Poetry Out Loud Poem

     The poem I chose is "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. This poem is a 14 line sonnet written in iambic pentameter, which means that each line has a total of ten syllables. Sonnets are broken down into what is called quatrains. The first is four lines, and it establishes the subject. The second quatrain is also four lines which develops the sonnet's theme. The third quatrain is four lines, and rounds off the theme of the sonnet. The fourth quatrain is two lines, and concludes the sonnet. Each quatrain is also know to have a certain rhyme scheme, but Shelley did not follow this.

This poem shows irony, in that Ozymandias tells his people that he is the king of kings, to look on his works, yet all of it is ruined. The theme shows that even the most powerful are destroyed over time, yet some on their legacies will live on, as shown in the words stamped in the pedestal. I will try to convey a tone of power as I recite what Ozymandias puts on the pedestal. When I am in voice of the traveller, I will attempt at trying to sound like a stoyteller, a bit mystical.

I really enjoy this poem, for many reasons. I like the use of irony, it's tied in very well. Also, I like the theme portrayed, showing how even the strongest will fade. The character Ozymandias is an allusion to the Egyptian king Ramses the second, who was also very powerful. My fear is that during my recitation I either forget the poem, or I stumble over words. I feel I will need to really focus on my voice and articulation, and my physical presence. This seems hard to relate to my life, but I could compare it to something that I have to do that is nerve-racking, then with time it passes and fades, just like any prominent rulers.

Urgent Extra Credit Blog

     In my five part paragraph, one thing I had a problem with was the use of too many commas, making many run-on, seemingly never-ending sentences. I read my sentences outloud to myself to after writing them, to make sure they sounded fine and didn't drag on. Another thing I worked on was the repetition of words. I felt that in the first five-part paragraph, some words tended to sound a bit repetitive. To fix this problem, when I would start typing a word I had used already, I looked the word up on Thesaurus.com to find a suitable synonym. I really hope that working on these two things really developed my five-part paragraph into an interesting, unique piece of writing. I will be able to use the critique from this one on further paragraphs I write as well.

Poetry Out Loud

Part One:
1. Zoom! by Simon Armitage
2. Mezzo Cammin by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
3. Author’s Prayer by Ilya Kaminsky
4. Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley
    Keeping Things Whole by Mark Strand
Part Two:
My favorite poems above are Ozymandias, Keeping Things Whole, and Author's Prayer. I like these poems because the poems seem simplistic, but the meanings are more profound.
The poem I truly did not like was Zoom! I didn't like the 'flow' of it, and it seems like the different subjects in it don't go well together.
I think that I would choose the poem Keeping Things Whole, it is the one that I think most intrigued by.
I would choose this poem because it inderectly is sending a theme of wholeness rather than fragmentation. Strand indirectly is asking humans to make whole what we separate in nature, which I think is important.

Part Three:
I think that the two easiest criteria for me will be my level of understanding, and voice/articulation. I seem to have a grasp on the theme of the poem, so I think that's why I will score high on my level of understanding. I can pronounce all of the words in the poem well, and I can keep good pace, so that shouldn't be a problem.
I think that the two criteria I will have a tougher time with are the level of difficulty and dramatic appropriatness. The poem isn't too complex, and I think I use my hands too much when I talk.

Part Four:
I first watched Writ on the Steps of Puerto Rican Harlem by Gregory Corso, performed by Andrew Jackson. What made his performance good was his flow, his use of dramatic pauses, and slight gestures.
I then proceeded to watch Forgetfulness by Billy Collins, performed by Jackson Hille. What made this performance good was how he conveyed the message of the poem through the almost sarcastic tone in his voice, it really helped to give the satirical tone.

Part Five:

I think Poetry Out Loud will be fun for many people. I don't like speaking in front of people very much, so that will be a challenge for me to overcome. I think that I will memorize either Ozymandias, or Keeping Things Simple. Both of these seem profound and I like what the themes of them.