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Tuesday, June 30, 2009 @ 5:10 PM
Lesson 3: Analyzing and Composing a Poem
The Son is in Secondary School by Affran Sa’atMy badge has a Latin motto Hope for the future The future is hope Or something At times black crows try to interrupt When we sing the National Anthem It is difficult to maintain The whiteness of my shoes Especially on Wednesdays I must admit there is something quite special About the bare thighs of hardworking scouts The Malay chauffeurs Who wait for my schoolmates Sit on the car park kerb Telling jokes to one another Seven to the power of five is unreasonable On Chinese New Year Mrs Lee dressed up in a strong kebayaand sang Bengawan Solo The capital of Singapore is Singapore My best friend did a heroic thing once Shaded all A’s For his Chinese Language Multiple-choice paper In our annual yearbook There is a photograph of me Pushing a wheelchair and smiling They caught me At the exact moment When my eyes were actually closed
AnalysisIn this poem, the poet is reminiscing his past when he was in secondary school. He specifically picks out significant events from his school life and wrote it in his poem, indicating memories of his past are still fresh in his mind. He probably wanted to write this poem to try to experience life as a school boy again. This poem has 10 stanzas in it, each stanza going from one scene to another. Most of them are either couplets, triplets, quatrain or quinrain. The poet has arranged two lines to be individual as he wanted emphasize them and give them a dramatic effect. It has no particular rythm to it, thus it is a free verse. Alliteration is present in a couple of lines. For instance, in stanza 3, the consonant 'w' is repeated twice in "The whiteness of my shoes Especially on Wednesdays", repetition of 's' in stanza 4, "I must admit there is something quite special" and in stanza when 's' is repeated thrice, "in a strong kebaya and sang Bengawan Solo". The poet uses imagery a few times for us to visualise the scene and hence, bring us into his memories. For example, "black crows", "bare thighs" and "strong kebaya". Personification, has been used in the poem, though only once. It occurs when the poet writes "At times black crows try to interrupt", giving the crows human personalities to think and want to interrupt when they were singing the national anthem. I feel that this poem wants to convey the message to live life happily and at its fullest. In the first stanza, the motto to hope for the future instead of dreading it. In fact, we should never forget our childhood, because childhood means fun. Poem - Good days, Bad daysNew books. New teachers. New life. Mind in a mess Where was I? School. I was a lone island, Like an exile from the gang. Felt like crying. Where was I? School. Finally, I was accepted. A friend found me. Yellow roses danced around me. Where was I? School. A frown in the morning. A smile in the afternoon. A laugh in the evening. Where was I? School. Soon, swarms of friends came knocking at my door. More merry. We studied together, we played together. We ran. We jumped. We joked. SCREEK! Scratched a teacher's car. Escaped easily! Where was I? School. Joy, however, does not ever last. If time was in my hands, I would turn it back to the past. Where do I want to be? School.
Comment | 1 Comments
Monday, June 29, 2009 @ 8:13 AM
Favourite Poet - William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth, an English poet, who was one of the defining member to launch the Romantic Age in English literature.
Living in Lake District most of his adult life, his poetry is mainly influenced by his love of nature. He would include sights and scenes of nature into his writing. For instance, he wrote "Lines Written in Early Spring" while on a stroll near the village of Alfrod. Similar to "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud", he compliments the beauty of nature by adding his feelings into the observations and events.
Poets have their own style of writing, and William Wordsworth is no exception. To him, simplicity is always the best. No elaborate description for him, he conveyed his emotions through common speech. Thus, his works, although modern English has changed from the olden times, are always easy to grasp and yet, are written with depth. Living in Lake District most of his adult life, his poetry is mainly influenced by his love for nature. He would include sights and scenes of nature into his writing. For instance, he wrote "Lines Written in Early Spring" while on a stroll near the village of Alfrod. Similar to "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud", he compliments the beauty of nature by adding his feelings into the observations and events.
However, what was the one feature of William Wordsworth writing that initiated the Romantic era? From what I know, poems in that time evoked strong emotions instead of formality. And that is exactly what William Wordsworth did. His poems emphasized on feelings, and also about the past. For instance, "Tintern Abbey" is about his childhood memories of nature upon the adult's mind.
