Journal Three from Dathan

Part One: The the Lines chapter, I mostly had all of that information, metric feet and lines, tucked away in some corner of my mind, but knowing and doing are two incredibly  different things. It looks like you can't have two heavy stresses together at all, but you can have multiple light stresses together. I have a vague idea, but I would like to know for sure. Trying to get the correct metric length, and rhyme scheme along with everything else we have talked about seems nearly impossible. That is probably why most poems focus on one or two things.

The piece of art that I chose is called 'Ships in Distress.' That basically tells you what is in the picture, five ships being bobbed around by the waves with a storm coming, I think a sixth one when down. It was painted by a man named Ludolf Hackhuysen, a German born Dutch painter. The ship that we have the best view of has a flag, the colors are a little off, but given the he was a Dutch painter the flag could fit that red, white and blue pattern.

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Journal three : Britnee Conley

In the chapter "The Line", I found it interesting that the most important point in the line is the end and the second most important is the  beginning. In the chapter "Some Given Forms",  I found it interesting that for some poems the rhyming pattern is the important factor while in other poems the syllable number if each line is the important factor.

My piece of art is called Rain Princess and was created my Leonid Afremov.  Afremov was born and live in Russia for an large portion of his life. Only in 1990 did he leave and move his family to Israel. The move was prompted by the antisemitism in Russia (He had Jewish roots), and the Chernobyl disaster that happened in 1986 which caused radiation to begin to effect his family including his two year old son. All of his art work from before 1990 have no record because they were often sold privately or given away for free. He does not have any pictures of those pieces. It was difficult for him to sell his art in Israel because the locals thought his work was less valuable because he was a Russian immigrant. His son began to sell Afremovs' painting door to door which was more effective than selling to galleries. He was able to start his own gallery but is was vandalized in 2001 so he decided to move to America where he thought he would be treated with respect. In 2004 his son found out about eBay and they began to sell Afremovs paintings there. 

Jornal Three- Aziz Hamid

Part One:

"The Line"

I never knew how important the choice of line length is.  Line length has a a major impact on the effect of the readers. The iambic pentameter line is the most common line used by poets. Iambic refers to the stresses, syllable sounds used in the line. Iambic foot is a light stress followed by a very heavy stress.  Pentameter refers to the number of feet per line, in a pentameter there are five feet per line.  Iambic pentameter comes naturally to anyone who reads the poem, it is not to long or to short. Any deviation from the iambic pentameter has a different effect on the readers.

"Some Given Forms"

In this chapter I learned about the importance of the design of a poem. There are many things that are important when choosing a design of a poem. These include rhyme, meter length of line and the sounds of the various letters. The overall length of the poem, its tone and the use imagery is also important. One thing I noticed that I think is important is that any change from an established pattern indicates that the poet wants the reader to feel something different at that point. This technique acts as guide to the way the poet wants the reader to feel and understand the poem.


Question: How do I know exactly where within the phrase itself to turn the line over?

Part Two:

Selma to Montgomery March (1965)

I took this picture when I visited the Center for Civil and Human Rights museum in Atlanta, Georgia.  Unfortunately I don't know who the artist is :(

Journal Three: Amanda Gifford

Part One: The chapter "The Line" focuses on the emphasis of how much stress is put on the line or word used in a poem. The light and heavy stresses vary and are defined by which pattern they follow such as a "Trochee: a heavy stress then followed by a light stress". How the stresses are written effect how the poem is read and its overall rhythm. This creates a distinct tone which affects how its perceived. "Some Given Forms" talks about line lengths and distinct rhyme patterns that form when incorporating it into stanzas.  The rhymes can be slight or complex depending on the poets choice. Stanzas are important to giving lines a set thought to the overall composition of the poem. Each stanza completing or building up to a general thought or theme.
Question: How do the stresses translate in other languages?

Part Two: The Art piece I picked was Andy Warhol's flower piece. I chose this specific piece because its simple but yet complex dealing with the different layers of the screen print giving it texture. His work captures the object in a way that gives it a antique feel and preserves his view of the era. Most of his work captured the excitement of the changing times and natural emotion. This piece focuses on more of his individual view of nature and his perception recreated on canvas.

Journal Three - Brooke Voisard

Part One:

"The Line" and "Some Given Forms" are my favorite of the chapters we've read so far. "The Line" was very informative. It definitely changes the whole meaning of the poem based on where you turn the line. It actually makes a huge difference, and that's something I didn't know before reading it. "Some Given Forms" was also very informative. I didn't know previously that there were any forms of sonnets other than the ones I've read and written, and it was really interesting to learn more about those and how to write them. Are Haikus a form of syllabic verse?


