James Baldassano, 11/5/2012

In today’s seminar, we had poem recitals. Poetry is a way of expressing emotions to some people, a way of self-representation in words. It is similar to the way I like to express myself through writing and performing music. It can tell a story, express an opinion, and above all, it can make people think. Poetry, in addition to expressing emotion, inflicts emotion and radiates it upon its listeners and readers. It can augment a feeling of happiness, sadness, loneliness, or even anger. These are all feelings I saw in our seminar session. Each person had their own style, and their own way of getting their poem across.

I was especially impressed by Amber’s performance, where she actually became a part of the poem. It was apparent she had practiced, for each step coordinated with each line. Her vocal tone coordinated with her movements. For example, where the poem needed a little sass, she gave it it. I am yet to present my poem, but when I do, my poem requires a lot of expression, so I will learn from Amber’s performance and incorporate it into my own. My poem requires a sort of sarcastic tone, with a little edge, and remorseful.

All in all, our poems have all had something individual and interesting. I hope to keep the tradition of good performances up when I go!