The world may crumble around you and the life you once held dear may shatter into a million slivers of glass, thrown about on the bathroom floor. Everything you know might fly out the window of existence and leave you behind, wondering and waiting. Don’t be afraid. Tragedies happen and bad things happen to good people. People who have the whole world lose everything. You’re not alone. So when the pains of life come tumbling through the open door and knock you down, shake the dust of hurt off of your clothes and get right back up. Life has mountains and it has valleys, so when those mountains stand in front of you, big and imposing, start climbing. The journey up will be hard and you will fall, but that beautiful valley is waiting on the other side. Don’t let anyone or anything keep you down.
“Clutch the knob tightly, and open on up Run forward into its wide spread greeting arms”
When there is an opportunity, take a hold of it. When you are different, embrace it. That is what these lines tell me. If you want something, don’t refrain- go for it. Nothing is worse than losing potential. In my own life, I worry about passing up on potentially amazing opportunities that come my way, and I don’t intend to pass them up. Sometimes, I have trouble with comparing myself to others. I don’t want to be like anyone else, but somehow I always find myself reaching for a comparison. Being different is something to be proud of. Everyone was made different from another for a reason. Without variety, the world is dull. By clutching the knob tightly, like it says in these few lines, you are taking hold of opportunity. By running forward into its wide spread greeting arms, you are taking an opportunity that may only come once. You are being embraced by its greeting arms, something that many people long for- to be wanted.
I know that feeling of always wanting to compare oneself--and then feeling awful because you don't feel like you measure up. I can say, though, that if you can get over that feeling (which I've been able to sometimes conquer as I've gotten older), the world is yours to enjoy.
Memories contain faces you’ve seen and those strangers who might of bumped into you on accident. Strangers make up a good portion of one’s subconscious, not knowing if it what you see will retain any value. Putting a mask and following one’s lead, losing interest in what you discover as new. A stranger to even yourself since you long forgotten what made you into you. You’re not just another face in the crowded depths of your mind, you have interests and fears; an extraordinary mind, one only you can possess. To have forgot yourself and restrained by those who command your every move is not who someone is. To latch onto something and to take pride into being someone who you remember, not to question if you truly like something or have a distaste for those who concealed and forced you to become a stranger to even yourself. When you step in front of a mirror a smile should be apparent because through that mirror you recognize the most important person in your life, the person who stays in control.
It is a noble thing to be able to perform a difficult task without fear. We are all fearful people. Why else would be lie to preserve feelings, avoid contact to certain people, or refrain from talking to that beautiful girl in our English class because we are so afraid of rejection. If people could just attempt when they are afraid we would all be happier. That man who ran into a burning building to save his family, a part of his courage is in you, and me, and that old man you saw on a city bus last week. Fear, frankly speaking, is only an illusion. You will miss out on so many opportunities if you give in to your fears. That girl you insulted will never forgive you if you don’t have the courage to tell her you're sorry. You only need to try to succeed.
“And for the springtime, that somehow always shows up after every single winter”
I found this quote to be deep. Once you see past the words they say, you see the true meaning. I believe the true meaning portrays how all humans have our awful times in our life. It connects the winter with the bad parts of our lives. He goes on to say how the spring time always comes after every winter. The spring time exhibits our newed lives. Many people might think it is a time where everything gets better in your life. I don’t think that is quite right because I feel the summer would show the better parts of your lifetime. The spring is represented in this piece to show how a someone’s life could be changed or renewed. It doesn’t have to make it better, but it can give that person a new outlook on the way they live. This quote helps the reader understand what the entire play is about. The poem explains how not to let anything that happened to you bother you, but you should wipe off the “dust” or problems and start new.
“I am cutting out parts of myself / Just to give them to you”
I can really relate to this because I know how it feels to create something with a personal connection and then show it to others. It’s difficult to show other people something that resulted from a personal memory or feeling, but at the same time, sometimes I feel like other people could relate to it or benefit from reading it. There’s a poet named Richard Siken whose poetry holds deep roots in the feeling of desperation. Although his writing is a product of his own experiences, I connect to it, and the moments in which I really relate to poems like his reminds me of why it’s important to share writing.
let this poem be tethered to my ribs like a lifeboat tracing you back to a harbor where you are always welcome
that pressure on my chest will only ever be the waves bringing you back home
“And for the springtime, that somehow always shows up after every single winter.”
