Ode -- David Stevens

This is my ode in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet. It is not perfect, nor am I, nor is humankind. I hope you like it.


Decade of Hope

Old Camelot is born again; ere flee,

The dynasty returns—and Arthur, King!

Exalt, ye generation young, and see

The meek receive the earth and freedom ring.

He guides us through a dark and daunting night,

As all this mortal coil lies in fear:

The haunting shadows cast by atom bombs

Sit heavy on the kingdom’s peace of mind.

Shots—Treason!—Is he gone?—The king is dead!

The nation plunges into mourning; how

Can one breath’s moment bring thee down with lead?

All hope is passed—it’s dealt a fatal blow.

Old Camelot is gone again; O muse!

Why dost thou pull this time-worn martyr’s ruse?

Echo and Narcissus - Megan Woodrum

Echo was a forest nymph who was a close friend to the goddess Aphrodite, they spent a lot of time together gossiping and telling stories. One day she ran into Zeus having an affair and thought of how wonderful this new piece of gossip was. So when she saw Hera looking for Zeus she distracted her and sent back to Olympus on her hunt. Zeus rewarded Echo with a magnificent ring as a thank you for her assistance. This reward is what got her punished; Hera returned when she realized she had been tricked and saw the gift. Hera then decided she would give Echo a gift as well; a curse that she couldn't speak any words except the last few that had been spoken to her. It was after she got cursed that she saw Narcissus and fell in love with him and his beauty. She hadn't thought she'd find any man worthy of her until him, but she made him run away by making him angry by only repeating the last of what he's said. Devastated at her rejection she prayed to Aphrodite about disappearing. Aphrodite granted her wish and dissipated all of her except her voice, which continued to echo the last thing everyone said. As for Narcissus she punished him for rejecting her friend by having him fall in love with his reflection , which he believed to be a nymph.

I don't know any person that is really narcissistic person, but I'm sure if I ever do then  I'd probably really abhor them. A truly altruistic person that I know is probably my mother. I've always admired the generosity and selflessness my mom possesses. She is one of the kindest people I know and I've always respected her for it.

Echo and Narcissus - Jonathan Tungate

This story is about Echo, a nymph, and her human love, Narcissus. Echo helps Juno's escape and Juno curses Echo so she is only able to respond with what she hears. Echo attempts to get with Narcissus, but Narcissus is to Narcissistic, and doesn't think anyone is good enough. Echo withers away and becomes only a voice echoing what she hears. However the gods are angered by Narcissus, and trap him by letting him look upon a reflective pool, where he is trapped by his reflection and he is so infatuated with his reflection he stays and dies.

An Altruistic person I admire is Eminem. Eminem started off as a poor, low class individual with a turbulent home life, and nothing to suggest he would someday be successful. But he worked hard, and made something of himself, defying the odds. Now, he uses his success to help other people, and he is devoted his time to giving his daughters the childhood he never had. He has had charities to help his hometown of Detroit, and started the Marshall Mathers foundation to help children in need.

Echo and Narcissus- Chelsea Southworth

Echo was a nymph in Greek mythology who really liked to talk, and was well-liked by Aphrodite because she had a beautiful voice. Echo, however, made a dumb move when she tricked the ever-jealous Hera; Hera then cursed her to only be able to repeat the last words of the people around her. When Echo came upon Narcissus in the forest, she fell in love with him, but he rejected her. After praying to Aphrodite, she faded away into nothing but a voice. Narcissus rests by a pond and when he sees his own reflection, he falls madly in love. Like Echo before him, he eventually fades away; he becomes a flower, though, rather than just a voice.

I don't necessarily abhor her (because she did have it rough, and she has a couple of halfway-decent qualities), but Cersei Lannister is a narcissist extraordinaire. She wants all the power in Westeros for her and her children, to be respected and revered as the Queen, and she thinks she's a major player in the game when, in reality, most of her decisions are idiotic. She thinks highly of herself when, honestly, there's not that much to think highly of.
An altruistic person from the same series that I adore is Daenerys Targaryen. She has liberated hundreds of thousands of slaves, caring for them as her children, and makes all of her decisions with kindness and fairness in her mind. While she is faced with tough choices liberating Slaver's Bay and being Queen of Mereen, I still believe that she is a truly altruistic person. She'd much rather help people than hurt them.

