Odes

 We have so much to celebrate, don't we?  Is there a better way to celebrate or praise those we love or admire than in an ode?  As you read our odes, look for the literary devices we used.  Enjoy!

Extended Metaphors

 We read and analyzed the poem "Identity" by Pablo Noboa Polanco.  We love Polanco's use of extended metaphor and imagery in describing how his identity of being strong, free, and hopeful was forged from his own struggles in life.   Here are our own poems using extended metaphor.  Please enjoy!

We Real Cool

 In 1959, Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize, wrote the poem "We Real Cool."  In a few lines that push the traditional concept of structure to its edge, Brooks urges all of us to think about our lives, our circumstances, our choices, and the consequences of our choices.  Using her poem as a frame, we've created our own poems about our own lives, our own circumstances, and our own choices.  

"Harlem" Emulation Poem

 Everyone has a dream for their future.  Langston Hughes wrote a poem entitled "Harlem" to encourage the African Americans who migrated there to not give up on their dreams.  Here are our attempts at emulating his poem for our own.

Our Dreams

 Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."  We will be sharing our dreams with you.  They are many, and they are great.  Can you tell what I dream of doing?  What is your dream?

2021: Year of Resilience and Hope

 

Like Mauna Kea that stands regally over Hilo Bay, we have stood resilient and hopeful in a sea of uncertainty.  In our blog, we will share what we have learned, what we think, and what we can do.  To begin, we have written our first poems on poetry.  See if you can identify the anaphora, imagery, similes, and metaphors in our free verse frame poems.   

Student Voice on 2020: A Year of Chaos and Clarity

On December 31, 2019, Michael Brown stated that "barring dramatic and unforeseen circumstances, the year 2020 will be one of the most chaotic, divided, and tumultuous years in our nation’s history. It will also be a year of clarity."  Others claimed that 2020 would be a year of clarity.  What do you think?  What do high school students think?  You may be surprised.   Here are some thoughts from some Hilo High School freshmen.

I believe that, in a way, they have been right. People have been able to be alone or with their families for so long that they are realizing that they really do need contact with other humans. The air is also clearing up and our planet is doing better than it has been in a while, which I am absolutely ecstatic about! This probably isn't the clarity that many meant, but it is a sort of clarity.

                                                                                                           Baby Yoda

I believe that their predictions are right so far. During 2020, forest fires, a WW3 scare, COVID-19, etc has happened, impacting the way we live our normal lives. With these dangerous events, it helps us realize how bad these situations could have turned out and how lucky we are to be alive.

-k

I believe that those who predicted 2020 being the year of clarity are absolutely right. As a series of global events continues, more people are beginning to realize what's really going on around them. For example, as of the beginning of the year, Australia's Wildfires and the close call for WWlll was a huge eye-opener for so many people. With the wildfires, people began to realize how bad things really are on Earth and the path it's in. People began to realize that changes would be necessary. During the ongoing battle between Iran and the US, WWlll could have almost became a thing. From then on, people became glued to the news, wanting to know what would happen, scared for the country and their lives. Once things were settled, people were grateful with how it turned out. Currently, COVID-19 is the main event we're stuck in. Thousands have died and unfortunately, more are to go. As a global pandemic, social distancing is highly encouraged. Personally, being stuck at home helped me realize how much I had taken things for granted. I'm more than sure this applies for many others.

These events all have something in common-they all make people grateful for the things in their life. Thus, changes are being made to help the Earth. So perhaps 2020 is a year of clarity after all.

bananak

I believe they were right to think 2020 would bring clarity. In the few short months since this year began, our eyes have been opened to the ways our current system, and humanity as a whole, have responded under times of great pressure. We have witnessed events to a scale previously unknown to mankind, and I believe we will walk away with clarity previously unbeknownst to us. This clarity shows us the flaws in the current operations of our society, but also the hope, resiliency, and strength that humanity is capable of.

Cosmically Cosmic

Yeah 2020 is definitely a year of clarity. Covid-19 will forever change the way we live. We’ll be more cautious of what we consume and how clean we are. It also shows who cares about their money rather than their people. Republicans and democrats on office have been pointing fingers at each other rather than pointing fingers at a solution. Now we have three times the number of cases than the country in second. It also shows that we shouldn’t believe everything the news says, and sometimes they can make something look bigger than it is. In addition to global warming, wildfires have shown us that our environment is in bad shape. Mother Nature had 20/20 vision and decided to give some of it to us so we can wake up and make changes to our word for the better.

