Monday, August 12, 2013

The Aesthetics of Language

Sarah Kay: "If I Should Have a Daughter"

Click on the link below.  Watch the 18 minute video then respond to the short writing prompt noted below. Make sure to use details and examples to support your assertions/claims.  In other words, state quoted evidence.

 

http://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter.html 

 

Writing Prompt: After viewing the video, choose one phrase/section that you really like and comment on how Sarah Kay manipulates language to make the content aesthetically pleasing.  In other words, what does she say that “moves” you and how does she say it?  Think in terms of every literary device you have every learned.



One thing you might want to focus on is how she uses allusions (A Reference to Something Historical, Cultural, Biblical, or Mythical).  An allusion is a literary device that also appears within essays and speeches.

 

Because many of you have essays to write, you do not need to comment on what your peers say unless you would like to send them a message.


Remember to use "net-etiquette", meaning your response to this prompt should begin with "Dear Ms. Carlson" or" Dear Ms. Sette".  Make sure to sign your name formally such as “Sincerely” or “Respectfully.”


 

Your response is due by Monday, August 19th by Midnight.

Late work cannot be accepted for this assignment.

40 comments:

  1. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    Dear Ms. Carlson,

    As I heard and observed the video, there was one phrase that stood out to me above the rest. In the video, Kay states, “Now, I know that the number one rule to be cool, is to seem unphased. Admit that anything impresses you or scares you or excites you. Somebody once told me itʻs like walking through life like this (shows hands up with fist). You protect yourself from all the unprotected miseries or hurt that might show up but I prefer to try and walk through life like this (arms open). And yes that means catching all those miseries but it also means when beautiful things fall out of the sky I am ready to catch them".

    When I heard this, it really caught my attention because it was a perfect example of how most people act in life (myself included at times). From my point of view, it was almost like the author was saying "Everyone exists, but not everyone lives". What Kay was trying to convey is to embrace all the pain and sorrow as well as the beauty of things. If you act like nothing phases you, you are missing the point of living and learning. If you just put your hands up in defense, you are only existing. However, if you are have open arms and accept everything life throws down at you, you are living. Kay uses simile combined with kinesthetic imagery in her speech/poem to visualize her point. The simile of a person walking through life with his or her hands up in a fist for protection illustrates how people fight against life’s unexpected surprises. She continues to make her point to be open to life’s curveballs by showing us how to open our minds and bodies. Ultimately, Kay’s poem helps us to prepare to catch the curveballs from the sky with enthusiasm and respect.

    Respectfully,
    Marina Mireles
    HOPES

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    One section that I really liked in her presentation was more to the ending when she talks about seeing the impossible every day but it becoming more possible every day she works. Like when she says her parents named her Sarah and the first Sarah from the Bible was told she could do something impossible, and all she did was laugh. And now this Sarah, she sees the impossible everyday and works hard to find the possible that is trying to get ahold of her. I also really liked when she says that she never gives up. I think that this girl has a lot of positives in her life, she doesn’t think about the negatives. If everyone was to think like that, we would have a near to perfect world. I really enjoyed watching this short clip, it made a lot of sense and was very educating to hear.

    Respectfully,
    Chaz Pacleb

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Ms. Sette,

    As I watched the video, the phrase that caught my attention was "I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily, but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it".
    To me this phrase gave me a lot of insight. She explained this simple subject in such a beautiful way. She inferred that even though this world can fall apart at any time, any second, you can't be afraid to live in it. That you can't be afraid that bad things are bound to happen. She explained that you don't have to be scared to go out and do something knowing that it can back fire.
    Another thing that I really enjoyed was her use of imagery. Every sentence that came out of her mouth painted a clear picture in my mind of exactly what she was saying. An example being when she said " There will be days when you open your hands to catch but only end up with blisters and bruises". When she said this, it immediately painted a clear picture in my mind. And also informed me that some days when you try to accomplish things it wont always go your way. Overall, I think that she spoke in a beautiful way and I really enjoyed watching this clip.