Echo and Narcissus

Echo was a nimph who was in love with the hunter Narcissus but Narcissus didn't think anyone was ever good enough for him including Echo.

One day Echo helps the adulterous husband of Juno escape by talking to him and in return the goddess Juno curses Echo by only allowing her to say what the person before her has said, hence her name. 

Later Echo encounters Narcissus and he shuns the nimph and embarasses her. The gods are angered by Narcissus' behavior and they curse him by making him fall in love with his reflection. He does not recognize that it is his and by doing so he will never be loved by his own reflection. 

A narcissistic person(s) I abhor are the Kardashians. Not a single one of them have any sort of talent except for the mothers ability to exploit her daughters yet they think of themselves as the most important intenties in the media. 

An altruistic person I admire is my mom. As cliche as that sounds she is the most selfless and giving person I know. She always puts her family first.  

Sodom and Gomorrah-Will Atkins

There was once a man named Lot. One day he was approached by two angels on the outskirts of the city. He insisted they stay in his servants house but the requested to stay in his house so Lot allowed them to do so. Once there, horny men came to Lot's house demanding to have sex with the male angels. Lot wanted to protect God's messengers so he offered his two virgin daughters instead. The angry men denied his alternative and tried to force their way into the house. The angels stopped Lot and told him to get his family out of town. He told his future son in laws what was happening but they did not believe him and just laughed it off. So he tried to get his wife and daughters out of town. While running though his wife looked back and was subsequently turned to salt. 

Later, while living in a cave with their father. The two daughters thought about how they were going to continue their. lineage. They did this by getting their father drunk and sleeping with him in order to get pregnant.

Unfair punishment is a tricky issue. One person cannot say what is fair or unfair for everybody. Fair for one person very well may be unfair for someone else. This is why when talking about judges giving out jail sentences different punishments will be given out for the same crime. 

Sodom and Gommorah- Andy

Abraham sees three men approaching his camp. He recognizes that they are sent by God, and he tells them that he will get water, bread, and a calf so that they may eat. While they eat, the men tell Abraham that his wife, Sarah, will have a son in a year, which she does not believe because both she and Abraham are very old. God then promises to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for all the sin committed there. Abraham argues with God until he promises that if 10 righteous people can be found there he will not destroy the cities. God sends two angels to destroy Sodom and the righteous person they find is Lot. They tell to take his family and leave as they are going to destroy the city. Lot flees to the town of Zoar while Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed but his wife looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt. Lot and his two daughters settle in the mountains outside of Zoar. The two daughters decide that, since there are no men around to father children with, they will sleep with their father and preserve their family. They both become pregnant and start the tribes of the Moabites and the Ammonites.


Unfair punishment is a very serious problem in the Untied States. We have a higher percent of incarcerated citizens and a more expensive prison system than other Country in the world. We need to solve the problems that lead people to commit crime, such as poverty, instead of punishing people. Prison sentences are often too long and are given for petty crimes. We need to look to countries with lower crime rates to reform our penitentiary system. In the long run we will save money and destroy fewer lives in the process.

Echo and Narcissus- Alexander Reese

     Echo was a nymph who would always have to get the last word in an argument. One day Juno took away her ability to talk first, but she would still get to have the last word. One day a "youth" called Narcissus and pursued him. He spurned her affection and one day took a rest near a fountain. He had rejected another nymph who cursed him so that he would have to feel the pain of loving someone and being rejected. As he looked into this fountain he saw his image and was entranced. His reflection did not return his affection and so he pined away and died. Echo mourned for him.


    I abhor Steve Jobs. he's a real piece of work, and if you've read his biography, you'll quickly learn he had no friends and nobody liked him. I admire his work as a marketer, but as a person he is truly horrifying. Everyone tried to avoid him at work, and everyone he worked with hated him because he would get rid of them as soon as he had no use of them any longer. He also did not get cancer treatment because he thought he personally was stronger than pancreatic cancer.


   I admire my dad's old professor who lives in Arkansas. He lives off his inheritance, built several log cabins and spends all of his time working with charities and teaching kids with learning disabilities math. He is also over 65 and still participates in marathons and goes to Canada for two weeks once a year to canoe.

