Do It! Endings

5 Different “Before I” Phrases:

Before I pull this sword out of this stone

Before I run and keep on going

Before I whip out these nunchucks

Before I die

Before I reach my final form

Poetry With Chosen Phrase:

Death has been around me
for as long as I could remember,
he taunts me with the lives he has taken,
but before I die….

Do It! Beginnings

5 Quotes:

“Et tu, Brute?” (Even(or And) you, Brutus?) (You too, Brutus?)
- Julius Caesar(his last words)
Found on Page 11 of “Quotology”

“Man is an embodied paradox, a bundle of contradictions.”
- Charles Caleb Colton
Found on Page 66 of “Quotology”

“Suum cuique pulchrum.” (What is one’s own is beautiful.)
- Erasmus
Found on Page 114 of “Quotology”

“And men go to admire the high mountains, the vast floods of the ocean, and the revolution of the stars- and desert themselves.”
-  Saint Augustine
Found on Page 137 of “Quotology”

“Death can make even triviality momentous, and delirium oracular. Last words have an aura about them, if not a halo.”
- Edward Le Comte
Found on Page 152 of “Quotology”

My Poem:
“Betrayal”

“Et tu, Brute?”
-Julius Caesar (his last words)

To trust is dangerous.
You don’t know what they are
thinking until it’s too late
to give their intentions a second thought.

You’ve already been stabbed in the back
once, but their desire is to finish you off,
once and for all.
They pounce on you

like a cheetah would a gazelle,
you don’t have a chance.
You lay dying,
with your eyes open to the fact that

To trust is dangerous.

Do It! Places

A Place Where I Don’t Like To Be: The Mall(my specific one is Sunrise Mall)(I would say school(NCC), but it gets me out of the house)

Adjectives: Huge, White, Gray, Black, Silver, Noisy, Whispering, Crowded, Ugly, Beautiful, Clean, Stinky, Perfume, Cologne, Soft Pretzels, and Fish Fountain, Frozen Lemonade.

Comparisons:

Roosevelt Field Mall is way prettier than Sunrise Mall.

Costco alone, is better stocked than all of Sunrise Mall.

Walmart has better prices than all of the stores in Sunrise Mall.

Hyperbole:

The mall is obnoxiously crowded, I can’t move!

The mall is huge, it isn’t possible for me to go through every store.

My school has less judgemental people in it than this mall.

Simile:

This mall is as white as a padded room in an asylum.

This mall is as noisy as standing next to an amp at a show.

This mall is as stinky as a guy who drenches himself in cologne instead of showering.

Do It! Objects

Objects Randomly Chosen and Where They Were Found:
Bedroom-Guitar Pick
Kitchen-Banana
Car- badXchannels CD
Backpack-Tissue

Chosen Object Description:
Guitar Pick- Yellow, Faded Turtle, Faded letters, Faded numbers, and Chipped at edges.

My Poem:

“On The Guitar”

A guitar pick that has been overused
like me in a relationship
where I felt abused.

It is mine now
but it was given to me
by someone with guitar know-how.

He carried it in his pocket often
just in case the time came
to try to get people to remember his name

like I wish I could do
but it is hard to remember someone
who is always outdone.

The guitar pick is a faded memory
not completely exemplary
and lost with time

but it made its point
in its prime.
It is chipped at the edges

like uncared for hedges
and one day it will crack
like my heart has.

It is yellow
a color that is very mellow
and even that has faded.

Though it is recognizable
when you see it
it has been gone for a bit.

With details hard to make out
you start to doubt
if it was ever yours

or if it still belongs to
the other who
knew what he was doing

on the guitar.

Do It! Ekphrastic

Image of “Road in Etten”:

Description:

The drawing is called “Road in Etten.” The artist is Vincent van Gogh. The people in the drawing look like they are feeling pretty low. The most used color appears to be brown. If you look close enough you might notice a lady in a gown. Her face is covered and out of view. She is facing away, the same as the man in blue. The blue of his jacket sticks out. Looking at the trees, grass, and plants, it seems to be in the middle of a drought or maybe Winter. The man with the broom has the only visible face. He seems to be sweeping away that gray dust/snow with grace. If you look further back, you might notice some red. Those are barns. One barn is fully visible and the rest you just see corners of roofs. Some of the trees are tilting like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. A couple of them have a rope holding them down so that they don’t fall over completely. These are pollarded Willow trees. They look as if their roots are above the surface and pointing at the sky. Only two people are talking to each other.

