April
28
Ap 28/16 Station A – Individually – find a poem about Choice
Do some online digging and find a poem that stands out to you related to our common topic of Decision-making.
Task: on your own (each)
- Look online for a poem that suits the following criteria:
- is at least 10 – 15 lines long
- is of an appropriate difficulty level for Grade 10
- is related to the theme of choices/influences of decisions/decision-making
- Copy the poem text to a document (Word/Google Doc/Email)
- Identify 5 qualities of the poem that stand out or draw a reaction from you. For each of the 5, write one sentence explaining what you recognize or what stands out as being important to you. Number each sentence and try to make your points specific about this particular poem you’ve selected.
- Once you have your poem and 5 points made about it, copy and paste that into the comment space to this post. Make sure you leave your name.
Note: If your comments are general enough that they can be applied to another random poem about Choices, your point is not specific enough.
You can search for this on Poetry Websites or even by images.
Make Your Choice
Make no mistake, choose what is right
This heart of stone or that of a marshmallow
This unclear path or that of the lighted, which to follow
Make your choice and put up a fight
Either you hold on tight or just let go
The clock is ticking and so is this heart
Take your time but be quick
Walk to the finish line but run to where you start
Make your choice, take a pick
But before you choose, always remember:
Open this stone you’ll realize the sincerity it promises
Risk to the unclear you’ll see adventure that’s endless
Make your choice, it’s one way or another
Either you hold on or let go
But all I ask is that you’d let me know.
Line 1 is an attention grabbing statement that is very bold
Line 3 says you have to choose a path and it’s a hard decision
Line 4/5 tells you to fight for your decision and fight hard or not at all
Section 2 sayes to make your choice quickly but not in a hurry and choose right
Section 3 sayes that you only get one choice so make it right
Hard choice
A path is laid out ahead
It fork below your feet
A decision filled with dread
Uncertain of what you’ll meet
A game full of chance
Of many hidden pit falls
To find true romance
Dare you risk losing all
Choices never easy to make
Fog seems to cloud ur way
You fear makinfg a mistake
Of gambling and losing the day
But life is full of hard choices
And risk is part of the game
Be brave ignoring doubting voicces
Make the choice life won’t be the same
1) a path laid out ahead which represents life, line 1
2)a game of full chance line 5
3) choices never easy to make line 9′
4) of gambling and losing the day taking risks line 12
5) fog clouds your way represent s difficulty line 10
Choices
by, Allen Steble
We all have a choice
to live a lie
or be ourselves
to laugh and cry
or to follow someone else
to look up and smile
or bow down and frown
to walk the whole mile
or take off our crown
We have a choice
to shout out loud
or chant a whisper
to fly through the clouds
or to be blown like paper
to conquer our fear
or hide in the shadow
to the wise words hear
or be thrown out the window
We all have a choice
to climb our highest mountain
or fall into our deepest hole
to drink from life’s fountain
or live life like a troubled soul
Responses
1. I recognize a pattern in this poem. It explains that we can either make positive choice and become higher in life or make negative ones that will break us down and make us weaker.
2. I like the stanza “We all have a choice
to climb our highest mountain
or fall into our deepest hole
to drink from life’s fountain
or live life like a troubled soul” I like it because it really describes how we can become stronger in life or easily fall into “our deepest hole” and “live life like a troubled soul”
3. I found this poem was really straightforward
4. I like the rhyming and patterns
5. I also like how it continuously reminds you that we all have a choice.
Hard choices
A path is laid out ahead,
It forks before your feet.
A decision filled with dread,
Uncertain of what you’ll meet.
A game full of chance,
Of many hidden pit falls.
To find true romance,
Dare you risk losing all?
Choices never easy to make,
Fog seems to cloud your way.
You fear making a mistake,
Of gambling and losing the day.
But life is full of hard choices,
And risk is part of the game.
Be brave, ignore doubting voices,
Make the choice, life won’t be the same.
The title is emotional. There are lots of different choices in life (Line 2). You never know what’s ahead (line 4). It like gambling (line 12). Be confident in your choice and you might succeed (line 15 & 16).
