Branches 1, 2, & 3 : Roots and Brances

Branch 1: Poetry in Motion

          Many moons have passed and dropped, it feels, recently.  Has it felt this way for you lately?  Having to do with life poetics, I recently the Jay Z & Kanye West Show with my brother Nick.  One thing he and I have always shared is our poetic interests in hip hop/rap culture.  We differ somewhat in which sides of the country our preferences lie, but the genre is the same.                           

http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2011/12/jay-z_and_kanye_west_delivered.html

It was great to share something I enjoy with my brother.  As with many people, and their family relationships,  he and I have not often had the opportunity to share space, time, and interests.  I was also able to share a part of the city I enjoy.  The show itself was very entertaining, though I did expect more.  It seemed a little causal to my expectations.
          The stage setting was fairly elaborate.  Two square stages across from each other on the ground main floor gave them some great full arena synergy.  Lighting was simple: sets of electronic and stage lighting mostly main colors.  There were some laser light portions in the middle of the shared square stages that did give some good luminescence to the performers.  The symbolic imagery of the song clips on the main back stage were odd and repetitive at times and did not add a powerful sense.  The personal dress asthetic seemed basic for Jay and explicit for West.  One could be considered honest, true to person, and street.  Kanye was in, what my brother later informed me of, pharaoh demeanor...what is it again ?

"Have you ever had sex with a pharaoh? …I put the pussy in a sarcophagus"
                                                                                                                      -thank you Kanye

          The tracks performed were however unquestionably excellent.  Rap music and well lyrically beating hip hop has always hit me as good poetry does.  There is a physical inspiration and pull that moves me into dance.  Hitting beats with my feet, body, and as they often say hands in the air! They of course added the phrase New Orleans to some of their pieces and got the crowds bumpin!
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Branch 2:  Poetry Mid-Term next week for my 7th/8th grade classes.  Here is your test, ANSWER IT IN A COMMENT TO THIS BLOG!

Vocabulary
Poetry-
Setting-
Characters-
Symbol-
Theme-
Rhyme-

Poetry Response:  Use the above terms, except for poetry) to analyze the poem in a paragraph.  One sentence for Setting, Characters, Symbol + Meaning, Theme, and Rhyme.

 THE POOL PLAYERS. 
 SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL.
                            -Gwendolyn Brooks


We real cool. We
Left school. We

Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We

Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We

Jazz June. We
Die soon.

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Branch 3: School Days School Days, Here Are Golden Rule Days......

         I love my students fiercely, my administration lately--it has been hard to say the same for.  Constantly they make numerous demands knowing that they have not given adequate time or resources to complete.  Some do not give us either until after they are "due" and then we, the teachers, are blamed.  They often make promises they do not fulfill and even when offered my own time after school to help secure that I can do them, I am still meet with them not having the time at the moment.  I know I could do better given more, but I do have to say I am doing some good with what I have.  I often forget to remind myself of that.  I also have a friend I taught with last year sharing my floor of corruption.  She is a bit fierce, but a power player for sure and I have made props, love, and respect for her being here with me.  She is my girl absolutely and without question.  We'll be at it again tomorrow, and to quote the motto of our school:

I Can
         I Am
                  I Will!



Mr. Galicia