There are two reasons why I like this one. First, it’s a good point, that the seasons changing are almost like miracles in a sense. It just goes from snow on the ground to flowers blooming. The Earth works in mysterious ways, and it is a beautiful and interesting thing. Sure season change is kind of “normal” now, and right at the beginning of each season we notice the beauty, but halfway through the season, we don’t even notice anymore. There is snow on the ground right now, but just a couple months ago we were in summer with the burning hot sun. People need to take more time to realize the beauty and change the world has to offer. Second, it’s a message saying that nothing stays the same or everything keeps moving. No matter what struggle you’re facing, there is always going to be a next day, week, month, and season. Things constantly change and there’s nothing we can do, we can’t slow down time. This is a good message for everyone to remember, especially those struggling in life right now. Yes, things are hard now, but they will get better over time. Time is one of the greatest things to heal something, so hold on for just a little longer and things will keep getting better.
“It is a dominant male culture, in which girls are seen as accessories for their boyfriends and often exploited.” (Antigone Lift-a-Lime)
We are lucky enough to live in a country where everyone has plenty of freedom compared to other parts of the world. But if you look closer, and think deeper, there’s still gender inequality. Our society raises girls to be independent, but not to independent so that they won’t threaten the men. They raise us to think that our goal in life should be to find a husband and have plenty of kids: the soccer mom. They don’t raise girls to have large ambitions the way they do to boys. Girls in our society worry more about their next boyfriend than anything else. There’s so much pressure to be in a relationship, I mean no one wants to end up as the crazy cat lady right? But this continuous relationship cycle and fear of being single is part of the reason that girls never learn to love themselves. That’s why teen girls are so insecure. They assume that since their single, no boys want them and they must be ugly. Girls today want to be told they're pretty instead of being able to feel confident on their own. We need to teach girls that they're more than accessories to men and that being single is okay. Girls should be able to be independent without worrying about threatening guys. It’s okay to be in a relationship, but it’s also okay to happy with being single and not worrying about boys 24/7.
Bike rides are one of the best things in this world because it’s the closest you can get to flying. Except for running, running is also really close to flying. But bike rides are just amazing- including motorcycle rides. The thing with motorcycle rides is that if you’re the passenger then the only work you have to do is holding on to the driver. The line just really makes me think of going on rides at noon when the sun is at it’s highest point and it touches everything. It touches the river off to my left and the cliff on my right with the paintings from so long ago that look like tribal masks but we go by that at 50 miles per hour and I can never really tell what they are. It makes me think of the rockslide pie and the little town that that restaurant is in and how the restaurant is the same size but we managed to get over 50 people in it when we all went with my grandpa’s car group and my parents. I think of how when I was younger and my grandparents went to the restaurant at noon and would bring me back a piece of pie and I would eat it late at night and how I miss my grandma so much and it’s the simple things, like her never bringing me back a piece of pie, that make my chest ache. And then I think of how great it would be to drive down that road at midnight and there’s nothing stopping you from seeing the moon because you have no roof. The only thing above your head is your helmet and you don’t even have to wear those in Illinois but I will anyway because if I don’t then my Dad will turn that bike around and I won't be on it for forever.
Your fingertips glow with warmth pressed into the back of another girls ice cold hand.
Your fingertips smeared with black ink wiping them on your jeans even though your mom has told you a thousand times how hard it is to wash out the stains.
Your fingertips raw and red blistered from plucking at the strings of my heart.
Your fingertips covered in paper cuts from reading others love stories hoping that yours will work out.
Your fingertips stained red with the blood of all the relationships that you’ve killed.
“I am cutting out parts of myself just to give them to you”
Giving up parts of yourself to impress another human being has never been something I’m fond of, but recently I’ve found myself trapped into doing it more and more often. I don’t exactly know what it is that makes me like one person more than the next. Maybe it’s his smile, his humor, or his overall being, but I do know I absolutely hate it. I hate that I like him, because being myself is something I hold near and dear and I feel like when I’m around him I just can’t do that. I’m constantly worried about the dumbest things; my hair, the little patch of dry skin on my face, or the stupid braces I’ve had for over 2 years. I’m giving up on trying to be myself to get nothing in return. I can’t even get a second glance. I hate him because I like him, and that is possibly the worst feelings you can have for someone. I hate that I get jealous of someone who doesn’t give a crap about how I feel. Knowing that you are always someones second, third, fourth choice is heartbreaking, especially when these people have a special place in your heart. I don’t think I’ll ever completely be able to be myself around him, but that doesn’t really matter. I know he’s not himself around me because I see the way he acts around other girls- girls who I would be dropped for in a heartbeat. It’s terrible and awesome at the same time. The fact that just one crappy person can make you feel so many ways is incredible.
"It is no city if it takes orders from only one voice" This circles back to democracy, but the irony is that Haimon’s city is a monarchy, and he will eventually inherit the throne. Plenty of people have been quite happy to live under one person’s rule, and there are few who have been unhappy, otherwise they would’ve spoken up. If people truly were unhappy, they would’ve done what Haimon did. It’s not like Haimon has nothing to lose-- he’s seen his father at his most ruthless. The irony comes in direct contrast with many countries, as it rarely is the nobility that try to make a difference. Haimon is may be different, as he cares about antigone and is not in power yet, in which case he is still braver than everyone in Thebes because he stood up to the king. By Haimon standing up, he may have changed Creon and Thebes for the best.
