My Aunt Hates Ants

    Oh how she hates those pesky bugs
    Their worse than a slug

    Those pesky critters are so small
    She tries to hit them with a baseball

    They crawl around on all fours
    She always looks before she enters any doors

    She stomps to kill those pesky critters
    Every time they give her the jitters

    Every time she sees them it gives her a fright
    Thank god those pesky critters can’t bite

    She wishes they all were dead
    “I hate those pesky critters” she said

    My aunt hates ants

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    Replies
    1. Deer my Dear

      There is always that someone whom you call dear.
      That person you love, who you hold very near.

      You can’t live without them, or your life would be a mess.
      They mean the whole world to you, now you must go confess.

      Live everyday as if its your last.
      Who knew life goes by so alarmingly fast?

      Remember Bambi, that cute little doe?
      His mother, a deer, was taken by a foe.

      Do you think he knew his dear would be killed?
      No, he thought their lives would be fulfilled.

      The dear of his life was actually a deer.
      The dear of our lives must be loved without fear.

      Delete
  26. I was walking through the trees
    one situation avoided to resist
    Where no one knows and no one sees
    was an opportunity once missed

    Voices chimed like bells ringing
    listening to the forest strike
    The sound of many birds singing
    as I walked off through the night

    Perseverance is to dream
    the sound of something driven
    Reason to cooperate
    for there’s an opportunity once given

    Whether reflected upon or decided
    simply taken versus missed
    Through the forest I was guided
    As I continued through the mist

    ReplyDelete
  27. Bald, Bawled, Balled
    By: Alexandra Larsen

    As I sat down
    I said “just a trim” as I recal
    Ok she said without a frown
    and around she scrawled

    Washing my hair
    she seemed enthralled
    when I sat in this overstuffed chair
    as she spoke with a drawl

    The scissors began moving
    until her mother called
    yet with those she kept groving
    when I looked up my hair was mauled!

    I sat there in shock!
    until I bawled
    “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE” with a squawk
    now she couldnt stall

    My hair was a mess
    I was completely bald
    and you would have guessed
    my name was Edwald

    For I looked like a boy
    My fists quickly balled
    but my only choice was to enjoy
    the beauty of this facade

    My hair was gone
    first I was appalled
    but I moved on
    and people forestalled

    No hair brushed needed
    as I was so called
    a model stampeded
    with people who loved the bald

    ReplyDelete
  28. On the television ran a boar.
    The boar was free and wild,
    Watching the beast roam around
    Made me realize what I bore I has become.
    I thought of traveling to Rome,
    Maybe Belgium or France,
    But nothing struck me,
    Nothing seemed right,
    So I began to write.
    I wrote my sorrows,
    I wrote my pain,
    I wrote my happiness,
    I wrote my vain.
    That is how I began doing
    What I am known for today.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Canvas- rough cloth
    Canvass-To examine thouroughly

    Canvas
    As I look
    at the blank canvas,
    I paint a picture
    in my head

    I see mountains
    And trees
    I can picture
    A nice
    Little breeze

    I grab my paintbrush
    And start on the art
    I think with my mind
    And paint with my heart

    I finally finish
    The painting so
    detailed

    I canvass
    the painting
    Letting the images
    sink into my head

    I feel proud
    of what I had did

    ReplyDelete
  30. going to the bar late at night
    it always feels just right
    i tell the bartender to hit me up
    and start to down cup after cup
    and drinking that good ole ale
    makes me feel sick and pale
    and i start to feel frail
    as i am starting to get ail

    ReplyDelete
  31. There is one nun
    this one nun went to Subway
    Money? This one nun had none
    There was an event, guess the weight of a Subway sand-wich
    But how much does the the sub weigh?
    This one nun guessed 2.1111 pounds
    She was wrong, 2.111111 was wrong and this one nun won none.

    The next day
    Again, this one nun went to subway
    The one nun tried again to guess the weight of the Subway sand-wich
    But how much does the sub weigh?
    Then this one nun looked at the employee
    she was a sand witch serving a subway sand-wich
    next to her stood another sand-witch serving a sand-wich too
    altogether there were two sand-witches serving two sand-wiches
    But this one nun wanted a sand-wich too
    Money? This one nun had none
    Will this one nun guess 2.212121 pounds for this Subway sandwich served by two Subway sand-witches and will this one nun have won one Subway sandwich served by two Subway sand-witches of which she guessed the Subway Sub-sandwich will weigh 2.212121 too?