Part Two:

My chosen artwork was "Cafe Terrace at Night" by Vincent Van Gogh. When researching this piece, I found out that there are theories that Van Gogh actually depicted the last supper in this painting, and I thought that was really interesting. I'm trying to incorporate that into my poem-  I think it would add some interesting layers.

Journal Three: Morgan DeWitt

Part one: The quote that stuck out to me in The Line chapter was, "The gift of words- their acute and utter wakefulness- is drowned in a rhythm that is too regular, and the poem becomes, instead of musical, a dull and forgettable muttering" (56). I really enjoyed this advice from Oliver because she is describing a balance that poets should have between form and freedom. She makes the point that the length, rhythm, turn, and meter of our line is important, but that it is also just as important to make sure the structure of our line is not drowning out our emotion, substance, and beauty of our line. As a beginner poet it is hard to find this balance and be at peace with it but with practice I'm sure it will eventually come naturally.

My favorite quote from Some Given Forms was, "Part of our pleasure in the poem is that it is a well-made thing-it gives pleasure through the authority and sweetness of the language used in the way that it is used" (58).  I love this advice because it does express the importance of every decision we make as poets to contrast a poem that we are happy with and that other readers can enjoy. The size of our stanza, the form, rhythm, what word we begin or end on, the verse, etc. They are all important details that can make or break the sweetness of our poem. When all of these components are mixed together and well, we bake a sweet and pleasurable poem.

Question: To be a poet, must we practice writing in form or is it possible to just write in free verse with no practice of form and make a just as pleasurable poem?

Part two:

This mural is Morley’s “Penny for Your Thoughts”. On Wabash Art Corridor they explain the purpose of the mural, "Morley is a Los Angeles- based street artist specializing in bold, typographic posters that mix humor and hope. His recent installation on Wabash Avenue called “Penny for your thoughts,” is meant to act as a friendly voice amongst the barrage of billboard messages and corporate slogans." Even though I was able to explore the Chicago Museum of Art, which is arguably the best art museum in the nation, this mural meant more to me. I love it's purpose and I think it really tackles a sensitive subject in a beautiful way.

Rosen Journal #3

Part One:

"The Line" was a very good chapter explaining specific terms about pentameters and going into more detail about properly creating the right sound and rhythm for a poetry piece. It was helpful that Oliver took each different type of pentameter and gave a definition with it, showing how its used, and providing this for each one. On page 43 it goes into detail about how the rhythm and length of lines can turn on and turn off a reader, such as having a five foot line poem and then adding in an obscure lengthly line randomly can frustrate a reader. My question for this chapter is: How can I make a lengthly sentence not awkward? Should I dedicate more time into creating shorter poems or is there a way to fit these lines in more smoothly?

For the "Some Given Forms" chapter it explains the design of poems, meaning the layout and also the rhyme schemes that could come with it. I enjoyed this chapter a lot because I got to learn about different rhythm patterns I hadn't seen yet which made me inspired to look for different ones. For Example: Onegin stanzas: "aBaBccDDeFFeGG" with the lowercase letters representing feminine rhymes and the uppercase representing masculine rhymes

Part Two:

The Persistence of Memory - Salvador Dali

Journal Two: Amanda Gifford

Part One: Hello I'm Amanda and I was born and raised within Marion. I've lived in Japan for two years relocating with my fathers job. Also moving to a small rural town in Indiana for four years.  I'm passionate about Art and exploring different mediums. I started collecting converse shoes in 7th grade after admiring its simplicity and many colors. After getting my first pair I was hooked. Now finding storage space is a challenge but its worth it. My fun fact is that I own 55 pairs of converse shoes.  

Part Two:
After reading a certain quote it stuck with me that shed light on the different kinds of poets. Not everyone is going to write the same or feel the same on any subject. That's the beauty of it that the collaboration of different minds is what defines the world so uniquely. That with every generation there will be one who defines it in a way that isn't recognized till it has passed. This quote sparked the connection of diversity, "Poetry is a river; many voices travel in it; poem after poem moves along in the exciting crests and falls of the river waves".

Part Three:
I started writing it after a stressful day on my way home from Columbus. I watched as the scenery passed by and staring at the bare trees and muddy stream.The description of my writing and the actual setting I was looking at were completely different. I actually went line by line writing it and for being in a somber mood, to have the poem come from it was shocking. I wrote it within the hour trip home and feel pleased with it as a starting point.