“This is for the bigots this is for the sexists for the killers” This line doesn’t make sense to me. The entire poem is about giving something to people that were being oppressed or people that were even stopped from what they were doing, and this line shows the people that were doing the oppressing and the stopping. I wouldn’t ever give anything to any of those people except maybe a punch to the face. They had complete control over these life choices and they chose obviously the wrong path. It just annoys me that people can be this stupid and are choosing to be like this. The people they are attacking don’t necessarily have a choice to change, but these people do.
and for the 12 year olds that are afraid of taking public showers
for the kid who is always late to class because he forgets the combination to his locker
for the girl who loves somebody else
shake the dust”
This line is significant to me because it brings people who're usually not recognized or the people who lurk in the shadows, or even the people who don’t get anybodies time of day, it gives these people an explanation, it goes into depth about each and every person. like when they said “the girl who loves somebody else”, it goes into depth rather than saying the girl who is in love. It explains the peoples situations. That way the reader can feel empathetic or sympathetic. Many of the people are forgotten, especially in school if you aren't a cheerleader or dress the way everyone else does or pretty, you are outcasted. I’ve witness this everyday at school. People constantly talking bad about people, even people they don’t know. I like the fact this poem brings all these people into recognition and tells them to live there life in this world without being afraid.
“For the two year olds who cannot be understood because they speak half English and half god”
I absolutely LOVE this line. Many people say that every child is a gift from God. In society, two-year-olds are thought of as annoying and obnoxious, and there is even the term “terrible two’s”. But with this line comes the struggle that these kids actually have. The poet could have easily said “half English and half gibberish” which, in all honesty, was what I expected. But instead of degrading the way they talk, he chose to almost put this “language” on a pedestal. I feel like this quote implies that maybe we are too simple to understand the complexity of a child, and maybe as we grow, we become less god-like and turn into these people who do ignore the fact that two-year-olds are people too. It’s almost like hating another country or race because you can’t speak their language. That “other country” knows exactly what they are saying because it’s their language, but it is the person who won’t learn another language that is in the vaguest terms, ignorant.
“And for the springtime, that somehow always shows up after every single winter”.
In my opinion, this symbolizes the promise that things will always get better. After winter, everybody knows that spring will come every single year. Just like spring always comes after winter, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Spring in general reminds me of life, rebirth and hope. I think that this line symbolizes life and how there’s not only always hope, but also always the chance to start over with a new way of living. Winters can go on and seem like they last forever, however, at some point, it begins to always warm up and flowers bloom and snow melts. This happens at a different pace depending where you live, but regardless, spring always comes. This relates to life and how everyone is at a different point in their life going through different things, but in the end, it always gets better. This poem is about empathy and “shaking the dust”-- which I think means to just let it go and believe that there is redemption, and things do eventually change. This line relates to the overall theme of the play because once you let it go, and believe that things will get better, they will.
“So grab the world by the clothespins, and shake it out again, and again, and jump on top and take it for a spin and when you hop off, shake it again.”
Everytime you walk out your front door, there is an opportunity waiting to happen. Weather it be something you would normally think of or something out of the ordinary, its there. And unfortunately, so many times each day we throw aside these opportunities like we don’t appreciate them. well let me tell you, you should. Our world is full of so many amazing things, from different forms of life to things that just blow around in the wind. And everyday you let this wind just blow around and not really think about what is in it. Our world is whatever we choose. Actually its whatever YOU choose, but don't copy someone elses. Make it your own…
Do the impossible Think out loud Read between the lines Explore new things Meet new people Make your own memories Dream big
If you do every single one of these, then when you go to bed at night and shut the door, you will know that you have truly achieved your own world. As you dream about your accomplishments, make new ones, dream bigger than you did the night before. This way, when you open the door, your world is yours.
