September 17, 2007
Dear Dwayne,
I finally forced myself to put down my clarinet and read some poetry. As resentful as I am about doing this project at times, I truly appreciate how I am forced to read and think about poetry for an hour each day. It's relaxing and temporarily takes my mind off of other events buzzing around my head. I do find it difficult to concentrate, however. My father is watching televison downstairs constantly and my brother listens to music and playing video games (rather loudly, I might add). I wish I had my own QUIET space to think and write. But no. Maybe in college...
Anyway, I'm reading more of Donnie's poetry and taking mental notes of other poets I want to research. I wish Michael was around. I'll be sure to research Longfellow and try to appreciate his poetry as Michael does. But back to Donnie...
Mr. Johnston always tells us to take out any unnecessary words in order to make our sentences the best they can be. I read in a book on writing poetry that poetry is the best words in their best order. Having that knowledge, I think that Donnie could cut out some of the lesser words, mainly articles and adjectives. I get the feeling that he's trying too hard to add words to create clever word play when the poems could do without. I realize that I'm quick to criticize, but I know that I can't write anything close to what Donnie writes, though I do enjoy giving him constructive criticism.
Dwayne, I've realized what I don't particularily like about Donnie's alliteration. He uses it too frequently and tries to be too clever at times, and it sounds forced when the alliteration includes an adjective and a noun. Example: "satanic souls singing" as opposed to "doves drowning."
What does this rambling have to do with my project, you ask? It's opening my eyes to new, wonderful poetry and allowing me to understand what I do and don't like. Hopefully, I'll remember this when I start to write poetry. I have't written since that obnoxious poem for Abel's bar mitzvah.
Note to self: write down what I want to write about (poetry wise) so I can take it to school. Maybe I'll actually write something at school or on the bus. Wouldn't that be amazing?
Also, the project proposal took an hour and ten minutes to finish.
Time spent reading and writing: 50 minutes
Monday, September 17, 2007
Journal Entry #1
September 16, 2007
Dear Dwayne,
As dangerous as this sounds, I met Donnie Darkhorse (Edward Homick) on Myspace. I had subscribed to the poetry blog of one of Donnie's friends, and he saw that I was intrested in poetry and added me as his Myspace friend. Since then, we've talked a bit through the website, and I've read some of his poetry which I'm very fond of.
Donnie is a 20-year-old college student in Connecticut majoring in English. He's incredibly ambitious and is becoming more recognized each day. His first book of poetry, A Scar Is Born, was released over the summer of 2007. I've obtained a signed copy from Dinnie himself though I have yet to read it. I've read bits and pieces, however, and have found a few grammatical errors. I'm taking note of them as I read through the book.
Donnie loves to use alliteration and he's increidibly skilled at using this technique, but sometimes I think he goes too far. You can only use the same tricks so many times in so many poems before the reader gets sick of it and the poems become weighted down.
By reading Donnie's poetry, I hope to gain ideas of different tricks to use in to my own poetry (such as alliteration, metaphor, simile, etc.) as well as taking note of what I don't like about his style.
In "Enemies and Allies," some of the alliteration is so...obvious. It's like Donnie sat there thinking of words that start with the same letter just so he could use more alliteration. I think it sounds better when two words are used instead of three. It also sounds more natural. Example: "satanic souls", as opposed to "terrible tortured trend" sounds better to me. The poem could do without the "terrible."
I love how Donnie doesn't keep a uniform syllable count; each stanza is different, but the rhyme scheme is the same throughout. The thing is, he could completely disregard the end rhyme and the poem would still flow beautifully. With my poetry, you subconsciencely think, "She rhymed this with that and that with this." But with most of Donnie's poetry, you don't notice if he rhymes or not, which I like. It just flows.
Thus far, I've read three of Donnie's poems, and each are amazing. He is truly an inspiration. The last line of the last stanza of "Not I" is simply "Not I" which breaks the rhyme scheme as well as the number of lines per stanza. That's one of my favorite tricks: doing something slightly or completely different at the end of the poem to catch the reader off-guard.
Seeing as it's 11:35 pm, I should be geting to sleep. Goodnight, Dwayne.
Time spent reading and writing: 1 hour (I haven't been keeping track of time before now because I didn't want it to seem like I was writing an introduction to my journal just to take up time.)
