Importance of Being Earnest Performance Review- Max Kaufman

After having read The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde in October, it almost goes without saying that I was more than excited to attend the live performance at UK. As I walked up to my seat in the theatre no larger than a classroom, it was already clear that this performance would be intimate and audience oriented. The play begins with the help cleaning up from the party that occurred the night before, a nice touch from Directors Christina Ritter and Russell Henderson. This gave the audience a subtle yet helpful cue that the play was starting, rather than crudely presenting it otherwise.

As the performance progressed I was drawn in by the lofty acting Algernon (Peter Laprade) and the passionate Jack (Curtis Lipsey III). However this was totally outshined the moment Lady Bracknell (Jessica Agro) walked in—or should I say strutted in. Her performance was better than what I could have imagined. The costuming was done beautifully, with a dress that seemed as if it would be immovable due to the size, Lady Bracknell of course overcomes to the effect that you could practically taste the arrogance. One of the only downfalls of the play would be that this demanded more from characters like Cecily and Gwendolen, leaving them to fall flat in comparison.

If I had to rate this performance as a whole I would give it a 4 ½ out of 5 stars. The absent ½ would simply be due to the inability of the other female characters to match Jessica Argo’s stage presence as Lady Bracknell. All things considered, I would recommend this play to any of my friends as a must see performance.

Performance Review - Gates Sweeney

Johnny Conqueroo at Chuck's Music on December 5th

Johnny Conqueroo is a local rock band of high schoolers that I was introduced to by my friend Charlie Payne earlier this year. The first song I listened to was "Summer Blues," an upbeat guitar heavy track with a beefy solo performed by Grant Curless. Throughout the year, my realization of their future success grew increasingly. When the concert was announced, I was ecstatic to attend.

I arrived just after the opening acts were finished, and their success was immediately clear. The room was hot and tightly packed with people, VERY tight. The lights shining on the left and right sides of the stage set up an interesting glow among the crowd and on the band. The three musicians stepped up on to the stage and adrenaline rushed through the crowd of around 80. The just over an hour concert was purely the definition of a rock concert. Every human in the room was moving with the songs and enjoying the classic rock style Johnny Conqueroo likes to use. Some of the tracks included were "Night in Jail," "Summer Blues," and "Smokestack Lightning."

"Night in Jail" is a song about an abusive man that beats his woman, spends a night in jail, and is then removed from her presence. His kids are also removed from his possession, where he then feels like dying for being such a horrible father.

"Summer Blues" is a simple track that has a focus on the guitar solo just after the halfway mark. The song exhibits this loneliness/boredom feeling with the lines "I got them oh oh oh ohhhh oh ohhh summer blues" and "I'm staying inside because I aint got nothin to do," which turns out to be rather ironic because this is quite an exciting track.

"Smokestack Lightning" is a cover of the original "Smokestack Lightning" by Howlin' Wolf from 1964. Johnny Conqueroo's twist on it has turned the slow groovy R&B song into a thrilling rock song. The soft guitar Howlin' Wolf used has now been turned into a hard rock electric guitar that has little screeches and whammy bar hits that really bring out the Johnny Conqueroo style.

All in all, it was quite the concert. I came home very hot and messy but the energy in that room forced me to forget that I was dripping in sweat.

Sonnet-Sydney Taylor

Acquainted With The Night 
by Robert Frost

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-by;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

"The Best Sonnets Ever: The Best Sonnets of All Time." The Best Sonnets Ever: The Best Sonnets of All Time. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.

This poem has a very odd rhyme scheme, following a rhyme pattern of ABA BCB CDC DAD AA which most closely seems to align with a Spencerian style sonnet. The volta is at L13. It is written in iambic pentameter. The poem moves forward while repeating things from the past, the same as the narrator repeats his encounters with the night. The title is "acquainted" with the night, but the story seems to tell that he has a much closer relationship with the night.

Two Minute Thank You - Gates Sweeney

My father said to swing easy. He also said to stare at the head of the nail. "Jerk the pole when the bobber disappears." A processor is the brain of the computer. "Try and take this apart and put it back together." "Don't forget to sleep well." "Take a deep breath, I know you're nervous." He said he'll wake me up at 5:30. He said to watch out for those wires. "Make sure you switch the breaker off before you start working." "I'll help pay for your project." I did it dad! It works! It's installing Windows now! "Ease out on the clutch, and give it  more gas." I smoothed it out in a month or so, the ball was flying straight. Can we go to the farm dad? "Yes, but help me hook up the boat first." Why does a 17 year old know how to mix epoxy, find a stud in the wall, or make a wooden bowl? I said lets arm wrestle, you said I should wait a few years.

Sonnet- Max Kaufman

Learning to Write a Sonnet

The sonnet form is old and full of dust
And yet I want to learn to write one well.
To learn new forms and grow is quite a must,
But I will learn it quickly, I can tell.

