Final Presentation Category

1. The Glory of Taiwan ( Culture Poem)

2. Playground ( how we see the world around us)
3. Our Story ( Love, thrill, excitement)

4. Stranger ( Hip-Hop poem)

5. Peace  ( Peace & War Poem)

Poem & Me

Creating a poem is a tough mission,

With no imagination,

The beginning of the poem is like a mysterious puzzle,

With no direction and sensation.

Now poem is challenge,

But keep working on it is an option,

Finally I got great creation,

To express the deep emotion through the poem.

Brief description:
I was thinking about the first impression of creating poem. Poetry, in other words, for me, the period of this semester, I finally knew how to include the real emtion through words, it is not about how perfect a poem would be like, it is all about the sensation and experience of life.

Stranger

( Image resource: http://yhoo.it/19yRv3R )

"Hey, how do you do?" you said.
When we met each other for the first time,
I knew god sent someone special to me.
We were like air and water,
so essential that cannot image what future  would be like without you.
You taught me to be the best person I could be,
Just like you always give me the best everything as you could.
You bright up my life with beautiful sunshine,
“La~ La~ La~” I am humming a song,
When you walked me home at night,
The moon was especially brighter than ever that night.

In the second year, you suddenly moved away,

It left a hole in my mind when you went away.

You said we still can keep in touch wherever you are,

We both cried and hugged each other tightly,

For the first time you wrote a letter to me,

The stamp brought sunshine in blue sky,

Just like your smiles that always belong to me.

I put it in a wooden box so the good old memories will be cherished.

Somehow I wonder what you are doing now,

“Are you happy now?” I whispered,

But no one answered.

Now we are merely like strangers,

No matter how hard we try for our friendship,

And tears run down my face,

" I dont wanna lose you." I said,

" We are still as good as before." you said.

We are now living in different circle of social life,

although we sometimes make time to chatt as before.

But time is a devil that changes everything,

And our friendship can never like as before,

However, the photo of both of us will in my heart forever.

Description:
This poem is based on a story between my friend and me. We were used to be the best friends when we were sophomore. We went abroad for the first time together, we shared the secrets and often talked and planned for our future and even promised each other that someday we would definitely study abroad. However, I guess time chaneged everythning. Our friendship is not as good as before and I miss the good old days we spent together. So this is why I created this poetry, it indeed express the feeling of loneliness.

 

Dear Mama ( in-class task)

"Dear Mama"

You are appreciated

[Verse One: 2Pac]

When I was young me and my mama had beef
Seventeen years old kicked out on the streets
Though back at the time, I never thought I'd see her face
Ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place
Suspended from school; and scared to go home, I was a fool
with the big boys, breakin all the rules
I shed tears with my baby sister
Over the years we was poorer than the other little kids
And even though we had different daddy's, the same drama
When things went wrong we'd blame mama
I reminice on the stress I caused, it was hell
Huggin on my mama from a jail cell
And who'd think in elementary?
Heeey! I see the penitentiary, one day
And runnin from the police, that's right
Mama catch me, put a whoopin to my backside
And even as a crack fiend, mama
You always was a black queen, mama
I finally understand
for a woman it ain't easy tryin to raise a man
You always was committedA poor single mother on welfare, tell me how ya did it
There's no way I can pay you back
But the plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated

[Chorus: Reggie Green & "Sweet Franklin" w/ 2Pac]

Lady...
Don't cha know we love ya? Sweet lady
Dear mama
Place no one above ya, sweet lady
You are appreciated
Don't cha know we love ya?

[second and third chorus, "And dear mama" instead of "Dear mama"]

[Verse Two: 2Pac]

Now ain't nobody tell us it was fair
No love from my daddy cause the coward wasn't there
He passed away and I didn't cry, cause my anger
wouldn't let me feel for a stranger
They say I'm wrong and I'm heartless, but all along
I was lookin for a father he was gone
I hung around with the Thugs, and even though they sold drugs
They showed a young brother love
I moved out and started really hangin
I needed money of my own so I started slangin
I ain't guilty cause, even though I sell rocksIt feels good puttin money in your mailbox
I love payin rent when the rent's due
I hope ya got the diamond necklace that I sent to you
Cause when I was low you was there for me
And never left me alone because you cared for me
And I could see you comin home after work late
You're in the kitchen tryin to fix us a hot plate
Ya just workin with the scraps you was given
And mama made miracles every Thanksgivin
But now the road got rough, you're alone
You're tryin to raise two bad kids on your own
And there's no way I can pay you back
But my plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated

