James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
REVISED Marathon
Trying my best
not to fall to the ground.
With small and shaky legs
my first baby steps become sound.
My steps soon turn to strides.
Now I’m tall and strong.
With friends by my side,
The way ahead still is long.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
REVISED "Family" Poem Tag.
James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
REVISED “Family” Poem
Tag.
Tag. You’re it.
Or is it I that is it?
Did you forgotten to count to five?
I guess that means I’m still alive.
Tag. you are it.
Or am I still it?
Mike says Matt was touching the tree,
yet I didn’t see.
Tag. Now you are it!
But it’s still me.
How can this be?
David wasn’t playing
At least that’s what Kara is saying.
Tag! I got you!
English 306
Steve Pett
REVISED “Family” Poem
Tag.
Tag. You’re it.
Or is it I that is it?
Did you forgotten to count to five?
I guess that means I’m still alive.
Tag. you are it.
Or am I still it?
Mike says Matt was touching the tree,
yet I didn’t see.
Tag. Now you are it!
But it’s still me.
How can this be?
David wasn’t playing
At least that’s what Kara is saying.
Tag! I got you!
Nothing Short of Anything
James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
Nothing Short of Anything
So now what.
I have my pen
and a piece of paper.
It seems that I should think
of something to write about.
I could write about anything.
Should start with a rhyme
or should I wait some other time.
All I know is
while I was trying to think of something
I just wrote absolutely nothing.
English 306
Steve Pett
Nothing Short of Anything
So now what.
I have my pen
and a piece of paper.
It seems that I should think
of something to write about.
I could write about anything.
Should start with a rhyme
or should I wait some other time.
All I know is
while I was trying to think of something
I just wrote absolutely nothing.
Critical Response: she had some horses by Joy Harjo
James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
Critical Response: she had some horses by Joy Harjo
She had some horses by Joy Harjo is an excellent example of a women trying to explain her identity through writing poetry. Harjo is a Native American and through the writings of her poetry it seems that she is trying to explain the struggles she is experiences for being a Native American in what is now the present culture of America. As Harjo writes her poems, she wanted to make it clear through the use of specifically chosen words that she was as close to her native identity as she possibly could. Harjo would choose words that can easily be identified with as Native American culture. Some of the words you will see through out most of Harjos poems include blood, dream, horses, moon, rain and anything that has to do with the earth and nature. In addition, story telling through Harjos poems seems to be a way she can keep her culture alive and remembered because this land was once owned by her heritage but can now easily be forgotten if not reminded by it in some way or another.
When looking at Harjos poems, all of them in some way can bring up thoughts of Native American culture and all her poems will give you the sense of how close she is with her Native American heritage. Harjos poems all seem to have a theme about memory and tradition and there are some poems of hers which can show this theme much more clear then any of her other writings.
One of these poems is the one titled “One Cedar Tree” (p. 16). In this poem, Harjo writes a lot about nature and there are a lot of lines which can clearly represent how she can be indentified more as a Native American who wants to be very close to her own past culture instead of the present day. These lines in this poem which can represent her identity are “to sacred blue sky / Only the prayers I send up on cedar smoke, _ on sage. / And I eat, breathe, and pray to some strange god _ who could be a cedar tree _ outside the window.”. Harjo also uses a lot of words that make it easier to bring up thoughts and memory of Native Americans such as prayers, sacred, moon, sun, sage and land. Also this poem has a story telling quality about praying to a cedar tree as if it were some sort of spirit which can be seen as something of Native American tradition.
Another poem which can show Harjo trying to identify with her heritage is the poem is “Remember” (p.35). This poem symbolically tries to make you think about the Native American culture and through repetition tries to unstill it into your memory so you will never forget. Some of these lines in this poem that clearly can make one think about Native American culture are “Remember the sky that you were born under, _ know each of the star’s stories. / Remember the moon, know who she is. / Remember the earth whose skin you are: red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth _ brown earth, we are earth. / Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the _ origin of this universe.”. In addition, this poem not only emphasizes on the fact that Native American culture should be remembered but it also wants you to remember how you got here and why you are here.
