Both of these were made in my Creative Writing II class with Mrs. Dowling at Forest Park High School. There was a prompt for these two poems, basically necessitating that the poems converse to one another in harmonic integrations. If you want to do Wyzant tutoring with me, I'll provide prompts for you to engage with in our own Creative Writing lesson sessions.
"Tortoise" 3/5/15
Time moves rather slowly—seconds, minutes, and hours:
From the rising of light to the falling of rain,
To the swimming of fish and the flying of crane.
Meditation you do, and contemplation, too,
For you are like Buddha and a piece of sutra.
You have been perfumed by Zen gardens of flowers.
Yet time moves rapidly—weeks, years, and centuries:
From the whispers of wind to the shrieks of the night,
To the aging of youth and the fading of sight.
You experienced all, whether immense or small,
Whether melancholic or many a frolic.
You have felt all of these mixed, motley memories.
So, with skin of leather and with shell of iron
May you always weather and subsist as the Sun;
May you never dismiss, that you may reminisce:
Tortoise’s life of bliss, on all of these and this.
"Shift Perspectives"
3/10/15
Life wears many attires—events, places, and people:
Attending festivals, funerals and weddings,
Meeting Alex in March and Nature as it sings.
Sleeping and eating you do, and relaxation, too.
For you are like a sloth with beds and pillows both.
You have forgotten time—that it is ephemeral.
Yet life wears one outfit—delight-filled and love-willed:
The raising of a babe to siblings fighting,
From a couple laughing to seniors reminiscing.
Life’s dance completes its waltz, all moves not being false,
All moves sincere and true, all moves of them in you.
You have danced your very best, and life is now fulfilled.
So, with skin of human and with your hair of black
May you always know when and constantly look back.
May you never forget that you may always let
Life’s many silhouettes—love and joy’s true duet.
Questions for discussion:
1.) How are these two poems similar and/or different? Which poem do you prefer? Why?
2.) How are these two poems organized? Focus on diction, syntax, figurative language, imagery, allusions, etc. Where do assonance, alliteration, metaphor, and consonance occur?
3.) What is the first poem's message? Who is the first poem's audience? Remember, there can be a primary audience, a secondary audience, etc. What about the second poem?
4.) Do the sentiments described in the poems transcend race, nationality, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc.? Or are the sentiments more closely related with a particular set of attributes or a specific type of person?