It’s been six days since this all happen.The ground has crumbled and streets are torn as they came through.All alone I stand in a street in my town.Cars,houses,buildings destroyed by this plague.My torn pants are tucked in my black worn boots as I walk down the street.My blue shirt stays close to my body as my hands wrap around my rifle.Before my father died he gave me his rifle and told me to run,be a solider,help people.Every since that moment this is what I have been doing,trying to find people.My boot smashes hard into the ground as a bullet grazes past my ear.My heart races as I throw myself against a car for cover.The cold car door sticks too my hot face.Peering around the corner I see the people who tried to kill me.They are all young,maybe 18 or 20 two years older than me.My hands squeeze the stock of the rifle before the bullets stop.The groups whooping grows louder as they come for me,shouting obscenities like,’’I hope she is pretty,Its been to long! Maybe she has supplies,’’their words haunting,but I breath.Hearing them fire more bullets at me I do what my father said to do.Become a solider.My breathing turns rapid and my heart nearly breaks from my chest.Breaking from the car I push up and fire,hitting two of and sending the other two racing at me.My mind clutters as I realize what I had just done.I had just killed two people.People that most likely have friends,families.Then the shots ring out as a third goes down.The fourth gets to me though.His face hungry and angry,he holds a knife to me before shoving me to the ground.My eyes glaze as my body freezes waiting for my dead but instead I watch as a bullet strikes his head and sends him to the ground.My body is hoisted up and I see my helper,a tall boy about 18 with newer clothes than me and he has a farm boy type build.His voice however contradicts his looks as he talks smoothly,’’do you need help,are you okay?’’ ‘’Yes,’’ my face hot as his smile gleams through,maybe I can be a soldier with the him..maybe more..I think.
“For the former prom queen And for the milk crate ball players”
I got out of this the idea of the poor and the wealthy, and I feel like this is such an interesting phrase because people don’t always have empathy for the poor and the wealthy. Some people think that all poor people deserve to be there because they should have worked harder to get out of the rut, and that rich people don’t have to work at all because they inherited their money. When in reality, poor people are poor sometimes because they worked hard in three jobs and still couldn't pay the bills and couldn't get a job that paid better, and rich people are rich because they worked their rears off to get the money they have and get to where they are. People who don’t have empathy, should work towards achieving it because it’s such a useful tool in life.
In a town on the southern borders of California, there lived a queer old man. No one really knew who he was. All they knew was that his name was John and that he lived on the hill that overlooked the rest of the town. John had a large iron gate that kept out most people, but then one day someone dared to enter. A young child by the name of Jorge. His family had come from Texas to escape the war and he has been unable to learn English. Out of the blue on a Sunday afternoon Jorge decided to go wander up the road quite a ways. Eventually he reached the top of the hill where he couldn’t see more than ten yards in front of him. Light faded as Sunday neared its end. He saw the most peculiar house he had ever seen. Jorge had no fear, or even hesitation as he approached the house. Over the gate and across the yard ridden with bones. At the door he paused and just stared as if there was not even a door there. Jorge took a step forward and walked through the door.
When you see her walking down the street, the wind tossing her hair softly, and the sunlight hitting her face, the last thing you will think is that she is beautiful. She’s sweet, she’s kind, and the notes she can hit when she plays her guitar in front of her class for the talent show…. Sweet hell! But no, this girl, she is not beautiful. I know she wouldn’t expect me to say something of the sort to her, and she probably wouldn’t believe me if I did. I’ve seen the scars along her wrists, the same color as the stretch marks on her legs, and I know she wouldn’t believe me. She knows she’s not beautiful. When she smiles at you it’s the most genuine thing you could ever see, you remember that. When you hear her laugh, it’s the most uplifting thing that you will ever hear, so remember that. And when the day comes, and you see a few tears drop from those honest, sparkling eyes, they won’t lie to you, please remember that. But she is not beautiful. The one thing you will never call her is beautiful, the words will never reach her ears, they will never fill up her chest in the way the other girls seem to depend on. She knows that she will never be called beautiful standing on the sidewalk, with boys approaching asking for her name, she knows that will never happen, she knows. She knows she’s not beautiful.
“This is for the bigots This is for the sexists for the killers”
These lines show how the the author shows empathy for the common man and woman while they also feel empathy for people whom of which we condemn such as pedophiles and killers, who if someone was known to be either of, they would be beaten up or even stabbed or verbally abused each time they went out of their own house. Even though for all we know, we know not the truth behind quite a lot of these cases and we could be the abuser of an innocent person just due to the public and morals condemning them to a hellish life, full of hate and suffering, even if they are guilty, and it was on purpose, they are still humans. Which means that even though they are in the wrong in so many ways, their mental walls are broken in some form any way you look at it, which means they have no control and the human instinct to kill and destroy has taken over, this still means they are guilty, but at least lessen your hatred unless you are the one whom of which was affected or know the person personally whom of which was affected, you don’t know the condemned’s past nor their present actions or experiences.
Line: “Shake the dust”
ReplyDeleteThe world may crumble around you and the life you once held dear may shatter into a million slivers of glass, thrown about on the bathroom floor. Everything you know might fly out the window of existence and leave you behind, wondering and waiting. Don’t be afraid. Tragedies happen and bad things happen to good people. People who have the whole world lose everything. You’re not alone. So when the pains of life come tumbling through the open door and knock you down, shake the dust of hurt off of your clothes and get right back up. Life has mountains and it has valleys, so when those mountains stand in front of you, big and imposing, start climbing. The journey up will be hard and you will fall, but that beautiful valley is waiting on the other side. Don’t let anyone or anything keep you down.
