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Hippos Hope                                                                                                                          Analysis 

There once was a hippo who wanted to fly --                                  This hippo has a dream of flying  and because  he wants to fly  he                              
Fly-hi-dee, try-hi-dee, my-hi-dee-ho.                                                sew on wings that would help him do so. 
So he sewed him some wings that could flap through the sky --
Sky-hi-dee, fly-hi-dee, why-hi-dee-go. 
He climbed to the top of a mountain of snow --                             To make his dream come true (flying) he climbed a mountain of snow and 
Snow-hi-dee, slow-hi-dee, oh-hi-dee-hoo.                                    attempted to try again.
With the clouds high above and the sea down below --
Where-hi-dee, there-hi-dee, scare-hi-dee-boo. 
(Happy ending)
And he flipped and he flapped and he bellowed so loud --           The hippo was actually successful in trying to fly that he flapped his way 
Now-hi-dee, loud-hi-dee, proud-hi-dee-poop.                                through the air and he even acted like a eagle.
And he sailed like an eagle, off into the clouds --
High-hi-dee, fly-hi-dee, bye-hi-dee-boop. 
(Unhappy ending)
And he leaped like a frog and he fell like a stone --                             After trying to to fly he wasn't so successful that he actually fell like a stone so
Stone-hi-dee, lone-hi-dee, own-hi-dee-flop.                                      heavy and hard and crashed into the ground and he even broke his bones.
And he crashed and he drowned and broke all his bones --
Bones-hi-dee, moans-hi-dee, groans-hi-dee-glop. 
(Chicken ending)
He looked up at the sky and looked down at the sea --                    The hippo tried all he could and finally realized maybe it isn't possible for a 
Sea-hi-dee, free-hi-dee, whee-hi-dee-way.                                       hippo to fly and finally gave up.
And he turned and went home and had cookies and tea --
That's hi-dee, all hi-dee, I have to say. 

                                                                                                                                Response 

In the poem hippos hope written by shei silverstiein, I can relate to the hippo in the poem. The hippo states how he has a dream of  flying someday and when he attempts to try he is successful but then he doesn't have such a pleasant ending because he then hits reality and realizes that it isn't possible for hippos to fly . The hippo try's all kind of things to reach his goal like  attaching wings to the hippos hands, jumping off mountains. This poem relates to me because it shows how the hippo has big dreams of  flying and similar to me where I have big dreams and goals like becoming and olympian or getting into an ivy league collage which pushes me to get out of my comfort zone to  achieve my goal. The poem really spoke to me was in stanza number 2 were it shows that even though the hippo tried all he can he still didn't reach his goal, this means that you don't always have a happy ending. The hippo attempted to fly in the air like an eagle but then he hit reality and fell like a stone. This helped me realize that you don't always reach your dreams sometimes you fall in the process and its ok to give up after you have tried all you can. 



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Fat is Not a Fairy Tale                                                                       

Jane Yolen                        Analysis

I am thinking of a fairy tale,                                                   The speaker of this poem came to realization  that all fairy tales they  have seen none of 
Cinder Elephant,                                                                        glamours princesses are fat. Maybe the writer is larger and looking for support from 
Sleeping Tubby,                                                                          these fairy tales but instead did the opposite. This made her feel more self conscious. 
Snow Weight,                                                                               
where the princess is not
anorexic, wasp-waisted,
flinging herself down the stairs.

I am thinking of a fairy tale,                                                    The poet uses an variety of adjectives in this poem. In the second stanza the poet uses 
Hansel and Great,                                                                       adjectives like" pillow large breasts" or "fingers plump sausages"                                                       
Repoundsel,                                                                                  these words create pictures of large people.
Bounty and the Beast,
where the beauty
has a pillowed breast,
and fingers plump as sausage.

I am thinking of a fairy tale                                                       The poet writes how everything that good is round like the "....sun,wheels,cookies..."
that is not yet written,                                                               The writer is figuratively specking and says how one day their will be a writer who 
for a teller not yet born,                                                            will want to write about round princesses rather than anorexic or skinny princesses. 
for a listener not yet conceived,
for a world not yet won,
where everything round is good:
the sun, wheels, cookies, and the princess.

