Kierston Sharp English 1101-028 October 1, 2012 Mr.

Borrero

Defending Poetry

Comment [M1]: Five Points to fix: -Introduction -Comma Usage -Topical Transitions -More detail to add depth and clarity -Enhance Conclusion

Throughout this Multi-Modal Literacy project I was forced to dig deeper into my own personal meaning of literacy and the importance of it. The freedom we were given is what gave me the most trouble when deciding what genre I wanted my final narrative to be in. I chose a poetry book to convey my literacy history because it has always had a special place within my life. Authors such as Nikki Giovanni and Maya Angelou helped me to find freedom with writing style and subjects. Via their inspiration, I created a product that displayed my personal thoughts on good writing in addition to the styles, topics, and layouts that are associated with this genre. I will articulate the connection I have made with these women over the years as well as my reasoning for the creative choices I made in my book. When we are first introduced to literature whether it be at home or in school, it is usually very standardized and watered down. In order to refrain from overwhelming young students, teachers teach basic guidelines on what constitutes an A; so for the longest time I thought that all
Comment [M2]: I fixed my introduction, these are the points details I added -engaging the audience -clarify topical focus -why I chose this genre -how the rest of my paper will play out (explaining the creative choices)

acceptable writing was composed in a certain structure. During this introduction I was only aware that there had to be an obvious beginning, middle, and end. Teachers always discussed paragraphs as being five to seven sentences long with little to no variation. Literature was only chapter books and did not include pictures. Eventually I was introduced to poems but they were all whimsical with no real meaning or feeling behind it. Then, when I was about nine years old my sister showed me a poetry book that she had checked out from the library by a lady named Nikki Giovanni. Almost as if I was in a lovesick trance, poetry became my life. Even at such a young age, I was the newest family poet. I had learned via exposure to her books that for one, anyone could write poetry; secondly, my topics could be about real life things, not just silly Shel Silverstein characters. Coming from an African American family, my perspective on life was much different than the white kids I interacted with in school. I identified with the struggles of being a minority and a female which were the topics of many of Giovanni and Angelous poems. They were proud of their heritage and what they brought to the table even if it was different from the more accepted people in society. In Nikki Giovannis Nikki-Rosa, a poem about people of her race, she identified with people who felt her struggle helped me to get in touch with my culture. In the poem Phenomenal Women, Maya Angelou wrote about all the attributes that she possessed that made her proud to be an African American woman. Due to this, I wrote poems pertaining to the way that I saw life once I realized that it didnt matter if my white teachers or friends could relate. It had clicked that I could express myself without using punctuation, complete sentences, or a specific format. Ms. Giovanni didnt capitalize the letter I in anything, so why did I have to? It was the most freedom I had ever experienced with words and it has stuck with me ever since. This profound effect is why I chose to put my literary history in the form of a poetry
Comment [M5]: Illuminating qualities of good writing by going more into detail about the specific texts and writing styles that inspired me Comment [M4]: Changed my word choice Comment [M3]: Reworded this paragraph to make it easier to read -went into more detail about what I meant by teachers overwhelming us with literatures possibilities

book. A lot of times poetry is the best way for me to express myself. I usually write poetry when Im dealing with something difficult so, even though it usually has a melancholy theme, it is a sure means of venting. That is why I thought it would be the most efficient and logical means to convey my entire literary history. This genre has taught me what is appropriate to put in certain types of literary works. Theres a distinct difference between an essay and a poem because of the guidelines. More
Comment [M6]: Comma usage Went further into detail to make more of a connection between my experiences and this genre choice

often than any other type, I create free verse poetry; it doesnt have any exact rhyme scheme or meter to abide by and can be about any topical range. Even still, however, the freedom is a guideline to have a successful free verse poem. Though Id much rather write with more relaxed conventions, there is a time and place for everything. Poetry is seemingly easier to write but is not appropriate for conveying more formal messages unless personally explicit. Though they usually dont go hand in hand, being so good at defying the common laws of writing with poetry has increased my formal writing skills as well. When I engage with other texts, errors jump out at me so not only am I a better writer but Im also a tedious editor. Dealing with formal and informal texts has made my eye keen for what to expect when I see something written. I have had good examples of both. In my poetry book I used many different types of poems in an unconventional way. Beginning with a couplet, Reading through the Ages, because of the whimsical rhythm it tends to convey. As the poem progresses, however, the meter gets more complicated as I talk about myself at an older age. I chose to write the poem on a page made up of sticky notes because they represent the different phases of my life and how I felt about reading at the time. I did this to add depth and symbolism within from the start. My second poem is about being free with words and not allowing what others think of as right and wrong keep you from growing. It is written at a
Comment [M8]: Removed unnecessary comma Comment [M9]: Addressing tension by giving more examples on how they are different but alike at the same time Comment [M7]: I explained conventions of poetry that I value and gave reasoning. DETAIL

