The Swell Season - High Horses

There's a light inside us all
It only shines as bright as we are
And you've fallen down so low
I'm really worried for you
I'm really worried

And even on our worst days
we were never quite like this
No
We've gone as far as we can go without crashing
No
At the heart of every fool is the hope you're stupid too
And there's this lingering
This lingering feeling that I'm missing something
I feel like I'm missing something

And even at your worst babe
You were never as bad as this
You've gone as far as you can go without dying

I chose this song because of the ambiguity of it, and how I can relate to it, and I feel that many can, or have been able to at one time in their life. It reminds me of my own writing, and I see it as inspiration. It's the scared truth and the feeling no one likes to feel, but it's honesty.

Performance Q&A

Concentrate -

Stay still, keep silent.

Hold your breath -

And slowly release.

Concentrate -

You'll be just fine.

Don't let yourself be defeated,

Don't let yourself be consumed.

You're better than this.

Don't shake,

Don't dare let him see you tremble -

You are no weak.

Take cover -

He's a threat, an enemy.

This has become a battle,

A war.

This fire is approaching.

You can feel it now,

It's slowly rising -

From your toes to your knees,

It's quickly approaching with poor warning.

It hits your heart - grabs and tears.

Your throat begins to swell,

There is no air left.

You're defenseless now -

You're showing off your vulnerability as your chin begins to dimple.

It hits your freckled nose,

Triggering it to flare.

It creeps slowly to prolong the agony -

How sweet.

Next comes the stinging,

Followed by blurred vision.

As each drop falls, you're consumed.

Drip by drip, he wins.

1) What voice is apparent within your poem? Please describe in detail.

Fear is apparent within my poem – a fear for being found out, and a fear for letting someone get the entire best of you. It’s the gut feeling every one is fearful to have, but it’s inevitable.

2) What type of mood will you try to express when performing your poem in front of the class?

I’ll try to express it in a completely honest mood – letting the apparent emotion of the poem flow. I want the audience to be able to connect and feel the emotion - dramatic.

3) What types of gestures, nonverbals, and or movement will you be incorporating into your performance?

Hand gestures, eye contact, facial expressions

4) What frightens you about this assignment? What seems exciting about this assignment?

I’m terrified to let the poem get to me in front of the class, but I would love for it to get to me.

5) How does performance poetry enhance the meaning of a poem? Be specific.

It allows the poem to be opened up and expressed how it was truly written. Through performance, performers are able to use nonverbal to really connect with the watchers and listeners.

Neener Land

And I know
This is just another thing
That will be about you.
And I know
Every line will show my hate
And I swear to god its hate.
Hate that I love your skin
And your second hand smoke
Hate the way your hair curls
And the length of your eyelashes
Hate that you’re mean to me
And your tired eyes
Hate that you act nice
And that you’ve never called me pretty
Hate that you use me
And the way you say my name
Hate that you found me
And the distance to safety
Hate that you don’t think about me
And the way I’ll never be able to paint you out.

Sestina.

Nothing more than a window was known as my home,

Where sweet melodies were sung by a pretty bird,

And the deep hole in the yard was a fake blue pool.

I always loved waiting for the mail,

But I hid because I just didn't have the will,

And I knew you just didn't have the time.

But I could always find enough time

To find a path that still leads to your home.

And I know you don't care, or even have the will

To just listen and hear that singsong bird.

I know you can see me waiting for the mail,

But you just pretend to fall into the fake blue pool.

I wish I knew what brings you to the pool.

I wish you actually knew what I do with my time.

I wish I still didn't wait for the mail.

I wish I didn't know the way to your home.

I wish I could only hear that bird.

I wish I wasn't a coward and just had the will.

I don't even know where to search for the will

To jump into the strange, fake blue pool,

Or where to hear that same song, sung by the bird.

Instead, I dream of spending all of my useless time,

Walking through the air to finally find my home.

I've taken the day off - there is no mail.

Isn't it funny though that there will never be mail?

It must be obvious I just haven't found the will

To open my eyes and find I may have found home.

But how on earth will you find the time!

Watch out, I may push you into the fake blue pool

If you can't hear that melody such by the bird.

Did you hear what has happened to the poor bird?

She died walking through the air to fetch the mail.

There was a delivery that was right on time,

And somehow she had finally found the will,

To just dive into the fake blue pool,

Where she would have finally felt home.

There's a funeral for the bird, if you find the will.

Disregard her mail, and cover the pool,

Now is your time to destroy a new home.

Fool. Fools.

“You need a hero – a cure.”
A hero?
Well, I’m sorry, but I do not have one – all my heroes have died.
I’m sorry, but there is no cure to my foolishness.

Why must these voice echo?
Is it karma? But how could it be –
You were the one to hold me under.

But you believed it was okay, everything is under control –
How could you do this?
It’s sickening to watch while you make yourself sick.

But this story will live on,
I’ll continue to speak to open ears of what was and what may always be.
Don’t worry sweetheart, I’ll tell it from end to beginning –
Everyone wants a happy ending.

Your Observation: Katie's Ring

Childhood memories now stored in bright stone,
Moments of butterfly kisses, campfires, and tag.
Bedtime stories and lullabies,
Crands and fingerpaint -
All carefully placed and presented on your silver plater,
Just wanting to be noticed once more.

My Observation

Will you notice?

Mile after mile, I second guess it all.

I picked up the glass and put the dishes in the sink.

Every mile is settling between us - just another barrier.

I put our pictures face down and collected my clothes from the floor.

I noticed.

I saw everything -

65 freckles on your shoulders

12 on your face.

I made sure the door was shut all the way.

In case you wake -

I left the hallway light on.

I don't know if you'll notice at all.