Dear Dwayne,
As dangerous as this sounds, I met Donnie Darkhorse (Edward Homick) on Myspace. I had subscribed to the poetry blog of one of Donnie's friends, and he saw that I was intrested in poetry and added me as his Myspace friend. Since then, we've talked a bit through the website, and I've read some of his poetry which I'm very fond of.
Donnie is a 20-year-old college student in Connecticut majoring in English. He's incredibly ambitious and is becoming more recognized each day. His first book of poetry, A Scar Is Born, was released over the summer of 2007. I've obtained a signed copy from Dinnie himself though I have yet to read it. I've read bits and pieces, however, and have found a few grammatical errors. I'm taking note of them as I read through the book.
Donnie loves to use alliteration and he's increidibly skilled at using this technique, but sometimes I think he goes too far. You can only use the same tricks so many times in so many poems before the reader gets sick of it and the poems become weighted down.
By reading Donnie's poetry, I hope to gain ideas of different tricks to use in to my own poetry (such as alliteration, metaphor, simile, etc.) as well as taking note of what I don't like about his style.
In "Enemies and Allies," some of the alliteration is so...obvious. It's like Donnie sat there thinking of words that start with the same letter just so he could use more alliteration. I think it sounds better when two words are used instead of three. It also sounds more natural. Example: "satanic souls", as opposed to "terrible tortured trend" sounds better to me. The poem could do without the "terrible."
I love how Donnie doesn't keep a uniform syllable count; each stanza is different, but the rhyme scheme is the same throughout. The thing is, he could completely disregard the end rhyme and the poem would still flow beautifully. With my poetry, you subconsciencely think, "She rhymed this with that and that with this." But with most of Donnie's poetry, you don't notice if he rhymes or not, which I like. It just flows.
Thus far, I've read three of Donnie's poems, and each are amazing. He is truly an inspiration. The last line of the last stanza of "Not I" is simply "Not I" which breaks the rhyme scheme as well as the number of lines per stanza. That's one of my favorite tricks: doing something slightly or completely different at the end of the poem to catch the reader off-guard.
Seeing as it's 11:35 pm, I should be geting to sleep. Goodnight, Dwayne.
Time spent reading and writing: 1 hour (I haven't been keeping track of time before now because I didn't want it to seem like I was writing an introduction to my journal just to take up time.)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Project Proposal
1. I've been writing poetry for about seven years. I've always written when I was feeling upset, and my poetry would comfort me. I never really cared what people thought about my writing until this past year or so. I also began experimenting with different styles, because I got tired of the four-lined stanzas with the same abcb rhyme scheme. I aim to develop my poetic skills by reading other's poetry, dissecting song lyrics, and reading books on poetry. I'm excited to become a better poet, and I hope that fulfilling this project will do just that.
2. I will be learning how to write in different poetic forms, such as iambic pentameter, sonnets, haikus, etc. I will be training myself to be continually searching for topics to write about - especially while at school when poetry is the last thing on my mind. The research will include reading other's poetry from the Internet, magazines, and books, song lyrics, and books on how to write various forms of poetry.
3. I won't need any facilities, but I may ask the assistance of Edward Homick, aka Donnie Darkhorse, a published poet whom I have contact with. I don't plan on asking the help of anyone else besides seeking the opinions of fellow poets. As for materials, I'll need a scrapbook, construction paper, scissors, glue, inspiration, and a whole lot of time.
4. As I said before, I'll be learning how to write in different styles of poetry and learning to write about a diverse range of subjects. I'll be training myself to be inspired by daily life, which I am having a difficult time doing at the present. I will need to gain the knowledge of how to write in different styles. I will also be seeking inspiration which can be found only within my own mind.
5. The end product will be a portfolio with at least ten poems, descriptions of where the inspiration came from, and pictures/designs to make it pretty. If I don't write ten poems, I won't call this project a failure. This will only fail if I, myself, am not pleased with the quality of my poems. Quantity has no importance, but I would like to write at least ten good-quality poems.
6. I want to have gained the knowledge of how to write various kinds of poems by December so my bibliography will be completed in time. I aim to have all poems complete by January so I can dedicate the rest of the time to putting together the portfolio which should be completed by early February.