                                                                                                                        Response 

In the poem "Fat is not a fairy tale "it shows by the title that this poem is about weight, confidence, and issues women face. The writer is disappointed of the ideal body image that the mainstream media is presenting to adolescents.  She  explains how the ideal body is "anorexic, wasp-waisted , flinging her self down the stairs." The poet Yolan uses classic Fairy tails created by the media that expose such images at young age. This poem sends a strong message to girls and women around the world telling them that just because you don't have tiny wastes doesn't mean they are any different from the women shown on TV.  This poem relates to me because my younger sister is a bite thicker than others around her age. She is constantly reminded that being fat is not right and exposing unhealthy images of paper thin girls. This creates an image in young girls heads were the ideal girl must be thin to be beautiful. 


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We Real Cool                           Analysis 

The Pool Players.                                                                                 Maybe the poem  is written about the the pool players seven at the golden 
Seven at the Golden Shovel.                                                                                                                 shovel?

We real cool. We                                                                                 Shows how rebellious these kids are and because they are so cool they have                                                                                                                                    
Left school. We                                                                                   decided to leave and do something awesome.

Lurk late. We                                                                                       We lurk late reminds me of maybe the these pool players are staying up late and
Strike straight. We                                                                             maybe even going against their parents back.

Sing sin. We                                                                                         Because they are going behind their parents back they are doing lots of sins as fast 
Thin gin. We                                                                                        as when you sing. Thin meaning very little thickness, Gin meaning drinking so maybe they                                                          

Jazz June. We                                                                                   are  drinking a lot and because of that it cause them to die from all the alcohol they      

Die soon.                                                                                                                                                         consume.

                                                                                                              Response

The poet writes about what the reality is for kids who decide to leave school. These group of kids perhaps the (the pool players seven at the golden shovel) have chosen to live life in crime and forget about education. Maybe the poet himself has chosen this kind of lifestyle of crime and wants to warn these kids about what leaving school will actually do to you. I think this poem was targeted to young adult or adolescents who are confused and are not sure what they want in their life so they look to the wrong people for help, and these people influence them to do bad things, like drink and go behind the parents back. The tone of this poem is written from an outsider maybe someone who is viewing the situation from a different view than the cool kids are. At the end of the poem the poet uses "we die soon" as a reminder that because of all the crime these young reckless teenagers have done it has led them to death. I am not sure if the writer is referring death as a bad thing or something that happens as a result of their doings. This poem kind of reminds me of the song "young wild and free" because it sends a vis-versa message.The message of this poem is to not drop out of school because all it leads you to is death while the message of this song is enjoy being young because your only young once which is probably how these (pool players) view life. In the song it repeats "so what we get drunk? So what we smoke weed? were just having fun living young wild and free." Both drinking and smoking do harm to your body and aren't allowed for children to do. But these young kids disagree and think that it ok to do so because they are young and free. 




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Love                                                         Analysis

Love is not a thing to understand.                                               The poets writes how love is something you can’t

Love is not a thing to feel.                                                              understand because maybe it is complicated or hard

Love is not a thing to give and receive.                                       to interpret. Maybe love is hard to infer or view

Love is a thing only to become                                                      something in a particular way. Love is something

And eternally be.                                                                                 you cant be aware of or literally feel. Love isn’t

                                                                                                                  something you can handover or supply with. Love

                                                                                                                  is just something that happens and lasts and exists  

                                                                                                                                                          forever.

- Sri Chinmoy         


                                                                                                                       Response

In the poem Love written by Sri Chinmoy it writes how love is something you can't give and receive which shows that love is an intense feeling of deep affection. Love is caring for someone else deeply and unconditionally. Love is being motivated to being the best version of your self. I feel this way around my family because they motivate me to try my best and  they encourage me to be the best and  try my hardest on everything I do. My family is always supporting me and aren't trying to give me love of receive love from me . The love is just their supporting us and bringing all of us together. Family love will always be eternal unlike love you get from a friend or a partner which might end. When love is from a family member its just their it doesn't need to be created ,or made you just feel love for the other, because you know family will never turn their back on you unlike friends were they can.