Sodom and Gomorrah by Maranda Gaines

In Genesis 18-19, God appeared to Abraham to tell him his wife, Sarah, would bear a child the next year even though she was too old. God decided Abraham would be father of the nations, so he told him his plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah which were supposedly filled with evil people. He sent angels disguised as men to seek and save any righteous people, and to destroy the two cities. The angels determined Lot was righteous so they sent away his wife and kids with him to the nearby town of Zoar. However, Lot’s wife looked back at the city as they were fleeing. She was turned into a pillar of salt, leaving only the daughters and her husband. The two daughters realized they were the only females left in the family. They tricked their father into impregnating them by getting him drunk, and their sons later became the ancestors of Moabites and Ammonites.

Throughout the Bible, God regularly destroys towns, cities, and whole groups of people for being “evil.” However, the differences between good and evil are not clear cut in the bible nor are they defined in our world today. Fighting wars against whole countries of people or placing unfair restrictions on races of people for the acts of a few individuals are only some of the methods in which Americans specifically practice this ancient biblical method of ridding “evil.” Right and wrong and good and evil will never be so clear as to write down a list of each in an organized t-chart; so why should it be okay for us to act based on the opinions of a few people in power on something so sporadic?

Sodom and Gomorrah - Kyle Luo

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah begins with Abraham and his wife Sarah. God came to Abraham and told him that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were to be destroyed because all of their inhabitants were evil and wicked. Abraham did not want to see this happen, so he convinced God to spare the cities if ten righteous people could be found. God sent two of his angels to the cities where they stayed with Abraham's nephew Lot. When the people of Sodom and Gomorrah caught wind of their arrival, they surrounded Lot's house and demanded that he turn the angels over to them. Lot offered his two daughters instead and the angels saw that he was righteous so they led him out of the city before it was annihilated. In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, God punishes the people of the city because of their wicked actions. This form of punishment was the complete destruction of the city and all of its inhabitants which some may deem harsh. In the same way, some of today's punishments have been highly debated. One example of this is the death penalty. Some people feel that no matter what, death is always an unfair punishment while others feel like it is acceptable. This notion of "unfair" is never concrete.

Echo and Narcissus- Garrett Uebelhor

Echo was a woodland nymph who loved to talk and would always have the last word. One day the god Juno came looking for her husband who she believe was cheated on her with the nymphs. Echo however distracted her long enough so that all the nymphs could get away. In retaliation Juno cursed Echo to always repeat what others said first and to never be able to speak the first word. She soon saw and became infatuated by a man named Narcissus, yet when she finally met him he pushed her away and he left. She then went off to live by herself and shrank away until she was only a voice. After hurting many people Narcissus becomes cursed to feel what he has made so many others feel. He bends over to get a drink from a fountain yet sees himself in the water. He falls in love with his own reflection and forgets to worry about human needs like food while all the time trying to figure out why image is shunning him.  He then dies knowing feeling the same longing which so many had felt for him.

The narcissist which I abhor would have to be Kanye West, I would like Kanye except for the fact that he thinks he can mess with my girl T-Swizzle, anyone who thinks they can jump up on a stage and say "IMA LET YOU FINISH BUT..." has to be the biggest narcissist of all. I mean really every word Taylor Swift utters is completely original and has no way been spoken in at least three songs and any one who tries to interrupt her is just a hopeless fool trying to stroke their ego. Really Kanye, think about someone else for a change!!!

Someone I would have to admire for their altruism would have to be myself, honestly I just think I am amazing because I remember to always put others first. Go me, Right? You can see how wonderful I am through all my community service activities. I am constantly going through the great personal trouble of helping the needy, if you don't believe me look at my Instagram page ( I make sure to always take multiple photos of myself during community service so I can remember how great I am).  Like seriously though, I am actually so much more caring than other people and that's why I actually admire my self more than other altruistic people.

"Story of Echo and Narcissus." Myths and Legends. Http://myths.e2bn.org/mythsandlegends/view_user_myth.php?id=948. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

Sodom and Gomorrah- Brittany

Abraham and Sarah were old and Sarah had surpassed the age for which she could bear children. God came to them and told them that by that time next year, Sarah would have a son. God decided that since Abraham would be the father of a nation and he lived next to Sodom and Gomorrah that he should share his plans for them with Abraham. God told Abraham that he had heard the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were evil and he sent angels disguised as men to see if the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were truly evil. God intended to destroy both cities, but Abraham managed to convince him that if God found ten righteous people in the cities then the cities would be spared. The angels (disguised as men) went to Sodom and then found Lot, who kept them in his home under his protection. The evil men of Sodom surrounded Lot’s home and asked that Lot send the two men outside so that they could have sex with them. To protect the two angels, Lot offered his two virgin daughters in their place. The angels decided that Lot was righteous and led Lot and his family out of the city before it was destroyed. On the way out, Lot’s wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. The two daughters, realizing that they would be the last of their family, then got their father drunk and both had a child with him. The sons were ultimately ancestors of two nations, the Moabites and the Ammonites.