    Respectfully,
    Haylei Sheldon
    IDEAS

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Ms. Sette,

    As I watched the video, I really enjoyed the section where Sarah Kay used allusions and said "There's this piece of wall in Hiroshima that was completely burnt black by the radiation. But on the front step, a person who was sitting there blocked the rays from hitting the stone. The only thing left now is a permanent shadow of positive light. After the A-bomb, specialists said it would take 75 years for the radiation-damaged soil of Hiroshima City to ever grow anything again. But that spring, there were new buds popping up from the earth." In this section, she refers to the historic event of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. She took a negative event, and turned it into positive, beautiful poetry.

    When she talks about the buds, she defines that the "impossible" occurred when all odds were against it. Her whole talk was based around defying the odds. She used allusions to prove that the impossible was being done in the past, and will continue to happen in the future.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good job Bryson,
      Please remember to finish your entry with a closing and your name.

      Delete
  5. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    Right from the beginning, Sarah Kay had me captivated by her choice of words and the way she used them. She managed to obtain my full attention throughout the whole video, which is not very easy. One particularly beautiful line that she said was, "No matter how many land mines erupt in a minute, be sure that your mind lands on the beauty of this funny place called life." Out of all the similes, metaphors and allusions she used, I connected to this metaphor the most. The way that she used “land mines” to compare to problems in life was ingenious, and also made the content of what she was trying to portray much simpler to understand. I also thought it was clever how she started off with something literal like “land mines” and ended her thought with something figurative such as “make sure that your mind lands”. All in all Sarah Kay’s speech was very aesthetically pleasing, beginning to end.

    Sincerely,
    Autumn Begley

    Hopes Academy

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Ms. Carlson

    One part of the video that I really enjoyed about Sarah Kay's presentation was right from the start. Her poem was fully thought out and was given her great and full attention towards this whole video. She manages her poems with great similes, allusions and many metaphors. One metaphor that really stood out to me was this line, " No matter how many land mines erupt within a minute, be sure that you mind lands on this beauty of this funny place what we call life." What she say from this line is that the land mines are various of problems that we have to deal with every day in our lives. Having her express this gave the line a much better feel to it and was able to explain it much clearly with a new perspective. I really enjoyed Sarah Kay's speech and her emotion in this presentation was very moving and enjoyable to listen to from the Beginning to the end.

    Respectfully,
    Kristian Sablay

    Hopes Academy

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dear Ms. Sette,
    In her poem, Sarah Kay says, “Don’t stick your nose up in the air. You’re just smelling for smoke so you can follow the trail back to the house to find the boy who lost everything in the fire so you can save him. Or rather find the boy who started the fire in the first place and change him,” This is one of the many examples of her use of metaphors. Interpreted, this phrase to me means don’t look for people who have problems so you can fix them, instead look for the person who caused the problems and change him so that he can’t hurt anyone else. Sarah Kay’s use of metaphors give her poems strong points that, both before and after being interpreted, move people. Not only does the way she says it have appeal, but the meaning does as well. I for one can relate to this and it is a powerful phrase to me.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dear Ms Sette,

    The section from the video that I really liked was when Sara said her daughter would learn that "This life will hit you hard, in the face, wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach, but getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air."

    This analogy so clearly and accurately depicts how life functions on a day to day basis. She first states that life will hit not just hit you, but it will hit you hard, right in the face, and to reinforce the idea, continues to say that life will let you back to your feet and again just so it can kick you in the stomach, taking your breathe away. She finishes by explaining that the
    last action has a positive result, reminding how much you value air. The message of this I think applies to most things in life by bringing attention to the fact that we take so many things in our lives for granted, and presenting us with struggles is one way life reminds us of this.

    Sincerely,
    Colby Sargent
    Ideas

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear Ms. Sette,

    The phrase I really liked from Sarah Kays poem “If I should have a daughter” is, “This world is made out of sugar, it can crumble so easily, but don’t be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it.” What makes this phrase aesthetically pleasing is the metaphor that she used. This metaphor about how the world is made of sugar is very easy to understand and makes clear sense to the reader. People can easily relate to this metaphor because we all know what sugar is. Sugar is easily broken but also very sweet. The phrase is saying that, like sugar, the world can be broken and crumble easily, but you cant be afraid to live it because its actually very sweet. This metaphor is very clever but at the same time simple which is what makes it aesthetically pleasing. Metaphors are a good literary device because they compare things that may be hard to understand to things that everybody can understand. They are a good way to make people understand your ideas and see it your way. She manipulates this literary device to move me.