Booger MacFarland

I believe that they were right to think that 2020 was going to be a year of clarity. Seeing how badly COVID-19 has affected us is really showing how we need to improve the way we handle situations. If the situation was handled properly, people would've been tested but many sources state that airports didn't have tests in the first stages of this pandemic. Although things aren't looking too great, I hope that this experience will help us become better as a country.

fork

They were correct in their predictions. Though we are only four months into 2020, the entire world has gone through several intense and impactful (and worrying!) disasters. From potentially being on the brink of WW3, to the Australian wildfires, to a massive global pandemic due to the Covid-19 outbreak, many have suffered. During these difficult times, we have been able to see how people handle being put under immense pressure. We have been able to see how the entire country responds to Covid-19. Though there are things that the government could have done to prevent the virus from spreading so much, and many decisions made regarding the current situation were flawed or late, there is an aspect of this pandemic that I feel is often disregarded. The resiliency and bravery demonstrated through out the world by people fight Covid-19 hasn't been this recognized or celebrated in quite a while. Our planet is healing, which is amazing! Perhaps the clarity people spoke of is the positive outcome of such a dark time.

kohn

Odes

We recently read "Ode to My Socks" by Pablo Neruda.  Here are our odes.  Please enjoy!

Extended Metaphor

Please enjoy our emulation of Julio Noboa Polanco's inspiring poem "Identity" using extended metaphors of our own.

Our Dreams

Before reading and analyzing the poem "Harlem" by Langston Hughes, we created posters of our dreams.   Then we created our own poems emulating "Harlem" encouraging each other just as Hughes masterfully did to persevere in the pursuit of our dreams .  What is your dream?

Power of Listening to Poetry

According to a study by researchers in Germany, listening to poetry "can spark brain activation patterns that produce emotional responses and engage the body's reward circuitry."  In other words, you might really get chills and goosebumps from listening to poetry.  We can't promise chills and goosebumps, but we do promise student voice in our first poems of 2020.  Simply click the title of the poem and enjoy!

 

Photo by Remi Yuan

Meta Poetry by Comically Cosmic

Photo by Ron Smith

Poetry Is by Babatunde

Photo by Lachlan

Poetry Is by Baby YodaAaAAAaaAa

Photo by Svetlana Gumerova
The Importance of Poetry by Tom

Photo by Lucas Clara

Poetry Is by Bananak

Photo by Laura DeWilde

 Poetry Is by kapeeps

Photo by Annie Spratt

Poetry Is by Bob Ross

Photo by Jasmine Phong

Poetry Is by MCRX

Photo by Chris Child

Poem on Poetry by k

Photo by Annie Spratt

What is Poetry? by Argo

Photo by Aaron Burden

Poetry Is  by .

Photo by Cullan Smith

Poetry Is by Fork

Photo by Elly Filho

Poetry Is by Baba Ghanoush

Photo by Daniel Olah

Poetry Is by Boar Vessel  500-600 B.C.

Photo by Steve Halama
At Least I PoeTRYed by Booger Mcfarland

Photo by Grahame Jenkins

Poetry Is by Billy Goat

 Photo by Jack B
Poetry Is by Scout

Poetry is...

Author William Somerset Maugham wrote:  'The crown of literature is poetry."  To commence our poetry unit, we are publishing our own poems on poetry using imagery, metaphor, simile, and anaphora.  Thank you for taking the time to provide your thoughts and feedback on our first poems of the year.

Cultural Identity

After exploring our cultural identities, we have created mandalas using symbols to represent our ethnicities, nationalities, values, beliefs, languages, gender, interests, and education.  Feel free to read our explanations of the symbols and listen to our podcasts.  To listen to each podcast, click the links.  We look forward to feedback.  Mahalo!

A Warrior's Mandala

Coming from the vast Pacific Ocean, my Micronesian warriors, are symbolized by 
the blue color of the sea and the stars.

Even with my nation’s history of oppression and racism, I am still proud to be an American
as represented by the bald eagle.

My first language learned and the language I speak everyday is English.

Being born from a family that has fought to be where they are now 
this is what makes me idolize being a professional fighter someday, 
and that is what the gloves represent.

Although I have goals of fighting professionally someday, I still believe that education is key.

The weird symbol here is a Nigerian tribal that represents the supremacy of god.

I come from a line of men who have fought and worked all their lives, I too fight and work in my life

The Pineapple comes from a quote I once heard, “Stand tall and wear a crown.”

This represents my royal bloodline.

 

 A Filipino Viking's Mandala

The great Phillipine eagle and the most famous fish “Bangus” represent my Filipino identity.

Even though I don’t have enough knowledge about the history of my nation,

I am proud to be born and raised as a filipino.

I am a woman who loves to protect her dignity and who have a goal in life.

Moving to another country as a teenager, I am responsible to attend school,
and I am proud to be a Viking.

I am a Christian who believed in God and the Bible. I listen and sing the beautiful songs
in church, and I pray being thankful for my family.

My professional language is Tagalog but I can also speak English and Illocano.
I speak Tagalog if I with my relatives and since we moved to America
I use English to speak with other people.