When looking at all of Harjos poems, one that can stand out in which she uses a lot of words that can be associated with Native American culture is the poem “She Had Some Horses” (p. 61). In this poem, Harjo constantly uses the word horse which is a very symbolic figure in Native American culture. Other words through out this poem that can be associated with the culture include blood, water, air, sky, clay, stars, moon, spirit and prayed. After reading these words one could easily group them together as something from nature which is what Native American culture and tradition is about.
As you can see, Harjo really shows that she has a strong identity with Native American culture through her writings. Through the use of Harjos imageries and similes, she really could connect herself and the reader to a more cultural perspective of Native American culture and it was the way she wrote, for example the use of repetition in the some of her poems such as “Cuchillo” (p. 22) and “She Had Some Horses” (p. 61) that could really instill in the memory not to forget about Native American culture.
English 306
Steve Pett
Critical Response: she had some horses by Joy Harjo
She had some horses by Joy Harjo is an excellent example of a women trying to explain her identity through writing poetry. Harjo is a Native American and through the writings of her poetry it seems that she is trying to explain the struggles she is experiences for being a Native American in what is now the present culture of America. As Harjo writes her poems, she wanted to make it clear through the use of specifically chosen words that she was as close to her native identity as she possibly could. Harjo would choose words that can easily be identified with as Native American culture. Some of the words you will see through out most of Harjos poems include blood, dream, horses, moon, rain and anything that has to do with the earth and nature. In addition, story telling through Harjos poems seems to be a way she can keep her culture alive and remembered because this land was once owned by her heritage but can now easily be forgotten if not reminded by it in some way or another.
When looking at Harjos poems, all of them in some way can bring up thoughts of Native American culture and all her poems will give you the sense of how close she is with her Native American heritage. Harjos poems all seem to have a theme about memory and tradition and there are some poems of hers which can show this theme much more clear then any of her other writings.
One of these poems is the one titled “One Cedar Tree” (p. 16). In this poem, Harjo writes a lot about nature and there are a lot of lines which can clearly represent how she can be indentified more as a Native American who wants to be very close to her own past culture instead of the present day. These lines in this poem which can represent her identity are “to sacred blue sky / Only the prayers I send up on cedar smoke, _ on sage. / And I eat, breathe, and pray to some strange god _ who could be a cedar tree _ outside the window.”. Harjo also uses a lot of words that make it easier to bring up thoughts and memory of Native Americans such as prayers, sacred, moon, sun, sage and land. Also this poem has a story telling quality about praying to a cedar tree as if it were some sort of spirit which can be seen as something of Native American tradition.
Another poem which can show Harjo trying to identify with her heritage is the poem is “Remember” (p.35). This poem symbolically tries to make you think about the Native American culture and through repetition tries to unstill it into your memory so you will never forget. Some of these lines in this poem that clearly can make one think about Native American culture are “Remember the sky that you were born under, _ know each of the star’s stories. / Remember the moon, know who she is. / Remember the earth whose skin you are: red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth _ brown earth, we are earth. / Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the _ origin of this universe.”. In addition, this poem not only emphasizes on the fact that Native American culture should be remembered but it also wants you to remember how you got here and why you are here.
When looking at all of Harjos poems, one that can stand out in which she uses a lot of words that can be associated with Native American culture is the poem “She Had Some Horses” (p. 61). In this poem, Harjo constantly uses the word horse which is a very symbolic figure in Native American culture. Other words through out this poem that can be associated with the culture include blood, water, air, sky, clay, stars, moon, spirit and prayed. After reading these words one could easily group them together as something from nature which is what Native American culture and tradition is about.
As you can see, Harjo really shows that she has a strong identity with Native American culture through her writings. Through the use of Harjos imageries and similes, she really could connect herself and the reader to a more cultural perspective of Native American culture and it was the way she wrote, for example the use of repetition in the some of her poems such as “Cuchillo” (p. 22) and “She Had Some Horses” (p. 61) that could really instill in the memory not to forget about Native American culture.