    Sincerely,
    Megan Devin
    IDEAS

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    While watching the video, Sarah Kay’s use of imagery really captured my attention. I could visualize everything that she was saying and I was able to connect more to her poem. One thing that stuck out to me was when Sarah said, “The first time she realizes that Wonder Woman isn’t coming, I’ll make sure she knows she doesn’t have to wear the cape all by herself because no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal.” This made me realize that you can’t fix everything yourself, you need the help of other people. I think Kay’s overall message of the poem was that you may think that you know everything and that you don’t need any help, but life is full of people and problems that you can’t handle by yourself.

    Sincerely,
    Marissa Nikolas
    HOPES

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dear Ms. Sette,
    Sarah Kays poem was filled with a variety of interesting and attention catching lines, but there was one that I found myself most attracted to. It was the only area that I detected a hint of humor in, however this is not the primary element that drew me to it. It was the meaning that spoke to me. "I'll always keep an extra supply of chocolate and rain boots near by, because there is NO heart break that chocolate cant fix... Okay there's a few heart breaks that chocolate cant fix- but that's what the rain boots are for! Because rain. Will. Wash. Away. Everything if you let it."
    Initially, it was the strong pauses that caught my attention in these sentences. Using irony by stating that there are "NO heart breaks that chocolate can't fix-" She pauses to create a feeling of second thought. Then taking it back (being a fallacy) you feel as if shes really talking to you, making it up as she goes. Her emotion was beautiful, and the advice meaningful.
    Personally, I understand it to be true that chocolate can bring brief happiness. It is sweet, and can give you a little bit of joy when times are hard. However, when I am truely depressed I lose my appetite, so chocolate brings me no satisfaction. Rain will wash everything away if you let it. A combination of the soothing sensation rain brings, and your own self will, I find it a great aid in getting over much of the pains or frustrations that come with life. The same goes for a beautiful sunny day, or sinking beneath the sea. These comforts in life definitely wash away all my discomforts, if I let them.

    Sincerely,
    Zuri Shanklin
    IDEAS

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dear Ms. Sette,

    Sarah Kay is a very moving artist and the way she speaks is very beautiful. She uses so much imagery and it's so easy to understand what she's trying to say. It's so easy to know what she's talking about. "When you step out of the phone booth and try to fly and the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape." It's a beautiful metaphor. This is the only phrase that actually stood out to me while she was speaking. The only people you want to help are the people who are holding you back. To be honest, I'm not sure why this stood out to me. Maybe it's because it's true in all cases. Maybe it's because the people you want to be happy are the ones making you sad all the time. Maybe it's just me. I'm not sure, but I love it.

    Sincerely,
    Erica Cabalona
    IDEAS Academy

    ReplyDelete
  13. Dear Ms. Sette,


    In Sarah Kay’s poem, “ If I Should Have a Daughter”, Kay really captured my attention not only with the words she spoke but the way she spoke them. I particularly enjoyed her use of imagery. By using this technique Kaye captivates her listeners and creates a fun mental picture to keep the listeners enthralled.
    The part of the poem that I enjoyed most is when Kay said “I want her to look at the world through the underside of a glass bottom boat. To look through a microscope at the galaxies that exist on the pin point of a human mind...”. This analogy can remind people to always keep different perspectives in life and that there are many different view points on things. It tells you to always broaden your horizon ad to keep your mind open to different views. I believe that walking through live, being able to look at it through different views is a very important thing to be able to do. Life will always be more understood when looked at from different vantage points.

    Sincerely,
    Kai Chase
    Ideas

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    Coming from someone who doesn't usually listen to or watch slam poetry, I found Sarah Kay's words to be very capturing. Her introduction poem, “If I Should Have a Daughter” got me hooked by her creative way of explaining life. However, there was one line that I liked the most. “And she's going to learn that this life will hit you, hard, in the face. Wait for you to get back up, just so we can kick you in the stomach, but getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.”
    The analogy starts off with “this life will hit you, hard, in the face,” meaning that there will be situations and bad days that bring you down. This line is followed by “wait for you to get back up, just so we can kick you in the stomach”. This means that once you get back on your feet, you'll get kicked in the stomach. Not literally, but experience being brought down, or that “lose your breath” kind of feeling. She ends the saying with “but getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.” In other words, bad things happen, so that we appreciate the good.