My Poem:

“The Road in Etten is Not Made of Yellow Bricks”

The Road in Etten was drawn by Vincent van Gogh.

The Road in Etten is full of people feeling low.

The Road in Etten is as sad as Dorothy when she’s in Kansas.

The Road in Etten is brown instead of yellow brick.

The Road in Etten does not lead to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

The Road in Etten does not have a Lion jumping out with his claws.

The Road in Etten is dirty and being swept.

The Road in Etten is surrounded by trees with no leaves left.

The Road in Etten has some red barns further back.

The Road in Etten has two men wearing jackets of black.

The pollarded Willow trees have branches that fly high like Glinda’s big bubble.

The pollarded Willow trees look like they are afraid of the man in blue.

The pollarded Willow trees look to be anything but new.

The pollarded Willow trees stand still on the side of the covered woman.

The pollarded Willow trees are not throwing apples.

The pollarded Willow trees are not being cut down by a Tin Man in need of oil.

The pollarded Willow trees look like their roots are above the soil.

The pollarded Willow trees are surrounded by farm fields.

The pollarded Willow trees look as disturbed as a Scarecrow with his insides ripped out.

The pollarded Willow trees are not being barked at by a little dog named Toto.

It is wintertime on The Road in Etten.

It is wintertime so there is some snow.

It is wintertime so everyone has something on their head.

It is wintertime and the Wicked Witch of the East is dead.

It is wintertime and all the people are wearing clothes that will keep them warm.

It is wintertime and unlike Oz, it isn’t as bright.

It is wintertime and there isn’t a Munchkin in sight.

It is wintertime and there isn’t a man hiding behind a curtain.

It is wintertime and two men are having a conversation.

It is wintertime and there is no way of knowing what they are saying for certain.

It is the end of the road and the Wicked Witch of the West has been slain.

It is the end of the road and the ruby slippers, she did not obtain.

It is the end of the road in wintertime.

It is the end of the road and with the lack of birds, there was no chime.

It is the end of the road and the Lion no longer felt a need to hide.

It is the end of the road and the snow didn’t keep the people from walking outside.

It is the end of the road, but not the end of life.

It is the end of the road, but to Dorothy, “there is no place like home”, despite the strife.

It is the end of the road with only evil being beaten.

It is the end of The Road in Etten. 

Do It! Pen Pal Poem

My Letter:

Dear Mom,

I know you’re here with me as I write this, but not physically. It feels like you are so far away, but also like you’re right next to me. I don’t remember the moment that I figured out you had gone. Was I told, or did I figure it out on my own?  I’ve even forgotten when I started liking Spawn. I hope you can see that I’ve grown. I didn’t anticipate getting this far. My mind and heart feel like they are covered in tar. Darkness, heaviness, and pain. I know it isn’t always visible, but I constantly lament. Sometimes, my speech turns into strain. Maybe if I could see your smile, I’d be more content. Nana, Pop and I miss you very much. We wish we could give you hugs, kisses and such. There is definitely more I could say, but I’m trying to keep my emotions at bay.

My Poem:

Dear Mom    

I know you’re here

With me

As I write this

But not physically

It feels like you are so far away

But also like you’re right next to me

I don’t remember

The moment that I figured out

You had gone

Was I told

Or did I figure it out

On my own

I’ve even forgotten

When I started

Liking Spawn

I hope

You can see

That I’ve grown

I didn’t anticipate

Getting this far

My mind and my heart

Feel like they are covered

In tar

Darkness

Heaviness

And pain

I know it isn’t always

Visible

But I constantly lament

Sometimes my speech

Turns into strain

Maybe if I could see

Your smile

I’d be

More content

Nana

Pop

And I

Miss you very much

We wish we could give you

Hugs

Kisses

And Such

There is definitely more

I could say

But I’m trying

To keep

My emotions

At bay

Do It! 20 Things I Did List

“20 Things I Did” aka “I Flew Again”

I flew over the wall.