Poetry of Place: My home away from home.
James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
Poetry of Place: My home away from home.
Living here as I do
It begins to feel more like home
But it isn’t.
Sure its getting warmer here
and of course its a lot greener
but it will never be as hot as home
and home will never be as green as this.
Is it because it rains so much here
That there’s none left to go back home.
Or perhaps its all the mountains
Which surround home
That prevent clouds from entering
It certainly would explain
Why you only see hills here.
Where home has sand.
Here has snow.
Where home has pools outside.
Here only in the summer time.
Sure you will see a lot of
Rabbits and chipmunks here
But you will get to see a lot of
Snakes and coyotes at home.
Living here as I do
It certainly does begin to feel
More like home.
I know if and when I do go back
Here, will always be my home away from home.
English 306
Steve Pett
Poetry of Place: My home away from home.
Living here as I do
It begins to feel more like home
But it isn’t.
Sure its getting warmer here
and of course its a lot greener
but it will never be as hot as home
and home will never be as green as this.
Is it because it rains so much here
That there’s none left to go back home.
Or perhaps its all the mountains
Which surround home
That prevent clouds from entering
It certainly would explain
Why you only see hills here.
Where home has sand.
Here has snow.
Where home has pools outside.
Here only in the summer time.
Sure you will see a lot of
Rabbits and chipmunks here
But you will get to see a lot of
Snakes and coyotes at home.
Living here as I do
It certainly does begin to feel
More like home.
I know if and when I do go back
Here, will always be my home away from home.
Witness: Once is an Accident, Twice is a coincidence, Three Times is a Habit.
James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
Witness: Once is an Accident, Twice is a coincidence, Three Times is a Habit.
It was just another day
at the beginning of the school year.
Nothing seemed too unusual
about this very morning
except that I only got one
piece of toast for breakfast
instead of the usual three.
I never look forward to this time of month
except for the occasional day off
from school that September
has to offer.
It was a block schedule
and that could only mean
my first hour class was twice as long.
This class so far has proven to be boring
so expecting anything different
would be like expecting world peace.
As I entered class
something was different.
The teacher wasn’t taking attendance
My classmates weren’t in their seats.
I didn’t know we were going to watch a video.
To my surprise we weren’t even going to do that.
Watching the television news
was today’s lecture.
Finally something to take the dullness
out of the day.
An accident and not just any accident.
This kind was one of those once in a blue moon ones
and that’s another reason why
alcoholics shouldn’t be pilots.
Certainly once is an accident
but when it is this drastic.
Twice can’t just be a coincidence.
Especially if an the second one
is a mirror image of the first.
English 306
Steve Pett
Witness: Once is an Accident, Twice is a coincidence, Three Times is a Habit.
It was just another day
at the beginning of the school year.
Nothing seemed too unusual
about this very morning
except that I only got one
piece of toast for breakfast
instead of the usual three.
I never look forward to this time of month
except for the occasional day off
from school that September
has to offer.
It was a block schedule
and that could only mean
my first hour class was twice as long.
This class so far has proven to be boring
so expecting anything different
would be like expecting world peace.
As I entered class
something was different.
The teacher wasn’t taking attendance
My classmates weren’t in their seats.
I didn’t know we were going to watch a video.
To my surprise we weren’t even going to do that.
Watching the television news
was today’s lecture.
Finally something to take the dullness
out of the day.
An accident and not just any accident.
This kind was one of those once in a blue moon ones
and that’s another reason why
alcoholics shouldn’t be pilots.
Certainly once is an accident
but when it is this drastic.
Twice can’t just be a coincidence.
Especially if an the second one
is a mirror image of the first.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Billy Collins: Insomnia
James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
Billy Collins: Insomnia
Once again I’m back
To this forever lasting night.
Only left with pictures and stories
all locked away in my mind.