“Clutch the knob tightly, and open on up
ReplyDeleteRun forward into its wide spread greeting arms”
When there is an opportunity, take a hold of it. When you are different, embrace it. That is what these lines tell me. If you want something, don’t refrain- go for it. Nothing is worse than losing potential. In my own life, I worry about passing up on potentially amazing opportunities that come my way, and I don’t intend to pass them up. Sometimes, I have trouble with comparing myself to others. I don’t want to be like anyone else, but somehow I always find myself reaching for a comparison. Being different is something to be proud of. Everyone was made different from another for a reason. Without variety, the world is dull. By clutching the knob tightly, like it says in these few lines, you are taking hold of opportunity. By running forward into its wide spread greeting arms, you are taking an opportunity that may only come once. You are being embraced by its greeting arms, something that many people long for- to be wanted.
I know that feeling of always wanting to compare oneself--and then feeling awful because you don't feel like you measure up. I can say, though, that if you can get over that feeling (which I've been able to sometimes conquer as I've gotten older), the world is yours to enjoy.
Delete“So that you do not forget yourself”
ReplyDeleteMemories contain faces you’ve seen and those strangers who might of bumped into you on accident. Strangers make up a good portion of one’s subconscious, not knowing if it what you see will retain any value. Putting a mask and following one’s lead, losing interest in what you discover as new. A stranger to even yourself since you long forgotten what made you into you. You’re not just another face in the crowded depths of your mind, you have interests and fears; an extraordinary mind, one only you can possess. To have forgot yourself and restrained by those who command your every move is not who someone is. To latch onto something and to take pride into being someone who you remember, not to question if you truly like something or have a distaste for those who concealed and forced you to become a stranger to even yourself. When you step in front of a mirror a smile should be apparent because through that mirror you recognize the most important person in your life, the person who stays in control.
“Your fingertips trembling though they may be.”
ReplyDeleteIt is a noble thing to be able to perform a difficult task without fear. We are all fearful people. Why else would be lie to preserve feelings, avoid contact to certain people, or refrain from talking to that beautiful girl in our English class because we are so afraid of rejection. If people could just attempt when they are afraid we would all be happier. That man who ran into a burning building to save his family, a part of his courage is in you, and me, and that old man you saw on a city bus last week. Fear, frankly speaking, is only an illusion. You will miss out on so many opportunities if you give in to your fears. That girl you insulted will never forgive you if you don’t have the courage to tell her you're sorry. You only need to try to succeed.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteShake the Dust Lift-a-Line
ReplyDelete“And for the springtime, that somehow always shows up after every single winter”
I found this quote to be deep. Once you see past the words they say, you see the true meaning. I believe the true meaning portrays how all humans have our awful times in our life. It connects the winter with the bad parts of our lives. He goes on to say how the spring time always comes after every winter. The spring time exhibits our newed lives. Many people might think it is a time where everything gets better in your life. I don’t think that is quite right because I feel the summer would show the better parts of your lifetime. The spring is represented in this piece to show how a someone’s life could be changed or renewed. It doesn’t have to make it better, but it can give that person a new outlook on the way they live. This quote helps the reader understand what the entire play is about. The poem explains how not to let anything that happened to you bother you, but you should wipe off the “dust” or problems and start new.
“I am cutting out parts of myself / Just to give them to you”
ReplyDeleteI can really relate to this because I know how it feels to create something with a personal connection and then show it to others. It’s difficult to show other people something that resulted from a personal memory or feeling, but at the same time, sometimes I feel like other people could relate to it or benefit from reading it. There’s a poet named Richard Siken whose poetry holds deep roots in the feeling of desperation. Although his writing is a product of his own experiences, I connect to it, and the moments in which I really relate to poems like his reminds me of why it’s important to share writing.
let this poem be tethered to my ribs
like a lifeboat
tracing you back to a harbor
where you are always welcome
that pressure on my chest
will only ever be the waves
bringing you back home
“And for the springtime, that somehow always shows up after every single winter.”
ReplyDeleteThere are two reasons why I like this one. First, it’s a good point, that the seasons changing are almost like miracles in a sense. It just goes from snow on the ground to flowers blooming. The Earth works in mysterious ways, and it is a beautiful and interesting thing. Sure season change is kind of “normal” now, and right at the beginning of each season we notice the beauty, but halfway through the season, we don’t even notice anymore. There is snow on the ground right now, but just a couple months ago we were in summer with the burning hot sun. People need to take more time to realize the beauty and change the world has to offer.