Choices
by, Allen Steble
We all have a choice
to live a lie
or be ourselves
to laugh and cry
or to follow someone else
1.)to look up and smile
or bow down and frown
to walk the whole mile
or take off our crown
We have a choice
to shout out loud
or chant a whisper
2.)to fly through the clouds
or to be blown like paper
to conquer our fear
or hide in the shadow
to the wise words hear
or be thrown out the window
We all have a choice
3.)to climb our highest mountain
or fall into our deepest hole
to drink from life’s fountain
5.)or live life like a troubled soul
1.)No matter what happens move
on and smile.
2.)To get pushed around or do your
own to succeed in your choices.
3.) To hit the highest points in your life,
reaching your set goals.
4.) Or maybe not trying your hardest and
falling back in your life.
5.) whether you decide to move on from mistakes
or let it haunt you for the rest of your life being not satisfied.
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Hi Tyson, you forgot to add in the five insights you made about this poem.
I can’t ever make up my mind
The best answer I can’t ever find
My mom and dad yell “You have to decide”
If only they were in my brain along for the ride
(She can’t make decisions and struggles to explain what she wants)
People don’t realize just how hard it can get
To not disappoint without feeling regret
It seems easier to have someone pick for me
But I guess that just weakens my decision making ability
(She doesn’t want to make her own decisions and have people not like her choice)
I also wish someone would help me to choose
Give me some advice that I could use
Get me to get over this problem of mine
Help me to realize all I need is time
(She wants help making choices and wants to get better and decision making)
But it seems like I need to get over it right now
Just practice and try even though I don’t know how
I could really face some problems in the years to come
With this problem of mine that may seem quite dumb
(She knows she needs to be able to make decisions otherwise she will have trouble
In the future with even more important choices)
I’m worried I will have to face a major consequence
For when I’m faced with the decision and I reply “I’m on the fence”
Just toughen up and buckle down
Because the best choice I know can be found
(She knows she will have to make big decisions and can’t be on the fence)
I’ll be cured before you know it
But right now I’m not faking
I protest everything that goes along,
With decision making
(She will figure out how to decide)
1Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
2And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
3And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
4Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
5 And that has made all the difference.
1 There is two paths in life that you can go down.
2 out of the two paths you can only go down one
3 you can never see ahead where the path will take you
4 at somepoint you have to go down one and hope it’s a good path.
5 no matter what path you take it will make a big difference to you
Do you ever wonder?
Do you ever wonder,
Do you ever doubt
Whether what you’ve chosen
Was completely right?
What about the choices
You’ve neglected thus?
Because by picking something
That you’re doing now
You’ve missed all the rest
Of things you could have done
Things you could have done
People you could have met
Places you could have seen
But is there even sense
In asking yourself now
Bout all you could have done
And everyone you could have met?
Because the fact is you have not,
Done this other thing
But the one you’re doing now
The one you’re living in
And it’s exactly this
You were supposed to do
3.)Had there been any other way
1.)You wouldn’t have ended up
3.)In this same place you are today
And you know yourself best.
So why remember choices missed?
Why bother with it all?
Because, always, wanted or not
Uncertainty remains
1. Don’t regret the choices you make, because it makes you the person you are today
2. I like how it starts out negetive talking about our choices and regrets but by the end, it turns positive, telling us not to have regrets
3. I like the rhyme in this
4. “Do you ever wonder” is an a title that gets you wondering what the poem is about
5. No matter what decisions you make, dont regret them
Choices of Tomorrow
by, Fiona
As the sun sets, another day’s departed
Distant memories light my way back home
Mysteries aren’t for the faint hearted,
Can’t escape the past as it’s set in stone
An ending leads to a new beginning,
But beginnings come to ends in the road
Great times vanish, the Cheshire cat’s grinning
These are words that I’ve bestowed
Decisions in life may be good or dire
You have to walk through the right doors in life
Your judgment may land you knee deep in mire,
Or otherwise lead you to joy or strife
Who knows what my life’s journey has in store?
I shall wait to walk through tomorrows door
1) The title is very suiting, it is “Choices of Tomorrow” and really is telling you that it’s your choices in the future are ones that matter. The choices of the past are already made and cannot be changed, so instead of worrying about those, work towards your future choices.