As I stare at the 12:32 of my room
I begin to wonder.
How many miles it would take
to go around the world.
At 2:45 I set off
one mile at a time
Every mile there is something new to see.
3:16 I see a horse jumping over a fence.
4:28 A little kid is jumping rope.
5:41 the empire state building.
6:52 some lake where dragon flies hover.
7:39 a scene that doesn’t make any sense.
8:00 the most annoying sound in the world.
The morning alarm and all of a sudden
I had just traveled across the whole world
and was back in my own room.
English 306
Steve Pett
Billy Collins: Insomnia
Once again I’m back
To this forever lasting night.
Only left with pictures and stories
all locked away in my mind.
As I stare at the 12:32 of my room
I begin to wonder.
How many miles it would take
to go around the world.
At 2:45 I set off
one mile at a time
Every mile there is something new to see.
3:16 I see a horse jumping over a fence.
4:28 A little kid is jumping rope.
5:41 the empire state building.
6:52 some lake where dragon flies hover.
7:39 a scene that doesn’t make any sense.
8:00 the most annoying sound in the world.
The morning alarm and all of a sudden
I had just traveled across the whole world
and was back in my own room.
Harjo poem: Outside
James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
Harjo poem: Outside
The moon glows
on what is a maroon oval.
Inside, nothing more
then a field of grass
where no work is being done.
The sound of bugs coming from
what appears to be an empty cage.
If the lights were lit
I could see if anyone were
jumping in the sand pit.
Ten times I could go around.
However, I choose to only go four.
Its not that I couldn’t go
ten or twenty around, its just
a mile was enough for me
that night.
English 306
Steve Pett
Harjo poem: Outside
The moon glows
on what is a maroon oval.
Inside, nothing more
then a field of grass
where no work is being done.
The sound of bugs coming from
what appears to be an empty cage.
If the lights were lit
I could see if anyone were
jumping in the sand pit.
Ten times I could go around.
However, I choose to only go four.
Its not that I couldn’t go
ten or twenty around, its just
a mile was enough for me
that night.
Shadow poem
James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
Shadow poem
Something is always better.
No matter what it is.
No matter where it is.
Something is always better.
No matter how you look at it.
Someone is always better.
No matter what I do.
No matter how I do it.
Someone is always better.
No matter how hard I try.
I can always be better.
If I can put my mind into it.
If I can put the effort into it.
I can always be better.
All I have to do is try.
English 306
Steve Pett
Shadow poem
Something is always better.
No matter what it is.
No matter where it is.
Something is always better.
No matter how you look at it.
Someone is always better.
No matter what I do.
No matter how I do it.
Someone is always better.
No matter how hard I try.
I can always be better.
If I can put my mind into it.
If I can put the effort into it.
I can always be better.
All I have to do is try.
Brenda Jones-Happiness
James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
Brenda Jones-Happiness
Is it that you’re so unhappy
Because you forgot what happiness is.
Or perhaps you don’t know
What happiness looks like.
Why does everyone look miserable?
Why do they all have to look so sad?
Maybe it’s because you over clothed them
Or perhaps it’s because you didn’t clothe them at all.
Why use such unhappy words.
Hate, is that how you feel?
Pain, is that what you feel?
Rape, is that why you even feel at all?
But wait, why is this woman so content?
She seems to be all by herself.
All alone from everyone else
Without a care in the world
And she is the smallest painting of them all.
English 306
Steve Pett
Brenda Jones-Happiness
Is it that you’re so unhappy
Because you forgot what happiness is.
Or perhaps you don’t know
What happiness looks like.
Why does everyone look miserable?
Why do they all have to look so sad?
Maybe it’s because you over clothed them
Or perhaps it’s because you didn’t clothe them at all.
Why use such unhappy words.
Hate, is that how you feel?
Pain, is that what you feel?
Rape, is that why you even feel at all?
But wait, why is this woman so content?
She seems to be all by herself.
All alone from everyone else
Without a care in the world
And she is the smallest painting of them all.