God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to punish the evil people that dwelled in them, and one can see that punishments like that one that could be deemed as not necessarily fair to all involved, perhaps not quite on that scale though, can still be seen today. Even now we fight wars and destroy entire groups of people because we deem something about them to be not right or evil. What about the innocents that are caught in the crossfire and unfairly punished for crimes they did not commit? Not to mention that the definition of evil is subjective, so unfair punishments are inevitable considering that there is always going to be someone that disagrees with something being deemed evil. That is simply something to consider.

THe destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

God sent three angels to Sodom and Gomorrah to gauge the wickedness and evil being exemplified on those cities. The leader of the Angels spoke with Abraham, who talked him out of destroying the cities if there were 10 righteous people who lived there. However, when the angels met with Abraham's son, Lot, they were met with rioting, and god struck down the cities with a sulfur rain, sparing only Lot and his family.

I don't necessarily believe Karma or some high power punishing those who have committed sins. I believe if a person has wronged enough people it will catch up to them, and justice will be served. I know that this is not the case in many examples though, many people who are deemed successful in life and life long accomplished lives have often excelled at the expensive of someone else, and this kind of manipulation goes un punished. It is a bleak outlook, but I am a realist, and sometimes, especially in this case, I am a pessimist.

Sodom and Gomorrah--Angela Maske

Three angels disguised as men visited Abraham. Two of them went to Sodom and Gomorrah to assess the wickedness level of these cities. God told Abraham that he would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the extreme evilness of the people of these cities. Abraham somehow convinced God to spare the cities if there were ten righteous people living there. God agreed. Abraham's nephew Lot met the angels at the city gates of Sodom. Lot took the angels to his home and fed them. Then all the men of the city surrounded Lot's house and asked for Lot to send the two men (angels) outside so they could have sex with them. By tradition, the angels were under Lot's protection, and he was so taken aback by this insistence that he offered the mob his two virgin daughters instead. The angels struck the rioters blind and led Lot and his family out of the city to safety. God rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed them. Meanwhile, Lot's wife turns into a pillar of salt.

In this story, God punishes the "evil" people of Sodom and Gomorrah for their deeds. But, what does evil mean, anyway? The Bible outlines the meaning of good and evil, but the lines are definitely more blurred outside of the biblical context, and especially for people who are not necessarily religious. Good and evil have never been black-and-white, as we can tell from countless ethical debates that have arisen over the course of history. So, if we don't even know a differentiation of good versus evil, how can we delegate appropriate punishment if an act of supposed evil is committed? The story of Sodom and Gomorrah indicates that homosexuality is evil, and that is still a belief that many people hold. But can a sexuality really define an individual as evil? Personally, I think that withholding rights from free people is far more evil than being gay. But, it's only the 21st century. Clearly, we still have a long way to go.

Echo and Narcissus -- David Stevens

The story of Echo and Narcissus is a classic of Greek mythology. Echo was a nymph in ancient times. She was a saucy nymph; she could never hold her tongue and even insulted the highest gods and goddesses. To punish Echo for her impertinent behavior, the queen of the Gods, Hera, cursed the nymph. From that point on she could only repeat the words of others, once spoken.

Thus encumbered, Echo fell in love with the son of a nymph named Narcissus. However, he had eyes for no creature but himself, and rebuffed Echo. Defeated, she receded into the hills and began to wander the “lonely caverns.” She eventually withered away, and all that remained of the nymph was her voice and her bones. The latter turned to stone, while the former could still be heard throughout the hills

                                                                                                                        …the hills

                                                                                                                           …the hills.