    Sincerely,
    Hazel Jarquio
    HOPES

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dear Ms. Sette,

    Normally, I would not listen to poetry or attempt to absorb its messages. However, I feel I truly felt and understood what Sarah Kay was talking about. This occurred to me during her first poem, "If I Should Have a Daughter", when she said "I will paint galaxies on the backs of her hands, so that she will have to know the whole universe before she can say 'I know that like the back of my hand'". This portion of her poem really made me stop and think of how little we really know about everything in our existence. When someone says "I know that like the back of my hand", they mean they are experts on the subject. Are they really experts? Can they name every person who's known about it before? Are they able to count every atom or molecule within it?
    No one can truly be an expert on something unless they dedicate their whole lives to it. It is nearly impossible, in this logical sense, to come across the time to say "I know that like the back of my hand". For, if you think about it.. Do we really know the backs of our hands as much as we think we do?

    Sincerely,
    John Quinlan
    IDEAS

    ReplyDelete
  16. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    Through the whole video I was captivated with the way Sarah used her words to describe a number of things, the way she used her words to hook a viewer’s attention was amazing. One phrase that Sarah mentioned that really got my attention was “There is nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it is sent away.” Out of all the allusions, similes, metaphors, and imageries she used, this beautiful metaphor really stuck out to me. I say this because what she said is true. What I believe she is implying with this phrase is that no matter how many times you get knocked down, you should always find a way to get back up and continue.

    Sincerely,
    Myah Post
    H.O.P.E.S academy

    ReplyDelete
  17. Dear Ms. Sette,

    Sarah Kay's TED talk was a gold mine of colorful language. From start to finish she uses examples and literary styles to captivate the audience and viewers. Of all the techniques used in Sarah Kay's speach, I was most interested in her imagery and visual examples as well as comparisons.
    Close to the beginning she explains how "cool" people act like nothing phases them and how they "shield" themselves from what happens in life. She compared the "cool" people to people like herself who are open minded, using visual hand motions to illustrate how the closed out people will cover their faces, shielding themselves from life's negative moments while also blocking the positive ones. She showed how the open people like herself will "hold their hands out" to catch life's best moments and opportunities but at the same time they will catch life's negative moments. She didn't necessarily state that her way was the best way which I liked, she left it open to the audience how to live their lives while inspiring them for the better.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Dear Ms. Carlson,
    In Sarah Kay's poem, “If I Should Have a Daughter,” Sarah really draws in the audience by how much imagery she uses. The way she speaks is easy to understand, and relate to. My favorite metaphor in this poem would have to be, “This world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily, but don’t be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it.” It shows that she shouldn’t be afraid to take chances, and she shouldn’t be afraid to live life to the fullest, because even though life is fragile, it’s also sweet. Coming from a person who isn’t much into poetry, I think Sarah really moved people in the poem she spoke. It really showed on how life shouldn’t be taken for granted. I really enjoyed her speech and how she said it. It was very good and moving.

    Sincerely,
    Amanda Thayer
    Hopes Academy.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    From the very beginning Sarah Kay had me mesmerized in her words. The way she was able to make everything that seems so difficult and hard to understand like a simple matter. One particular thing that caught my attention is when she said “This life will hit you hard, in the face, wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach, but getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.” I liked this portion of the poem because it sums up life and how it really is. People think of life as this amazing thing that is easy and a walk in the park. But life is tough. Life will knock you down in every possible way and it’s your choice if you want to get up only to get knocked down again.

    But Sarah gave another point of view also, “getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they love the taste of air”. I liked how she reminded us that in every bad there is good, or there is a reason behind it. Kind of like the phrase “everything happens for a reason”, the reason for getting the wind knocked out of you is to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air. This tells us that life is supposed to be hard and to expect it, because if you are expecting it then at least you can prepare and you know that its going to be a struggle, but its not an impossible struggle so never give up on life….

