Playing Icarus

She treads eagerly in the darkness along the sidewalk

                        Streetlights lead her way with puddles of gold  

                               

                                       The avenue is e m p t y

                      The neighborhood is sleeping

The brush of the trees extricates her from the

                    

                      Tormenting sound of nothing

                                     Lonely, nervous, quiet, anxious,

                      The wind picks up, and she become solicitous

She brings her cellphone to her ear

    

                       I can see her rifling through the pockets of her mind

                                    Stress, exhaustion, urgency, perplexity

                      Playing Icarus,

She subconsciously takes a stride into the avenue

                      A truck carelessly approaches me

                                    As it does, the woman disappears beneath

                     The truck continues

Life, death, accident, tragedy

 

I am the STOP sign

                 

Synthesis Essay

Kari-Grace                                                                                                                  May 17^th 2013

                                                           Synthesis Essay

In the poem “puce fairy book” by Alice Major, the speaker explains that most girls as children are brainwashed with the idea of  “the one true prince” who will one day “[bring them] a crystal slipper”.  But in reality there is no perfect prince charming and there “is no fairy tale” ending. The speakers’ main message is to stay true to who you are and don’t change for anyone. In the article “Forget Prince Charming” by June Callwood the writer suggests, “the perfect mate does not exist”. She explains her advice to her granddaughters and that “they cannot expect perfection”.

Alice Majors’ poem expresses that the speaker does not believe that prince charming should have an affect on how one would treat or look at ones self. In the poem the speaker talks about how a prince brings her a crystal slipper, but “[her] foot was too big to fit into it” she then explains that he may have been her on true prince. But she refused his offer because in order to fit the crystal shoe, she would have had to change her self by “cutting of [her] toe”.  Children are often brought up with the myth that one day a prince will come sweep a princess off there feet. Alice Major suggests that girls shouldn’t try and fit the princess act; they should be themselves and not feel like they should have too change for anyone.

June Callwoods’ article describes her opinion and the advice she gives her three granddaughters about the delusion of the “perfect mate”. She explains “no relationship is friction-free”. At the beginning of the relationship the two are overcome by  “the oceanic feeling” and “the existential loneliness of human condition is masked”. After the relationship becomes long-term the exchange of the couples adjustments is occasionally fair and sometimes causes break ups.  “Romantic novelists have the ideal all wrong”. The conspicuous prince charming qualities has nothing to with the exemplary partner. The writer describes that integrity, punctuality, and humor are three important qualities to look for in a mate. She explains that these three personality traits may not be in the common prince charming.

            Alice Major would concur with June Callwoods’ advice to her granddaughters. They both believe that the fantasy of finding ones soul mate is unrealistic. Alice Major describes in her poem that “[he] might have been the one true prince” but unfortunately her foot wouldn’t fit the slipper. Callwood expresses in her article that there is no perfect match. So even though the girl in Alice Major’s poem felt like the prince was the one, he wasn’t a perfect match because the slipper didn’t fit. Alice Major suggests in her poem that nobody should change for their mate, their match will love them for who and what they are. While June Callwood states that there is no prince charming and the prince charming qualities are not what one should look for in a mate. She believes that integrity, punctuality and humor are the three key traits in a mate.

            The poem “ Puce Fairy Book” by Alice Major talks about how one should feel like they need to change themselves for there partner. The article “Forget Prince Charming” by June Callwood discusses that there is no prince charming and there’s more to look for in a partner. Both pieces berate the idea of the “perfect mate” or a “prince charming”. Its unrealistic to try and fit the princess role for your prince and one should look beyond the colloquial characteristics of prince charming.

Thank Goodness For Cell Phones

       

For some reason teachers have a hard time understanding why students need to have their electronic devices with them at all times. It’s like a child and their “blanky”. What happens when you take the blanky away? There’s a catastrophe. Now why would a teacher ever want to do that to a student? Why can’t they just leave them at peace with their sacred possessions?

        I know for a fact that the one and only reason why I excel in school is because of my cell phone. In the mornings the hour and a half it takes to get ready is a crucial time of day. Without the weather network on my phone I would never know which outfit to pick. It also allows me to do all my math homework with the high tech calculator it has while scrolling through the twitter feed to see what all my friends are up too. It also can hold music which helps me concentrate on my in class assignments.