Second, it’s a message saying that nothing stays the same or everything keeps moving. No matter what struggle you’re facing, there is always going to be a next day, week, month, and season. Things constantly change and there’s nothing we can do, we can’t slow down time. This is a good message for everyone to remember, especially those struggling in life right now. Yes, things are hard now, but they will get better over time. Time is one of the greatest things to heal something, so hold on for just a little longer and things will keep getting better.
“It is a dominant male culture, in which girls are seen as accessories for their boyfriends and often exploited.” (Antigone Lift-a-Lime)
ReplyDeleteWe are lucky enough to live in a country where everyone has plenty of freedom compared to other parts of the world. But if you look closer, and think deeper, there’s still gender inequality. Our society raises girls to be independent, but not to independent so that they won’t threaten the men. They raise us to think that our goal in life should be to find a husband and have plenty of kids: the soccer mom. They don’t raise girls to have large ambitions the way they do to boys. Girls in our society worry more about their next boyfriend than anything else. There’s so much pressure to be in a relationship, I mean no one wants to end up as the crazy cat lady right? But this continuous relationship cycle and fear of being single is part of the reason that girls never learn to love themselves. That’s why teen girls are so insecure. They assume that since their single, no boys want them and they must be ugly. Girls today want to be told they're pretty instead of being able to feel confident on their own. We need to teach girls that they're more than accessories to men and that being single is okay. Girls should be able to be independent without worrying about threatening guys. It’s okay to be in a relationship, but it’s also okay to happy with being single and not worrying about boys 24/7.
ReplyDeleteAnd for the midnight bike riders trying to fly
Bike rides are one of the best things in this world because it’s the closest you can get to flying. Except for running, running is also really close to flying. But bike rides are just amazing- including motorcycle rides. The thing with motorcycle rides is that if you’re the passenger then the only work you have to do is holding on to the driver. The line just really makes me think of going on rides at noon when the sun is at it’s highest point and it touches everything. It touches the river off to my left and the cliff on my right with the paintings from so long ago that look like tribal masks but we go by that at 50 miles per hour and I can never really tell what they are. It makes me think of the rockslide pie and the little town that that restaurant is in and how the restaurant is the same size but we managed to get over 50 people in it when we all went with my grandpa’s car group and my parents. I think of how when I was younger and my grandparents went to the restaurant at noon and would bring me back a piece of pie and I would eat it late at night and how I miss my grandma so much and it’s the simple things, like her never bringing me back a piece of pie, that make my chest ache. And then I think of how great it would be to drive down that road at midnight and there’s nothing stopping you from seeing the moon because you have no roof. The only thing above your head is your helmet and you don’t even have to wear those in Illinois but I will anyway because if I don’t then my Dad will turn that bike around and I won't be on it for forever.
“Your fingertips trembling
ReplyDeleteThough they may be.”
Your fingertips
glow with warmth
pressed into the back
of another girls ice cold hand.
Your fingertips
smeared with black ink
wiping them on your jeans
even though
your mom has told you
a thousand times
how hard it is to wash out the stains.
Your fingertips
raw and red
blistered
from plucking
at the strings of my heart.
Your fingertips
covered in paper cuts
from reading others love stories
hoping
that yours will work out.
Your fingertips
stained red
with the blood
of all the relationships
that you’ve killed.
“I am cutting out parts of myself just to give them to you”
ReplyDeleteGiving up parts of yourself to impress another human being has never been something I’m fond of, but recently I’ve found myself trapped into doing it more and more often. I don’t exactly know what it is that makes me like one person more than the next. Maybe it’s his smile, his humor, or his overall being, but I do know I absolutely hate it. I hate that I like him, because being myself is something I hold near and dear and I feel like when I’m around him I just can’t do that. I’m constantly worried about the dumbest things; my hair, the little patch of dry skin on my face, or the stupid braces I’ve had for over 2 years. I’m giving up on trying to be myself to get nothing in return. I can’t even get a second glance. I hate him because I like him, and that is possibly the worst feelings you can have for someone. I hate that I get jealous of someone who doesn’t give a crap about how I feel. Knowing that you are always someones second, third, fourth choice is heartbreaking, especially when these people have a special place in your heart. I don’t think I’ll ever completely be able to be myself around him, but that doesn’t really matter. I know he’s not himself around me because I see the way he acts around other girls- girls who I would be dropped for in a heartbeat. It’s terrible and awesome at the same time. The fact that just one crappy person can make you feel so many ways is incredible.
"It is no city if it takes orders from only one voice"
ReplyDeleteThis circles back to democracy, but the irony is that Haimon’s city is a monarchy, and he will eventually inherit the throne. Plenty of people have been quite happy to live under one person’s rule, and there are few who have been unhappy, otherwise they would’ve spoken up. If people truly were unhappy, they would’ve done what Haimon did. It’s not like Haimon has nothing to lose-- he’s seen his father at his most ruthless. The irony comes in direct contrast with many countries, as it rarely is the nobility that try to make a difference. Haimon is may be different, as he cares about antigone and is not in power yet, in which case he is still braver than everyone in Thebes because he stood up to the king. By Haimon standing up, he may have changed Creon and Thebes for the best.