                                                                                                                                               

Narcissus, meanwhile, continued to reject the advances of all manner of nymphs and maidens. Eventually he stumbled upon an unsullied pond of crystal clear water in the hills. He saw his own reflection and fell rapturously in love… with himself. So intoxicated was he by his own image that he never left the water’s edge, withered and died.                                                                                      

Atsma, Aaron. “Narcissus and Echo, the House of Cadmus.” Ovid’s Metamorphoses. 11 Nov. 2014. Web. http://www.theoi.com/Text/OvidMetamorphoses3.html#5

John F. Kennedy is one of my personal heroes. He was a man who already had everything, born into one of the most affluent families in the United States. Despite this luxury, he devoted himself to national service, first in World War II and subsequently in elected office. As president, he made it his mission to fight for the oppressed people of the world, and he made no distinction between those who suffered under the yoke of communism and those who were beaten down by racial prejudice in the Deep South. Clearly, Kennedy understood the meaning of altruism—that American citizens must be imbued with a sense of civic duty to our fellow man.

A narcissist I abhor: Kim Kardashian. No explanation necessary.

Echo and Narcissus- Schuler Ravencraft

In Greek mythology Echo was a wood nymph who loved a creature named Narcissus. Narcissus however believed no one was worthy enough and basked in the praise of the nymphs. The only thing Echo loved as much as Narcissus was talking and one day helped Juno's cheating husband escape by distracting her. Juno punished Echo by making her only able to repeat words already spoken. One day Echo was waiting in the woods for Narcissus hoping to finally be noticed. Narcissus heard foot steps and called out summoning Echo to come over to him. Echo threw herself at Narcissus and he angrily pushed her off of him. Echo was humiliated and went in the mountains and died of grief. All that was left of her was her voice. Narcissus continued attracting nymphs and the Gods became tired of Narcissus' antics. They cursed him so that he would feel what it was like to love someone who would never love you back. One day Narcissus was walking by a puddle and saw his reflection. He instantly fell in love however every time he went to touch the reflection it would vanish. Narcissus became distraught and sat staring at the puddle until one day he died of grief.

"Legend of Echo and Narcissus." Echo.me.uk. 30 Apr. 2008. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://www.echo.me.uk/legend.htm>.

Bill Gates and Donald Trump both have one thing in common; they are both very wealthy. However, what they do with that wealth and how they present themselves in entirely different. Donald Trump is narcissistic to say the very least. He loves to be in the spotlight, taking to his twitter to call people out ranging from Russell Brand to President Obama. He is his number one fan throwing around his money, talking about his great leadership skills and his intelligence. Bill Gates possesses much more humility than Mr. Trump. Bill Gates is rarely in the news and when he is it is for his various charitable endeavors. Bill Gates and his wife have their own foundation (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) established to support initiatives in education and world health. Mr. Gates has also pledged to donate his 58 billion dollar fortune after he dies. Yes, Donald Trump does donate money to charity, vowing to donate 5 million dollars to charity if President Obama presents his birth certificate but my guess is his motives are not exactly pure.

Sodom and Gomorrah - CatyBeth Gooding

Abraham's wife Sarah couldn't have any children because she was too old. But God's men appeared to them and Abraham was hospitable so God found favor in Abraham, so God said that at the same time the next year, Sarah would have a son, and through that son, Abraham would be the father of a nation. Sodom and Gomorrah were cities of sin next to where Abraham was living, so God sent the men of God to destroy those cities. Abraham pleaded God not to destroy the cities if he could find 50 righteous men in the city. God agreed. Abraham eventually persuaded God not to destroy the cities if He could find 10 righteous men in the cities. So when the men entered Sodom, they began to search for righteous men, but they only found Lot, who housed the men from the grasp of the sinful. The sinful men yelled that Lot should throw the men of God out of the house so that they could have sex with them. Lot instead offered his virgin daughters instead of the men of God. The men found that Lot was righteous, but found no other righteous men, so they told Lot to gather the people that "belonged" to Lot, including his wife and daughters and sons-in-law. The sons-in-law laughed in Lot's face, so the men of God forced Lot and his family to leave, and told them to not look back. Lot's wife looked back at the city, so she turned into a pillar of salt. Lot and his daughters found refuge in a cave where the daughters realized that their family line would die with them, so they got their father drunk and both had a son with Lot. These sons became the father of their own nations.

There is a lot of unfair punishment in this world. Many people are punished for things they did not do, which is unfair, not only to them, but to the people who truly did those things. The innocent ones have time, friendship, happiness or money stolen from them, most of the time something they cannot get back. The guilty ones are the ones stealing the time, friendship, happiness or money from the innocent, and they are not reprimanded for it, or they don’t feel sorry.