Hence, my thesis: William Wordsworth is a man who prefers peace and serenity. He rather lead a simple life in the woods and get intrigued by Mother Nature. He is mysterious and would rather express himself in his writings. Why so? "The Prelude", William Wordsworth's most famous work, one poem that he had been working on throughout his life, depicts recognizable events in his life.
William Wordsworth was born in Cockermouth in Cumberland in 1770, a region called Lake District. The landscape there gave him a love for nature. He had four siblings, one played a very important role in his life. She is Dorothy Wordsworth, a poet and diarist who provided William Wordsworth with inspirations. William Wordsworth, though had never won any awards, is no doubt one of the most influential poets in history.
How about reading some of William Wordsworth poems? Prepare to be fascinated by nature's beauty.
Lines Written In Early Spring by William Wordsworth I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.
Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:--
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.
The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.
If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature's holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?
We Are Seven
--A Simple Child,
That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?
I met a little cottage Girl:
She was eight years old, she said;
Her hair was thick with many a curl
That clustered round her head.
She had a rustic, woodland air,
And she was wildly clad:
Her eyes were fair, and very fair;
--Her beauty made me glad.
"Sisters and brothers, little Maid,
How many may you be?"
"How many? Seven in all," she said
And wondering looked at me.
"And where are they? I pray you tell."
She answered, "Seven are we;
And two of us at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea.
"Two of us in the church-yard lie,
My sister and my brother;
And, in the church-yard cottage, I
Dwell near them with my mother."
"You say that two at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea,
Yet ye are seven!--I pray you tell,
Sweet Maid, how this may be."
Then did the little Maid reply,
"Seven boys and girls are we;
Two of us in the church-yard lie,
Beneath the church-yard tree."
"You run above, my little Maid,
Your limbs they are alive;
If two are in the church-yard laid,
Then ye are only five."
"Their graves are green, they may be seen,"
The little Maid replied,
"Twelve steps or more from my mother's door,
And they are side by side.
"My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchief there I hem;
And there upon the ground I sit,
And sing a song to them.
"And often after sun-set, Sir,
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer,
And eat my supper there.
"The first that died was sister Jane;
In bed she moaning lay,
Till God released her of her pain;
And then she went away.
"So in the church-yard she was laid;
And, when the grass was dry,
Together round her grave we played,
My brother John and I.
"And when the ground was white with snow,
And I could run and slide,
My brother John was forced to go,
And he lies by her side."
"How many are you, then," said I,
"If they two are in heaven?"
Quick was the little Maid's reply,
"O Master! we are seven."
"But they are dead; those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!"
'Twas throwing words away; for still
The little Maid would have her will,
And said, "Nay, we are seven!"
The Solitary Reaper
| Behold her, single in the field, | | Yon solitary Highland Lass ! | | Reaping and singing by herself ; | | Stop here, or gently pass ! | | Alone she cuts and binds the grain, | | And sings a melancholy strain ; | | O listen ! for the vale profound | Is overflowing with the sound.
| | No nightingale did ever chaunt | | More welcome notes to weary bands | | Of travellers in some shady haunt, | | Among Arabian sands : | | A voice so thrilling ne’er was heard | | In spring-time from the cuckoo-bird, | | Breaking the silence of the seas | Among the farthest Hebrides.
| | Will no one tell me what she sings ? – | | Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow | | For old, unhappy, far-off things, | | And battles long ago : | | Or is it some more humble lay, | | Familiar matter of to-day ? | | Some natural sorry, loss, or pain, | That has been, and may be again ?
| | Whate’er the theme, the maiden sang | | As if her song could have no ending ; | | I saw her singing at her work, | | And o’er the sickle bending ; – | | I listened, motionless and still ; | | And, as I mounted up the hill, | | The music in my heart I bore, | | Long after it was heard no more. |
Bibliography: http://www.bartleby.com/145/
http://mural.uv.es/memaro2/firstpaper.html
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/wordswor.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wordsworth
Comment | 2 Comments
Sunday, June 28, 2009 @ 6:22 PM
Emergency IT Lesson 1: Figurative Language
I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud by William Wordsworth I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
How are the figurative language used in the poem?