And so I sit, today, with pen in hand,
Composing three new quatrains with a rhyme.
The rhythm flows like wind at my command.
The A-B-A-B form consumes my time.

But I’m not done until there’s fourteen lines.
One ending couplet, after three quatrains.
I’ve tried to write this new form several times.
The effort’s huge; I have to rack my brain.

But I persist, my fourteen lines now done.
I wrote my poem; my sonnet work is won.

by Denise Rodgers
Copyright© Denise Rodgers
All Rights Reserved
Photo by Denise Rodgers

 This is a Shakespearean sonnet because it features 3 quatrains and a couplet. It also is written in iambic pentameter and has the rhyme scheme ABAB-CDCD-EFEF-GG. The volta of this sonnet is after the 12th line, marked by the beginning of the couplet. The volta is stressing the way that the poet overcame the burden of writing a sonnet and how they are now finished with the poem. The first quatrain serves as an explanation of what a sonnet is and the place it holds today in English class. The second quatrain is explaining the rhyme scheme, and the third is discussing the line structure. I choose this sonnet because there is no sonnet more applicable to learning about sonnets. This sonnet is speaking on the difficulty surrounding the composing of sonnets.

Sonnet - Ben Grossman

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
by William Shakespeare






Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.





Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimmed;






But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.





So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.






This is a Shakespearean sonnet. At the start of the poem the poet builds up the subject of the poem comparing them to summer. The thing about summer is that it doesn't last forever. The subject will be remembered forever through the poem as long as it exists.

Sonnet - Gates Sweeney

Spring

Thomas Caulfield Irwin

Blow, summer wind, from yonder ocean blow

Along the wild sea banks and grasses drear,

And loamy shores, where mosses brown and sere

And pale pinks in the sandy ridges grow;

Float round yon promontory in the brine,

Whose stretching arm in deepest azure lies,

Where quiet browse the heavy-uddered kine

By rock and shining shallow, grey and clear;

And fill, this listless hour, the dreamy ear

With thy scarce toned and wordless harmonies:

For here with Nature will I rest, and please

My heart with sweetest fancies all the noon,

Until the limpid crescent of the moon

Lights the blue east above the evening trees.

Rhyme Scheme: A B B A C D C B B E E F F E

Thomas Irwin started writing as a journalist out of Dublin in 1848. He then moved on to write at least one novel and several volumes of poetry. This sonnet, "Spring," encompasses all of the little characteristics of spring. There doesn't seem to be a clear fit for the form of the sonnet, mostly due to its skewed rhyme scheme, but the volta is identifiable. In line 10, the word "I" is introduced for the first time. This signifies a transition from the descriptive beginning to the plans that Irwin has made to rest during this beautiful season, spring. He encourages the lector to enjoy the nature around them while they rest.

Sonnet - Derrick Thomas Jr.

If Dr. Seuss Wrote A Sonnet With William Shakespeare

He'd ride an iamb down the lane
while counting drops of sonnet rain;
Shall I... Shall I ... Shall I ... He'd say
Shall I ... Shall I ... Another way ?

Of darling buds more temperate
he'd say, with ten I'd pentamate,
he'd bill and coo and huff and cuss
while on a rhinopotamus.

He'd dum da dum, not da dum da
place volta's in a chocolate bar,
he'd stress the stress of unstressed words
place couplets on the wings of birds.

He'd sing Oh my ... Shall I ... Shall I
then close his eyes and slowly die
  

This sonnet explores the idea of Dr. Seuss writing a traditional sonnet. It follows classic shakespearean sonnet guidelines of iambic pentameter, three quatrains, and one couplet. However it carries an aa bb cc dd....gg. The volta is still found at the couplet where it leaves its whimsical tone to a darker one, to have a more shakespearean ending. 

Performance Review - Kate Sommer - The Wiz

The Wiz Performance Review

                I watched the live televised production of The Wiz that was aired on NBC at 8PM on December 3, 2015 in Bethpage, New York (Well technically I watched a recorded version of it).This was a live production of the original 1975 musical The Wiz, which was a modern version of The Wizard of Oz with an entirely African American cast. It was written by Harvey Fierstein and directed by Matthew Diamond and Kenny Leon. The cast included Queen Latifah, Elijah Kelley, Ne-Yo, Mary J. Blidge and many others.

            The overall plot of The Wiz is very similar to that of The Wizard of Oz. The show begins with Dorothy wanting to leave home and a tornado transports her to the land of Oz. Her house lands on and kills the Wicked Witch of the East and Dorothy is celebrated by the munchkins and the Good Witch of the North. She is told to follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to the find the Wiz who is the only person who can send her home. While on her journey she comes across a Scarecrow, a Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion and invites them on her journey to find the Wiz to see if he can get them a brain, a heart, and courage respectively. Once they reach the Wiz he agrees to grant their wishes after they kill the Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy and her friends are taken prisoner by the witch and Dorothy eventually kills her by throwing a bucket of water on her. When the group returns to the Wiz it is revealed that the Wiz is a woman from Omaha that got carried to Oz in a storm many years ago. The Wiz then reveals to the group that they had the qualities they were searching for the entire time and they just had to know how to use them. After a little persuasion the Wiz tries to take Dorothy to Omaha by using the hot air balloon she arrived in but Dorothy at the last minute realizes her home isn’t Omaha. Glinda is called by the Good Witch of the South and reveals that she had the power to take her home was inside of her the entire time.