2) I really like line 9 “Decisions in life may be good or dire” because it is very honest and true. Not all decisions are good, but not all are terrible either.
3) Line 4 is stands out to me. “Can’t escape the past as it’s set in stone” this is very true, you cannot change the past. There is no way that you can go back and change it, it’s “set in stone”
4) For me the last line is very important. The author says that they “shall wait”. As important as it is to not worry and stress about the past, it is also important not to rush into things and make choices. You should still take time and wait.
5) Overall I really liked this poem, it was fairly straight forward, but it still made you think. I liked the way it was set up as well. It had rhyme and structure and this made me happy as I do not like free verse poems.
Saleen’s poem choice:
We all have a choice
to live a lie
or be ourselves
to laugh and cry
or to follow someone else
to look up and smile
or bow down and frown
to walk the whole mile
or take off our crown
We have a choice
to shout out loud
or chant a whisper
to fly through the clouds
or to be blown like paper
to conquer our fear
or hide in the shadow
to the wise words hear
or be thrown out the window
We all have a choice
to climb our highest mountain
or fall into our deepest hole
to drink from life’s fountain
or live life like a troubled soul
Five things to identify- 1. The sentences start with Or, To, and We.
2. The lines alternate negative and positive
3. It’s about being yourself or following someone else
4. It rhymes
5. It’s about life
Traveler, your footprints
BY ANTONIO MACHADO
Traveler, your footprints
are the only road, nothing else.
Traveler, there is no road;
you make your own path as you walk.
As you walk, you make your own road,
and when you look back
you see the path
you will never travel again.
Traveler, there is no road;
only a ship’s wake on the sea.
Line 1&2. This line is saying that the traveler is in control of where he goes, he doesn’t need to follow any roads.
Line 3&4. This line is saying that there is no given path for you to follow, so you must make your own choices and your own path in life.
Line 5-8. These lines are saying that you will go through life making choices, and when you look back you will see how your choices have pathed your journey. And that once you make these choices you can go back but always forward.
Line 9&10. This last group of lines says that this is no path for your but a open area for you to explore.
1. I really enjoy this poem it is about life and how you are in charge of your life journey and you get to make your own paths.
2. I like how it says you will look back on your path, it is saying you can look back on your choices and how you got to where you are.
3. When it says you will never travel that path again, it’s sounds very deep and like the author of this poem is saying you never make the same choice more then once. Which I think means that all your experiences are going to be different, none of them will ever be the same.
4. I like how he says traveler, it makes me feel like he is taking directly to the person reading the poem, and telling you that you are making your own path.
5. I very much enjoy the ending where he says that there is no road but yet a ship on the sea. I really enjoy this line in this poem because it is saying you are like a boat at sea, no paths are anything just wide open area for you to travel.
The Choice
1.)He’d have given me rolling lands,
Houses of marble, and billowing farms,
3.)Pearls, to trickle between my hands,
Smoldering rubies, to circle my arms.
You- you’d only a lilting song,
Only a melody, happy and high,
You were sudden and swift and strong-
4.)Never a thought for another had I.
1.)He’d have given me laces rare,
Dresses that glimmered with frosty sheen,
Shining ribbons to wrap my hair,
Horses to draw me, as fine as a queen.
You- you’d only to whistle low,
5.)Gayly I followed wherever you led.
5.)I took you, and I let him go-
2.)Somebody ought to examine my head!
1.The author writes with a patterns such as rhyming and starting certain lines in the stanzas the same way
2.she knows that she made the wrong choice
3. Is very descriptive and makes good pictures form in your head.
4.she should have thought more before she made her decision
5.this poem got right to the point and didn’t have any hidden messages that you had to infer to get.