In the first line,"I wandered lonely as a cloud", two figurative languages are already used. That is, simile and personification. Simile, quite clearly, has been used to compare the person's loneliness to a cloud. Personification has also been used as the poet has personified the cloud to be able to feel lonely. A metaphor is then used when the poet compares the daffodils to a crowd of people in the line "When all at once I saw a crowd,".In the last line of the same stanza, another personification has been suggested when the poet gives the daffodils human capabilities by describing them as "Fluttering and dancing in the breeze."
In the second stanza, the poet explains that there are many daffodils by using hyperbole in the lines "Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line".
There are so many daffodils that he relates them to the stars in the milky way and there was a line of daffodils that were never ending. The poet wants to evoke a strong feeling for the scene. The daffodils are then personified again when they are "Tossing their heads in sprightly dance."
In the line "the waves beside them danced", the waves are personified to dance, but are however, out-done by the daffodils. It is clear now that the word "dancing" is used in all three stanzas. This is to emphasize the beauty of nature, which is as graceful as when someone is dancing.
4 types of figurative language has been used. They are simile, personification, metaphor and hyperbole.
Why did I like the poem?
This poem, as I have said, responds to the beauty of nature and I happen to be someone who enjoys nature. This poem shows a change of emotions in a person from lonliness to to bliss, which suggests that nature's beauty is able to uplift one's spirits. It also depicts freedom as the daffodils dance around freely. This poem truly touches the inner depth of a human as the poet uses the power of nature.
Comment | 1 Comments
Monday, June 22, 2009 @ 7:32 AM
Cooking
I want to cook exquisite cuisines.
Make people happy.
Own restuarants around the world.
Be the head chef.
Be famous.
Gordon Ramsey - charismatic.
One of the best chefs in the world.
Inspired from his shows - Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen.
But then again, I want to know how to cook.
Comment | 1 Comments
Tuesday, June 9, 2009 @ 8:22 AM
The Mercurial Tom - Torture
Terrified. Tear-streaked, he was.
Only few inches away from me.
My instruments laid out at my disposal.
He stared at my apron, then my mask, then my gloves,
Then closed his eyes, not daring to believe his fate.
Let's end this quick.
"Don't worry, kid. Open your mouth. This scaling won't hurt a bit."
Comment | 0 Comments
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Tuesday, June 30, 2009 @ 5:10 PM
Lesson 3: Analyzing and Composing a Poem
The Son is in Secondary School by Affran Sa’atMy badge has a Latin motto Hope for the future The future is hope Or something At times black crows try to interrupt When we sing the National Anthem It is difficult to maintain The whiteness of my shoes Especially on Wednesdays I must admit there is something quite special About the bare thighs of hardworking scouts The Malay chauffeurs Who wait for my schoolmates Sit on the car park kerb Telling jokes to one another Seven to the power of five is unreasonable On Chinese New Year Mrs Lee dressed up in a strong kebayaand sang Bengawan Solo The capital of Singapore is Singapore My best friend did a heroic thing once Shaded all A’s For his Chinese Language Multiple-choice paper In our annual yearbook There is a photograph of me Pushing a wheelchair and smiling They caught me At the exact moment When my eyes were actually closed
AnalysisIn this poem, the poet is reminiscing his past when he was in secondary school. He specifically picks out significant events from his school life and wrote it in his poem, indicating memories of his past are still fresh in his mind. He probably wanted to write this poem to try to experience life as a school boy again. This poem has 10 stanzas in it, each stanza going from one scene to another. Most of them are either couplets, triplets, quatrain or quinrain. The poet has arranged two lines to be individual as he wanted emphasize them and give them a dramatic effect. It has no particular rythm to it, thus it is a free verse. Alliteration is present in a couple of lines. For instance, in stanza 3, the consonant 'w' is repeated twice in "The whiteness of my shoes Especially on Wednesdays", repetition of 's' in stanza 4, "I must admit there is something quite special" and in stanza when 's' is repeated thrice, "in a strong kebaya and sang Bengawan Solo". The poet uses imagery a few times for us to visualise the scene and hence, bring us into his memories. For example, "black crows", "bare thighs" and "strong kebaya". Personification, has been used in the poem, though only once. It occurs when the poet writes "At times black crows try to interrupt", giving the crows human personalities to think and want to interrupt when they were singing the national anthem. I feel that this poem wants to convey the message to live life happily and at its fullest. In the first stanza, the motto to hope for the future instead of dreading it. In fact, we should never forget our childhood, because childhood means fun. Poem - Good days, Bad daysNew books. New teachers. New life. Mind in a mess Where was I? School. I was a lone island, Like an exile from the gang. Felt like crying. Where was I? School. Finally, I was accepted. A friend found me. Yellow roses danced around me. Where was I? School. A frown in the morning. A smile in the afternoon. A laugh in the evening. Where was I? School. Soon, swarms of friends came knocking at my door. More merry. We studied together, we played together. We ran. We jumped. We joked. SCREEK! Scratched a teacher's car. Escaped easily! Where was I? School. Joy, however, does not ever last. If time was in my hands, I would turn it back to the past. Where do I want to be? School.