Critical Response: Sandra Cisneros Loose Women
James Galvan
English 306
Steve Pett
Critical Response: Sandra Cisneros Loose Women
The book Loose Women by Sandra Cisneros is full of many poems in which are very unique to her. When she writes her poems she basically expresses all her emotions as she writes. In Cisneros writing, she also likes to bring a Latino perspective into most of her poems because of her Mexican roots. In addition, as you read Cisneros poem it would soon be obvious that they are very intimate in they way that she uses the similes and metaphors. Cisneros even uses the word “you” in most of her poem and addresses the word “you” generally as a lover.
When looking at Cisneros poems, there is one poem that clearly can be identified show most of the characteristics in her writing. The poem “You Bring Out the Mexican in Me” (p. 4) is a great example of this. When looking at this poem it is clear that Cisneros expresses a lot of emotions throughout it. Some of these expressions of emotions can be seen in lines such as “The fear of fascists in me. / The Pandora’s curiosity in me. / I want rattle and rent you in two. I want to defile you and raise hell. I want to pull out the kitchen knives, dull and sharp, and whisk the air with crosses.” These lines clearly show the fear, curiosity and anger Cisneros was feeling when she wrote the poem. This poem is also a great example of how Cisneros likes to bring up her Mexican roots. The title and basically every other line in the poem has to do with how Cisneros likes to write about her roots. Some of these lines in which this can be seen are “The Mexican spitfire in me. / The Mexico City ’85 earthquake in me. / Love the way a Mexican women loves.” In addition, this poem even has her addressing the word “you” as a lover. This can be seen in the lines “You are the one I’d let go the other loves for / I claim you all mine / I could kill in the name of you and think it worth it. / Love the way a Mexican women loves. Let me show you.”
Sandra Cisneros poems will always be something very unique. Cisneros expresses what would be considered someone’s most private emotions about love and sex through her writings. Not only is it expressed through what Cisneros feels but she also writes her poems through two different cultural views which will always make the book Loose Women something very unique to all other poetry books.
English 306
Steve Pett
Critical Response: Sandra Cisneros Loose Women
The book Loose Women by Sandra Cisneros is full of many poems in which are very unique to her. When she writes her poems she basically expresses all her emotions as she writes. In Cisneros writing, she also likes to bring a Latino perspective into most of her poems because of her Mexican roots. In addition, as you read Cisneros poem it would soon be obvious that they are very intimate in they way that she uses the similes and metaphors. Cisneros even uses the word “you” in most of her poem and addresses the word “you” generally as a lover.
When looking at Cisneros poems, there is one poem that clearly can be identified show most of the characteristics in her writing. The poem “You Bring Out the Mexican in Me” (p. 4) is a great example of this. When looking at this poem it is clear that Cisneros expresses a lot of emotions throughout it. Some of these expressions of emotions can be seen in lines such as “The fear of fascists in me. / The Pandora’s curiosity in me. / I want rattle and rent you in two. I want to defile you and raise hell. I want to pull out the kitchen knives, dull and sharp, and whisk the air with crosses.” These lines clearly show the fear, curiosity and anger Cisneros was feeling when she wrote the poem. This poem is also a great example of how Cisneros likes to bring up her Mexican roots. The title and basically every other line in the poem has to do with how Cisneros likes to write about her roots. Some of these lines in which this can be seen are “The Mexican spitfire in me. / The Mexico City ’85 earthquake in me. / Love the way a Mexican women loves.” In addition, this poem even has her addressing the word “you” as a lover. This can be seen in the lines “You are the one I’d let go the other loves for / I claim you all mine / I could kill in the name of you and think it worth it. / Love the way a Mexican women loves. Let me show you.”
Sandra Cisneros poems will always be something very unique. Cisneros expresses what would be considered someone’s most private emotions about love and sex through her writings. Not only is it expressed through what Cisneros feels but she also writes her poems through two different cultural views which will always make the book Loose Women something very unique to all other poetry books.
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