slant with a peace sign ribbon at the bottom correlates the visual aspect with the theme of the entry. This poem embodies my entire reasoning for writing a poetry book. It introduces my favorite poet/inspiration and my intentions for writing a poetry book. All of the lines have end rhyme which is the most uniform part of the poem. I add capitalization to emphasize, questions to make the audience think, and my beliefs to make them comprehend the message that Im trying to get across. I was also able to add alliteration and a sort of pun with the phrase literal liberties to add flavor to an already thought provoking poem. It is the epitome of self-

expression but in a way that average people can understand and relate regardless of their background or exposure to this type of text. The main topics of my poems are my literary sponsors such as my family and community as well as my perspective of the world. I used the poem about my community, a military town, to explain what people outside of the military say and how it compares to military jargon. I included two pieces of string in the American flag colors as well as the USMC colors to represent the pride that I have in being the child of a soldier. Semi-colons were used to create a pause in the text so that the audience got a better understanding of the differences. Though the formatting of that particular poem is odd and created by me, once the audience realizes the pattern, I think it will be appreciated and much easier to read. I used an acrostic, or name, poem but instead of using just one word for each letter, I told about how reading impacts me and made the lines flow into one another. This gives insight to how I feel about reading and what it does for me. By describing my perception of reading, the audience gets a better sense of me
Comment [M12]: Detail, clarity on structure Comment [M11]: Comma usage Comment [M10]: TOPICAL STRUCTURE -I tried to better explain and describe my poems as I stated in the intro paragraph -I articulated exactly what the topic of them was as well as the format and the purpose

personally instead of my sponsors which only help with the background information. Another literary sponsor I spoke about was Northeast Creek Park back in my hometown. Id often go there to think, read, write, and clear my mind. I decided to display this poem in

haiku form to represent the nature feel I was trying to convey. I also made the choice to put it on a foliage covered card. The nature theme went with the topic as well as the idea of a card. They are usually short and simple but contain a message full of meaning, like a haiku. The last poem pertaining to my exterior appearance and the judgment that Im often given is to show my point of view. Im very well read and educated yet when people hear me speak theres often a look of utter shock because of how confident I am with my oratory skills. I am instantly labeled unintelligent because of my skin color, piercings, or quirky style of dress. This poem was inspired by all of the people who expect less of me so that I could show them that my exterior does not affect my mind. By adding a poem like this I feel like I added texture to my book. It is a real world problem, faced by many people on a daily basis. Not only did I speak for myself, I spoke for other women in my position, particularly ones like Nikki Giovanni and Maya Angelou. The key theme I wanted to emphasize with this book is the electiveness of my poems, poem types, topics, and formats in which I put them. My personality is very vivacious and chaotic most of the time so I felt the need to put my book in a format that would express my beliefs, my history, and my personality. By using different textures and fonts, and accents like string and duct tape, I feel that I succeeded in making an eccentric book that instantly makes you wonder what is going to be inside. Just like my appearance makes people wonder what I have to offer as well. Through this project I have truly found a greater meaning for why poetry is so important to me. The discourse I just engaged with is important because it gives a logical foundation and for my initial choice to produce a poetry book. My creative decisions are discussed with
Comment [M13]: Added detail, gave reasoning for this decision

background and reasoning on why I chose them and how they added depth to the final book that was produced. My literacy history has molded me into believing that there are no exact guidelines by which to produce good writing. It is an art form, so like all others it is left up to the interpretation of the writer and reader. I feel strongly about practicing freedom with words and conventions. After completing this project, I have a better sense of who I am as a writer and how much growth I have obtained.
Comment [M14]: COMPLETELY redid my conclusion