reflection of the Class Part II

How has your personal poetry changed over time (use examples from your page on the Ning from your poems)?
I have learned so much about my style of my poetry over time. I feel that I have learned how to take a very large or vague idea into something precise and concise that still has the same power that my previous embellished wordy poems had. For example, reflecting back on my "I Wish" poem I realize that if Brooks were to boil it down it would be much more free and less fabricated. Then as time went on I wrote my event poem from January 26th that was much more concise and precise.

How has your perspective of poetry changed?

I honesty never saw that poetry could be as powerful or more powerful than music or other art forms. I now have a much better ability to read deep inside poetry to find the double or deeper meaning. Now when I hear the word poetry my ears raise and my mind clears to interpret the words of the soul.

Reflection of the Class

After reading all of the reflection posts of my peers I must say that there is not one of I disagree with. This class was absolutely fantastic. I have to say is what I love most about, besides Ms. Lewis, is the efforts to creating an untraditional class atmosphere. I feel as though many of times we as students become so systematic with the traditional ways of academic learning that we are actually learning nothing but the information we must to get good grades. When in actuality we could be learning so much more by trying out new ways of learning information that could increase our motivation and teach us how to learn a different and possibly more efficient way. The fact is, everyone learns differently. So how could everyone possibly learn if the class was only taught in one way?

Like I said before I can say so much after reading and agreeing with the reflection posts of my peers. I will always remember Poetry class and will use the untraditional educational techniques used in this class as a basis for my classes if I ever become what I'm thinking of being now, a teacher!

Reflection of importance in inspecting the Black Arts Movement

So I spent a lot of time trying to think of something to write about in my final blog and I finally decided that I write about the importance of inspecting the Black Arts Movement. By examining the Black Arts Movement I was abel to discover some of the key concepts of African American Art that has not been brought to my attention before. I had never before thought about how revolutionary hip hop and rap must have been when they first came out. Music like that had never been attempted until and after the Black Arts Movement. Our somewhat single minded culture must have thought so differently to this new wave of experimentation. Additionally, it is sad to say, but even today racist American's reject the idea of blacks beginning the new era of music. Hip hop and rap are seemingly growing year by year and our culture seams to be moving in its favor.

Blacks Celebrate Their Creation

It is impossible to ignore the energy and excitement that hip hop and rap artists bring to the table. Many artists celebrate and glorify where they come from and what they stand for through their music. Wether it is vulgar or honest is for the listener to decide. However, I know that these bold artists are not afraid to take art wherever they please. I absolutely admire the dignity that they have for their co-artists. Many hip-hop and rap groups have done work together resembling their respect for each others music. Additionally, the excitement they bring together or solo is especially admirable. Ever since the beginnings of hip hop and rap, artists have been unleashing a special kind of energy that in my onion can not be duplicated. Wether it is the beat, bass, keyboard, guitar, or vocals that are expressing this extreme energy throughout the movement of a song, the audience is always in for a mind-blowing experience. A few months back I saw two hip hop concerts that absolutely changed my outlook on hip hop. I never thought that energy achieved on the recorded album could ever be matched by a live show. However, I was in for a surprise when I discovered that somehow the live show conveys even more energy than the album! Check out this show that I saw a while back with Lil Wayne.

Black Arts Movement impact and reflection

Reading up on some articles of the Black Arts Movement impact and reflection to hip hop I've drawn some conclusions. Hip hop and rap can be considered the radical steps of blacks claiming their integrity and individuality among art. "Hip hop and rap were born of the anger toward and disaffection with the uptight boundaries of Western art and culture" the article claims. That statement to me says it all. Blacks rejected the previous standards that the culture has made and instead started something new and revolutionary. Regardless wether culture would accept it, blacks brought hip hop and rap to the stage with great dignity. They stood proud of what they represent and didn't care what people might have thought of them. Speaking of their hard times and their good times, their lyrics tell a story of life in their shoes. In fact, even contemporary hip hop and rap contain lyrics that express their feelings towards any of discrimination they have encountered or reflecting back on discrimination their ancestors may have encountered.

Looking Back At Seventh Bell Poetry

So, I'm supposed to post my reflections on our WONDERFUL 7th bell poetry class and I have no where to start because there is so much to say. Coming into the class on the first day of the term, I thought nothing of it. I was thinking the class would be fun, but I had no idea what kind of an impact it would have on me. Every T day, other kids were dreading class, however I was excited because it meant 50 minutes of poetry. When I look back at my time at Sem, poetry class will be one of my favorite memories.

How has my poetry changed?

Well, I am definiatly more comfortable writing about deeper, more personal subjects. I started the class writing poetry suited for a juvenile audience, just take a look at "What Is Poetry?" and "King of the Jungle." But, as the class progressed I developed a voice more suited for a mature audience often reflecting on the choices that we make in life such as, "By 25 I Will Not Be This Version Of Me" and "I Remember" (our group poem.)

How has my perspective of Poetry changed?

I respect poets so much more than I ever have. I also opened up to a different interpretation of poetry, it has no rules. I think now I can see a poem in an everyday act or location and I seem to be more inspired, which stems from my new found love for poetry. I also love that some of the poets we studied started young, while others just wrote as a therapeutic exercise. I now know that poetry is anything and everything.

My Reflection

7th bell Poetry class is by far the best class I have ever had in my life. Mrs. Lewis made everything possible for us and she let us experience the freedom of poetry with no rules. I really wish we could have had more time together, a poetry 2 class would be SO FUN! I think we should all go talk to Mr. Gordon about it...

How has your personal poetry changed over time?

Well at first I was not comfortable writing and sharing my poetry with a class I was unfamiliar with, but with a wonderful teacher such as Mrs. Lewis she made it possible for me to become comfortable with writing poetry and sharing it with a library full of people at the Poetry slam. I feel like my poetry has gotten a lot better after this term and much more personal. I will not think of poetry as a class anymore, I will think of it as a learning experience that I will continue to grow throughout my future. 

How has your perspective of poetry changed? 

My perspective of Poetry has changed tremendously. At first I was not even very interested by the subject, and I feel like it there was any other teacher I still would not enjoy it as much as I do. Mrs. Lewis taught us to write poetry with no rules, we could write about whatever we were feeling and it was the only class to let loose in. I have learned to love poetry, I always will after this class. All thanks to Mrs. Lewis :)