Test Prep 2

Alliteration

"the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words"

HERE is a great little site with alliteration examples!


"buzz," "zap," and "sizzle" are all examples of alliteration.  True or False?

Click here for the answer.

Test Prep

Paradox:

The definition from our book is--------
                   
                   "a statement that on the surface seems that it cannot possibly be true, but that turns out to be        
                    true after all"

and the example from the book--------
               
                    "One short sleep past, we wake eternally
                      And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die."

This actually clears nothing up for me...SO here is a nice little website that helps clear things up.

If things are still a little hazy, then try watching this youtube video

Howl Imitation

I saw the minds of my generation...

Afraid to go camping because of lack of cell service.  Eyes widening, wondering how they were going to spend their time.  Forgetting about Pictionary, camp fires, s'mores, and night swimming.  Trading it for Facebook and not realizing that the people sitting in front of you are the ones that matter.

Who sit in class and disrespect their teacher and everyone around them.  Talking to each other, phones going off in the middle of class, cheating on tests, and cheating through life.

Those who come into the pharmacy where I work.  Getting all their prescriptions for free through medicaid as I stare at their tattooed arms holding up their smart phone.  Taking their free prescriptions for granted.  Meanwhile the next person in line has to spend $200 on a prescription to help her son with the flu because her insurance doesn't cover that drug.

Who cut in front of you on the road, not realizing how rude and dangerous it is.  In a hurry to be on their way, yet drive so slow you want to scream.

I saw the minds of my generation become swarmed with reality TV.  Choosing Jersey Shore and Toddlers and Tiaras over news stations or popular movies.

Who choose shopping over family at Thanksgiving.  Standing in line at 7 pm on Thursday instead of saying Grace at a table full of good food and surrounded by the people you love.  Forcing those who work at these stores to be away from their families as well.

Who no longer appreciate the little things in life.

Bed

Warm and welcoming blankets on a mattress;
a cloud so easily accessible.

Sestina

Being out in the sunshine
with toes dipped in the water,
the ocean breeze on your back,
and working on your tan.
You could be strolling along the board walk,
or looking at the bright city lights at night.

When you're out at night
avoiding the sunshine
and out on a walk,
you can walk along the water
in the sand colored a beautiful tan,
with the city lights at your back.

To your home you can start to head back
to be tucked away for the rest of the night.
In your dreams, your mind wanders back to that sand so tan,
and the feel of your warm back bathed in sunshine.
Again, your dreams draw you back to the salty water
and again, you walk.

And the next day, you walk.
You walk back,
back to the water,
day or night,
rain or sunshine,
you walk back to that sand, so soft and tan.

And sometimes you leave the sand, so tan.
And through the beautiful city you walk.
The day is majestic with the sunshine
on your back.
And on goes the night
in the city along the water.

And in the city along the water,
with the sand a beautiful tan,
couples hold hands as they stroll at night
window-shopping at Pier 39 and listening to the seals by the board walk.
and before it gets too late, they head back
to get home to bed to wake up again to the sunshine.

But I stand alone by the water on the board walk.
I don't care about my tan or the wind at my back.
Or the nights spent by myself--I'm here for the sunshine.



Written with San Francisco, California, on my mind :)

Unexpected Ode

An Ode to Spoons

Wonderful
spoons
have
been there
though
it all.

They are
the bridge
that link me
to my favorite
food:
ice cream.

And they help me
eat my cereal
every
morning.

Lucky Charms,
Apple Jacks,
Golden Grahams.

It doesn't matter
what it is,
I can always
depend on them
to get the job done.

Eating yogurt
is not an issue
with them around.

However,
without them
eating yogurt
is near impossible.

It's okay
that I am dependent
spoons.

My only wish
is that I owned
more of them.

For to run
the dishwasher
every week
because I run out of spoons
is quite a hassle.

Litany Imitation

To my cat, Sylvester

You are the shadow in the corner and the swinging piece of string.
the friend and the foe.
You are the troublemaker
and the guilty one.
You are the smiles
and the laughs.

However, you are not the missing refrigerator magnet,
the dog you make run and cower,
or the spider you ate last week.
And you are certainly not good at hunting in the bright white snow.
There is just no way that you are normal.

It is possible that you are the chewed up paper bag on the kitchen floor.
maybe even the 30 aluminum foil balls hidden under the couch.
but you are not even close
to being quiet as you fling litter around at 5 am.

And a quick look in the mirror will show
that you are neither a dog
nor a human.

It might interest you to know,
speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world,
that I am the human.

I also happen to be the boss,
the food provider,
and the laser-pointer holder.

I am also the litter box cleaner
and the aluminum ball maker.
But don't worry, I'm not the spider eater and the string swinger.
You are still the trouble maker and the guilty one.
You will always be the smiles and the laughs.
not to mention the cat and--somehow--the best companion.