Clothes shrink, voices change, and one can finally reach the elusive cookie jar on the top shelf. Hundreds of changes happen between growing from a kid to a teen. Right now, I feel like I’m falling into the best part of my life. Greater responsibilities that leave me drained pile up on me without end. Personal strength has been discovered and helped me face some of the hardest times in my life. Willingly setting oneself in a leader’s position terrifies most people, but I look forward to the challenges it presents.
Responsibility provides the earliest sign of maturity. Dedicating oneself to something whole-heartedly, such as with Miss Lottie and her garden from the story "Marigolds" by Eugenia Collier, demonstrates a hard work ethic and reliability. The more one demonstrate one’s level of responsibility, the more jobs one will be entrusted with. My first job at fourteen, I became a summer camp counselor. Caring for about thirty kids from nine in the morning until two in the afternoon takes loads of energy and focus. Working my way from breakfast to swimming, through playtime and lunch, until the end of second playtime, I ad to watch them every minute. Everyday, my daily duties included stopping fights, serving prepackaged food, passing out art supplies, and taking care of any and all injuries. Parents left their kids in my hands, believing I would keep them safe. A stone parrot seemed to be permanently on my shoulders as I watched over all the children like a stressed out fairy godmother.
Inner strength came as the next epiphany of my development. Just as Lizabeth from “Marigolds” changed when she heard her father cry, I faced a similar situation. One day, my mother came home upset, blared some music, and broke down sobbing. Truth struck me like a slap in the face at the idea that anything could break her down. From that moment, I realized moms are human too and need people to support them just as much as their kids. Mom wasn’t the only one to need a shoulder to lean on. I fell into a deep depression. No matter how hard I tried, only a fake smile could grace my face, never a true one. Beaten and broken, I was an empty shell. Getting up and shedding my mask was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but now I can finally show my true self.
Leading is the highest point one can reach in maturity. People who lead have a level of confidence and security that others envy. ‘Leader’ has always been the title of choice when others described me. My sister was born when I was just over a year old. Setting the right example for her to follow became priority numero uno. Visualizing her achieving her dreams and living happily became the greatest hope in my heart. Wanting to help my friends and classmates reach their potential captured another part of my heart. Establishing the tutoring committee in my school forced me to change. Never before have I created something from the ground up that could greatly affect others. Reaching a position of power holds a huge chance for failure, but it also gives one the tools needed to make an impact for the better.
To sum it up, I’ve grown up, maybe a bit more than others. I can handle almost anything that comes my way with grace and skill. Fear doesn’t stop me from doing what I want and what I must. Getting to this point has cost me dearly, but I would do it all again in a heart beat. Someday, I know I’ll be able to look back and feel proud of myself. Can you say the same?
Friday, February 20, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Good, The Bad, and The Kris
You ask me “what can you do?”
I reply “I make people cry
I make friends laugh, neighbors smile, and my mom pull her hair out
I’ll walk up to you, to answer a question
And leave you more confused than you were before
You never know what I will say
But you know you won’t wan to hear it
I can lift you up, tear you down, spin you around,
And flip you upside down with just a word or two
Smiles cover my face
And sarcasm fills my space
I’m at the bottom of the pit
On the top of the world
First to finish last and last to be the first
Following me will get you nowhere
But I’ll be happy to travel with you
I’ve got a sharp tongue and a rough hand
But I’ll help you, no matter the issue”
When you ask me “what can you do?”
I reply “I make it count”
I reply “I make people cry
I make friends laugh, neighbors smile, and my mom pull her hair out
I’ll walk up to you, to answer a question
And leave you more confused than you were before
You never know what I will say
But you know you won’t wan to hear it
I can lift you up, tear you down, spin you around,
And flip you upside down with just a word or two
Smiles cover my face
And sarcasm fills my space
I’m at the bottom of the pit
On the top of the world
First to finish last and last to be the first
Following me will get you nowhere
But I’ll be happy to travel with you
I’ve got a sharp tongue and a rough hand
But I’ll help you, no matter the issue”
When you ask me “what can you do?”
