Poetry Portfolio - Freedom By Phuong Anh (Anya) Ngo

Contents

Slide 1: Cover page

Slide 2: Contents

Slide 3: Dedication page

Slide 4: Introduction - What is poetry and how can it be used to communicate freedom?

Slides 5-6: Statement of Intent and “Change of Freedom” poem

Slides 7-8: Statement of Intent and “Beautiful” poem

Slides 9-10: Statement of Intent and “Twelfth Year” poem

Slides 11-12: Statement of Intent and “True Meaning of Freedom” poem

Slides 13-14: Statement of Intent and “Daydreaming” haiku

Slide 15: Citations

Slide 16: The End

Dedication Page

I dedicate this to my family, friends and to my English teacher Ms. Noullet

Introduction - What is poetry and how can it be used to communicate freedom?

Art is a unique way to express feelings and expressions as well as thoughts. Poetry is one form of art, but it includes a type of language. It could be expressive or informative language. It may also be a poem that gives you a message or just a poem that expresses the writer’s feelings. Many poems have figurative language, figures of speech such as similes and metaphors, diction, sounds effects, and more. Poetry has many ways that it can be written in. Most poems have stanzas and a rhythmic pattern. Sometimes a poem can rhyme and sometimes it doesn’t rhyme at all but it expresses the thoughts of the writer in the language. Poems can have a different meaning than what is actually written, but different people see or understand it differently. It depends on their perspective, imagination and background. Age can also make a person think differently about a meaning of something. Freedom can be expressed in this because it can show how the reader thinks about freedom in his or her piece of art. Freedom of slavery, freedom of war are just two of very many themes freedom can be said in.

Statement of Intent

In the poem “Change of Freedom” I wrote about how little things such as having a pet can lessen your freedom because you have to take care of it (e.g. feed it). Even having

a pet like a cat who doesn’t need much taking care of, can still lessen your freedom (not too much), but some people may not

realize that.

Change of Freedom

The cat stands outside

Soaking wet in the rain

Looking at me

With its big eyes

Pleading to come in

And to be fed.

But I know that look: It wants to be kept.

But no.

It has freedom

I have freedom

Why take it away?

To be kept in a house

Not being able to go

Wherever he wants

Whenever he wants.

And me?

Looking after, feeding,

Many other reasons…

But I know that

Little things,

Can change your freedom.

Statement of Intent

The poem “Beautiful” is about a girl getting bullied because of a birthmark that covers

half of her face. It is a big spot on her face, so she gets called “dog”. Though her family helps her overcome the bullying, she can’t so the only solution for her is to self-harm. At the end, she has to learn three important things, and everyone must remember that lesson. Read the poem to know what helps

many people in the world overcome the same problem.

Freedom from bullying.

Inspired to make this poem by:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY

Beautiful She looks in the mirror everyday Saying "I'm beautiful" That puts a smile on her face Led by a tear

Of rotten memories.

She comes to school

Smiling everything will be okay

But the words said by others

Echo in her head.

For 5 years that has happened

All she heard was "Fat, ugly, dog".

Dog...dog...dog…BEWARE

By a birth mark

Covering half of her face.

A loving family

Keeps her up,

Yet she still falls down. No solution, no help. Only the sound of her dripping blood. The scars and bruises, cutting. Done by herself, Just comes. Regretting everyday, But doing it the next. Crying and crying… Painful, but there's already too much pain Why do it again? And even more? Three important things: Self-confidence. Bravery. Own beauty. Everyone is beautiful in their own way. When you learn it, everyone else's opinion Doesn't matter. Remember, you're beautiful.

Statement of Intent

This poem “Twelfth Year” is about how I used to be very confused when I was small about my parents being free and me having to do homework. As I grew older, I realized I

was wrong. What I was confused about is explained in the poem with some examples. The poem and my thoughts also have a very

small moral to it.

Twelfth Year

I have been living

Twelve years of my life

From when I first saw the light

So bright, shining into my eyes.

I grew up

Thinking Why do I have to go to school? And My parents only go to work, so free, no homework. It drove me crazy

That when I came home

I did homework

While my parents enjoyed a cup of tea

In front of the TV.

Even my grandparents, sat at home all day.

I thought the older you get

The more freedom you have.

As I grew older I then understood they worked hard all day. So I was wrong, the older you get the more work you have. I look at my sister in High School Much more homework than I have. Teen starts from thirteen Twelve before the teenage year Enjoy while you're still free.

Statement of Intent

“True Meaning of Freedom” is a found poem from a prose written by Walt Whitman. He explained the true meaning of freedom, how it entirely depends on the Law. This is an untreated poem, because I only shortened the text

and changed the format in order for it to become a poem. No changes in words were made.

Whitman, Walt. "18. Freedom. Notes Left Over. Whitman, Walt. 1892. Prose Works." 18. Freedom. Notes Left Over. Whitman, Walt. 1892. Prose Works. N.p., 1993-2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2013. <http://www.bartleby.com/229/3018.html>.

True Meaning of Freedom

It is not only true

Most people entirely misunderstand Freedom,

But I sometimes think

I have not yet met one person

Who rightly understands it.

The whole Universe is absolute Law.

Freedom only opens entire activity

And license under the law.

To the degraded or undeveloped

Even to too many others

The thought of freedom is a thought

Of escaping from law

This, of course, is impossible.

More precious than all worldly riches,

Is Freedom.

While we are from birth to death The subjects of irresistible law Enclosing every movement and minute We yet escape By a paradox, Into true free will. Strange as it may seem We only attain to freedom By a knowledge of And unspoken obedience to: Law. Great—unspeakably great—is the Will! The free Soul of man! At its greatest, Understanding and obeying the laws, It can then, and then only, maintain true liberty.

Statement of intent

“Daydreaming” is a haiku about a girl wandering in a daydream, because being free is like being in your own world doing

things you want to do, free and away from everyone. But then she wakes up and walks away, back to the real world, reality. There is an English version, and a Russian version

below it in purple.

Daydreaming

She sits on the grass

Wandering in a daydream

Wakes up, stands, walks away.

Она сидит на траве

Блуждает по мечте

Просыпается, встаёт, уходит.

Citations Images:

Freedom. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 11 Apr 2013.http://quest.eb.com/images/132_1292762 Depressed Blonde Woman. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 11 Apr 2013. http://quest.eb.com/images/139_1914345 Tuxedo Cat Drinking From Toilet. Photograph.Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 11 Apr 2013. http://quest.eb.com/images/130_599829

Self-inflicted Lacerations On Teenage Girl's Arms.Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 11 Apr 2013.http://quest.eb.com/images/132_1265728

Hispanic Female Student Doing Homework.Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 11 Apr 2013.http://quest.eb.com/images/154_2902999

French Freedom Day. Photographer. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 11 Apr 2013.http://quest.eb.com/images/115_2732002

African American Girl Looking Up. Photography.Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 11 Apr 2013. http://quest.eb.com/images/154_2901094

Other:

Link to a YouTube video that inspired me to make the poem “Beautiful”.

Found poem:

Whitman, Walt. "18. Freedom. Notes Left Over. Whitman, Walt. 1892. Prose Works."

18. Freedom. Notes Left Over. Whitman, Walt. 1892. Prose Works. N.p., 1993-2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2013. <http://www.bartleby.com/229/3018.html> .

The End Thank You