  

Journal two from Britnee Conley

My name is Britnee. I am eighteen years old and am a senior in highschool.  I will be going to OSU main campus once I graduate and plan on doing radiation therapy. My fun fact was that I like to try new things but am accident prone so do not be surprised when I hurt myself.

something that Mary Oliver said in her book is how imitation is important especially to new writers. things that are considered an art form benefits from imitation. It is a way to study styles and develop your own version of a style. Oliver says "Before we can be poets, we must practice;" This is very true for poets as well as many other artist.

When writing my first poem, I heard that we could do it in the voice of an animal and instantly thought of my sisters dog Apollo. He has come a long way since my sister adopted him and I wanted to share his story. The poem was written over a few days and while I don't know if it is any good, I like it and think it is cute.

Here is a picture of me next to a picture of my sister that was hung up at my high school last year

Journal Two: Brooke Voisard

Journal Two


Part One
My name is Brooke Voisard. I'm from Marion and I've lived here all my life. I am the youngest of three sisters, and we are all very close. English has always been a huge part of my life. Growing up, I read anything I could get my hands on, and I read it twice. Reading has led the way to writing for me. I decided to take this class because it sounded like it would be fun and enriching. I'd like to broaden my horizons and ultimately learn more about poetry in terms of artists and styles. I've always been interested in poetry whether reading or writing it, so this class seemed like the best option for me. My fun fact is that i am missing a vertebrae in my back.

Part Two
So far, I've found Mary Oliver's writing to be very informative. I think the small details are the most important. If I wasn't giving it my full attention for even a short amount of time I found myself lost. The chapter on imitation has been my favorite so far. "I think if imitation were encouraged much would be learned well that is now learned partially and haphazardly." I liked how Mary Oliver realizes that we need imitation in order to learn. She notes that children cannot learn without imitation, and why should writing be any different? She does point out that copying someone's work, in the writing world, is the sin of all sins, but she also points out that imitation is more of investigating rather than copying.

Part Three
The idea from my first poem came to me while in class, after the prompt was introduced. I thought about it for a few days off and on, not trying to put too much pressure on it.When it came down to writing it, it took me about an hour before I was satisfied. Overall, I would say I am satisfied with my first poem.

Here is a picture of me with my grandma :)

Journal Two: Morgan DeWitt

Part one:

Hi, my name is Morgan DeWitt and I'm an English major here at OSU Marion. I live in Marysville, Ohio which is 45 minutes Northwest of Columbus.When I first came to OSU I was an Environmental Policy major. It didn't take long for me to realize that wasn't where I belonged and after taking my first year writing  class with Dr. Lohre here I changed my major to English. As an English major I feel like I can combine all of my loves (writing, reading, the environment, traveling, music, people, politics, life) and make something out of them.
My goal in this class is to grow more as a writer and learn from other writers. I love writing and work shopping. Classes where I've been able to share my writing and get constructive criticism from others have been what have helped my writings the most so I'm excited to try that with a focus on poetry.
 My fun fact was that I've had a lot of weird  jobs: zoo train driver, oldies D.J., and media on presidential campaigns.


Part two:
I'm enjoying Mary Oliver's poetry handbook so far. My favorite quote so far is, "Poetry is like a river; many voices travel in it; poem after poem moves along in the exciting crests and falls of river waves" (9). This metaphor really stood out to me because poems really aren't just some words on some paper, a poem takes on a voice and a body and becomes something more than what it is.

Part three: My First Poem

For my first poem, I took on the voice of a man I saw in New Orleans when I was visiting there over the summer. I loved New Orleans, it left a huge mark on me. The energy there is so great, the Mississippi is so beautiful, and the people are so diverse and welcoming. When I was sitting on a bench looking out at the Mississippi watching the sunset I noticed a group of guys sitting nearby tossing around a bottle of bourbon. They looked so happy and at peace with the day, I don't think I'll ever forget them.

It only took me about 30 minutes to write my first poem, probably because it was a topic that's been circulating in my head for quite sometime. I like the poem, but I definitely think it could use some work later on.

        

My mom and I just recently traveled to D.C. I got to see both the Inauguration and the women's march so it was a really cool experience! We travel a lot together.