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"I Am Not Yours"                           Analysis

I am not yours, not lost in you,                                                                  By the title the poet writes how she does not belong to this person. 
Not lost, although I long to be                                                                   She uses the word lost meaning that she is incapable of finding her way.
Lost as a candle lit at noon,                                                                       She uses the the simile "lost like a candle lit at noon. She used noon because 
Lost as a snowflake in the sea.                                                                 it is still light out side and people don't use candles at night.  

You love me, and I find you still                                                                She claims that this person loves her and has such a beautiful  spirt. I don't 
A spirit beautiful and bright,                                                                     really know what the poet means when says that "Yet I am I,who long to be"?

Yet I am I, who long to be
Lost as a light is lost in light.

Oh plunge me deep in love -- put out                                                   The poet writes how they want to be loved and he uses examples like "leave  
My senses, leave me deaf and blind,                                                      me deaf and blind" saying that she wants some to love her so much that 
Swept by the tempest of your love,                                                        leaves her with out any senses.
A taper in a rushing wind. 

Sara Teasdale

                                                                                                              Response 

In the poem the poet is so completely in love that she even forgets her senses. In line it says "oh plunge me deep in love --put out My senses."  this shows that this person wants someone to love her so much that they would make her forget or maybe even lose her senses for them. Many people can relate to the poem "I am not your" in a sense were everybody wants to fall deeply in love and be and feel loved. Every person wants that feeling of being secured and cared about.  Maybe  the poem is about a love story between to people and she is telling it through the poem. The writer is compassionate, affectionate, and somehow blissful. You can easily see this by the types of words she chooses to put in her poem. I can relate to this poem because I sort of  know why people want to be loved. When a person isn't loved they feel like they don't have value and they don't mean anything. Every body wants to be loved and feel loved. 


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Life's Own Battle                                                                                                                                                  Analysis                 

By Emma Jackson             

Didn't want a battle,                                                                                  This person doesn't want to fight. the poet uses the word battle as  

Yet you declared war,                                                                               meaning a group of people combating something.  The poet uses the word you 

Each knock you gave me made me stronger than before,          meaning one person. Maybe it just a battle between two people. "each knock

I will not give up,                                                                                         you gave me mad me stronger than before" so does he mean this literally like 

I will not give in,                                                                                           someone is punching him or the words the other opponent is using hurting 

You won't make me fall,                                                                          him which makes him stronger. The other opponent says he wont give up he is 

I won't let you win.                                                                                    destined to win the battle between them two.

                                                                                                                             Response 

This poem was very inspirational for me. It informed me to never give up. When your facing an enemy in life it reminds people to never give up hope. Not only does it say to never give up hope but also make sure they never win and feel the feeling of satisfaction. I think most people can relate to this poem because in some point in everyones life,they meet people that don't get along with them. There are people who are jealous of your success so they try to bring you down. This poem tells you to fight it. Its kind of like a guide reminding you of what to do when your in a battle.  The title of the poem shows how the battle is between life and themselves. I think this because its says"i didn't want to battle but you declared war." I think life is so changeling like war and you have to fight your way through it. Life is the enemy and your the soldier.Another thing that proves that this poem is a bout the battle between a person and life is through the title of the poem. The title is "life's own battle" so it a battle about life rather than a battle between a person. I think in every ones life people face struggles wether its school, family,friends,diseases. Nobody's perfect and every body face's different battles in life even though people never agreed with the battle being fought.




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The Quiet World

BY JEFFREY MCDANIEL                                                                                                           Analysis

In an effort to get people to look                                                        Why 167 words? Is this the number amount of words that is possible to  

into each other’s eyes more,                                                                communicate an idea but not enough to start a conversation.

and also to appease the mutes,                                                          Appease the mute means to relive or satisfy people who can't speak.

the government has decided

to allot each person exactly one hundred   

and sixty-seven words, per day.


