Recalling the time when I was around the age of 10, was a scary time in my life. All alone in my upstairs bathroom, while suddenly I dropped my make up case I was playing in. After I reorganized everything in the case I looked up into the mirror and there was my dead aunts reflection. This brings me to the poem I read called Beware: do not read this poem by Ishmael Reed. A poem that made me wonder what's really on the other side. I enjoyed this poem because of the title, it really stood out to me, the title is really what made me read it. This poem happened to be very engaging, it seems so realistic. The images this poem puts in your head was kind of nightmarish if one ask me.
First of all, the title really draws the reader in. Saying not to read the poem draws you to the poem even more, it makes you want to read it. It's kind of scary once you think about it. For example, the title states not to read the poem. I myself wasn't really about to read it, with an imagination like mine I thought it was going to put some type of curse on me. as a person who loves thriller it was kind of hard for me to stop myself.
In addition to the title, the poem was engaging. I have to say it is hungering, once I started reading it I couldn't stop. When I decided to stop reading it I thought about it all day, it left me in suspicion. For example the Poem states " In 1968 over 100,000 people disappeared leaving no solid clues", it made me think of what really happened to those people.
Finally, the poem aroused disturbing images that you couldn't imagine. Frightening ones to be exact. For example, the poem says " one day the villagers broke into her house but she disappeared into a mirror". Kind of nightmarish once thought about. Imagine having a dream about a old women in your mirrors every time you look at it.
In the long run I really got a trill of out of this poem. The title mainly i what stood out to me , have it done the same to you? the poem itself was really engaging, the poem leaves you in suspicion it is so degrading. The images, so mysterious, frightening, nightmarish, so much filled with greed. So next time when your looking at yourself in the mirror think of this poem what is really on the other side. Is it a side of where the dead lies or is it just a piece of glass.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Reflection on NHD
This year once again i did another performance. Me and my pairs did this year performance on Bessie smith. We came across her by doing a class assignment in American History studies. Bessie smith was a famous African American singer born into a time of sexism, racism, and segregation. She was acknowledged for her singing but not for her courage. Bessie transcended all these obstacles to pursue a successful singing career and open doors.
Honestly i would have to say this year NHD was very stressful, people were missing days, some people didn't care, and there was a lot of arguing between us. We actually had one person that didn't come to school the week of the play and the day of the play.
Luckily, we had someone that has been practicing with us who actually knew the lines of the person that did not come.
We'll out of all that we made it to city wide and hoping to make it to states and the Nationals, but there has to be a lot of practicing that need to be done in order for us to go on to States.We have to make a few changes during the process of going to city and states but i think we can get away with it. We have to make changes to the script and just make more props.
Honestly i would have to say this year NHD was very stressful, people were missing days, some people didn't care, and there was a lot of arguing between us. We actually had one person that didn't come to school the week of the play and the day of the play.
Luckily, we had someone that has been practicing with us who actually knew the lines of the person that did not come.
We'll out of all that we made it to city wide and hoping to make it to states and the Nationals, but there has to be a lot of practicing that need to be done in order for us to go on to States.We have to make a few changes during the process of going to city and states but i think we can get away with it. We have to make changes to the script and just make more props.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
14th annotation
"Bessie Smith fron NPR." nrp.org. 4 Dec 2008 .
Bessie Smith influenced alot of people for example from Mahalia Jackson to Mary J. Blige. She gave the music its raw, regal poignancy and marketability. Her feverish growls and testifying delivery has informed nearly every facet of African-American music. Incorporating a full arsenal of talent singing, dancing, and slapstick comedy Bessie was a consummate entertainer.
Bessie Smith influenced alot of people for example from Mahalia Jackson to Mary J. Blige. She gave the music its raw, regal poignancy and marketability. Her feverish growls and testifying delivery has informed nearly every facet of African-American music. Incorporating a full arsenal of talent singing, dancing, and slapstick comedy Bessie was a consummate entertainer.
13th Annotation
Hemsworth, Joan. "Bessie Smith Empress of the Blues." 14 Dec 1998. 4 Dec 2008
.
When Bessie was a bit younger, she was once removed from a job as chorus
girl-because her skin was too black. Years later she dealt with a similar
situation at the famous Apollo in New York by demanding that a very dark chorus
girl be kept-though she accepted a dimming of the lights. Bessie also despised
blacks that attempted to become like whites.
.
When Bessie was a bit younger, she was once removed from a job as chorus
girl-because her skin was too black. Years later she dealt with a similar
situation at the famous Apollo in New York by demanding that a very dark chorus
girl be kept-though she accepted a dimming of the lights. Bessie also despised
blacks that attempted to become like whites.
Preview: Taking Notes- Using a Famous Quote
Summarize what Frederick Douglass thinks about the fourth of July and then choose a quote to support your statement.
Answer: Douglass believes that the fourth of July represents nothing to the Slaves of the American ideal of liberty. He said," There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very".
Answer: Douglass believes that the fourth of July represents nothing to the Slaves of the American ideal of liberty. He said," There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very".
Thursday, November 20, 2008
12th Annotation
"American Decades." enotes.com. 20 Nov 2008 .
During her lifetime the blues was regarded as a form of black expression; she performed for mostly black audiences and recorded for what were classified as race records that were not stocked in record shops catering to whites. Unlike Louis Armstrong, who reached all audiences, Smith was unknown or unavailable to most white Americans during her career. She was a black artist working with traditional black material for a black public nevertheless, Smith gave special performances for white audiences in some large cities.
During her lifetime the blues was regarded as a form of black expression; she performed for mostly black audiences and recorded for what were classified as race records that were not stocked in record shops catering to whites. Unlike Louis Armstrong, who reached all audiences, Smith was unknown or unavailable to most white Americans during her career. She was a black artist working with traditional black material for a black public nevertheless, Smith gave special performances for white audiences in some large cities.
11th Annotation
Forman, Roanna. "ENCYCLOPEDIA OF JAZZ MUSICIANS." Jazz.com. 20 Nov 2008 .
When Bessie's mother and father died she was left to take care of her three brothers and sisters by taking in laundry. This strong work ethic made a lasting impression on Bessie. She was determined to leave the poverty and inequality of Blue Goose Hollow, and show business was her ticket. She started street corner singing and dancing with her brother Andrew to boost the family’s income. She did an audition Stokes and later hired Bessie as a dancer, since he already had a singer Ma Rainey. During this time, she developed a reputation as a performer at black theaters across the South and along the Eastern Seaboard. Bessie was decidedly an original, and a natural singer. Bessie Smith is a soprano with a more urban, polished style. In any case Bessie undoubtedly learned how to handle herself on stage from Rainey, even though their styles were different. Things began to change after the 1920s, in 1923, Smith, then living in Philadelphia, auditioned successfully for a recording contract with Columbia and that's where her success begun.
When Bessie's mother and father died she was left to take care of her three brothers and sisters by taking in laundry. This strong work ethic made a lasting impression on Bessie. She was determined to leave the poverty and inequality of Blue Goose Hollow, and show business was her ticket. She started street corner singing and dancing with her brother Andrew to boost the family’s income. She did an audition Stokes and later hired Bessie as a dancer, since he already had a singer Ma Rainey. During this time, she developed a reputation as a performer at black theaters across the South and along the Eastern Seaboard. Bessie was decidedly an original, and a natural singer. Bessie Smith is a soprano with a more urban, polished style. In any case Bessie undoubtedly learned how to handle herself on stage from Rainey, even though their styles were different. Things began to change after the 1920s, in 1923, Smith, then living in Philadelphia, auditioned successfully for a recording contract with Columbia and that's where her success begun.
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