    ReplyDelete
  32. I was talking to a young man,
    who to rich kings was an heir

    He told me something interesting:
    “Humans breath air”

    I found this quite peculiar,
    for this fact I had not known

    Its as if someone had told me,
    that I could have flown!

    You see,
    when I was young

    I learned humans breath water,
    that man should’ve kept his tongue

    For I am his great uncle,
    and he is my heir

    And since he spoke so foolish,
    he shall inherit nothing but his precious air

    ReplyDelete
  33. Acts- anything done, being done
    Ax- an instrument with a bladed head,used for hewing, cleaving, chopping, etc.

    One small deed
    One big piece

    A day where the world came crashing down like a knife
    An act that changed a young man’s life

    Hatred from others had taken over
    The difficult trials moreover

    He had enough with this world
    He felt as if everything swirled

    He planned to leave the next night
    Didn’t want to put up another fight

    He decided to leave a note
    Explaining his quick depart

    As the moon passed, and the sun rose...
    He felt as if he were going to decompose

    His last day at school...
    He felt relief knowing soon he’d be away from the fools

    In the hall that day...
    A girl smiled and gave a hey

    The boy began to melt inside
    He waved back and lightly sighed

    He realized that someone cared
    A gesture undeclared

    One act gave him the strength to push on
    Even though he thought he had withdrawn

    Small acts of kindness
    Had chipped away at his heart

    Like an ax hitting a tree,
    Those small acts hit his heart and set him free

    ReplyDelete
  34. Rain- Water from the sky
    Reign- To rule / A period of time during which someone rules
    Rein- A object or tool that allows one to control a horse's action

    As the rain pattered down
    the king thought of everything
    that had happened during his reign
    of the foreign kingdom

    The numerous pillagings of the village
    The severe flooding of the farmlands
    The never ending lists of casualties from war
    All during his reign

    He felt like he was the only one
    holding the reins to the vast kingdom
    and all alone, the heavy burden
    was beginning to take its toll

    The king knew that his term
    hadn’t been successful (to say the least)
    but when you're the only one
    holding onto the reins during your reign,
    the rain will never, ever stop streaming down

    With his title, the king demanded an advisor
    to help him make his reign fruitful
    His new advisor took the lead,
    giving the king counsel when he summoned

    Together, they made the kingdom lucrative
    A place where everyone wanted to be
    For when you and another join forces
    The rain cloud will vanish from your sight

    ReplyDelete
  35. Beat- To strike
    Beat- Exhausted

    He beat the ball with all his might
    striking away all the night

    commitment never ceased to end
    the title he was impelled to defend

    The year before he tasted glory
    the other team was sent home gory

    commencing towards a second state title
    his tedious work was totally vital

    Ball after ball he beat with potency
    a ball missed was a calamity

    His arms soon squirmed and began to ache
    he'd never desist till his arms would break

    Day after day he perfected his skills
    He fine polished all of his drills

    His hitting was now unsurpassed by all
    He was prepared to begin the brawl

    On the base he continually slung
    and captivated the fans who were already stunned

    Hit after hit he was utterly beat
    and gave a bow to the crowd and took a seat






    ReplyDelete
  36. Dew- morning condensation
    Do- to preform

    The suns beams illuminate the morning dew
    Sparkling drops of mist that have nothing to do
    Sitting around reflecting light
    Speckling the grass from the rain last night

    The rain had fallen
    Just like the reign of Joseph Stalin
    The morning dew slowly drying away
    All it could do was go astray

    Where would it go?
    Would anyone know?
    The lone dew
    With nothing to do.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Air- What we breathe
    Heir=A person inheriting and continuing the legacy of their predecessor

    In a kingdom there was an heir,
    Where a stench permeated his air,
    Handicapping his ability to take his nap.

    On a quest went the heir,
    To discover what stench fouled his air,
    To the stable outside the castle.

    Their found the heir,
    What so cruelly stunk up the air;
    The stable boy forgot to clean the stable.

    Then went the heir,
    to cleanse all stink from the air,
    By finding this forgetful boy.

    After a long hard search the heir,
    Fed up with the stench in the air,
    Found this boy and set him back to work.

    His mission accomplished the heir,
    Breathing once again clean air,
    Returned to his chambers to take his nap.

    ReplyDelete