            While the plot is generally the same there are many twists to make the production more modern and make it apply to the African American culture. The music is the most prominent change. The music is much more modern and has a more soul/funk kind of sound to it. The costumes are also much more modern. Rather than Dorothy wearing a checkered gingham dress she wears a plaid skirt with a fashionable jacket. There are also many jokes that are geared towards a more modern and possibly a younger audience. There are jokes about an apple tablet, the fascination with getting hair done and appearance, and bouncers at clubs.

            The set changed many times but all of the sets were well put together and very telling of the scenery. In Munchkinland the surrounding buildings were tall and oddly shaped to be indicative of the characters. In the forest they just used simple beams made to look like tall trees but they helped a lot to convey the creepy and lost feeling in these parts of the production. Not only were the sets well put together but so were the set changes. The set changes were very smooth and they played music while it was happening to signify the change in scenery. The lighting also helped to convey the mood. During the forest scenes there was lighting coming from the floor to help add to the creepy feeling, In the poppy scene the used back lighting in warm colors to make it seem enticing but also the show that there was danger there. In The Emerald City they use bright green reflective lighting to emulate the look of an emerald.     

            The main message of the show is to overcome your short comings and flaws and look deep within you to find the good parts of yourself. There are also other smaller messages, like don’t expect something for nothing and home is more than just where you were born.

            Overall I give the production a 10/10 because the acting, music, choreography, sets, lighting, and every other aspect of the show was excellently executed.

Sonnet Blog Post

Siegfried Sassoon
Dreamers

(A)Soldiers are citizens of death's gray land,

(B)Drawing no dividend from time's tomorrows.

(A)In the great hour of destiny they stand,

(B)Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows

(C)Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win

(D)Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives.

--------------------------------------------------------**

(C)Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin

(D)They think of firelit homes, clean beds, and wives.

(E)I see them in foul dugouts, gnawed by rats,

(F)And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain,

(E)Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats,

(F)And mocked by hopeless longing to regain

(E)Bank holidays, and picture shows, and spats,

(F)And going to the office in the train.

**emphasis mine

"Sonnets." Of World War I. Sonnet Central, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

    This World War 1 era sonnet appears at first glance to follow the traditional outline of a Shakespearean sonnet, with the first three quatrains being ABAB, CDCD, and EFEF respectively. However, the shift (or volta) in the sonnet occurs in the middle of the sonnet, between the first set of CD rhymes and the second set (denoted by dashed line). Also, the last two lines are a continuation of the EFEF rhyme scheme as opposed to a GG rhyming couplet. The poem itself is also unique in that it does not deal with love in the way a traditional sonnet does. There is no love here in the romantic sense. Instead, the poem is all about the love soldiers experience for the simpler things and, such as "...clean beds" and "Bank holidays and picture shows...". The poem shows the shift in thinking and in action experienced by many WW1 soldiers on the front lines from patriotic and dauntless to frightened, miserable, and homesick.

Michael Dickson's sonnet

                                      In Jabba's citadel the band plays tunes

Luke feeds the Hutt to Sarlacc in the dunes,

On Dagobah old Yoda's death is sad,

and Luke heads off to battle with his Dad.

 

With Solo back in business fully healed

on Endor they attempt to wreck the shield,

the Emperor's as cunning as a fox

the little Ewoks help by throwing rocks.

 

When Vader learns he has a daughter too

he saves his son - the Emperor is through,

but Vader dies as Lando fires his blast

and Luke grabs up the body, heads out fast.

 

On Endor Jedi ghosts applaud and smile

the force is back in balance for a while...

This sonnet is all about star wars, and the deep intricacies of the star wars universe. It's essentially a message about the horrible corruption in the galactic senate. It also revealed that Darth Vader is Luke's "dad."

It s a modified sonnet.

Sonnet - Kate Sommer

 “I will put Chaos into fourteen lines,” Edna St. Vincent Millay (c. 1945)

 

I will put Chaos into fourteen lines

And keep him there; and let him thence escape

If he be lucky; let him twist, and ape

Flood, fire, and demon—his adroit designs

Will strain to nothing in the strict confines

Of this sweet Order, where, in pious rape,

I hold his essence and amorphous shape,

Till he with Order mingles and combines.

Past are the hours, the years, of our duress,

His arrogance, our awful servitude:

I have him. He is nothing more nor less

Than something simple yet not understood;

I shall not even force him to confess;

Or answer. I will only make him good.               