Conformity and Rebellion--Angela Maske

The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden

He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be
One against whom there was no official complaint,

And all the reports on his conduct agree
That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a
   saint,
For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.
Except for the War till the day he retired
He worked in a factory and never got fired,
But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.
Yet he wasn’t a scab or odd in his views,
For his Union reports that he paid his dues,
(Our report on his Union shows it was sound)
And our Social Psychology workers found
That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.
The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day
And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.
Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,
And his Health-card shows he was once in hospital but left it cured.
Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare
He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan
And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,
A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.
Our researchers into Public Opinion are content 
That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;
When there was peace, he was for peace:  when there was war, he went.
He was married and added five children to the population,
Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his
   generation.
And our teachers report that he never interfered with their
   education.
Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:
Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.

Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2014.

This poem is narrated by an undisclosed government official or bureaucrat who details the habits of this citizen's life. It illustrates the mundane life of an individual who was deemed "perfect" by the government. But what does perfect even mean? In this poem, perfection is portrayed unfavorably. Sure, you can be perfect...but perfect and boring. What is life without cause, without struggle, passion, and sacrifice? A bureaucracy's definition of perfect and Auden's definition are clearly different. And is perfection even desirable? In this way, this poem is a rebellion against such predetermined definitions of perfection. The poem also portrays the government's evident disregard for freedom and happiness, at least from Auden's perspective. This characterizes bureaucracy as impersonal...they can see one's actions, but has no idea about the actual feeling and experiences of individuals. 

Rebellion

Poem: "Do not go gentle into that good night" by Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.


This poem shows rebellion against the one thing it is futile for humans to fight against: death. Death is inevitable; even kids could tell you that. While Thomas seems to agree, acknowledging that "wise men at their end know dark is right", he offers an opposing view to that of going quietly and accepting your fate. He says with this poem to fight death. Despite knowing that death will come, he says to rebel, to go out, to use the cliche, with a bang rather than a whimper. It seems as though Thomas is still placing value on those last moments of life, in contrast to not valuing those moments just because death is soon on its way.

Tower of Babel- Chelsea Southworth

After the Biblical flood, the people all settled down in a valley called Shinar. Because they all spoke the same language, they were able to work together harmoniously and accomplish great feats. Their crowning achievement was the Tower of Babel: a magnificent building (yep, a tower) that stretched all the way to Heaven. God wasn't a fan of this tower, since heaven was his territory, so he came down and scattered the people across the earth, giving them all different languages.

My next language is French. I started using this website called Duolingo, which actually seemed to be very helpful (je suis riche; la pomme est rouge; obviously I'm fluent), but I stopped a while ago because of college and its accompanying time requirements. I do hope to start back with this website, and to definitely take French in college. Why French? It's the language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where my nonhuman-primate love, the bonobo, lives exclusively; I'll need French to be able to communicate easily while conducting research in the DRC.

Rebellion- Alexander Reese

homage to my hips

BY LUCILLE CLIFTON

these hips are big hips

they need space to

move around in.

they don't fit into little

petty places. these hips

are free hips.

they don't like to be held back.

these hips have never been enslaved,   

they go where they want to go

they do what they want to do.

these hips are mighty hips.

these hips are magic hips.

i have known them

to put a spell on a man and

spin him like a top!

     This poem is a rebellion less against the author but rather the expectations imposed on her. This poem was written in 1987, when gender inequalities were much worse than they are today. The author is voicing her displeasure with the unfair standards for women in the world of 1987, probably more specifically the way women are typically expected to dress. This poem is a feminist celebration of the female body according to the book which sounds pretty accurate to me since all she talks about is how she's thick. This topic also probably would have left most men reading the poem rather taken aback as this was not something women really ever talked about in public those days. She is also rebelling against the standards by saying she is the one who is controlling men, albeit with her body and to me somewhat degrading herself. Lucille Clifton was assumedly tired of the unfair expectations placed on her by a society she did not really have a say in, and she somewhat brings to light a truth I am sure no man would have really wanted to admit at the time. 

Rebellion - Jonathan Tungate

anyone lived in a pretty how town

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

anyone lived in a pretty how town

(with up so floating many bells down)

spring summer autumn winter

he sang his didn't he danced his did.