[Chorus]

[Verse Three: 2Pac]

Pour out some liquor and I reminsce, cause through the drama
I can always depend on my mama
And when it seems that I'm hopeless
You say the words that can get me back in focus
When I was sick as a little kid
To keep me happy there's no limit to the things you did
And all my childhood memories
Are full of all the sweet things you did for me
And even though I act craaazy
I gotta thank the Lord that you made me
There are no words that can express how I feel
You never kept a secret, always stayed real
And I appreciate, how you raised me
And all the extra love that you gave me
I wish I could take the pain away
If you can make it through the night there's a brighter day
Everything will be alright if ya hold on
It's a struggle everyday, gotta roll on
And there's no way I can pay you back
But my plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated

[Chorus]

Sweet lady
And dear mama

Dear mama
Lady [3X]

(Link: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/2pac/dearmama.html )

Translation:
1. beef:  words meaning a crimainl  charge
2.Ain't a woman alive = there is no other women alive
3.You always was a black queen= you were always a black queen
4.You always was committed= you were always committed
5.Don't cha know we love ya? = Don`t you know we love you?
6.ya= you
7. crack: butt, buttocks
8. rocks: words meaning jewerly (related to)

Peace

World without war is peace,
Children run on the field in grace,
Meditation is a state of peace,
Starting a new day with peace.
 
Peace is when someone cares for you,
Peace is when you are meditating,
Peace is happiness we are looking for,
Peace is  a state of mind.

Listening to soft music is a peace,
Life is a race,
Maybe you can escape the conflict,
But peace never dies.

Peace is a noun but a state,
Peace is a  word but a feeling,
Peace is a state,
And the world without war is peace.

Brief description:
First, the poem is about to define the meaning of peace. Peace is easily to find if we pay a little attention on the environment we live in.Therefore, I wrote this poem mainly about peace while I was thinking how to express the emotion of peace through words.

Speaking: The Hero ( in-class task)

I did not want to go.
They inducted me.
I did not want to die.
They called me yellow.
I tried to run away.
They courtmartialed me.
I did not shoot.
They said I had no guts.
I cried in pain.
They carried me to safety.
In safety I died.
They blew taps over me.
They crossed out my name
And buried me under a cross.
They made a speech in my home town.
I was unable to call them liars.
They said I gave my life.
I had struggled to keep it.
They said I set an example
I had tried to run.
They said they were proud of me.
I had been ashamed of them.
They said my mother should be proud.
My mother cried.
I wanted to live.
They called me a coward.
I died a coward.
They called me a hero.

by Felix Pollak

( Link: http://www.wagingpeace.org/menu/issues/peace-&-war/peace-poems.htm#8)

The reason why I chose this poem is because it remind me of the sence of Pearl Harbor. No one wanted to  join the fight (the soldiers) but had no choice to leave their hometwon and some came home safely after the war, but some, (they call " hero") the person who die in the war  for the nation and peace. Therefore this poem is moving and touching when I read it.

Culture Poem- The Glory of Taiwan

                                          (Image resource: http://yhoo.it/10EtG2v )

Her name is Formosa,
The most  beautiful island I know in this world,
There are a million people who live on this land.
It has various and wonderful culture if you explored.

People who live on this land is passionate,
Formosa is a tropical nation,
The kingdom of fruit is  her name,
Diversity in food culture is also the fame.

Languages is very interesting in this place,
Hakka, Taiwanese and Chinese,
Its aboriginal culture is an attraction,
Foreigners often come here for vacation.

" Where do you come from?"
" Taiwan" I would say with pride.
The world is so wide,
This heaven is always bright.
 
Description:
 This poem is about to tell foreigners that Taiwan is worthy to visit and the most beautiful place in the world. This is my hometown. When I wrote this poem, I searched lots of imgaes of scenery of Taiwan online in order to tell others how much I love my nation, and there is no other place like this for sure.