    Sincerely,
    Naea Oda
    HOPES

    ReplyDelete
  20. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    Sarah Kay definitely has her ways with words. I was captivated by all her similes, metaphors, and illusions. Everything that she said had me sitting at the edge of my chair wanting to hear more of what she may say next. One point she made was "Don't you ever apologize for the way your eyes refuse to stop shining; Your voice is small but don't ever stop singing". That one little phrase grabbed my attention in a matter of seconds. This phrase to me means to never give up and never say never. All great things comes from a little hope and with hope you can achieve greater things. It made me think that even though you may be little you are still able to great things.

    Sincerely,
    Keisha Aki
    HOPES Academy

    ReplyDelete
  21. Dear Ms. Sette,

    My favorite part of Sarah Kay’s poetry was when she said “And yet for someone who’s supposedly done this already, I still haven’t figured anything out yet.” Though I don’t really believe in reincarnation or the way she presented it in the sentences that preceded this quote, the sentence still stood out to me mostly because to me, it meant that life, as a whole is not really possible to figure out but that doesn’t stop anyone from enjoying life or learning about life as much as one can.

    Sarah Kay used many metaphors and analogies to make her poems pleasing. She also made a couple of jokes to further the audience’s enjoyment of her poems. Though all of these literary devices that she used did make the poems more aesthetically pleasing, the most beautiful thing about her language was that she said things that could connect with almost anyone. Whether it be the Anderson Cooper story or how she encourages people to take on the challenges of life with open arms, she made her poems personal to everyone. And that, is the most beautiful thing that she did.

    Sincerely,
    Matthew Steinohrt
    IDEAS

    ReplyDelete
  22. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    Right off the bat, I was drawn in to Sara Kay’s motivating poetry. Sarah utilized different forms of literary devices to ensnare the viewer’s full attention. Her video did not only intrigue me personally, but ignited a sensation of passion within.
    As the video progressed ,I was notably interested when Sarah proposed an irony, “when your boots fill with rain and those are the very days that you have all the more reasons to say thank you. “ I liked how she manipulates the rain boots to be the person and the rain being that person’s cause of dispute; despite being drowned in problems, she conveys that these moments are when a person should essentially be most gratified. This made an immense amount of sense to me because without encountering the misfortunes of life, a person wouldn't be able to distinguish what a sigh of relief is, how great an experience could be, and so forth. With that, I believe that if our growing population complained less while saying thank you more often, the world would be showered with infinite prosperity and accomplishments.

    Sincerely,
    John Ortega
    HOPES Academy

    ReplyDelete
  23. Dear Ms. Sette,

    My first thought when listening to her speech was, “Wow, I love how she can beckon me with words, inspiring me to dig deeper within simple sentences trying to get their ultimate meanings.” She speaks from different angles and perspectives, flowing into so many diverse topics then bringing it all back together again in what seems a singular breath. You can hear the experience in her voice and also how she dealt and still deals with it, finding her way to her point of wisdom. My sister Akaylah was always the one more into poems. I , myself, felt as if I wasn't good enough or I didn't have what it took to become a great poet. After listening to Sarah, I feel as if my impossibles became my possibles. Cheesy as it is, I feel like I can just as easily speak with that poet tone, rising and falling, blending my words, taking sounds and adding a meaning that no one else thinks to add. Her quote which reached out to me the most was, “This world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily, but don’t be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it.” It so perfectly coincides with my situations in which I want someone to say that to me. We aren't going to get many chances to experience the world, especially if you’re anxious about everything like I am. We have to try while we still can because the world really will just crumble apart when it gets it's chance and no one can do the experience for us. I thought the video was fantastic and I would love to start checking out all the other wonderful TED videos.

    Sincerely,
    Anuhea Lizarraga
    I.D.E.A.S.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    After watching this video a few times, I was definitely moved with her presentation. It involved a lot of similes, metaphors and allusions. Although a lot in this presentation really caught me the one that I chose to use was the allusion to hiroshima. She spoke of a wall painted black from the blast of the A- bomb, but there was a shadow of a person who sat in front o0f that wall that stopped the blast from touching that part of the wall. She says that in that blackness of the wall there was a shadow of a positive light. That is what caught me there because it showed me that at anytime I were to find myself in a dark or bad situation to always find that silver lining. Life is full of trials, it’s our choice to decide if the outcomes of those trials are going to be good or bad and all it takes is to find that silver lining. That’s what caught me about this TED Talk. The presentation was awesome and showed me a lot and gave me a lot to think and elaborate about in my head.

