April Reads 2016: Reading Poetry

Books Read

1. Time For Poetry, Nahdjla Carasco Bailey
2. Keats: Poems Written in 1820, John Keats
3. Kalopsia, Andrea Michael
4. Travelling Light, Vickie Johnstone

5. Birds, Beasts & Flowers, D.H. Lawrence

Cold

Source: — mediawebapps.com

Slick back turned approach.
No words to spare, silence speak
with that shoulder shrug, poor thing.

Whipped with a cold wind,
ice-kissed lips trembling against
shivering, freezing fingers.

Post 17: Final for National Poetry Month 2015

Poetry Form: Sedoka

Kisses

Source: img.wallpaperstock.net

Kisses so sweetly
gently pulling closer for
more comfort, so candy.

Post 16: National Poetry Month

Poetry Form: Katauta

Migrant Tragedy

Source: Noirfifre

They did what they had to,
so they cross over illegally.
Now the Mediterranean screams
their name, floating their souls.
If they did not have ambition, they
would not leave for a better life.
Yet death snatch them tragic,
mocking their will to love – to eat – to breathe.

Post 15: National Poetry Month

Poetry Form: Monody

Of Love

Source: © Copyright Kathryn Ferrier 2015

We all need that emotion, ade of love,
grab my hands and heart we were made of love.

Watch his toothless grin light mummy’s bright eyes,
a wonderful feeling, cascade of love.

Bang! The door slammed shut behind this inmate,
families visit, yes no blockade of love.

Frostbitten and cold, he shivers to the bone,
she gives her jacket never a jade of love.

He carries all her books with a big grin,
she wondered if it’s a masquerade of love.

always alone except on those weekends,
when a sweet stranger visits – free trade of love.

crazy sometimes the world may spin, the cure
Noirfifre hopes are those grenades of love.

Post 14: National Poetry Month

Poetry Form: Ghazal

Your Eyes

Smile,
cozy,
come hither
mesmerizing daze
smothering always.
Heat transferred whilst I stare.
Feel the intensity build – breathe!
Hot! Who turned the oven on – whew.
Stop doing that thing you do, damn it.
I wonder if you felt the electric tug.

Post 13: National Poetry Month

Poetry Form: Etheree

Gone

Source: Flo Perry / BuzzFeed

Became a part of history
but definitely not a mystery,
to all the memories you cuddle
into forever, etched in lovely bubbles.

Post 12: National Poetry Month, 2015
Poetry Form: Epitaph: A brief poem sometimes appearing on a tomb. It rhymes.

Women Rights? [An Epigram?]

Source: yelhispressing

Women fought for their rights with a hanger,
Now, Hilary Clinton is their possible hangman?
Taking two steps backwards on women progression,
is this the most Liberal choice of all?

Post 11: National Poetry Month

Poetry Form: Epigram

My attempt on satire turned out very dark with a wicked sense of wit. Oh my.

Beowulf [An Epic Poem]