                                                    

Rosen Journal #2

Part One: Me

My name is Ethan Rosen, from Cleveland, OH. I'm eighteen years of age and exploring majors at OSUM and OSU in general. I'm a dynamic person, and by that I mean I'm interested in many things that may not usually go together. To begin, I love writing but not reading. I hate reading actually (Trying to get better at that). I love to create graphic design and in honesty all form of art because ever since I was a child my favorite word has been "Create". Another interest of mine is film because I love to create videos and match music up with it to the beat or just if I like the song with it because when I'm creating film I am also thinking of music with it. This brings us to my favorite thing in life; Music. I love to sing and play around with any instrument I can. I'm not good at the instruments necessarily but when I hear a sound I like I make more of it. I've been singing for five years now but I've never really had issues with it, I just sing and hope that it sounds good. When I was in high school I was in every choir (besides the women's choir) for all four years and this consisted of a men's group, a mixed group, an advanced chamber mixed choral group, and a swing and dance group. Overall I love singing and music and if I could do that for a living I would in a minute because I want to create music to help others in response of the artists they've helped me through painful times. I don't care about money really, I like to create things for myself because I love to learn more about anything because that's what life should be to me. Learning, living, helping, and learning more. A fun fact about me is that when I was fifteen I had the chance to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York City with a big choir where I was the lowest bass. Which reminds me, I have a disgustingly low ranged voice and if I'm ever tired I promise I'm not mumbling, were just on different frequencies.

Part Two: Mary Oliver readings thus far

Mary Oliver is a very real and fluid writer. By this I mean that she makes the reader comfortable by relating to the reader through the language that she uses. Usually, I'm the type of person to like bombastic and colorful books with elaborate characters in specifically drawn realms - and this, this is non-fiction. Now, I love history so don't think I think non-fiction is boring or the bane of my existence. It's just not my first choice. For Mary Oliver's "Poetry Handbook", she relates with the reader in the poem explaining how for artists and musicians there's certain things you can't just learn, but rather that it's customary to your life and its a mystery. "Something that is essential can't be taught; it can only be given, or earned, or formulated in a manner too mysterious to be picked apart and redesigned for the next person." (Oliver, Pg 1) And I agree with this. But then she goes on to say that writing can be the same way but its the extra essentials you must learn in order to find greatness. This inspires me because I'm a musician and I need to learn more the essentials before I can really get to a place I'm very comfortable.

Part 3: First poem

My first poem is about my late dog Molly. I came up with the concept fairly quickly after the prompt was given. Until this class I never realized I wanted to write about my old dog but I was quickly inspired and it took me maybe 30-45 minutes to write my poem. For me, writing comes pretty naturally, but I don't want to use that as an excuse to become complacent. I want to get better and in the future I want to revise this poem to make it better (Unless I like where it is). And I know that it doesn't matter how long you spend on the poem because a good poem is a good poem no matter how it got to where it is. Some of the greatest poems I'm sure only took 30 minutes, but for me I want to go back just to be sure there isn't a place I can fix or make better. This poem is actually pretty sad but I think it's good that way. It lets me release my "emotional freedom" like Oliver says in her book.

This is me (Right) with Mac DeMarco, my favorite music artist and idol.

Part One: Jake Ritzert
Hello Everyone, my name is Jake Ritzert. I am from Cleveland, Ohio and have lived in northeast Ohio my entire life.
I am currently in the second semester of my first year at Ohio State @ Marion and plan on staying here another year to study Human Nutrition.
As of now, I plan on becoming a nutritionist to help others live a healthier lifestyle...
 But, I really don't want to limit the rest of my life to doing a certain thing over and over and over and over and over again.
I don't believe finding a well paying job is an important goal in life, because in the end, material things aren't important. Building lasting relationships and doing the things you love are the most important things a person can achieve.
My most desirable goals in life is to be the world's greatest father and husband.
I currently work at a small bakery, where I get to make lots of old people happy with fresh bread. You would be surprised at how much people love their bread...
I don't enjoy being the center of attention, I would much rather sit back and observe and listen to other people.
FUN FACT: Although I do not look it, I am extremely into weight lifting. I workout daily and have been tracking everything I eat for the last 3 years.

Part Two: I am not much of a reader, especially when it comes to informative nonfiction, but I am enjoying this book so far. Maybe I just haven't actually read much nonfiction so I have a misleading preconception. Mary Oliver is able to relate most of the ideas on poetry very easily and in a way that is understandable for everyone. I really enjoy how Mary Oliver talks about how poetry is a form of emotional freedom. "Poems must, of course, be written in emotional freedom." She mentions this concept multiple times throughout the first couple chapters and it seems to be an idea that sounds very pleasing. Emotional freedom...that idea just sounds so....relieving and to be able to achieve that through poetry is very enticing.