7. Research should take at least ten hours, possibly fifteen. Journal-keeping should take just as long, as I anticipate writing quite a bit in the journal. Making the portfolio should take five to ten hours depending on how detailed I am. I cannot give a specific amount of time I'll spend on writing poetry, because if I'm not inspired, I can't write. John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote decent songs on command in the back of their van and in busy pubs, but their true masterpieces came to them with time. Art cannot be rushed.
8. The only expenses will be for the scrapbook, paper, glue, and the valuable time I'll be wasting doing this project when I could be applying for colleges and scholarships, doing homework, and loads of more important activities.
2. I will be learning how to write in different poetic forms, such as iambic pentameter, sonnets, haikus, etc. I will be training myself to be continually searching for topics to write about - especially while at school when poetry is the last thing on my mind. The research will include reading other's poetry from the Internet, magazines, and books, song lyrics, and books on how to write various forms of poetry.
3. I won't need any facilities, but I may ask the assistance of Edward Homick, aka Donnie Darkhorse, a published poet whom I have contact with. I don't plan on asking the help of anyone else besides seeking the opinions of fellow poets. As for materials, I'll need a scrapbook, construction paper, scissors, glue, inspiration, and a whole lot of time.
4. As I said before, I'll be learning how to write in different styles of poetry and learning to write about a diverse range of subjects. I'll be training myself to be inspired by daily life, which I am having a difficult time doing at the present. I will need to gain the knowledge of how to write in different styles. I will also be seeking inspiration which can be found only within my own mind.
5. The end product will be a portfolio with at least ten poems, descriptions of where the inspiration came from, and pictures/designs to make it pretty. If I don't write ten poems, I won't call this project a failure. This will only fail if I, myself, am not pleased with the quality of my poems. Quantity has no importance, but I would like to write at least ten good-quality poems.
6. I want to have gained the knowledge of how to write various kinds of poems by December so my bibliography will be completed in time. I aim to have all poems complete by January so I can dedicate the rest of the time to putting together the portfolio which should be completed by early February.
7. Research should take at least ten hours, possibly fifteen. Journal-keeping should take just as long, as I anticipate writing quite a bit in the journal. Making the portfolio should take five to ten hours depending on how detailed I am. I cannot give a specific amount of time I'll spend on writing poetry, because if I'm not inspired, I can't write. John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote decent songs on command in the back of their van and in busy pubs, but their true masterpieces came to them with time. Art cannot be rushed.
8. The only expenses will be for the scrapbook, paper, glue, and the valuable time I'll be wasting doing this project when I could be applying for colleges and scholarships, doing homework, and loads of more important activities.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Introduction to my Journal
Dear Dwayne,
Yes. Dwayne. Let me explain. When some people write in a diary or journal, they begin each entry with "Dear Diary" or "Dear Journal." I am different, so I am writing to Dwayne, my culminating project journal. But right now, I'm writing to you so you're not confused later. The combination of "diary" and "Dwayne" is alliteration. Dwayne is also my favorite person in the movie "Little Miss Sunshine." No, that has nothing to do with the project.
Why name your journal at all, you ask? I will tell you. I have read the guide to the culminating project word for word, cover to cover (taking note of the many grammatical errors), and it is clearly stated that it is vital that this project b personal and meaningful to the student. Writing is a huge part of my life, and I love it, which is why my project is centered around poetry. Because keeping a journal is required, I'm going to make this personal to me, which is why I've named my journal. Honestly, how many people name their journals?
Quite frankly, writing in a journal (especially for a school assignment) can be rather dull, so I will be personalizing each entry, because it is important for me to be interested in what I'm doing. Also, I am an over-achiever, I admit. Because of that disability, if you will, I will be using this as a real journal that any other 17/18-year old girl would use. However, everything will be connected to the project at hand. I assure you, this will be unlike any other journal you've read before.
Although I'm writing this before our first culminating project meeting senior year, I'm beginning to think that the over-all point of this project is pointless. We will be asked to demonstrate presentation, organizational, time-management, and research skills. For IB students, we've all done that - multiple times, in fact. For that reason, this project is pretty useless for anyone with experience in the IB program.