    Sincerely,
    Shizuo Santos
    HOPES

    ReplyDelete
  25. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    After viewing this video over and over again, I felt like I could understand what Sarah was saying. It was very moving and very motivating. My favorite part of the video was when Sarah used the phrase " In that instant, you get to be in my present and I in yours, and that is the greatest present of all." This phrase meant a lot. To me it meant that not everything material matters. Not money nor gifts. She is saying that her sharing her past with you is giving you a gift. This gift is a part of her life and you can now relate with it. So now not only have you been apart of her present, but you relating to her life has made her apart of your present. This made me see that the best gift in life isn't always something you can buy, but something you can share. A heartbreak, happiness or even a memory. It is all your past, your present and your future, but it is up to you to relate it to someone else. This is the phrase that I liked. This was a great video and I wouldn’t mind watching it again.

    Sincerely,
    Joshua Blaine
    HOPES

    ReplyDelete
  26. Dear Ms. Sette,

    I think that the way Sarah Kay expresses her poem to the audience is engaging. The emotion put into the words make the poem come alive. One phrase I thought stood out to me was, “My self-confidence can be measured out in teaspoons mixed into my poetry, and it still always tastes funny in my mouth.” This phrase stood out to me because sometimes I feel like my writing isn’t always good. I can relate to Kay because she feels the same way. My confidence is sprinkled in my writing; some parts I feel are better than others parts. That is why that phrase sticks out to me.

    Sincerely,
    Jenna Stone

    ReplyDelete
  27. Dear Ms. Sette,

    This whole TED talk by Sarah Kay was very inspiring. Not only with the topic but they way she was able to use and transform language to make every single word she was saying beautiful and breathtaking. One part specifically stuck out so me. In the beginning of her first poem “ If I Should Have A Daughter”. The part of her poem I am referring to is where she says “ I’m gonna paint the solar system on the backs of her hands. So she has to learn the entire universe before she can say, I know that like the back of my hand.” The reason that this part of the poem stood out to me was the fact that she uses a very common idiom and makes it into a poetic statement. They way this idiom is used normally is not taken literally but Sarah chose to make it more literal to prove her point. She did this so that she could get across to the audience knowing that most of us know that idiom. This exemplified that Sarah Kay has a vast knowledge of language and she is able to use it so get her point across the best or most artistically way.

    Another aspect of her performance that I really enjoyed was the was she used hand motions. At almost any point in the video during one of her poems you can pause it and get a feel of that certain point in the poem just by looking at her hand gestures and facial expression. She knows how to use her body without overwhelming the audience. This aspect added a whole new dimension to her presentation. Not only was it verbal but also visual. This intensified the talk and really drew the audience into her poems. The abilities that Sarah Kay has are very incredible.

    Sincerely,
    Wylie Barker

    ReplyDelete
  28. Dear Ms. Sette,

    My favorite quote from this video was, "I don't know if I can change the world yet, because I don't know that much about it -- and I don't know much about reincarnation either, but if you make me laugh hard enough, sometimes I forget what century I am in. This isn't my first time here. This isn't my last time here. These aren't the last words I'll share. But just incase I'm trying my hardest to get it right this time around.". I enjoyed this part of the speak because it had rhythm. I really felt how she was describing things that we all worry and wonder about in such a rhythmic way. No one knows if this is the only shot we will have to get it right or what really happens when we die. So we are all just trying our best to get it right this time around.

    Sincerely
    Victor Sanchez

    ReplyDelete
  29. Dear Ms. Carlson

    Sarah Kay mesmerized me with her colorful language and inspiration. She made every word and sentence turn into something so beautiful with so much life and meaning. I had many quotes that I liked, but for me this quote drew the most attention for me, "Life is gonna hit you, hard, in the face, waiting for you to get back up so it can hit you in the stomach. Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air". When I heard the quote, it literally made me think of life as a real, living, breathing person with a shirt that says "life". But what was amazing about the quote was that even though it said all these negative about life it always ended with a positive note.