This sonnet is a Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet. The volta occurs at the traditional time, at the sestet. This sonnet is about writing a sonnet. It describes the act of taking an idea or situation that should take more than 14 lines to describe and withering it down to squeeze it into a sonnet format. At the volta she changes from chaos that is hard to control and trying to escape to a thing that has submitted to her will but has not lost his meaning. The sonnet has the same meaning as before when it was chaos but now she has reformatted him down to fit within the restrictions of a sonnet.

I choose this sonnet because I always find it interesting when someone uses a form to describe the same form. Like using dance to represent the art of dance, or using visual art to show how to paint. A sonnet on how to write a sonnet is very interesting to me and even more so because she personifies the chaos that is her thought process when going into the beginning of writing a sonnet.


http://www.cprw.com/Misc/finch2.htm


St. Vincent Millay, Edna. "I Will Put Chaos into Fourteen Lines." <i>Contemporary Poetry Review</i>. Annie Finch, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.

Sonnet- Skylar Mays

Strange! by John Fredrick Nims


http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177381


This poem most closely resembles the English Shakespearian sonnet. It follows the rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef gg, however it modifies from the regular three quatrains. It is instead broken up into an octave, quintain, and a single line. I think it does this to emphasis it's difference from other sonnets about love. Instead of the common "I love her, and wish she would love me back," it's more of an "I love her and think she is so incredible, that I want everyone to appreciate and admire her as much as I do;" which is also why I choose this poem. An important characteristic of Shakespearian poems is the turning point. This usually occurs on line 9, and this poem does the same. The first stanza relates to how the speaker doesn't hear anyone talking about his assumed "love." Then the second stanza, starting with line 9, is how he believes their name should be spoken of and written about. It's a shift from observation to his thoughts, thus making the turning point more emphasized. He believes it to be strange that someone he finds so incredibly beautiful and amazing isn't on everyone's minds like it is his. This even continues into the last line where he says her name should be written in the stars, making it out of the hands of those gossiping in the banks and into the hands of the universe.

Sonnet- Isabelle Rinker

By Henry Timrod 1828–1867 Henry Timrod

I thank you, kind and best beloved friend,

 

With the same thanks one murmurs to a sister,

 

When, for some gentle favor, he hath kissed her,

 

Less for the gifts than for the love you send,

 

Less for the flowers, than what the flowers convey;

 

If I, indeed, divine their meaning truly,

 

And not unto myself ascribe, unduly,

 

Things which you neither meant nor wished to say,

 

Oh! tell me, is the hope then all misplaced?

 

And am I flattered by my own affection?

 

But in your beauteous gift, methought I traced

 

Something above a short-lived predilection,

 

And which, for that I know no dearer name,

 

I designate as love, without love’s flame.

 

This is a sonnet in the form abbacddcefefegg. It would be in traditional sonnet form if the first couple lines were in abab form instead of abba form. The shift at the end represents an overall picture of this man’s love. This form ties into the message of the poem as it has a romantic structure to go along with the romantic theme. I chose this sonnet because it seemed beautiful and romantic and I like that kind of thing. To me, it represented love and the symbols of gifts that one lover gives to another.

Sonnet - Anthony Tamasi

Getting the Child to Bed - Allen Grossman

Getting the child to bed is awful work,

Committing that rage to sleep that will not sleep.

The lie rots in my throat saying, “O.K.

There is balm in Gilead. Go to bed.

Honey of generation has betrayed us both.”

And truly it is no wild surmise of darkness

Nor Pisgah purview of Canaan drowned in blood

But only my child saying its say in bed.

If madness ever covers me, the caul contract

That now but loosely insinuates a shroud

I shall go howling into the conscious grave

(God keep children from the power of the dog)

Follow that note into the uttering horn

Awake in the womb from which I was born.

Grossman, Allen. "Getting the Child to Bed." Poetry Foundation, 2002. Web. 9 Dec. 2015. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/249420>.

This is an Italian (or Petrarchan) sonnet, with an octave followed by a sestet. However, Grossman does not follow traditional Italian rhyme scheme. He follows a Shakespearian scheme with the heroic couplet at the end. The volta happens between lines 8 and 9, where Grossman switches from talking about getting the child to bed to talking about himself. This changes the meaning of the poem, to which I believe is that he is the child in the poem, and "going to bed" represents the process towards death. I chose this poem because I am Italian and this is an Italian style sonnet.

To the Poet Before Battle- Kayla Beebout

To the Poet Before Battle

By Ivor Gurney

 

Now, youth, the hour of thy dread passion comes;                                 

Thy lovely things must all be laid away;                                                         

And thou, as others, must face the riven day                                                             

Unstirred by the rattle of the rolling drums,                                                

Or bugles’ strident cry.  When mere noise numbs                                    

The sense of being, the sick soul doth sway,                                                              

Remember thy great craft’s honour, that they may say                         

Nothing in the shame of poets.  Then the crumbs                                    

Of praise the little versemen joyed to take                                                 

Shall be forgotten; then they must know that we are,                           

For all our skill in words, equal in might                                                         

And strong of mettle as those we honoured; make                                

The name of poet terrible in just war,                                                           

And like a crown of honour upon the fight. 