When the phone rings, I put it to my ear                                                    Why doesn't the poet choose chicken soup? why not a different choice of 

without saying hello. In the restaurant                                                         food. Maybe its because the poet is relating being mute to being sick.  

I point at chicken noodle soup.

I am adjusting well to the new way.                                                Does this mean that he is getting used to communicating with very few words. 

                    

Late at night, I call my long distance lover,                                           This shows how much love this person feels towards this one girl that he was                                   

proudly say I only used fifty-nine today.                                              excited to save all his words for her in order for them to communicate.

I saved the rest for you.


When she doesn’t respond,                                                                       I wonder what this person felt when he realized that his long-distant lover    

I know she’s used up all her words,                                                        who he was saving all his words for to communicate had used up all her

so I slowly whisper I love you                                                                     words. Did he regret that he saved all the words for her or was he angry at 

thirty-two and a third times.                                                                     the fact that she used her words on someone else other than him.

After that, we just sit on the line   

and listen to each other breathe.


                                                                                                                             Response

We liked this poem because it’s an unusually narrative poem.  The poem was written to force us to think before we speak. People would learn to talk only about what is important. In the end of the poem we see how one lover ran out of words to say “ I know she’s used up all her words… after that we just sit on the line and listen to each others breathe”. This reminds the readers what can be said through silence. When they were listening to each others breathe maybe that was a way to tell each other “I love you” without using any words. This poem was also written about love. The government's task of only allowing a person 167 words a day influences a person to not speak all day just to save up words to talk to a person they love. Why does the poet use chicken soup as the choice of food chosen from the restaurant? Maybe it’s because When you're sick you're silent and you can barely speak so you make chicken soup to help you heal. The poet relates the government's task of”the government has decided to allot each person exactly one hundred   and sixty-seven words, per day” to help appease the mute. Appease means to relieve or to satisfy the (mute) people who can’t speak. By limiting the amount of words used, it helps people get a taste  of what its like to be mute. Maybe even learning new ways to communicate without using words. People today feel the only way of communication is through words. Sometimes communicating in different ways  sends a stronger message than words. In the poem the poet says “I am adjusting well to the new way” this means that even though he isn't using words he can still inform what he means.


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Life Is Precious                                  Analysis

Life is so precious                                                                                                  life is great value and should not be wasted or treated carelessly.
And each day a gift                                                                                              life is the act of giving.  
So enjoy every minute
As it were you last to live

Cherish your loved ones                                                                                      Protect and care for your someone lovingly. 
Hug them tight
Share with them your heart
And your time

Nothing is forever                                                                                                   life isn't continually it ends at some point. As time passes it can never
And life goes so fast                                                                                               be returned. 
Each minute that passes
Is one you can’t get back

When troubles arrive                                                                                           You will face challenges and even if you do, make sure to remember  
And knock you off your feet                                                                               that life is pleasant.
Stand up and smile
And remember life is too sweet

Every morning when you wake,                                                                        The poet wants to tell the reader that if you start your day off with a 
Decide right from the start,                                                                                  positive note the rest of your day will be enjoyable and pleasant. 
That “Today will be a good day”
And let it all in with an open heart

                                                                                                                    Response 

The writer want's to advise the readers that taking life for granted is the wrong way to live. He shows this by saying"nothing is forever and life go's fast each minute that passes is one you cant get back.." In such a short time called life  their is no time to regret decision, be mad at others, or start your day of with a bad note. People don't realize how fast time flies until their much older. In the poem I really like the line thats says "Cherish your loved ones .Hug them tight ,Share with them your heart . And your time" . We forget sometime s to be thankful for the people that what have every days in out life like our mothers,fathers,sisters,and brothers. We begin to appreciate them when their gone. The poet also writes how you are the only one that can chose how your day goes. If you start of with a positive note than the rest of your day will be pleasant and if you don't than you yourself made the decision to have a bad day. What I learned from this poem is to treat every day a gift maybe that why they call it the (present).