December 7

ELA A30 “Bartok and the Geranium” Livesay poem

Dorothy Livesay is one of Canada’s most popular and admired poets.

She wrote strong poetry during a time in history when the role of women was stereotypically to be passive, submissive, and a housewife or mate.  She caused waves and is now admired for the confidence and forcefulness her poetry includes.

The poem of “Bartok and the Geranium” is one of contrast between a soft, quiet living thing compared to a busy, aggressive, smashing living thing that interrupts the environment it invades. Read it and see if you can make comparisons of this poem to another of Canadian literature that you’ve studied recently.

You can read the poem in one piece here at this Noteography site where I have published it, or read the two images together below.

 

poem

poem-2

 

It’s also been shared on #Twitter. 

“Bartok and the Geranium”
by Dorothy Livesay (Canadian poet)

She lifts her green umbrellas
Towards the pane
Seeking her fill of sunlight
or of rain;
Whatever falls
She has no commentary
Accepts, extends,
Blows out her furbelows,
Her bustling boughs;
And all the while he whirls
Exploding in space,
Never content with this small room:
Not even can he be
Confined to sky
But must speed high and higher still
From galaxy to galaxy,
Wrench from the stars their momentary notes
Steal music from the moon.

She’s daylight
He is dark
She’s heaven-held breath
He storms and crackles
Spits with hell’s own spark.

Yet in this room, this moment now
These together breathe and be:
She, essence of serenity,
He in a mad intensity
Soars beyond sight
Then hurls, lost Lucifer,
From heaven’s height.

And when he’s done, he’s out:
She leans a lip against the glass
And preens herself in light.

 

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September 3

ELA A30 Sept 03/16 Non-fiction novel titles to choose from

In the A30 course, you’ll read a non-fiction and a fiction novel. Everyone has their own preferences and interests in what they’ll spend their time reading about, so I have several options for you to choose from for both these types of novel choices this year.Image result for reading quotes

You can click on the link to learn more about the novel or read ratings/reviews to help you make your choice.

Non-fiction novels – we will be reading this in the first half of the course

  1. The Secret Lives of Srg. John Wilson – Lois Simmie
  2. A House in the Sky – Amanda Linhout
  3. The Truth About Luck: What I Learned on my Road Trip with Grandma – Ian Ried
  4. An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth – Chris Hadfield
  5. Letters to my Grandchildren – David Suzuki

Fiction Novels – this will be the second novel reading in the semester

  1. Quality of Light – Richard Wagamese
  2. Indian Horse – Richard Wagamese
  3. Three Day Road – Joseph Boyden
  4. The Orenda – Joseph Boyden
  5. The Englishman’s Boy – Guy Vanderhaeghe
  6. Stones – William Bell
  7. The Life of Pi – Jan Martel
  8. The Diviners – Margarette Lawrence

If you have an idea for a replacement for either of these genres of books, talk to me and we can maybe include it in the list.

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