I really loved my sophomore year in English class. We studied some great material. My teacher was Mrs. Post, and she is still one of my favorite teachers I ever had. She had so much cool stuff all over the walls of her classroom... posters and memorbilia of trips she had taken or gifts from students. She had a couple of posters of Karl Malone, which I thought odd at the time. I later learned that he is from the next town over, which is really a tiny town, so he was in our town all the time. He had signed the posters: "To the Bean Lady, from the Mailman, Karl Malone". I thought it the most odd little thing in her room at the time.
Mrs. Post was actually quite odd, but I think my favorite teachers all were. They were a little eccentric, but so passionate about their work and their particular subject. She cared about her students like you wouldn't believe. She taught us passion, even those who could care less about English class. That is all what made her a great teacher.
As I mentioned before, we mainly studied poetry and Native American literature in Mrs. Post's class. Some of my favorite poems I learned and studied in her class. They are "The Bells" by Edgar Allen Poe (which I had to write an interpretive essay for my first semester exam... on the very day I had been in a car accident and gotten whip lash, but I still got an A!), "The Congo" by Vachel Lindsay (remember that scene in "Dead Poet's Society"? I loved that. And we got to read the poem out loud in class, following all the directions. It was amazing.), and "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou (I don't always agree with her subject matter, but I love the way she expresses herself. Just beautiful phrases.).
What poems do you remember and love from school?
[Sometime, I'm going to talk about my favorite books from Senior year, Mrs. Allen's AP English class. Another of my favorite classes!]
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So, which one was "Mean Jean" an appellation of which she was rather proud, actually. She knew it was an honor. Really.
Dixie Angel--thought you had disappeared! Hope all is well.
"mean Jean" was junior English. And she should be proud of it. She was VERY tough. The top of the class had a hard time on her final exam (so I didn't feel too bad when I got a C when I knew people like the future valedictorian struggled with their grades, too). All I really remember from her class was studying Beowolf (which I hated), Macbeth (aka MacDEATH), and making those crests at the end of the school year. But I did enjoy her class... sometimes!!
Hmmm...
I always loved Robert Frost--Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, The Road Not Taken, etc.
I had to memorize and recite The Bells by Poe. That was fun.
"To the tintinabulation that so musically wells...From the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells. From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells..."
But yuou learned a lot from "Mean Jean." She was even able to pound some knowlede into your brother's head--I think she worked magic. Of course it helped that she appreciated him...calling him a big Teddy Bear right after his sociology teacher swore he was the "debil" MJ also enjoyed Mike along with Vin. You did have some good English teachers. And I still have your crest and your Indian posster from your movie.
My poerty tastes aloso run to Robert Frost:The Road Not taken is #1, Stopping by Woods is another fave. I also loved Joyce Kilmer's Trees("I tink I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree..." and The Old Blacksmith's Shop as well as James Whitcome Riley works. And of course, Paul Revere's Ride (E informs me her good friend is descended from Billy Dawes--the other rider that night.)
And ee cummings...the balloon man, [puddleliscious] perfect for the season.
While you all have mentioned many great poets, I think you're forgetting one of the best there is. What about Dr. Seuss? I mean really, "One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish..." Can you get any better than that?
In seriousness, I really like Robert Frost as well (I have to mention 'Mending Walls' as a fave). He's my favorite, though individual poems by others that have already been mentioned here I love as well.
i don't know the title of it... but the only poem i remember that i fell in love with went...
what is this life if full of care
we have no time to stop and stare
not time to stand beneath the boughs
and stare as long as sheep and cows
no time to see when woods we pass
where squirrels hide their nuts in grass...
no time to see in broad daylight
streams full of stars like skies at night
no time to turn at beauty's glance
to watch her feet, how they can dance
no time to wait till her mouth can
enrich the smile her eyes began
a poor life, this is full of care
we have no time to stop and stare.
i especially love the lines i bolded. i like it when eyes give away a smile long before the lips do.
and it's leisure. i just looked it up. i mgith have transposed some of the lines. oops.
Mom, I didn't saiy she was a bad teacher! Just not one of MY favorites!
Lura, Dr. Seuss is, of course, on the top of my list, but I didn't study him in high school. Sorry.
FF, that poem is amazing. I'm going to write it down because it has sucha great message, I want to remember it. Thanks!
Thanks to all who contributed with their memorable poems from school!
I am not sure it is classed as a poem but "The Lady of Shallot" -Tennyson
I love that Loreena McKennitt also did a song for it...so beautiful.
K.
PS: I am so going to do the milk thing right now. Hehe.
I guess, to be honest, I didn't really study Dr. Seuss in high school either. Though I did memorize part of One Fish, Two Fish...for Drama I. Everybody else was doing boring love poems.
hey, dr. seuss would well be worth the study in high school and even collegiate levels. his books are very political, and very "humanity" oriented.
he is possibly one of the most serious writers of our time, but successfully and brilliant masked his depth in silly rhymes, and imaginative worlds.
oh! i also forgot to tell you, ben harper sings the maya angelou poem, "i'll rise"
it's one of my favorites of his. he's one of my favorites. i like favorites. i like pie. pie is my favorite. therefore, maya angelou is pie. uh, what?
heh.
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