Link to Poetry Web Site

If you are looking for something to read in class on Wednesday, go here:


http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/p180-list.html

P.S. -- More found poems to come!

Found Poem by Kylie, Elliot, Lucy, and Sappho

Sometimes you gotta give in to win
There was sunshine after the atom bomb
now I'm nothing
I laugh and eat well
talking to myself again
each singing what belongs to her
I'm a kid and I'm not sorry
When the breeze penetrates these southside treees
In front of the toilet, hands and knees
I grow strong
When will you take off your clothes?
Every woman looks better in a sundress
Sunshine sunshine is fine
there was sunshine after the atom bomb

now I am nothing
I would keep this feeling in a plastic jar

In some future time I'll be talking
to myself again.
Sometimes you gotta give in to win.

Rubric for Short Story Final

	1: No evidence	2: Attempted but limited	3: Fair	4: Good	5: Excellent
Attention to plot development  Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution are all present. Logical sequence of events free of major plot holes or points of confusion.
Attention to character development Attempts have been made to make characters realistic and/or compelling. Thought put into dialogue and character interaction
Attention to setting Setting details create sense of place that accentuates the plot
Attention to themeAttempts have been made to convey a theme or main message that is interpretable by the reader.
Attention to style Word choice, sentence construction and variety and occasional use of figurative language all contribute to the dramatic feel of the plot/story.

Summary of Lucy's Story

Exposition: Wallace Greenman is a 24-year-old white male. Living a fairly normal life in Boston MA. Wallace lives on his own in a small apartment. A recent graduate of Boston University, he is an administrative assistant at Brooks & Pyle, a local publishing house.
Inciting incident: When grabbing the morning coffee, Wallace gets a phone call from his father. Since Mr. Saul Greenman left Wallace and his mom, Deidre when Wallace was twelve, this awkward conversation was one that came unexpectedly. As the only child in the Greenman line, Wallace inherited an egregious amount of money, the exact amount unnamed.

Rising Action: Shocked at the sudden appearance of his father back into his life and the tons of money, Wallace is overwhelmed. He considers himself a good guy – raised catholic, even though he doesn’t go to church anymore (it always felt kind of fake), he still gives money to homeless people and picked up trash on the street. Wallace makes a master list of things to do with the money – savings, donations and other things beneficial things to society.

Tempted by the power brought by money, Wallace throws a big party, “just this once…” Eventually, Wallace gets sucked in to the whirlwind of money and the things easily accessible because of it.

Climax: Waking up with a hangover two months later, Wallace can’t stop thinking about his old habit of _______. Finally he drags himself out of his cali-king bed and sends the women home. After checking his email, (or maybe turning on the news on TV) Wallace discovers that while he has been squandering his fortune, his father is millions in debt from embezzlement Wallace makes up his mind to help his father, because Wallace owed his dad for his inheritance.

Resolution: After cleaning up both himself and his penthouse, Wallace checks the account from which he has been constantly using his debit card. He has nothing left.

Denouement: The amount of money that Wallace spent on his four supercars would have been enough to get his dad out of debt.

Punctuating Dialogue

Hi guys,

If you are using dialogue in your story, you might want some tips on how to punctuate it correctly. Here is a link that should help:

http://www.be-a-better-writer.com/punctuate-dialogue.html

Ms. Mason

question

Ms. Mason, can we change the plot of our story from the one we thought of earlier? I kinda want to do something not like the Freytag Pyramid outline, but more like "memento" or something.

Plot summary - Ben S.

exposition: Two characters are sitting in a back-stage area of a small Music club/Cafe. They both are carrying instruments obviously getting ready for a performance on the stage in the main room. One character is holding a guitar, and the other is sitting next to various cases filled with drums. They begin chatting and complaining about when the other 2 members of the band are going to show up. Obviously irritated, the drummer decides to call their bass player.

Inciting incident: Right as the drummer picks up his phone to call the bass player, the guitarist's phone rings. He looks at the caller ID and see's that it is their bass player. The guitarist picks up the phone and prepares for the expected argument about why she is late. The bass player immediately starts apologizing, and seems truly in distress. We learn that she has just found out her uncle is very ill and had to rush to the hospital to check up on him, she says she is on her way but will arrive 25 minutes late. Right at that moment their second guitarist arrives.

Rising Action: We find out that this particular gig is extremely important to the band and they all need the money badly. They now have a choice between playing the first 25 minutes of a 3 hour set without a bass player, which will surely lower any credibility they might already have as a band but will still get them their pay for this gig, or they can wait the 25 minutes and see if they can convince the owner to push their time slot back. They have a heated discussion about this, and right then the owner of the club walks in. He asks them what is wrong, and says that people in the main room are complaining that they hear yelling noises coming from backstage. The owner tells the band that if they do not start within the first 25 minutes of their regular time slot they will not get paid, but if they wait any longer then he can't pay them. Right then they get a call from their bass player who tells them they have hit a traffic jam and they are going to try and take some back roads but will probably not be able to make the 25 minutes originally promised. One of the members goes out to get a drink and comes back to tell the band he saw a big-time record company executive out at the bar, he thinks that if they play well tonight they may have a chance at a record deal.

Climax: The band has to make the decision about whether they will be able to play or not. They decide that since they all really need the money they have to play this gig even if they don't get a record deal. The drummer in particular is very distressed about this, he needs the money the least out of the rest of the band and it has always been his dream to be part of a big time rock band. The group goes up on the stage, there is the usual cheers but they all notice the record company exec. is looking questioningly at the vacant bass amp. Right before the band leader steps up to the mic the drummer sees the bass player rush back-stage but the band leader doesn't see him. The drummer rushes forward but has issues getting around the drum set.

Resolution: After getting caught on various cords and rushing past instruments and amps he finally makes it to the leader right before he begins to talk to the crowd. Pointing out the bassist running up onto the stage, they both are relieved to realize they made it. They play a great show and are asked to play an on-chore.

Denouement: The record company exec comes up to them after the show and offers them a chance to come to the studio, record some demo's and then if they are good, sign a record deal, record an album, and go on tour. The band readily accepts.