Choices, Choices, Choices – Poem by Eben S J
Hate seethes inside you
Jealousy courses through your veins
Pain pricks at your mind
Anger boils in heart
The darkness envelops you
The light begins to fade
Questions begin to soar inside your head
Why, why, why, why now
You feel yourself begin to lose control
The madness begins
Your engulfed with fear
You know it is coming yet you can do nothing
The fear you feel overwhelms you
The icy touch of death touches your consciousness
You cringe away
You know it is coming yet you can do nothing
Your body turns your thoughts turn evil
The anger hate and pain drives you
You must kill or be killed
The choice rips you apart
You make your choice
You choose to kill
To kill, to kill
To kill yourself
Eben S J
Jaxson Boot and Jackson Firby
1. 1 “Hate seethes inside you”- We find it very intriguing that the very first line jumps to something as dark as the deep concept of hate,
2. 14 “The icy touch of death touches your consciousness”- This line shows an example of repetition in a action word, the writer may have done this to make the reader think more about the line.
3. 16 “You know it is coming yet you can do nothing” Once you have read the poem through to the resolution you can see that it’s about suicide, and clearly there is ways to stop depression.
4. 17 “Your body turns your thoughts evil” This is another line with relation like line 2 and it really makes you re read to understand it.
5. 24 “after u realize what all the depression and hard feelings boiled down too you see that all the sad thing the character wrote about were more like a list of reasons why to make such a large, deep decision.
Dark poem, guys!
Break, Break, Break
By Alfred Lord Tennyson
Break, break, break,
On thy cold gray stones, O Sea! And I would that my tongue could utter The thoughts that arise in me.
O, well for the fisherman’s boy, That he shouts with his sister at play! O, well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay! And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanish’d hand, And the sound of a voice that is still! Break, break, break
At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead Will never come back to me
The Right Decision by Melissa Westfall
There are right paths in this world to take,
And right choices in your life to make.
Making these decisions are hard to do,
Making the wrong one can poison you.
They may seem hard but you must make a choice,
You can always listen to your inner voice.
Listen to your heart and then with your mind,
But the right decision you must find,
Always be careful when you pick your path.
Don’t cross another and raise their wrath.
So think about your answer before you choose,
If you don’t you may have a lot to lose.
1. At the end of every sentence the words rhyme and it makes the poem sound better.
2. The first sentence states what the whole poem is about.
3. “Making the wrong one can poison you” is a really great way to put it.
4. The whole poem is about decisions and about how you need to make the right one or something bad can happen.
5. The last three sentences say that don’t get in a fight with someone else on their own path, think about your decisions because if you don’t you will make a bad choice and you will loose lots.
-Olivia
The Crossroads of Life!
The crossroads of life,—fate!
And there you wait
For the sign that presents forth
The goal,—then guides your destiny!
The phrase is synonymous with challenge:
Bold adventure and, decision making
In achieving greatness,
Or to be the best that you are!
And yet, you hesitate:—
What will people think?
How will I get ahead?
This response you believe,
Both rational and precise
Is cowardly;—
When opportunity knocks, you procrastinate!
This action deprives the soul of fuel
By exaggerating fear with excuses,
To avoid the truth of consequences.
Precedent case law, the name will stand
In the books unembellished,—based on facts
Of articulate arguments waged in the courtroom,
In the presence of peers!
Five Qualities
1.)It’s powerful and bold for a poem
2.)Talks about topics that aren’t always talked about in decision making, such as procrastination and fear or self doubt
3.)Title is a good visual metaphor
4.) Asks questions one might ask themselves
5.) Will sometimes rhyme at parts, alliteration
This poem stands out to me because it’s a very internal piece of writing that can relate to many people.
perilous are those decisions
you haven’t yet made
afraid of the seed the tree
questions its own validity
inconsequential are those thirty minutes
before a decision
the wind moves the branches without
the tree’s choice
forgiving are those moments
in bed asleep beyond not here
the tree can’t spot failed saplings
without the daylight which lets them grow
1.) The layout of the poem makes reading it more interesting than having the regular layout. It makes it unique and different from other poems I have read.
2.) The indented parts of the poem are specifically talking about trees which is fun and different for me.
3.) Having the tree act as a character rather than just a tree is also an aspect that intrigues me.
4.) It seems like the author is writing like the a person’s decision is being persuaded by a tree.
5.) The poem goes in a person’s daily cycle of morning to night, although it isn’t immediately obvious.