       

        My cell phone also helps me with my homework. At home if I forget what my homework assignment is I can just open Google and go to the school website to my teacher’s page and find it. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram also helps’ me stay focused. All my friends are always posting things about keeping up with your homework and getting good grades, it really helps be stay motivated especially towards the end of the year. I fit weren’t for my cell phone I can guarantee I would not be graduated this June.

 

Taste Testing

 I bring the polka-dotted Dixie cup close to my mouth, getting a ponderous gust of the tangy zest from the lemon juice. I pull away viscously second guessing myself. I look into the innocent, cloudy cup of yellow. The appearance calmed me reminding me of a summer day in the back yard gazing into my mother flower patch full of daffodils. Reassured I perch my kisser on the edge of the cup. Slowly I tilt the insubstantial, papery cupful to my distressed lips. The cutting extract infiltrates my mouth. My face becomes heavily folded with wrinkles, my eyes squint tightly as my eyelashes tickle just below my eyebrow. I'm paralyzed from the vicious smack of tang. I'm impaired from nothing other than a little lemon juice. It settles to the bottom of my mouth, finding the courage I squint my eyes tight again, clench my fist and commit to engulf the acidic lemony potion. As it left my mouth and funneled through my esophagus into my stomach it gives me a kick as though I am six months pregnant. I wait anxiously with the pungent after taste of lemon. I slouch back in my chair and take a sigh of relief. My nervous system can stand down. The battle is over.

A Walk in Someone Else's Shoes

I roll out of bed this morning dreading the day ahead of me. As I stumble my way to the shower the corner of the door wedges its self between my two last toes causing them to instantly curl as I hop around foolishly droning in pain. Realizing I was already behind schedule I hastily limped to the bathroom for my shower. I quickly rinse my lifeless, short brown hair of the flower-scented shampoo. As I race to my bedroom I scan the floor for clothing since I haven’t done laundry in weeks. I snatch a plain purple t-shirt off the side of the hamper and wiggle myself into a pair of oversized, washed denim jeans. I hurry to the living room to find Ally dressed and playing with her dolls. My husband knows me all too well. I’m always running late. I place Ally into her car seat and buckle her tightly. I speed out of the driveway and of course I hit a red light. As I impatiently wait for the light to change I reassured myself how terrible this day would be. Ally is getting her ears pierced. I carelessly halt into the first parking spot available. I unbuckled Ally and toss her on my hip. Taking a quick glance to my watch, I increase my speed. Were ten minutes late. As we make our way through the automatic doors at the mall entrance a rush of air blows the hairs on the back of my neck giving me every right to imagine the worst that would come of this. We enter Claire’s. I can tell they’ve been expecting us as a gust of cleaning chemicals greets us at the front desk. They congenial employees guide us to the piercing station. They trace two black dots on where the earring will be placed. I begin to feel anxious. Only I knew how this would end. Ally didn’t know what was about to happen all she knew was that there would be a savory lollipop after it all and that’s all she cared about.  Next thing I know they piercing gun snaps and her eyes grow large and glossy like the lollipop she had saved on the counter for afterwards. Tears plunge down her cheeks and her screams echo in the mall. I snatch the lollipop and shove it in her mouth dashing out of the mall as fast as possible. We make it to the car I buckle Ally in and get into the drivers seat. Still cries in the back round I let out a deep sigh of relief. I am so glad that’s over with.

All About Me

Kari-Grace Pym. What a unique names some may say. She would say “Who wants a name everyone has trouble pronouncing?” All through her child hood she was made fun of for the funny ways teachers pronounced her name.  Some nicknames just never get old. So she just sticks with Kari. During the week her peers would tell you that if you ever need to find her, the gym is the place to go. If she’s not there she’s probably dead.  She dedicates most of her hours outside of school playing for the Princess Margaret basketball, volleyball, and soccer teams. When she has some free time to sit down, forget it she’s right back up again. Her mother would tell you that she never stops she always has to be doing something. Some would describe her as driven, involved, and competitive. On the weekends if not at a tournament you’d most likely find her with her family. She appreciates the time spent when they all have the opportunity to be together. Volunteering holds a big place in her heart. When she has free time she absolutely adores exploring the tropics, and filling her life with adventure on humanitarian trips experiencing another life and serving others. Kari has a busy life style but it’s what shapes her bubbly and exciting personality.