Source: http://listverse.com

He sought treasure-gold, there was many such,
in ðám eorðsele aérgestréona
in that earth-hall, ancient treasures,
swá hý on géardagum gumena náthwylc
as they in former days some man,
eormenláfe æþelan cynnes
2235
this great legacy of a noble kind,
þanchycgende þaér gehýdde
full of thought, had hid there
déore máðmas· ealle híe déað fornam
these dear treasures; all of them Death took
aérran maélum ond sí án ðá gén
in earlier times, and then were yet one
léoda duguðe sé ðaér lengest hwearf
of the old warriors of that people, the one who moved about there longest,
weard winegeómor wénde þæs yldan·
2240
the friend-grieving warden, he hoped to delay that much,
þæt hé lýtel fæc longgestréona
so that he for a little while the long-kept treasure
brúcan móste. Beorh eallgearo
would be able to enjoy. The barrow all-ready
wunode on wonge wæterýðum néah
occupied the plain near the water-waves,
níwe be næsse nearocræftum fæst·
new on the headland, made secure by difficult-craft;
þaér on innan bær eorlgestréona
2245
there inside bore of the treasure of earls
hringa hyrde handwyrðne daél
a hoard of rings a hand-fashioned share
faéttan goldes· féa worda cwæð:
of plated gold; some words he spoke:
‘Heald þú nú, hrúse, nú hæleð ne móstan
‘Now hold you, Earth, now the heroes cannot
eorla aéhte. Hwæt, hyt aér on ðé
earls’ possessions. Listen, it formerly from you
góde begéaton· gúðdéað fornam
2250
was obtained by good men; war-death has taken away,
feorhbeale frécne fyrena gehwylcne
terrible murder of life, of crimes each one,
léoda mínra þá mé ðe þis ofgeaf:
my belovèd people, they gave this up to me:
gesáwon seledréam· hé náh hwá sweord wege
they had seen joy in the hall; he I have not, who might wield sword
oððe fægrie faéted waége
or make beautiful this gilded flagon,
dryncfæt déore· duguð ellor séoc·
2255
this precious drinking vessel; the veteran warriors are ill elsewhere;
sceal se hearda helm hyrstedgolde
must the stern helmet adorned with gold
faétum befeallen· feormynd swefað
stripped of its ornaments; the burnishers slumbers,
þá ðe beadogríman býwan sceoldon·
they who war-masks ought to brighten;
gé swylce séo herepád sío æt hilde gebád
also so the army’s coats of mail, which in battle endured
ofer borda gebræc bite írena
2260
over the shattering of shield-boards the bite of iron,
brosnað æfter beorne· ne mæg byrnan hring
decays along with the men; byrnie’s ring may not
æfter wígfruman wíde féran
with war-fighter fare widely,
hæleðum be healfe· næs hearpan wyn
alongside heroes; there was not harp’s joy,
gomen gléobéames né gód hafoc
delight of glee-wood, nor good hawk
geond sæl swingeð né se swifta mearh
2265
soaring through the hall, nor swift horse
burhstede béateð· bealocwealm hafað
trampling the courtyard; baleful death has
fela feorhcynna forð onsended.’
many of my living kin sent forth.’
Swá giómormód giohðo maénde
Thus sad at heart in grief he bemoaned
án æfter eallum· unbliðe hwearf
one after all, unhappily passed
dæges ond nihtes oð ðæt déaðes wylm
2270
days and nights, until the flood of Death
hrán æt heortan.
reached to his heart.

Excerpt of Beowulf [lines 2232 – 2270] from: http://www.raleighcharterhs.org/faculty/sbusonik/BeowulfExcerpts.pdf

Post 10: National Poetry Month
Poetry Type: Epic
Beowulf is an example of an Epic poem which tells the story of Beowulf defeating Grendel [a monster] written by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon Poet. Epic poetry is usually very long, depicting life changing events for a people which usually involve someone/persons performing a heroic deed. It is so detailed that epic poetry provide in depth material for documentaries or movies, as in the case of Beowulf. Frequently, the content of the poem gives dialogues similar to a play. It gives all those elements yet sticks always to the formulaic structure of a verse, thus making the form, poetry.

Works Cited
Gill, N. S. Epic Literature. n.d. 15 April 2015 .
Heroajax. Top 10 Greatest Epic Poems. 6 July 2008. 15 April 2015 .

Studying Tips

Source: Yelhispressing

Do not wait until the day before
to grab that book of knowledge.
Do not wait until the morning
of that test, to transfer a theory
to an already sleep deprived brain.

Practise the formula every chance you get.
Practise on the way to school,
Practise when you are shooting hoops.
Practise when you are in the shower.

Use acronyms of something favourite to remember.
Use the melody of a favourite song to remember,
all the definitions of a tedious chapter.
Tap your hands and feet, snap your fingers too.

Read new material very often.
Read it every day or every other day
but please read throughout the semester.
Read it like its your favourite comic story/love affair.

I beseech thee to sleep the night before,
sleep like a good infant, feel the information
sorting itself for your use on the morrow.
Now get up smiling, eat breakfast and go Ace that exam.

Post 9: National Poetry Month
Poetry Form: Didactic Poem
It is generally used to impart knowledge/teach. Some here I am giving some tips to study which worked for me when I followed that plan.