--Gurney, Ivor. "To the Poet Before Battle." Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.                                                                          

 

This is a Petrarchan sonnet, divided into an octave and a sestet with the rhyme scheme a b b a a b b a, c d e c d e.  However, Gurney does not adhere to iambic pentameter, as is customary for a sonnet.  Lines 7 and 10 are in iambic hexameter; these are the two lines that explicitly refer to “they,” meaning the detractors of poets, or fellow soldiers.  Lines 3, 4, 12, 13, and 14 all include an anapestic foot (actually, Line 4 has two), which disturb the usual harmony and regularity of a sonnet.  This disturbance shows the discordance of war in the poet’s personality, which is usually contemplative and artistic, even if emotionally turbulent.  Line 8 is in trochaic pentameter, with an added masculine ending, which brings attention to the volta.  In this poem, the volta is earlier than usual, since traditional Petrarchan sonnets have their volta in the sestet following the octave.  The early volta and the trochaic structure of the line add emphasis, emphasizing his plea that poets act in a way that brings no dishonor to them. 

     I chose this sonnet because it resonated with me as a writer and a poet.  I know how hard it would be to face battle for me, and for many others like me.  I also know the stereotypes of poets as being weak and overly emotional.  Gurney knew all of these things, having served himself in World War I.  Although I hate war, I think that Gurney’s sentiment is honorable: that sometimes we have to do what we have to do, so we should try to do things against our nature with honor.  By going against the nature of the sonnet, he practices what he preaches and makes his point even clearer.

Performance Review: : Avery B., 12 Angry Jurors

Performance Review : 12 Angry Jurors

 

I attended this performance in the afternoon showing during school (October 30^th 2015 5^th and 6^th hours). The performance was called 12 Angry Jurors. It was set in the back conference room of a courthouse and the jurors discussed the trial at hand. It was written by Reginald Rose. This performance put on by some select students of Henry Clay High School was directed by Kristian Junker and Keifer Schuler. The crew consisted of Mikaela Gatewood as Stage Manager, Emily Salamanca as Crew Manager, Samantha Schuler as Assistant Stage Manager, Noah Welch as the cellist and as Props and Sets facilitators, Megan Andrews and Morgan Lakofka.

                For the monotone mood and lack of movement throughout this play the plain and stationary lighting was quite appropriate. The white lighting was dimmed for the transition between cello solo and scenes as well as during scene changes and intermission transitions.       

                With the limited stage space available the actors and directors made the best staging and placing decisions. The stage had two tables placed in the shape of a “V”. That way the actors could all be seen, heard, and still perform what the plot required. The back drop was a white wall as well as a window and a window and a door to the courtroom. The door was used mainly by the guard to bring the jurors into the room and then to collect the verdict.

                Throughout the course of the plot the Jurors (played by Jade Curless, Emily Crum, Isabel Jenkins, Jade Kropp, Ian Harrison, Maya Creamer, Alyssa Payton, Raiffa Syamil, Rebekah George, Emily Spencer, Crysta Muis, Isabelle Rinker, Gloria Dietz, and Kaitlyn Rutherford) are debating whether or not a man is guilty of murder. You can tell that some actors are more invested and more experienced on stage in front of an audience and some haven’t had that much practice in live performances. There’s

 

always an apparent distinction between the seasoned actors and actresses and the less experienced ones and you can definitely distinguish between the two in this performance. Overall I rate this performance a 6 of 10. The main figures in the plot played their part well and its safe to assume that they were chosen for those roles based on their superb acting ability. But it doesn’t have a higher rating because of the lack of setting change and the acting ability as a cast average.

Sonnet - Emily Salamanca

)when what hugs stopping earth than silent is
more silent than more than much more is or
total sun oceaning than any this
tear jumping from each most least eye of star

and without was if minus and shall be
immeasurable happenless unnow
shuts more than open could that every tree
or than all life more death begins to grow

end’s ending then these dolls of joy and grief
these recent memories of future dream
these perhaps who have lost their shadows if
which did not do the losing spectres mime

until out of merely not nothing comes
only one snowflake(and we speak our names

-e.e. cummings

Something is stopping both the Earth itself and all affection. This something also causes tears to fall. The stopping leaves everything directionless and futile, almost like nothing at all is left. In fact, there is no more time for anything to happen in. Cummings believes that since everything inevitably dies then joy and pleasure are mere dreams. Yet, in spite of death, people love, snowdrops fall, and time wraps around us. 

