Today’s seminar class was another around of the poetry performances. Finally, it was my turn to go and I couldn’t have been more anxious and nervous. Unfortunately, both of the poets I was assigned to research had very little information on them; so my introduction was very short and sweet. Public speaking, is a very useful trait to master, and it definitely comes more natural for others. Reciting the poem in front of your friends and in front of the class are two completely different things. Although, I had practiced my two poems numerous times, nothing compares to actually speaking it and living in the moment.

I related to the second poem titled, Birthplace by Michael Cirelli a lot more than the first one titled, Checkmate. The prime reason being was the fact that Mr. Cirelli combined poetry and hip-hop into one, which I felt was incredible and mind blowing. I felt I had to read it as a rap in order to get the full effect. I didn’t realize how pronouncing each word can really skew with the meaning of the words and more importantly, the message the author is trying to convey. I have a somewhat New York accent, so I don’t pronounce some of the syllables entirely in the word. That is a difficult habitat to break, but with Professor Kahan correcting me when I mispronounce a word, I am slowly starting to fix the problem.

Because I don’t want to talk about myself in this entire blog, I will discuss James’s performance. His was done with such emotion and feeling, I felt as if I was in the poem acting out and thinking the way the characters had thought. Although, he pronounced some of the words incorrectly, I still give him credit for acting out the poem in a comical manner.

Poetry I believe is all about the underlying meaning; in other words delving deeper into the text and answering some abstract questions. I personally feel that my poem, Checkmate represented a multi-layered set of opinions that can be supported by direct quotes from the poem. After I finished reciting my first poem, Professor Kahan explained her take on the poem, as well as what she believed was the message. It differed a little from mine, but I can wholeheartedly see where she is coming from, and I respect the fact that she thinks about poetry and other forms of art in an abstract way. I hope by taking this course I can develop this skill even slightly, for it is a great trait to possess, and will be useful moving forward in life.