    Sincerely
    Camilla Vernon
    Hopes Academy

    ReplyDelete
  30. Dear Ms. Sette,

    To write a poem in itself is difficult to do, but to be able to speak it and impact people with simple words, as Sarah Kay does, is absolutely amazing. Her poem "If I should have a daughter", was beautiful and inspiring, but one part that specifically stood out to me was when she said, "The first time she realizes that wonder woman isn't coming, ill make sure she knows she doesn't have to wear the cape all by herself". This, to me, was a beautiful way of saying that it's okay to ask for help or to let people help you, and that you aren't expected to know everything. As well as saying that she doesn't have to save everyone by referring to her daughter as "wearing the cape". By using imagery, she puts a picture of something majority of people are familiar with, and creates a beautiful metaphor out of it. Imagery is a great literary device that almost creates a movie in the minds of the readers, or in this case, audience. Her use of imagery throughout her poems, made the poems easier to relate to, and made them more interesting to the listener. Her poem and uses of literary devices commanded your attention, and left you wanting to hear more.

    Sincerely,
    Malia Hickey

    ReplyDelete
  31. Dear Ms. Carlson,
    There were many things I liked in Sarah Kays video. I did think parts of it were kind of all over the place but it was easy enough to follow. What I really found interesting and appreciated most about this video was her passionate and positive outlook on life. I also really admire her ability to speak in such a raw way about her fears and ambitions in life.
    My favorite part of this video was something I've read on Tumblr before, so I was surprised to see that it was something written by her. “And no matter how many land mines erupt in a minute, be sure your mind lands on the beauty of this funny place called life.” The first time I ever read this it immediately became one of my favorite quotes! I even used it in my bio on Instagram.
    What I love about it is how the words are manipulated from land mines to mind lands. It’s a trick on words and it works well. However, what I adore about this quote is what it represents; staying positive and seeing the good in life even when things aren't going well.
    The last thing I picked up on was the allusion of her name, Sarah. She goes on saying how in the Bible Sarah is a woman who was told she could do the impossible but didn't quite believe in herself. It was interesting how Sarah Kay relates to the biblical version of Sarah, knowing she has all this opportunity but still gets insecure and unsure sometimes.
    This video was easy to relate to and inspiring. After watching this I know, sometimes you just need to take a step back, not focus on all the problems in the world but what you can do to help it.
    Sincerely,
    Mo’orea Rohlfs

    ReplyDelete
  32. Dear Ms. Sette,

    The part of the "If I should have a daughter" poem that stood out most to me was the line where she said, "this life will hit you hard in the face, wait for you to get back up just to kick you in the stomach, but getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air."

    This stood out to me so much because once you think about this line, you realize how true it is. When life throws all of it's crazy challenges and obstacles at you, it hurts for the moment, but you soon realize that you can make it through. When you finally do prevail, life throws one more obstacle in your way. When you make it through that obstacle as well, you realize how much you take for granted in your life.

    Another reason this stood out to me is because I very recently experienced this exact scenario. I crashed on a dirt bike and injured my right shoulder pretty badly. The thing is, I am right handed so I can barely do anything at all. Everything has to be done with my left hand which makes everything very challenging. Now that I am unable function the way that I am so used to, I realize how much I take for granted being healthy and fully functional.

    Sincerely,
    Kai harrison
    Ideas

    ReplyDelete
  33. Dear Ms.Sette

    What Sarah Kay says that moves me is how she told the audience things that she will tell her daughter if she ever has one. The way she says “no matter how wide you spread your hands they will always be too small to catch the pain..” and how she says “ you will put the star in starting over”. It reminds me that no matter how much hurt you go through there is that light at the end of your tunnel or that all the bad memories you have will always be apart of you and that you can always start over. .Her allusion to Sarah from the Bible and how God asked her to do something impossible and how she too didn’t know what to do with impossible. All in all she did give me a new perspective on how to view things in life and how I can react to it.

    What I also liked about Sarah Kays “if I had a daughter” is how she said that she started with a list of ten things she knew to be real. It makes me contemplate on if I want to do that to help figure out thing in my life. The way she describes the beginning, middle, and end don’t have to be in order, it made me realize that everyone has their own pace and start in different places but still we all come together in one story called life.