He uses a Shakespearian sonnet form which contains 3 quatrains and one heroic couplet at the end, with an "abab cdcd efef gg" rhyme scheme. The turn comes at line 13, making the ending couplet quick and dramatic. Cummings uses a Shakespearian sonnet form in order to prescribe order and tangibility to a piece which uses mostly symbolic imagery. Whereas many writer fall out of a single form in order to shock the reader, Cummings wants the reader to have the ability to understand his work and follow along in a certain manner.


Cummings, E.e. "Sans Titre." Since Feeling Is First. October 1, 1953. Accessed December 9, 2015.

Two-Minute Thank You- Kayla Beebout

My mom always said I could tell her anything, no matter what.  Katie understood that I wasn’t as crazy as I acted.  Mrs. Gilliam taught me that sometimes being crazy wasn’t such a bad thing.  Mrs. Bosworth taught me to play Star Wars on the piano.  My dad showed me Bilbo Baggins’ long-expected birthday party.  Mrs. Nuckols said as long as I did my part, it would turn out fine.

My friends said sure, they would read my stories.  Mr. Peavler showed us Phantom of the Opera.  Tyler came to visit me in the hospital, even though he had just moved here and started his job as our new youth minister.  My grandpa always said he was proud of me, every time he saw me.  Joanna always made me laugh.  Aislinn taught me how to knit.  Lauren said, “I’ll take care of that.”

Josie told me it wasn’t my fault he stopped talking to me.  Jeanine let me laugh at my mistakes, and she would laugh too.  Jason told me I was smart enough to do anything I wanted.  Mrs. Gill helped me study, even though I wasn’t her student.  My hall mates lowered my bed so I didn’t have to climb up after I fell.  Dr. Strait told me not to listen when people told me an English major would never have a job.  Ms. Whitman taught me how to tell my story in a college entrance essay.

Two MinuteThank You - Avery B

 Bella said go to the doctor. I said that it would pass, it will go away. She told me to go to the doctor, you really need to get that checked out, or I will tell your mother and take you myself. I said yes ma'am and went and made an appointment. The doctor said I have heart disease and that they don't know what to do. She said to keep swimming but to watch what I eat. But I don't really watch what I eat. Mom said, don't buy those cheese curds. Jay said let me have some. And I said no they are all mine. Coach says to take it easy. And I tell him that people who take it easy don't get faster. My dad tells me to quit swim. My dad tells me that he won't pay for college. So I ask myself, would he pay for a heart transplant? So I go on day by day. Mom says apply to college. School says get good grades. Dad says I'm not payin'. Heart says I'm not going to work. What do I say? I say I have no idea. Just keep on going. Day by day. Damn cheese curds.

Performance Review - Sydney Taylor

My youngest sister attends SCAPA and last weekend they put on a production of Oliver! Though Holly is a creative writing major and not drama, all the 4th and 5th graders were given ensemble parts. My sister played an orphan child in the performance. Oliver! is about an orphan child who runs away from the orphanage he lives in and teams up with a group of boys trained to be pickpockets.

The kids in SCAPA are truly very talented for the age group they represent. My sister is friends with the girl who played Nancy (an eighth grader) and she had a very impressive range and acting ability. The boy who played Oliver was younger, but also very talented. The performance was put on at the Lexington Opera House and had quality set pieces for an elementary school performance.

The children's British accents were great, especially since they only rehearsed for about six weeks. The performance wasn't a professional show, but the girl who played Nancy belonged in a professional cast.

Two Minute Thank You - Sydney Taylor

My grandmother said she wouldn't tell her anything. Jess said I lava you and Hope said she always be there for me. My dad said to be careful and Maggie asked if I was okay. My mom said go to work, get good grades, practice your speeches. Then she said stop working so much, your grades suck, you stay after school too much, come home and clean. And then she asked why I hadn't paid my bills, why my grades still sucked, why I had another dent in my car, what happened? She said I destroyed our relationship. She didn't understand that we never had one. She said I lied about everything. Isabelle said shoot for the moon or settle for the Orion Nebula. He said he was sorry, but didn't know why I was mad. Kinda defeats the point of apologizing. 

Performance Review- Isabelle Rinker

When I visited New York City over fall break, I finally had the opportunity to see a production of Chicago. The show took place on October 1st, 2015 at 8:00pm at the Ambassador Theatre. The cast featured Dylis Croman as Roxie Hart and Amra-Faye Wright as Velma Kelly. The original Chicago musical was written by Maurine Dallas Watkins. The story takes place in 1920s Chicago, when Roxie Hart is arrested for  murdering her lover. In prison, Velma Kelly is a huge "star", with the best lawyer in town (Billy Flynn). She is disappointed that Roxie steals her spotlight, and her lawyer. Roxie becomes a huge celebrity in Chicago, hoping that her fame as a criminal can help her pursue the career of a performer.