Women and men(both little and small)

cared for anyone not at all

they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same

sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few

and down they forgot as up they grew

autumn winter spring summer)

that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf

she laughed his joy she cried his grief

bird by snow and stir by still

anyone’s any was all to her

someones married their everyones

laughed their cryings and did their dance

(sleep wake hope and then)they

said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon

(and only the snow can begin to explain

how children are apt to forget to remember

with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess

(and noone stooped to kiss his face)

busy folk buried them side by side

little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep

and more by more they dream their sleep

noone and anyone earth by april

wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)

summer autumn winter spring

reaped their sowing and went their came

sun moon stars rain

This poem talks on the conformity of society, 'someones' and 'everyones' going about their anonymous everyday lives. It focuses on how everyone in our society works, and lives our similar lives, and life goes on no matter the circumstances. Parts of this can be negative, where death is a casual occurrence, however is is also positive where people can be happy and not worry about all the troubles.

This poem speaks critically of conformity, and Cummings uses poetry as an outlet to express the feelings towards life in our day-to-day lives. Within poetry he can bury his true meanings behind wordplay, and let it unfold as the stanzas progress. He uses the seasons as a way to show time, in the monotonous manner that peoples lives continue on in our 'pretty how towns.' Also, the anonymity develops as the poem goes on and explains how this community could be anywhere, and lets you reflect on yourself.

Daphne and the Laurel wreath

Once the god Apollo made fun of Eros, equivalent to cupid the god of love. Eros was angry, and shot a golden arrow at Apollo, making him fall in love with the Daphne the virgin. But Eros shot Daphne with a lead arrow so she could never love Apollo back. So Apollo followed her while she ran away, until she came to the river of her father Peneus. There she wanted help from Peneus, who turned her into a laurel tree so she would be safe from Apollo. Apollo was sad, and made himself a laurel wreath (a circle made of laurel that you put on your head) from the tree, and the laurel tree became sacred to Apollo and is used by emperors within the culture. After the crown was used for all the winners at his games and great heroes in the years to come would be crowned with laurel leaves. He also vowed that she, like him, would have eternal youth where her leaves would never turn brown or fall but would always stay lush and green. Apollo loved that laurel with all his heart.

Eternal youth, to me, would be constant fascination and learning. My younger years were filled with thrill, fun and lots of learning experiences. One thing that I've noticed over the years is all of the things I went through when I was younger apply to my life now! Situations that I encounter getting older and getting more mature relate directly to the minimal errors I made as a kid. The mortality of our humanness adds to the excitement and thrill of what we do with our lives. Eternal Youth is an obvious fantasy, but if it ever does become possible I think there will be many detriments and benefits to come from it

Conformity and Rebellion- Maranda Gaines

homage to my hips

By  Lucille Clifton  

                            

these hips are big hips

they need space to

move around in.

they don't fit into little

petty places. these hips

are free hips.

they don't like to be held back.

these hips have never been enslaved,  

they go where they want to go

they do what they want to do.

these hips are mighty hips.

these hips are magic hips.

i have known them

to put a spell on a man and

spin him like a top!

 

Lucille, Clifton. "Homage to My Hips." Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2014.< http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/179615>.

Women have historically been repressed my men and society as a whole. They have been expected to act a certain way, to dress a certain way, and to be appear a certain way to society and the rest of the world. In this poem, Lucille is passively rebelling against this common sense of conformity. She uses the image of her hips, a very feminine body part, going where they want to go, as a symbol for her inner spirit. The narrator speaks for herself and other women when she says she wants to go and do as she pleases, just like her hips. She uses these empowering words to rebel against the conformity society expects of her and other women. Her poetry is a passive start to a rebellious movement.

