Of VMFA Poetry Reading

Last Thursday, I participated in a talent show-type thing at the VMFA in which I read my poem "Formed Poetry" (text form of poem also on blog). I know people wanted to go, but weren't able for various reasons, but still wished to see the performance. So, here you all are! Bad quality, I'm sorry - it was the only format I could use to upload it. :P Nevertheless, enjoy.



BTW this is my first video! :) A milestone.

Of altered books

Ok, this is a new type of poem. I discovered it on StumbleUpon. It's called "altered books." What you do is you (carefully) take out a page from an old book and choose words from it to form a poem. You decorate it, too, to fit the mood of your poem. It's fun! Don't worry, this was one of the worse-for-wear books I owned - it was destined for the recycling bin anyway. So sad, but I figured this is a better future for it. ;) Check out two I did:




Try making your own! I have plenty of pages left over - ask me for one. :)

For more altered books: www.logolalia.com/alteredbooks

Of Tiptoe

This one I wrote back in February and meant to post, but got too lazy. So, here we go.

For some reason when you tiptoe
Your steps come out louder than ever
You notice every crack of the floor
And the thump your foot makes
No matter how lightly you step
Your footsteps always seem to boom
Every step a shout out
For some reason when the world is silent
No footstep can escape notice

Of Universe

Double post! Turns out people actually read this blog, which made me feel extra guilty about not posting in....4 months. So, here you go. It's called "Universe."


I can reach the stars
Like silk, like water, river
Universe rippling through, around
Twist around
Fingers scrape around
Brushing Neptune, Sun, farther galaxies
Twist around through me
Like a breath of fresh air
Locked in that fantastical chest for so long
Air sprinkled with stars
Breath it in
Feel rush by rush
Little bits of shivering hope
Dust dust flying
Each bit a tiny fleck, speck
Feel
Universe
I can reach it
Reach the stars
And so much more

Of Formed Poetry

Alright, I showed this one to a few people at school, but regardless, here it is! Anyone in the area should come see me read this aloud at the VMFA Teen Talent event on May 26th at 7 pm. See, now you know about it, you HAVE to come! :) Enjoy this poem.


Why does poetry always have to be so formatic?
Opening with a question, to probe the mind
Before delving further, deeper into it?
A second question, to cover more
Is asked at this time.
Do we make the format, or are we following others?
Then elaborating more
A metaphor, or maybe two
I am the unquestionable teacher
This is the format
You follow or fail
No questions asked
And if you go back far enough you’ll see
Everything was written in iambic
Like Shakespeare did, it sounds so wonderful
To imitate such a creative style
And don't forget a rhyme or two
Make it sing-songy, something old or new
Even go triple lines, wahoo!
...and I can’t think of a rhyme. Oh, boo.
And then short lines
To emphasize a single
Point
Like a triangle
Rigid in its formation
And now we wrap it up
Begin the line with "and"
Restate the opening phrase
And
Answer the question with one of your own
Here we go
For who says poetry must be formatic?
I certainly don't.

Of Winter

Winter is like our sorrows
Its cold biting air forces us inside
Deeper and deeper
Til we can't run no more
We must make a protection for ourselves
Bundle up in layers and layers
Before we can trek out in the snow
Sometimes after a heavy snowfall
We must pick up a shovel
And endure the toil that it takes to shovel our path free
Sometimes it falls thinly and quickly
Then freezes overnight, turning what used to be roads
Into strips of glass, impossible for travel
And sometimes it falls ever so lightly
That we can run outside in gossamer clothes
Shoes half thrown on
Throw our heads back and laugh
And taste the tiny specks of snow
That give us so much joy to catch
I love winter
And for all its troubles
I wouldn't miss it for the world

Hawk

Haughty and proud
A steely eye sweeping the sky that
Winks occasionally to assure that he is still
King