“This is for the bigots this is for the sexists for the killers”
ReplyDeleteThis line doesn’t make sense to me. The entire poem is about giving something to people that were being oppressed or people that were even stopped from what they were doing, and this line shows the people that were doing the oppressing and the stopping. I wouldn’t ever give anything to any of those people except maybe a punch to the face. They had complete control over these life choices and they chose obviously the wrong path. It just annoys me that people can be this stupid and are choosing to be like this. The people they are attacking don’t necessarily have a choice to change, but these people do.
The line is about pity. It's about looking at awful people and trying to figure out why theyre that way and feeling sorry for them.
Delete
ReplyDelete“For the gym Class Wallflower
and for the 12 year olds that are afraid of taking public showers
for the kid who is always late to class because he forgets the combination to his locker
for the girl who loves somebody else
shake the dust”
This line is significant to me because it brings people who're usually not recognized or the people who lurk in the shadows, or even the people who don’t get anybodies time of day, it gives these people an explanation, it goes into depth about each and every person. like when they said “the girl who loves somebody else”, it goes into depth rather than saying the girl who is in love. It explains the peoples situations. That way the reader can feel empathetic or sympathetic. Many of the people are forgotten, especially in school if you aren't a cheerleader or dress the way everyone else does or pretty, you are outcasted. I’ve witness this everyday at school. People constantly talking bad about people, even people they don’t know. I like the fact this poem brings all these people into recognition and tells them to live there life in this world without being afraid.
“For the two year olds who cannot be understood
ReplyDeletebecause they speak half English and half god”
I absolutely LOVE this line. Many people say that every child is a gift from God. In society, two-year-olds are thought of as annoying and obnoxious, and there is even the term “terrible two’s”. But with this line comes the struggle that these kids actually have. The poet could have easily said “half English and half gibberish” which, in all honesty, was what I expected. But instead of degrading the way they talk, he chose to almost put this “language” on a pedestal. I feel like this quote implies that maybe we are too simple to understand the complexity of a child, and maybe as we grow, we become less god-like and turn into these people who do ignore the fact that two-year-olds are people too. It’s almost like hating another country or race because you can’t speak their language. That “other country” knows exactly what they are saying because it’s their language, but it is the person who won’t learn another language that is in the vaguest terms, ignorant.
“And for the springtime, that somehow always shows up after every single winter”.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, this symbolizes the promise that things will always get better. After winter, everybody knows that spring will come every single year. Just like spring always comes after winter, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Spring in general reminds me of life, rebirth and hope. I think that this line symbolizes life and how there’s not only always hope, but also always the chance to start over with a new way of living. Winters can go on and seem like they last forever, however, at some point, it begins to always warm up and flowers bloom and snow melts. This happens at a different pace depending where you live, but regardless, spring always comes. This relates to life and how everyone is at a different point in their life going through different things, but in the end, it always gets better. This poem is about empathy and “shaking the dust”-- which I think means to just let it go and believe that there is redemption, and things do eventually change. This line relates to the overall theme of the play because once you let it go, and believe that things will get better, they will.
“So grab the world by the clothespins, and shake it out again, and again, and jump on top and take it for a spin and when you hop off, shake it again.”
ReplyDeleteEverytime you walk out your front door, there is an opportunity waiting to happen. Weather it be something you would normally think of or something out of the ordinary, its there. And unfortunately, so many times each day we throw aside these opportunities like we don’t appreciate them. well let me tell you, you should.
Our world is full of so many amazing things, from different forms of life to things that just blow around in the wind. And everyday you let this wind just blow around and not really think about what is in it. Our world is whatever we choose. Actually its whatever YOU choose, but don't copy someone elses. Make it your own…
Do the impossible
Think out loud
Read between the lines
Explore new things
Meet new people
Make your own memories
Dream big
If you do every single one of these, then when you go to bed at night and shut the door, you will know that you have truly achieved your own world.
As you dream about your accomplishments, make new ones, dream bigger than you did the night before. This way, when you open the door, your world is yours.
Young people….refer to themselves as soldiers.