Conformity and Rebellion - Kyle Luo

Booker T. and W.E.B. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois By Dudley Randall "It seems to me," said Booker T., "It shows a mighty lot of cheek To study chemistry and Greek When Mister Charlie needs a hand To hoe the cotton on his land, And when Miss Ann looks for a cook, Why stick your nose inside a book?" "I don't agree," said W.E.B. "If I should have the drive to seek Knowledge of chemistry or Greek, I'll do it. Charles and Miss can look Another place for hand or cook, Some men rejoice in skill of hand, And some in cultivating land, But there are others who maintain The right to cultivate the brain." "It seems to me," said Booker T., "That all you folks have missed the boat Who shout about the right to vote, And spend vain days and sleepless nights In uproar over civil rights. Just keep your mouths shut, do not grouse, But work, and save, and buy a house." "I don't agree," said W.E.B. "For what can property avail If dignity and justice fail? Unless you help to make the laws, They'll steal your house with trumped-up clause. A rope's as tight, a fire as hot, No matter how much cash you've got. Speak soft, and try your little plan, But as for me, I'll be a man." "It seems to me," said Booker T.-- "I don't agree," Said W.E.B Both Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Dubois were very prominent figures in African American history, and they both rebelled against the traditional ideas of how African Americans were "supposed" to behave at the time. This poem also takes this idea of a rebellion to a different level, pitting Washington's ideas against Dubois' idea. This poem essentially demonstrates the rebellion of two ideas on how man rebels against who he is.

Daphne and the Laurel Wreath - Kyle Luo

Daphne was a beautiful nymph that had no interest in love. However, because of her beauty, she was courted by many men, all of whom she rejected. One day, Apollo mocked the archery skills of Eros which deeply offended him. This resulted in Eros firing two arrows, one that caused love and infatuation which hit Apollo, and the other which caused hatred for romance which hit Daphne. This led to Apollo pursuing Daphne relentlessly. Tired of this, Daphne begged her father to help so he turned her into a laurel tree. Apollo was still in love with Daphne so he made a wreath from its leaves, cementing the laurel tree as a symbol of Apollo. I think the concept of eternal youth is definitely intriguing, and on first glance may seem desirable. Why would one not want to be able to remain in the peak years of their lives and live eternally? I think it would be incredible to be able to live forever and see the world progress and change but at the same time the excitement of eternal life would only last temporarily.

Conformity & Rebellion - Jacquelyn Engel

homage to my hips

By  Lucille Clifton  

                            

these hips are big hips

they need space to

move around in.

they don't fit into little

petty places. these hips

are free hips.

they don't like to be held back.

these hips have never been enslaved,  

they go where they want to go

they do what they want to do.

these hips are mighty hips.

these hips are magic hips.

i have known them

to put a spell on a man and

spin him like a top!

 

Lucille, Clifton. "Homage to My Hips." Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2014. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/179615>.

 

Clifton is not per say rebelling against what she is but rather appreciating herself. Her hips are “free hips”. They “don’t like to be held back”, “they go where they want to go”, and “they do what they want to do”. Ultimately, Clifton is referring to herself and her strong-will personality; she is proud of being female. Lucille Clifton suggests through this poem the power of women. She embodies the females species not only for who they are but also for their figures. Women can do what they want, and they also have a superior and more intrigue body than man. Clifton strongly believes in the power of women to stand for themselves since they have always been considered inferior to men. By voicing the power of women she is rebelling.

She is also rebelling literally in her poem. Clifton uses a free verse poem. There are no capitalizations and barely any grammar. Without these, Clifton suggests that she is rebelling against the standard rules of poetry. She purposely left out these to show that she does not live by conformity.

Conformity and Rebellion -- David Stevens

SONNET 73

William Shakespeare

That time of year thou may'st in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see'st the twilight of such day,
As after sunset fadeth in the west,
Which by-and-by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed whereon it must expire
Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by.
   This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong,
   To love that well which thou must leave ere long.

Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 73.” Shakespeare Online. 4 Nov. 2014. Web. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/73.html

William Shakespeare’s 73^rd sonnet, one of his most famous, is a rebellion against death and the mortality of all men. Although it is not as overt as Dylan Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into that good night,” this poem as well rejects that which cannot be rejected, the ultimate finality of death. In the first quatrain, the speaker compares himself to late autumn, when nearly all the leaves have fallen from the branches “where late the sweet birds sang.” The second comparison is between the speaker and murky twilight, as “black night” comes creeping in. These metaphors, paired with the third quatrain—which compares his life to a hearth, and his approaching death to its expiration—would appear to paint a bleak image of life in general, and especially of death. However, the final couplet reveals a change—a shift from pity to appreciation. The love of the poem’s subject for the speaker redeems his death; it is actually undying. In this way, Sonnet 73 is a rejection of death, and the escape it suggests is through love. Shakespeare argues that one may rebel against the clutches of “black night” by forging a love eternal. And while love might not conquer all—according to the bard, at least—vincit mortem amor.