Although our seats were in the balcony and quite far away from the stage, I could tell that the costumes (including hair and makeup) were fit to the time period. The characters were dressed to the time period (ladies wearing short "flapper-style" wigs and corsets, men wearing tuxedos and hats). The lighting fit the "night club" appeal of the setting, and the light would be used to enhance the performance, as the spotlight would typically move to wherever the lead singer was.

In general, the show was entertaining. The dancers' synchronization was impressive, and the lead singers (main characters) were captivating performers. My favorite songs from the production were "Roxie", "Cell Block Tango", and "When You're Good to Mama". Overall, I would rank this performance a 9.8/10, because the quality of the show was great, although at times, I was a bit bored.

Two Minute Thank You

My mom said to pedal and look straight ahead. My dad said it wasn't our fault as he packed up his clothes. Mrs. Stocker gave me puzzles. Mrs. White gave me crafts. Mrs. Brown gave me clothes post bloody noses and Mrs. Sims helped me pick out books. Michael taught me how to play my first note on clarinet. Aunt Mary Claire gave me a set of oil paints and said "I know you can create something beautiful with these." My best friend said I'm sorry after telling me she attempted suicide. My dad said "You have to maintain good grades if you want to go to Henry Clay." My mom said to never compare myself to my sisters. My older sister said goodbye then came back six months later. I waved to my best friend as she left my house. I cried 6 hours later when she texted me saying she was going to the Ridge after attempting suicide a second time. My grandma said "We're so proud of you." My sister said "Can you help me with chemistry?" My mom said to look at the road ahead of me and push down the gas pedal.

Comedy-Kate Sommer

There are many different examples of humor in the Importance of Being Earnest. Examples of physical humor include when Ernest is chasing Algernon around the couch trying to retrieve his cigarette case and also when Lady Bracknell tell Gwendolen to go to the carriage and she and Ernest make kiss faces to each other behind the Lady's back. An example of a pun is in the beginning when Algernon is playing the piano and says that "playing with expression is his forte" because forte is a musical term. Another moment that I found particularly funny was when Lady Bracknell says that she or Lord Bracknell would inform Gwendolen when she became engaged. This was funny because it was making fun of the fact that in that time period it was more likely for people of the higher to class to marry for status and money rather than love and the parents were more likely to arrange the marriage for their benefit.
A modern example of a pun would be in Shrek the Musical when Shrek and Donkey are describing Lord Farquad to Fiona and they keep making short jokes about him. An modern example of physical humor is when a taller person holds something up or puts something on a high shelf so that a shorter person can't get to it.

Two Minute Thank You Blog

My grandmother told me to never go outside with wet hair. I'll catch a cold if I do. The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places, Hemingway said. Don't run with the wrong crowd, and make sure to never stick your head out of the window of a moving car. My grandmother claims a friend of hers had his head cut off by doing that. But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated. Don't forget about the little things he said. I gave my little brother a gift. What she did hurt in more ways than I imagined. I wanted to be better than the others. The best revenge is to live a happy life. There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self. Thanks Hemingway, I'll keep that in mind. There's always a greater cause than yourself. Theres's no "I" in team.  After all, They wrote in the old days that it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country. But in modern war, there is nothing sweet nor fitting in your dying. You will die like a dog for no good reason. But there is a "me" in team. Maybe it's not so bad to look out for yourself every once and a while. My dad told me "I'm giving you all the rope you want. You can either build a hammock or hang yourself. Your choice." What an interesting but effective way to say be careful. Be able to laugh at yourself, it makes life easier. Always keep your wits about you. If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one ninth of it being above water. I don't think the survivors of the Titanic would appreciate that comment, Mr. Hemingway. The end. Or perhaps this is just the tip of the iceberg. Who knows? Just me.

Michael Dickson: Two-Minute Thank You

My dad called me slugger. My friends called me Fish. The teachers called me "smart." The kids at schools disagreed. Mr. G told me to never throw the first punch, but to always throw the last. The nurse told me that black eyes didn't scar. My best friend said she wanted to kiss me. Two years later I met her new girlfriend. The psychiatrist said it wouldn't hurt forever. The doctor said I was lucky to be alive. The voices in my head said otherwise. The doctor said he had some bad news, that the tumor was growing. I told him I wasn't about to lose a fight with my own body. I met a boy and told him I loved him. My dad said that he didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything at all. My sister told me cigarettes would kill me, I told her that was the point. The boy I loved said he hated me, I told him I hated him too. I told my dog that she was the only one I could trust, she didn't say anything, but I knew what she meant.

