We explored the powerful device of Repetition in Phil Kaye’s poem of the same name.
Lesson Note: Writer/Performer Anna Deavere Smith who interviews people and then writes those interviews down verbatim like poetry, insists that it is in our utterances between words and our repetition of them that finds us really ‘talking.’
Ms. Ruan, 7th and 8th Grade
“Repetition Poem”
by
Qingjie L.
In school
Where we learn, learn, learn, learn
But we look forward, forward, forward
To field day!
I ran and ran and ran
To the bathroom
And then we back, back, back, back to class
To learn, learn, learn, learn
“Repetition”
by
Junyang W
On the weekend I sleep sleep sleep
Or play play play games
While listening to music music music
And sometimes I go to
friends’ house house house
Or shopping in mall mall mall
What to do if the power goes out at home
Welp I have my phone
And power bank.
Repetition
by
Yidan H
School
Where we learn learn learn
but we look forward forward forward to
field day!
When school is over over over
I run run run home
My mom made me food food food at home.
Ms. Wright, 8th Grade
Mind Box
By: Abigail C.
Why,why,why,why,why,why,why,why,why
I ask myself constantly as the walls just get smaller
My mind is a box
All the “Why’s” and the “You’re so ungrateful ” stay confined
You’re so ungrateful,you’re so ungrateful,you’re so ungrateful,you’re so ungrateful,you’re so ungrateful
You are always longing for more when people would kill to have what you have
Why,why,why,why,why,why,why,why,why
Am I never satisfied?
Shut up,shut up,shut up,shut up,shut up,shut up,shut up
Why can’t everything just stop
Or turn it down at least
My mind is a box
And the walls are slowly starting to break
Homesick
By: Zilin S.
I’m homesick, I’m homesick
Longing for home
I’m homesick, I’m homesick
I feel as if I’m trapped in an iron cage with no escape
Feeling isolated from the whole world
I’m homesick, I’m homesick
It feels like the sea washing over you over and over and over again
Instead of calm sea, it is rather the cold and lonely sea
that gives you the absent feeling.
I’m homesick, I’m homesick
Ms. Wright, 8th Grade
Nothing mere a sound
By: Dani G.
Words and their meanings are quite meaningless to me.
But so are actions.
Wake up wake up wake up wake up. Wake. up. Wake. up. Wake. up
School school school school. School. School. School.
Stress.
Stress.
Stress.
Stress.
Stress, Repeat.
Everyday is filled with words and things to do so when did it all become meaningless
When did i stop believing the i love you’s
The
I care about you’s
When was the last time i dove into those words and let it wrap me up like a warm blanket
When did it all just become a sound to me
Was it always fake-
Words have the power to change you. Words have the power of truth
Words have power
Power.
Power.
Power. Power power power power power.
But why do words power always hurt. me.
Instead of the blanket of the i love you’s, it’s a knife heading straight towards my head.
This constant game of dodge
Duck
Hide
Better to ignore it then get caught in the,
In the rope of unhappiness, that will tie my hands behind my back and fill me with guilt
I do this for your own good
Your own good
Your own good
Your own good
Your not good
Your not good
Words have a way of manipulating itself the second it leaves the mouth
The second it touches the air and hits my ears.
The i love you’s are just a manipulation
The i miss you you’s are just a manipulation
The I need you’s are just. A. manipulation.
The Usual Routine
By Suirong G.
I unpack my backpack and grab, grab, grab my stuff
Then I go, go, go to class, like a grab & go
I wait until the transition between classes
I start to feel tired after going through two classes
But I manage to keep awake until lunch period comes
It’s already recess time, and I’m standing out in the cold, cold, cold
atmosphere until it ends
School is nearing to an end, and the day is starting to get long, long, long
Home
Already tired on the bed
I treat myself to a nap
Boom
I just realized
I haven’t brought my folder with me
which contained my homework
How could I always forget, forget, forget?