ReplyDeleteIt’s been six days since this all happen.The ground has crumbled and streets are torn as they came through.All alone I stand in a street in my town.Cars,houses,buildings destroyed by this plague.My torn pants are tucked in my black worn boots as I walk down the street.My blue shirt stays close to my body as my hands wrap around my rifle.Before my father died he gave me his rifle and told me to run,be a solider,help people.Every since that moment this is what I have been doing,trying to find people.My boot smashes hard into the ground as a bullet grazes past my ear.My heart races as I throw myself against a car for cover.The cold car door sticks too my hot face.Peering around the corner I see the people who tried to kill me.They are all young,maybe 18 or 20 two years older than me.My hands squeeze the stock of the rifle before the bullets stop.The groups whooping grows louder as they come for me,shouting obscenities like,’’I hope she is pretty,Its been to long! Maybe she has supplies,’’their words haunting,but I breath.Hearing them fire more bullets at me I do what my father said to do.Become a solider.My breathing turns rapid and my heart nearly breaks from my chest.Breaking from the car I push up and fire,hitting two of and sending the other two racing at me.My mind clutters as I realize what I had just done.I had just killed two people.People that most likely have friends,families.Then the shots ring out as a third goes down.The fourth gets to me though.His face hungry and angry,he holds a knife to me before shoving me to the ground.My eyes glaze as my body freezes waiting for my dead but instead I watch as a bullet strikes his head and sends him to the ground.My body is hoisted up and I see my helper,a tall boy about 18 with newer clothes than me and he has a farm boy type build.His voice however contradicts his looks as he talks smoothly,’’do you need help,are you okay?’’
‘’Yes,’’ my face hot as his smile gleams through,maybe I can be a soldier with the him..maybe more..I think.
“For the former prom queen
ReplyDeleteAnd for the milk crate ball players”
I got out of this the idea of the poor and the wealthy, and I feel like this is such an interesting phrase because people don’t always have empathy for the poor and the wealthy. Some people think that all poor people deserve to be there because they should have worked harder to get out of the rut, and that rich people don’t have to work at all because they inherited their money. When in reality, poor people are poor sometimes because they worked hard in three jobs and still couldn't pay the bills and couldn't get a job that paid better, and rich people are rich because they worked their rears off to get the money they have and get to where they are.
People who don’t have empathy, should work towards achieving it because it’s such a useful tool in life.
“For the ones who are forgotten”
ReplyDeleteIn a town on the southern borders of California, there lived a queer old man. No one really knew who he was. All they knew was that his name was John and that he lived on the hill that overlooked the rest of the town. John had a large iron gate that kept out most people, but then one day someone dared to enter. A young child by the name of Jorge. His family had come from Texas to escape the war and he has been unable to learn English. Out of the blue on a Sunday afternoon Jorge decided to go wander up the road quite a ways. Eventually he reached the top of the hill where he couldn’t see more than ten yards in front of him. Light faded as Sunday neared its end. He saw the most peculiar house he had ever seen. Jorge had no fear, or even hesitation as he approached the house. Over the gate and across the yard ridden with bones. At the door he paused and just stared as if there was not even a door there. Jorge took a step forward and walked through the door.
This is for the fat girls
ReplyDeleteWhen you see her walking down the street, the wind tossing her hair softly, and the sunlight hitting her face, the last thing you will think is that she is beautiful. She’s sweet, she’s kind, and the notes she can hit when she plays her guitar in front of her class for the talent show…. Sweet hell! But no, this girl, she is not beautiful. I know she wouldn’t expect me to say something of the sort to her, and she probably wouldn’t believe me if I did. I’ve seen the scars along her wrists, the same color as the stretch marks on her legs, and I know she wouldn’t believe me. She knows she’s not beautiful. When she smiles at you it’s the most genuine thing you could ever see, you remember that. When you hear her laugh, it’s the most uplifting thing that you will ever hear, so remember that. And when the day comes, and you see a few tears drop from those honest, sparkling eyes, they won’t lie to you, please remember that. But she is not beautiful. The one thing you will never call her is beautiful, the words will never reach her ears, they will never fill up her chest in the way the other girls seem to depend on. She knows that she will never be called beautiful standing on the sidewalk, with boys approaching asking for her name, she knows that will never happen, she knows. She knows she’s not beautiful.
“This is for the bigots
ReplyDeleteThis is for the sexists
for the killers”
These lines show how the the author shows empathy for the common man and woman while they also feel empathy for people whom of which we condemn such as pedophiles and killers, who if someone was known to be either of, they would be beaten up or even stabbed or verbally abused each time they went out of their own house. Even though for all we know, we know not the truth behind quite a lot of these cases and we could be the abuser of an innocent person just due to the public and morals condemning them to a hellish life, full of hate and suffering, even if they are guilty, and it was on purpose, they are still humans. Which means that even though they are in the wrong in so many ways, their mental walls are broken in some form any way you look at it, which means they have no control and the human instinct to kill and destroy has taken over, this still means they are guilty, but at least lessen your hatred unless you are the one whom of which was affected or know the person personally whom of which was affected, you don’t know the condemned’s past nor their present actions or experiences.