    -Respectfully,
    Kassandra Iloreta

    ReplyDelete
  34. Dear Ms. Carlson
    This piece of spoken word has a lot of inspirational quotes, but one of my favorites would have to be “There is hurt here that cannot be fixed by Band-Aids or poetry- so the first time she realizes that Wonder Woman isn’t coming, I’ll make sure she knows that she doesn’t have to wear the cape alone.” She uses a comical allusion. In the stories, Wonder Woman will always help the hurt, defeat the bad guy, and save the day. Her twist presents the reality, there is hurt that can’t be helped with things like Band-Aids, or inspirational poetry, or even hope in Wonder Woman. If her daughter needs saving, sometimes she will have to be her own hero. Metaphorically she needs to wear the cape and be her own Wonder Woman. “I’ll make sure she knows that she doesn’t have to wear the cape by herself.” The good thing about problems in life is that there are always people who may be going through the same thing as you. You’re not alone. This also means that people have gone through your pain too. They got through it without Band-Aids or the help of Wonder Woman and I think Sarah was telling her daughter this could be possible for her too.
    Repectfully,
    Noelani Cassidy
    HOPES

    ReplyDelete
  35. Dear Ms. Carlson,

    Sarah Kay really does have supreme command of the English language. All her metaphors and idioms are completely on point, and she had me captivated from the first sentence she spoke. I love how she used raising a daughter as a platform for giving her life experiences that have really affected her.

    I especially liked when she said "getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they love the taste of air". It really shows that she realizes that without bad, good is just average. Like the saying,"Everyone wants happiness, nobody wants pain, but you can't have a rainbow without a little rain". It shows you how feeling the bad makes you appreciate the good so much more. I really liked that quote, but if I was to remember one thing, it would be this next quote.

    This really resonated with me, "And even as someone who's apparently done this before, I still haven't figured anything out yet". She thoroughly comprehends that even when we think we know all the answers, more questions arise that make us contemplate our "answers". I just really admire the way Sarah speaks and enjoy how she conveys her knowledge and feelings through metaphors.
    Sincerely,
    Paul Oyama
    HOPES Academy

    ReplyDelete
  36. Dear Ms. Sette,

    “When you open your hands to catch and wind up with only blisters, and bruises. When you step out of the phone booth and try to fly, and the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape. When your boots will fill with rain and you’ll be up to your knees in disappointment, and those are the very days you have all the more reason to say thank you.” This is the section of Sarah Kays poem ‘If I Should Have a Daughter’ that moved me.

    I was touched by the use of imagery, and metaphors. There’s a point in many peoples lives where they have opened up only to find hurt, or broken out of there shell to take on new challenges and risks only to find that the ones holding them back are the ones most dearest to their heart, and everyone has felt at least once in their lives the sorrowful burden of disappointment. Yet she leaves a reminder that it is okay to embrace the pain, sadness and disappointment; because those are the only ways we are able to grow, and experience true beauty and love. She reminds us we should be thankful for the dark because it gives us the ability to see the light. This is what awed me that she could take something so relatable and sad, craft it beautifully then give it purpose.

    Respectfully,
    Emily Faretta
    IDEAS Academy

    ReplyDelete
  37. This posting was posted by Ms. Carlson on behalf of Lauren Benson

    Dear Ms. Carlson

    Sara Kay's poem was very moving. I loved all of the metaphors she used in her poem to express the way she felt, or to share scenarios in her life. During her poem one of the metaphors that really caught my attention was the sugar saying. "Sugar can crumble so easily but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it." The reason i like this metaphor is because i appreciate her idea of taking risks and putting yourself out there to experience good things even when everything is falling apart.

    Respectfully,

    Lauren Benson
    Hopes Academy

    ReplyDelete
  38. This posting was posted by Ms. Carlson on behalf of Ariel Cummings

    Dear Ms. Carlson,

    Sarah Kay is an outstanding spoke poet. Many things stood out to me, like when she mentioned that nothing was more beautiful then how the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline no matter how many times it has been sent away. This is such a great metaphor and use of imagery. Hearing that opened my eyes and mind to see what the normal is, to something extraordinary.
    Another part that moved me was her three steps on how she would divide her life. The moment she said “I can” and “I will” and when she “began”. This inspired me that I can be whatever I want to be and that with these three simple steps I will get there. This is great motivation, its so simple that I have confidence that I can attain my goals by using these steps.

    Respectfully,
    Ariel Cummings

    ReplyDelete