Poetry Out Loud: My Poem

Keeping Things Whole by: Mark Strand

When picking this poem I just saw that it was short and would be easy to memorize, but now after going over it several times a day the point of this poem is getting clearer. It comes off as a poem about the air and a field but when you look closer you see that its about you the reader. Its explaining that everyone has a spot on this earth no matter how long or short, their here for a reason. May it be to help people or to save someone from dying or just to fill the empty air you are here for a reason.

To show all this emotion I plan on being dramatic not with me body but with my words. Such as stopping before and after important words. Although I plan on doing this the odds are it will not turn out this way. I get nervous in front of people and freeze up but at the same time I am excited to get it done with. We all have reasons for moving, I move to keep things whole.

Poetry Out Loud

Part One-
       1. A Birthday
       2. Life
       3. Battlefield
       4. Keeping Things Whole, Romance


Part Two-
       1. I enjoyed Battlefield the most because the title sounds boring but you read it and you get a image
 of war.
       2. I didn't like Romance because it was a typical poem.
       3. I am most interested in Battlefield because not many people would pick this poem.
       4. Battlefield connected with me because I have a lot of family who were, are planning or are in the military so I understand war and the effects on life it can cause.

Part Three-
       1. Dramatic Appropriateness and Evidence of Understanding because I am not a big presenter so I will not want to act anything out but just to read the poem and get out of the spot light. Also because I feel I understand Battlefield.
       2. Level of Difficulty and Voice and Articulation because I am bad at reading poems so I am not going for the really hard ones and I get really nervous in front of people.
       3.  Makes sure each poem you choose is one that speaks to you, whatever the level of difficulty. If you are able to connect with with a poem, that internalization will ripple positively throughout all your scores.
   
Part Four-
       1. Danse Russe by William Carlos Williams and performed by William Farley
             Farley is successful of tone for this poem. His eye contact and body language but at times intense and direct, softened and playful reveals his clear grasp on the point of this poem.

Part Five-
       I think the competition will be funny, sad, serious and happy but mostly fun because we get to show people our favorite poem that really meant something to us. I think once I am done I will have more fun then before I go because I will be too nervous. I think i am going to memorize Battlefield because its a great poem and I really feel I understand it.