I reply “I make it count”
"Beware: Do Not Read This Poem" By: Ishmael Reed
Walking down a dark, empty hallway in the middle of the night, a noise sounds and you jump. You spin around, looking for the sound, all the while backing down the hall toward your destination. Out of nowhere, your feet fall from under you and you plung into a dark, bottomless pit. Passages such as this mirror the suspense felt while reading the poem “Beware: Do Not Read This Poem”. Vivid imagery fills every line, causing the reader to feel as though they are watching a movie. It’s full of open-ended ideas thst will keep you guessing its true meaning for weeks.
First of all, suspense plays a huge part in this poem. From the title onward, a creeping sense of dread begins to grow. Readers are sucked into the drama by such lines as “the hunger of this poem is legendary; it has taken my victims”. “Beware” tells a sad story about families who lose loved ones to this power. Mysterious disappearances, which have occurred since the publishing of this poem, appear in the final line. So far, over 100,000 people have disappeared in the past ten years.
Also, astonishing imagery capture us from the first line. One line reads “an ol woman…surrounded herself w/ many mirrors”. Lines such as this allow readers to easily visualize what’s happening. Line after line, the we can see ourselves becoming a part of the tale as we read “this poem has your eyes…your fingertips…this poem has you up to here”. Piece by piece, one can see oneself being dragged in until the reader is the poem. Ultimately, “Beware” does say “the poem is the reader and the reader this poem”.
Various meanings, based on the perspective of the one reading it, constitute as the greatest aspect of Ishmael Reed’s work. Symbolism of the mirrors and the disappearances capture the mind and force one to think. When reading the line “she disappeared into a mirror”, it makes the reader stop to read between the lines. What does Reed mean she disappeared? Another line reading “ each tenant who bought the house after that, lost a loved on to…the mirror” give the same sort of questions. Does the writer mean it literally of figuratively? Physically or mentally? Have they died or lost themselves? Too many questions are asked with no definite answer in sight.
In conclusion, superior poetry such as this comes along only once in a while. Building a sense of fear, combined with crystal clear pictures and multiple meanings, leave this poem high above the rest. Never could there have been a more perfect read for any horror/sci-fi lover. Dare to take a look?
First of all, suspense plays a huge part in this poem. From the title onward, a creeping sense of dread begins to grow. Readers are sucked into the drama by such lines as “the hunger of this poem is legendary; it has taken my victims”. “Beware” tells a sad story about families who lose loved ones to this power. Mysterious disappearances, which have occurred since the publishing of this poem, appear in the final line. So far, over 100,000 people have disappeared in the past ten years.
Also, astonishing imagery capture us from the first line. One line reads “an ol woman…surrounded herself w/ many mirrors”. Lines such as this allow readers to easily visualize what’s happening. Line after line, the we can see ourselves becoming a part of the tale as we read “this poem has your eyes…your fingertips…this poem has you up to here”. Piece by piece, one can see oneself being dragged in until the reader is the poem. Ultimately, “Beware” does say “the poem is the reader and the reader this poem”.
Various meanings, based on the perspective of the one reading it, constitute as the greatest aspect of Ishmael Reed’s work. Symbolism of the mirrors and the disappearances capture the mind and force one to think. When reading the line “she disappeared into a mirror”, it makes the reader stop to read between the lines. What does Reed mean she disappeared? Another line reading “ each tenant who bought the house after that, lost a loved on to…the mirror” give the same sort of questions. Does the writer mean it literally of figuratively? Physically or mentally? Have they died or lost themselves? Too many questions are asked with no definite answer in sight.
In conclusion, superior poetry such as this comes along only once in a while. Building a sense of fear, combined with crystal clear pictures and multiple meanings, leave this poem high above the rest. Never could there have been a more perfect read for any horror/sci-fi lover. Dare to take a look?
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