Two-Minute Thank You-Skylar Mays

My parents told me to try harder. Mrs. G told me to read out loud. My brothers fought too much. My dad asked me what I wanted to do. My coaches asked me to be more aggressive. Mr. A made me dislike school. My friends asked if it were true. I said we would still hang out. Mrs. B told us to play icebreakers. Mr. C restored my faith in humanity. Middle school was bigger. We went to my friend's open house. And her going away party. Everyone cried. My mom told me I won the derby at the small party. Someone handed me a mason jar of m n m's. My anxiety kicked in. My coaches asked me to work harder. The doctor told me I had asthma. My brother said he was accepted into college. My other brother said he was moving out. My parents said I was the only one left. My friend asked me how the movie was, and more importantly how the guy was. Infinite Campus said my grades need to come up. My parents said the same. My councilor offered little guidance. My grandparents gave me a car. I said I was thrilled; I was so much more. The coach said we were going to State Cup. Everyone said Junior year would be hard. The boy told me to get home safe. My classes proved to be easier than the year before. The hill said I needed to wake up earlier. And earlier. And earlier. I won region on a piece I didn't like. The guy at pizza hut said it'd be another few minutes. The interview went well, but not well enough. I met a team I loved. The trainer told me I tore my labrum. My art teacher said it looked good. Then gave me a B. I helped my friends out of tough situation. They said thanks. My parents said I was getting better. He said he loved me. My boss said I would have to work during school. I said I was putting in my two week. Common- App said I needed fewer words. My councilor said I needed more activities. I didn't give up.

Two Minute Thank You- Isabelle Rinker

"Entre ser y no ser, yo soy," is the protagonist's catchphrase on my favorite telenovela, Teresa. Teresa is such a strong, ambitious female character, with whom I, myself, very much identify. That catchphrase loosely translates to, "If I have to choose between being a somebody and being a nobody, I will be a somebody." And if there's anything my mom has taught me, it's that if you know your own worth, no one can make you feel worthless. Overall, I've learned that confidence is one of the most important things for a young woman to have.

But more importantly, you have to make time for those you love. Friends and family can sometimes teach you the most valuable lessons in life. For instance, my dad, who told me, "Fake it til you make it." Or my 4th teacher/dance coach who told me to never give up, with dance, with writing, with my studies, anything. Or my youth minister, who told me to always keep my Catholic faith close to heart. Or Sydney, for bringing me back to reality when I need it. And Mia helped me study for the APUSH Exam by telling me "The Era of Good Feelings was when everyone was Gucci."

But I think I ought to thank myself, as well, for keeping my head up and having a backbone throughout all of life's trials. Because self-love is so important.

Two Minute Thank You - Anthony Tamasi

Jared showed me how to dribble a basketball. Mr. Hukill taught me how to hold a bat. I learned to use a shorter one because of my small stature. Coach Pete told me to use it to my advantage; the other team would not be expecting much. Mrs. Dewees told me, “You will be a star.” My mother explained to me about manner, to always be polite. Jacob showed me how to code. Mrs. Johnson said, “Always be a little kinder than necessary.” Roderick said, “Do you need a job?” Mr. Behler said, “You can just skim it to understand it.” My orthodontist always said that I looked nice today. Tim asked me what I had to contribute. Caleb helped carry me when I ripped open my leg. We found some Neosporin and bandages, and walked to Tyler’s house. My step brother, also named let me borrow his shoes. I know a lot of people named Tyler. Ty said, “It gets better.” Mei Yu said, “Should I fight her?” Andrew told me to put on a shirt that was not so tight. John never said much, just observed. My mother helped me paddle back to the beach, from the rip current. Dan said, “Read the instructions first.” No thanks. Mr. Combs said to learn by doing it. Robert told me to get some new shoes. Caroline told me to lose the cargo pants and graphic tees. Donna held me up as I threw up for an hour, and made me soup when I was sick. 

Two-Minute Thank You - Emily Salamanca

             Thanks. A lot. She said she did not want to see anymore. Elizabeth rolled her eyes after quickly glancing over. G. Nellen scoffed a bit more. They all lowered their brows until the resting un-impression returned. My father told me, "It is not my favorite...It has got some things..." In the room next to the sander and bench grinder, I read 1493. Paul called out to me over the sound of the roaring fan.
             Susan said, "You can stay as long as you want. You do not have to leave at five." Cynthia took a parking space by the coffee shop up the street and waited by the yellow curb. They said not to park there from 9AM until 7PM. She said to clean my face, wash my elbows, dab the oil off my cuffs. Some asked what happened to my hand, others just grasped it in awe. The passersby saw my side-step into the gutter. 104.5 suffused the dismal air. John said, "I cannot believe you are not focusing your 200 ours on canvas." Henry said, "You're doing well, keeping up." He majored in music. Jean marveled and awed at the trigonometry assignment. The feathers looked so real in that dimly lit hospital room, No. 127. The small turkey desserts were preserved in the micro-fridge. Mom said that I needed to leave before 9 o'clock. She said what I did was a good thing. Celia and David sat at the table next to ours, separated from Jean. I said to Elizabeth to explore the upstairs, count the bathtubs. I rubbed my water marker mosaic on the table cloth. The waiter said it was okay. The coffee scalded my tongue. My mom noted my dress as we walked in a unit. I did not want her to look too closely.