Having that said, this project appears to be little more than one of time-management. How will I have time to complete all of my school work, apply for college and scholarships, participate in extra-curricular activities, and complete this project? Forget about free time. The secret lies in time-management and a whole lot of discipline. That is what I'll be learning most of all. I appreciate that IB students can use past projects or essays such as the extended essay as part of his project, but they're not going to be learning anything else. It's only proving my point that IB students have the skills necessary to complete this project with their hands tied behind their back.
In the future, I encourage the people in charge of this whole project to re-think who should be required to complete this project, because IB came first, and we already learned what we needed to learn in order to complete this project. Most likely, you will find that IB students will quietly complete this project while it will be the non-IB students who won't complete this without a fight. Please do the correct IB thing and look at all sides of the argument. IB students don't need this. Anyway, have fun reading my journal.
Yes. Dwayne. Let me explain. When some people write in a diary or journal, they begin each entry with "Dear Diary" or "Dear Journal." I am different, so I am writing to Dwayne, my culminating project journal. But right now, I'm writing to you so you're not confused later. The combination of "diary" and "Dwayne" is alliteration. Dwayne is also my favorite person in the movie "Little Miss Sunshine." No, that has nothing to do with the project.
Why name your journal at all, you ask? I will tell you. I have read the guide to the culminating project word for word, cover to cover (taking note of the many grammatical errors), and it is clearly stated that it is vital that this project b personal and meaningful to the student. Writing is a huge part of my life, and I love it, which is why my project is centered around poetry. Because keeping a journal is required, I'm going to make this personal to me, which is why I've named my journal. Honestly, how many people name their journals?
Quite frankly, writing in a journal (especially for a school assignment) can be rather dull, so I will be personalizing each entry, because it is important for me to be interested in what I'm doing. Also, I am an over-achiever, I admit. Because of that disability, if you will, I will be using this as a real journal that any other 17/18-year old girl would use. However, everything will be connected to the project at hand. I assure you, this will be unlike any other journal you've read before.
Although I'm writing this before our first culminating project meeting senior year, I'm beginning to think that the over-all point of this project is pointless. We will be asked to demonstrate presentation, organizational, time-management, and research skills. For IB students, we've all done that - multiple times, in fact. For that reason, this project is pretty useless for anyone with experience in the IB program.
Having that said, this project appears to be little more than one of time-management. How will I have time to complete all of my school work, apply for college and scholarships, participate in extra-curricular activities, and complete this project? Forget about free time. The secret lies in time-management and a whole lot of discipline. That is what I'll be learning most of all. I appreciate that IB students can use past projects or essays such as the extended essay as part of his project, but they're not going to be learning anything else. It's only proving my point that IB students have the skills necessary to complete this project with their hands tied behind their back.
In the future, I encourage the people in charge of this whole project to re-think who should be required to complete this project, because IB came first, and we already learned what we needed to learn in order to complete this project. Most likely, you will find that IB students will quietly complete this project while it will be the non-IB students who won't complete this without a fight. Please do the correct IB thing and look at all sides of the argument. IB students don't need this. Anyway, have fun reading my journal.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Intro to my culminating project
Hello, world. Welcome to my blogspot. This will be a combination of journal entries about my culminating project and the poetry itself. This will be updating constantly up until I do my presentation in March or whenever. Most of my poetry is currently posted on my myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/somebandgeek . The blog url is different, but I can't remember it at the moment. Also, this blog is only for culminating project poetry, and any poetry written before September 2007 won't be posted here.
You can do me an enormous favor and tell me what you think about my poetry; what you like, didn't like, constructive criticism, etc.
My project will be dealing with different forms of poetry. The goal of this project is for me to not only meet the requirements of the culminating project so I can pass high school but to write better than I have before, read more poetry of other's, and otherwise expand my horizons.
Lastly, this project is in the memory of Michael who has been my inspiration many times. Poetry is what brought us together years ago, and he continues to be a part of my poetry.
You can do me an enormous favor and tell me what you think about my poetry; what you like, didn't like, constructive criticism, etc.
My project will be dealing with different forms of poetry. The goal of this project is for me to not only meet the requirements of the culminating project so I can pass high school but to write better than I have before, read more poetry of other's, and otherwise expand my horizons.
Lastly, this project is in the memory of Michael who has been my inspiration many times. Poetry is what brought us together years ago, and he continues to be a part of my poetry.
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