I flew through the extremely grimy hall.

I flew into the cave mountain base.

I flew out of the long chase.

I flew away from all things involving you.

I flew toward my crew.

I flew beside people who made me feel weak.

I flew slower as I began to weep.

I flew while listening to Neck Deep.

Again, I had found myself wide awake.

Again, my eyelids were struggling to stay open.

Again, I felt myself about to break.

Again, my day was full of constant of moping.

Again, I got stuck in traffic.

Again, my mind was all over the place.

Again, I resist the urge to say words that are graphic.

Again, my heart was beating at an erratic pace.

Again, I listened to the emotion in WATERMEDOWN’s voice.

Again, my smile showed as I began to rejoice.

Do It! Make A Replacement Poem

Poem I’m Replacing:

“A Clear Midnight” by Walt Whitman

THIS is thy hour O Soul, thy free flight into the wordless,
Away from books, away from art, the day erased, the lesson done,
Thee fully forth emerging, silent, gazing, pondering the themes thou
lovest best.
Night, sleep, death and the stars.

It’s Parts Of Speech:

PRONOUN verb determiner noun Interjection Noun, determiner adjective noun preposition determiner adjective,

Adverb preposition noun, adverb preposition noun, determiner noun verb,

determiner noun verb,

Pronoun adverb adverb verb, adjective, verb, verb

determiner noun pronoun

noun adverb.

Noun, noun, noun conjunction determiner noun.

My Replacement Poem:

“Mind in Flight”

THAT isn’t thy hour HOLY Cow, thy obstructed flight away every abruptness,

Later into nooks, later into part, the way traced, the reason none,

Thee naturally forth purging, compliant, raising, monitoring the dreams thou

loathest most.

Fright, weep, breath and the recovery.

How I Arrived At This Poem:

I’d say that my replacement poem is random for the most part, but it does have an undertone of sadness. The lines describe the obstacles a person can face in their mind and the eventual recovery. I would say that my whole replacement poem overall was “free writing.” I also was trying to keep up with Walt Whitman’s vocabulary from “A Clear Midnight.”

Do It! Steal From Yourself To Make A Found Poem

My 3 Minute Free Writing:

My nose was bleeding like crazy while I was walking to this building. I washed my nose and pretty much my whole face, but it bled again. All of my tissues are covered in red. It’s windy, but the wind is not heavy. You see this by how much or how little the branches of trees move. Getting stuck behind buses is a hassle because they have to make stops.

My Poem:

“Another Bloody Nose”

I was walking outside when my nose started bleeding.

When I saw that, my walk started speeding.

I washed my nose and face, but it bled again.

At this point, I’m counting to ten.

All of my tissues are covered in red.

Oh how I wish I could go back to bed.

Looking outside with blood red tissues,

I acknowledge that I have some issues.

With the blood drying up I notice the trees.

Their branches are swaying in the breeze.

Not too heavy and not too slow,

I watch as that wind continues to blow.

A bus passes by and I recall,

how getting stuck behind it is such a “ball.”

It’s even worse when you have a bloody nose.

I feel just how slow the day goes.

How I Arrived At My Poem:

It took some instruction, but when I finally sat and started writing for three minutes, I did so based on my observations of my current surroundings and events that occurred during the day. I would say that my current state of mind also contributed to it. Was this an easy activity? When I finally sat down and worked on it, yes it was a bit on the easier side for me, but would I say it was easy? Personally, I wouldn't because procrastination makes doing any of my work difficult. Did I come up with the poem while free writing? I guess I could say yes to that because as you can see, some of the lines in the poem are similar or the same as sentences in the free writing.

Do It! Rhetorical Figures 2 Post

He was drinking, I woke up suddenly.
I looked outside and saw the tree.
It’s leaves were dying.
He was drinking, he’s not even trying.

I hear a glass bottle crash against a wall.
He was drinking, I go into a crawl.
All the things you can tell from a crack in the door.
He was drinking, he never came back from the war.

Do It! Rhetorical Figures 1 Post

Words That Show Onomatopoeia

Buzz!

Whoosh!

Beep!

Splat!

Chosen Stanza

From “Not Waving But Drowning”

Poor chap, he always loved larking

And now he’s dead

It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,

They said.