Monday, June 29, 2009 @ 8:13 AM
Favourite Poet - William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth, an English poet, who was one of the defining member to launch the Romantic Age in English literature.Living in Lake District most of his adult life, his poetry is mainly influenced by his love of nature. He would include sights and scenes of nature into his writing. For instance, he wrote "Lines Written in Early Spring" while on a stroll near the village of Alfrod. Similar to "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud", he compliments the beauty of nature by adding his feelings into the observations and events.Poets have their own style of writing, and William Wordsworth is no exception. To him, simplicity is always the best. No elaborate description for him, he conveyed his emotions through common speech. Thus, his works, although modern English has changed from the olden times, are always easy to grasp and yet, are written with depth. Living in Lake District most of his adult life, his poetry is mainly influenced by his love for nature. He would include sights and scenes of nature into his writing. For instance, he wrote "Lines Written in Early Spring" while on a stroll near the village of Alfrod. Similar to "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud", he compliments the beauty of nature by adding his feelings into the observations and events.However, what was the one feature of William Wordsworth writing that initiated the Romantic era? From what I know, poems in that time evoked strong emotions instead of formality. And that is exactly what William Wordsworth did. His poems emphasized on feelings, and also about the past. For instance, "Tintern Abbey" is about his childhood memories of nature upon the adult's mind.Hence, my thesis: William Wordsworth is a man who prefers peace and serenity. He rather lead a simple life in the woods and get intrigued by Mother Nature. He is mysterious and would rather express himself in his writings. Why so? "The Prelude", William Wordsworth's most famous work, one poem that he had been working on throughout his life, depicts recognizable events in his life.William Wordsworth was born in Cockermouth in Cumberland in 1770, a region called Lake District. The landscape there gave him a love for nature. He had four siblings, one played a very important role in his life. She is Dorothy Wordsworth, a poet and diarist who provided William Wordsworth with inspirations. William Wordsworth, though had never won any awards, is no doubt one of the most influential poets in history.How about reading some of William Wordsworth poems? Prepare to be fascinated by nature's beauty.
Lines Written In Early Spring by William Wordsworth I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.
Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:--
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.
The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.
If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature's holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?
We Are Seven
--A Simple Child,
That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?
I met a little cottage Girl:
She was eight years old, she said;
Her hair was thick with many a curl
That clustered round her head.
She had a rustic, woodland air,
And she was wildly clad:
Her eyes were fair, and very fair;
--Her beauty made me glad.
"Sisters and brothers, little Maid,
How many may you be?"
"How many? Seven in all," she said
And wondering looked at me.
"And where are they? I pray you tell."
She answered, "Seven are we;
And two of us at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea.
"Two of us in the church-yard lie,
My sister and my brother;
And, in the church-yard cottage, I
Dwell near them with my mother."
"You say that two at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea,
Yet ye are seven!--I pray you tell,
Sweet Maid, how this may be."
Then did the little Maid reply,
"Seven boys and girls are we;
Two of us in the church-yard lie,
Beneath the church-yard tree."
"You run above, my little Maid,
Your limbs they are alive;
If two are in the church-yard laid,
Then ye are only five."
"Their graves are green, they may be seen,"
The little Maid replied,
"Twelve steps or more from my mother's door,
And they are side by side.
"My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchief there I hem;
And there upon the ground I sit,
And sing a song to them.
"And often after sun-set, Sir,
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer,
And eat my supper there.
"The first that died was sister Jane;
In bed she moaning lay,
Till God released her of her pain;
And then she went away.
"So in the church-yard she was laid;
And, when the grass was dry,
Together round her grave we played,
My brother John and I.
