SlamPoetry

media type="youtube" key="44sXwJgqUyc" height="315" width="420" . Search "Taylor Mali" on Youtube. Listen and watch to several poems. Choose one that you understand and that "speaks" to you.

2. Create a new page on your wiki called “Slam Poetry”
 * 1) embed the video onto your page.
 * 2) On your page discuss the use of poetic devises. Discuss the overall meaning of the poem (theme). Discuss why you choose this poem. Identify key words and phrases. Of course, use specific examples from the poem!


 * hint you may be able to find the text for your poem on his website.

__On Girls Lending Pens__ By Taylor Mali

I walked into the classroom and straight to my chair, But when I reached for my pen, it just wasn’t there! I had no pen! or crayon! or pencil! I was stuck before class without a writing utensil.

I could have asked the teacher (if I had dared,) But I knew she would have said, “You’re unprepared!” So to be diplomatic and avoid the fight I quickly turned to the girl on my right,

Do you possibly have a pen I could borrow? I’ll use it today and have it back by tomorrow. “Oh! Furshur! What kind? I’ve got plenty.” And she turned around with a handful of twenty.

I really don’t care what color or style, I’ll take the fountain pen, I said with a smile. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“Oh, you don’t want that one. It comes out all ugly. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">And it’s made of pure gold,” she said to me smugly.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Then how bout the blue? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">"No, that one hops." <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Okay, maybe the green? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“Comes out in glops.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Black? “I’m afraid it’s having trouble connecting.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Red? “I’ll need it if we do any in-class correcting.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Look, I said, my voice filling with fear, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Just gimme a pen before the teacher gets here!

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“But this one always comes out in tons, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The yellow one skips and the purple one runs. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When the brown one dries, it looks real icky, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">And the orange one’s covered with something sticky. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This one’s for emergencies (in case I get confused) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">‘cause it’s clean and it’s fresh and it’s never been used. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I keep this one for quizzes ‘cause it brings good luck, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">And the ballpoint’s splotchy and the cap is stuck. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This one’s empty, with the silver band, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">And the felt-tip will leak all over your hand. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This one’s cracked, and that’s gone berserk! <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">And that would be perfect but it doesn’t work. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But here! Take this one! This one’s fine! <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Oh wait…I’m sorry, this one’s mine.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I think she went on but I couldn’t have cared. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I decided it was better to go unprepared.


 * Taylor Mali uses clever and discreptive words in his poem, "On Girls Lending Pens." He figuratively speaks about life, and how it relates to asking a girl for a pen. Mali treats the need for a pen to how life should be lived. He thinks it's "...better to go unprepared." There are so many excuses and delays in life but no matter how many excuses and delays there are, you still have to live life throught thick and thing. The rhyming quality of Taylor's poem and how he makes the poem feel like a joke makes me more interested to read. I chose this poem becasue I like poems that have abit of rhyming in them.** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">