Chosen Stanza with Some of the Words Replaced

Poor chap, he always loved BUZZ!

And now he’s WHOOSH!

It must have been too BEEP! for him his heart gave way,

They SPLAT!

Do It! Diction Post

Original Fill-ins

No one can see me, no one would stop me, no one could help me. They would just call the police, but it would be too late. My only regret is leaving everyone behind. She’d have the coffee on. There was a time during my search for a cure when I tried everything to stop including giving up cigarettes. The smell filled the room. I loved to drink a glass of scotch in the morning, to say cheers to my girlfriend after we’d spent another night together. I’d tell her now it’s going okay except for the poison. It’s going okay except for how much I miss her and her smile. Why? Why?! I’ve never been very good at saying goodbye. [From Joshua Ferris’s The Unnamed]

Opposites of Original Fill-Ins

No one can see me, no one would stop me, no one could help me. They would just call the criminals, but it would be too late. My only regret is staying with everyone. She’d have the coffee on. There was a time during my search for a cure when I tried everything to stop including giving up going cold turkey. The smell filled the outside. I loved to drink a cup of water in the nighttime, to say buzz off to my enemy after we’d spent another morning together. I’d tell her now it’s going okay except for the poison. It’s going okay except for how much I miss her and her frown. Why not? Why not?! I’ve never been very good at saying hello. [From Joshua Ferris’s The Unnamed]

Questions and Answers

1. Question: Has the tone changed? Answer: I’d say that the tone has indeed changed. The tone of the paragraph where I filled in what I thought would make sense is pretty much that of sadness. Whereas, the tone of the paragraph with the opposites of the original

fill-ins is more of anger and aggression.

2. Question: Has the meaning changed? Answer: I would say that the meaning has and hasn’t changed at the same time.  Both paragraphs kind of give a sense that the speaker has given up, possibly due to being diagnosed with a fatal illness, such as Cancer. At the same time, you might be able to say that the two paragraphs were written/spoken by two different people based on the tone and what was said in each,

3. Question: Has anything changed? Answer: In the long run, I’d say that nothing really has changed. Both paragraphs give the impression that the speaker has given up and may even commit suicide because they may have a severe disease, if you want to go deeper into it.

The Effect of the Change

So what was the effect of the changes made to the original paragraph? Speaking as a reader, I would say the emotion of the speaker. As I said in one of my answers before, the speaker of the first paragraph seems to have a sadness about them, whereas the speaker of the second one seems to be angry. The speaker of the first paragraph also seems to be lonely, unlike the speaker of the second paragraph who wants to be alone. As the speaker, I would say not much has changed, that I still feel like there isn’t any hope left. The search for the cure has been unsuccessful. The sickness remains and is progressively getting worse. What is left? 

Do It! Image Post(Revised)

Original Cliché Metaphors

Useless as tits on a bull.(Original) Sink or swim.(Revision)

Like speaking to a brick wall.(Original) Throw in the towel.(Revision)

In a jiffy.

Cat got your tongue?

It’s the moment of truth.

Older than dirt.

Nail on the head.

I’m on a roll.

Let’s cut to the chase.

Cry me a river.

That really grinds my gears.

Money to burn.

Switched Metaphors

Useless as tits on a bull, Older than dirt = Useless as dirt, Older than tits on a bull(Original)

Sink or swim, Cry me a river = Sink or river, Cry me a swim(Revision)

In a jiffy, I’m on a roll = In a roll, I’m on a jiffy

Cat got your tongue?, Nail on the head = Cat got your head?, Nail on the tongue

Like speaking to a brick wall, Cry me a river = Like speaking to a river, Cry me a brick wall(Original)

Throw in the towel, Older than dirt = Throw in the dirt, Older than towel(Revision)

It’s the moment of truth, That really grinds my gears = It’s the moment of gears, That really grinds my truth

Let’s cut to the chase, Money to burn = Let’s cut to the burn, Money to chase

Metaphor Described Literally

That really grinds my gears, I think they might need some oiling. 

Welcome Post

Welcome to my blog. The title of my blog is pretty self-explanatory as to what it is I will be doing here. I hope you enjoy your visit.