"And when the ground was white with snow,
And I could run and slide,
My brother John was forced to go,
And he lies by her side."
"How many are you, then," said I,
"If they two are in heaven?"
Quick was the little Maid's reply,
"O Master! we are seven."
"But they are dead; those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!"
'Twas throwing words away; for still
The little Maid would have her will,
And said, "Nay, we are seven!"The Solitary Reaper
| Behold her, single in the field, | | Yon solitary Highland Lass ! | | Reaping and singing by herself ; | | Stop here, or gently pass ! | | Alone she cuts and binds the grain, | | And sings a melancholy strain ; | | O listen ! for the vale profound | Is overflowing with the sound.
| | No nightingale did ever chaunt | | More welcome notes to weary bands | | Of travellers in some shady haunt, | | Among Arabian sands : | | A voice so thrilling ne’er was heard | | In spring-time from the cuckoo-bird, | | Breaking the silence of the seas | Among the farthest Hebrides.
| | Will no one tell me what she sings ? – | | Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow | | For old, unhappy, far-off things, | | And battles long ago : | | Or is it some more humble lay, | | Familiar matter of to-day ? | | Some natural sorry, loss, or pain, | That has been, and may be again ?
| | Whate’er the theme, the maiden sang | | As if her song could have no ending ; | | I saw her singing at her work, | | And o’er the sickle bending ; – | | I listened, motionless and still ; | | And, as I mounted up the hill, | | The music in my heart I bore, | | Long after it was heard no more. |
Bibliography: http://www.bartleby.com/145/ http://mural.uv.es/memaro2/firstpaper.html http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/wordswor.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wordsworth
Sunday, June 28, 2009 @ 6:22 PM
Emergency IT Lesson 1: Figurative Language
I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud by William Wordsworth I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
How are the figurative language used in the poem?
In the first line,"I wandered lonely as a cloud", two figurative languages are already used. That is, simile and personification. Simile, quite clearly, has been used to compare the person's loneliness to a cloud. Personification has also been used as the poet has personified the cloud to be able to feel lonely. A metaphor is then used when the poet compares the daffodils to a crowd of people in the line "When all at once I saw a crowd,".In the last line of the same stanza, another personification has been suggested when the poet gives the daffodils human capabilities by describing them as "Fluttering and dancing in the breeze."
In the second stanza, the poet explains that there are many daffodils by using hyperbole in the lines "Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line".
There are so many daffodils that he relates them to the stars in the milky way and there was a line of daffodils that were never ending. The poet wants to evoke a strong feeling for the scene. The daffodils are then personified again when they are "Tossing their heads in sprightly dance."
In the line "the waves beside them danced", the waves are personified to dance, but are however, out-done by the daffodils. It is clear now that the word "dancing" is used in all three stanzas. This is to emphasize the beauty of nature, which is as graceful as when someone is dancing.
4 types of figurative language has been used. They are simile, personification, metaphor and hyperbole.
Why did I like the poem?
This poem, as I have said, responds to the beauty of nature and I happen to be someone who enjoys nature. This poem shows a change of emotions in a person from lonliness to to bliss, which suggests that nature's beauty is able to uplift one's spirits. It also depicts freedom as the daffodils dance around freely. This poem truly touches the inner depth of a human as the poet uses the power of nature.
Monday, June 22, 2009 @ 7:32 AM
Cooking
I want to cook exquisite cuisines. Make people happy. Own restuarants around the world. Be the head chef. Be famous. Gordon Ramsey - charismatic. One of the best chefs in the world. Inspired from his shows - Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen. But then again, I want to know how to cook.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009 @ 8:22 AM
The Mercurial Tom - Torture
Terrified. Tear-streaked, he was. Only few inches away from me. My instruments laid out at my disposal. He stared at my apron, then my mask, then my gloves, Then closed his eyes, not daring to believe his fate. Let's end this quick. "Don't worry, kid. Open your mouth. This scaling won't hurt a bit."
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BENEDICT
HI THERE. I'm currently a student in Hwa Chong Institution. Quite clearly meaning that I'm a male/ female. I'm your extraordinary everyday kid who you see on the street.:D So if you ever recognise me, say 'HI'.
This blog is for work purposes ONLY. Feel free to browse through! And remember to comment and tag!
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