Part Three: Hmmmm, I kinda just started to write some words down on a piece of paper until an idea I liked came into my head. I love to make my poems rhyme, so I started out just rhyming some words together and that got some ideas flowing. I don't know how or why I decided to write my poem on a guy who thinks he is dreaming but is actually dead, that seems a little dark for my personality, but I just stuck with the idea and kept on writing. I did lots of thinking once the idea formulated, in fact, I'm still thinking about how I can improve the poem or make it longer. I spent about an hour in total on the poem, which seems a little short to me. When it comes to writing anything creative or almost anything in general, I like to make sure it is the complete best work I can do. But I am very happy with the concept of my poem, I think I could relate the idea better though.
Picture: I am in the middle

 Here's a picture of my siblings and I @ the Grand Canyon last summer. This was one of my favorite places, I love and miss the west coast.

Aziz Hamid Journal Two

Journal Two

Part One: Hi my name is Abdulaziz Hamid. I go by Aziz. I was born in Kenya and moved to the United States at a very young age. My parents moved to the United States so I can have the opportunity to have an education. I am junior majoring in Biology. My goal is to become a physician and help with the health issues in Kenya. My goal for the class is being able to read poems and analyze what the author is trying to portray. I want to be able to write poems so I can be able to put all my thoughts and emotions together in a creative way. A fun fact about me is English is my 3rd language. 

Part Two:When reading the Mary Oliver's "A Poetry Handbook" the chapter on Imitation caught my attention.  In this chapter I learned that in poetry imitation is actually encouraged. "But in the world of writing it is originality that is sought out, and praised, while imitation is the sin of sins." (pg 13)  Nowadays when somebody imitate/plagiarize another person work it is frowned upon and considered morally wrong. But in this chapter the author encourages imitation because imitation helps you learn.  After you practice imitating other poets' styles you will slowly develop your own style. 

Part Three: The process I went through for writing my first poem is first I thought of something that has meaning to me.  I wanted to write about something that I have interest in. I thought of someone who influenced and shaped my life. Prophet Muhammad has a big impact on my life. He is someone I look up to and try to emulate.  I love learning about him. I did a lot of thinking when writing this poem. I had a lot of thought in my mind that I wanted to express. I went through a couple of pages of just ideas. I wrote two rough drafts before my final poem. I spent 2 hours on this first poem. I felt very proud of my results. All of my hard work and time really shows in the final product.

Journal Two from Dathan

Part One:
My name is Dathan Lyon. I have seen twenty-one Ohio winters, including winters that were not too wintry. I am the youngest of three brothers and the only one who is no incredibly hip to all of this technological witchcraft. I am taking this class to expand what I know about language to improve my wordsmithing. Fun fact: on a few occasions there were trees who tried to climb me. That was because I lived near the middle of nowhere for most of my life and for entertainment we would build forts near the creek.

Part Two:
In the second and a bit in the third paragraph of the 'Getting Ready' chapter it talks about how you need to make a habit our of writing. "It waits, it watches. If you are reliably there, it begins to show itself - soon it begins to arrive when you do." Sure, you can sit down any time you want to and write, but more often than not you'll be writing without that inspiration that doesn't always show its face.

Part Three:
I was outside working at Meijer, pushing grocery carts. There is a stop sign that was slightly turned, someone must have hit it with their car. I climbed it and rocked it back so that is was horizontal and realigned it. I guess I just thought about how people normally, pay attention to signs. In the poem I tried to make it focused on a traffic light that is like a Greek god. People heed the signals from the traffic light like they would the 'moods' of the gods. I lost track of what I wanted to originally do and so will try to correct it later, but it has a good flow for my first poem in about five years.

(Picture on its way)

Welcome to our blog-- From Mike Lohre

Hello students, and welcome to our class blog.

Once you are here, please consider this three-part prompt for Journal Two on our blog:

Part One:  Introduce yourself and share some goals and dreams for the class. End with your fun fact.

Part Two: Respond to your reading in Mary Oliver's "A Poetry Handbook" so far:  What caught your attention or seems most important? Why?  Use at least one direct quote from the textbook in your response.

Part Three: Describe your process for making your first poem.  How did you come up with the idea? How much thinking did you do? How much time did you spend on this first poem, and how do you feel about the results?

Also, please include a photo of yourself to finish your post so we continue to get to know each other well!  The blog is private and not searchable so don't be shy, and we want to learn how to use images and the blog's features for our future posts.

My wife Irene and I in the Florida everglades, 2016.