Since I was a kid, I loved to play sports, especially basketball.

Like the tree, I am strong standing in my on foot because of the love given by my family.
My family is the most important part of my culture.

A Samoan Rugby Player's Mandala

My Samoan culture is very important to me because it is one of those cultures that are becoming extinct.  I used the coconut tree as a symbol because the coconut tree is a really big tool for Samoan people.

For my nationality, I used the flag of Western Samoa because there are two islands of Samoa: one is American Samoa and one is Western Samoa.  I didn’t use American Samoa because American Samoa is evolving into a place where the Culture of Samoa is going extinct.

I chose the Hilo High School Viking symbol for my school because this is by far the best school I have ever gone to.  Coming to Hilo High is the best decision I have ever made because I feel more comfortable talking to others and also putting myself in a position to make more friends.

I drew a male because I am a male.  

For my religion I used the cross because it represents what I believe and trust in.  Also because this what Jesus died to take away all of our sins.

For my language I used a Samoan design because I have a lot of passion for my culture and how it represents who I am.

For interests I used the symbol a rugby ball because Rugby is my favorite sport and it helps me feel calm throughout the times that I am feeling stressed.

For my family I used a star that has hands and heads because it represents how strong my family can be when we're together. It also shows how much love we have for each other. 

A Marshallese Protector's Mandala

My first symbol is a pandunus tree in the Marshall Islands because I had fun climbing pandunus trees
and because the roots is in the Marshall Islands

I am proud to be Marshallese because in our culture we take care and love each other

I am a male who is protective, caring, and loving of my family.

I love school because in school I have outgoing friends, awesome teachers, and amazing subjects

I was raised to go to church and to believe in God, and I pray everyday to show how much I love God
as a Christian, and I will always love God 

I speak, read, and write English at school and outside of school; however, I speak Marshallese 
mostly with family and with my Marshallese friends.

The basketball and football symbolizes sports because I love it, and it’s fun

Lastly, the heart symbolizes family because there is a lot of love in my family. My parents don't
have a favorite because both my parents love all of my brothers and sisters, including me.

A Future Doctor's Mandala 
My mandala represents the most significant parts of my cultural identity. The first is a Mexican flag because I think that the country that most represents my identity. In the second part is a male symbol because I identify myself as a man . In the next part is a book with a medical symbol on it because I want to study to become a doctor. In my language part I wrote Spanglish because I read, write, and speak both Spanish and English.

In next part is a heart with three points on the top that makes a family symbol. Family symbol is one of the biggest parts of my cultural identity. In the next part is a pencil because I like to draw, and I think that is part of my cultural identity. The next part means my friends, another big part of my cultural identity. The last part I drew a symbol that summarizes all that I like.

A Chinese Gamer's Mandala

The peony, a flower in China, represents my Chinese identity.

 Although I’m in America now, I am also Chinese; this is something I can’t forget.

I’m a male high school student. My school is HIlo HIgh School so I’m a Viking.

I believe in science as my theology because there are many things with no
explanations..

I use English a lot, but my first language is Chinese, and I don’t want to forget my language.

The interest I like most is the gaming that is why I draw a gameboy.

The railroad track symbolizes the journey of my family; we cam from form far away to Hawaii.

A Marshallese Christian's Mandala

A Filipino Artist's Mandala

Since my family is artistic, I drew a pencil drawing a flower. It symbolizes the fruit of my parent’s love as they represent the two leaves protecting me and taking care of me. 

I am happy to be born in the Philippines and being a Filipino. The Filipino eagle represents my pureness along with my culture ways of living with my family.

I am a male that has dreams, goals, and hopes to achieve for my family.

Inheriting my father’s arts skills, I have been an artistic person gaining his knowledge and techniques. I am also interested in video games.

I was raised as a Catholic, I was born to believe and pray for my family and others sake to the heavens above.

My professional language is Tagalog. However, I can also speak English very well. I can also understand Ilocano language a little bit but my capability of speaking the language is not there yet. Thus overall, I use my native language around my family and to the people that have the capability of speaking the language as well.

I drew a Viking inside the Big Island as it represents my education as a viking with knowledge, pride, integrity, respect, determination, and excellence here at this school.

A Chuukese Nurse's Mandala 

Growing on high mountains with coconut trees and traveling with boats, my Chuukese ancestors thrived
and this is who I am.  

Although Micronesians are not healthy because of the radiation from American bombs, 
I’d still go back home and live there until I no longer live. 

I am a girl who painstakingly tries to work and become a nurse and go back home and make a change. 

Since I want to make a change back home, I work hard as a  sophomore at Hilo High School, 
and I try to reach for my professional degree and become a nurse. 

Raising up to be a Christian I believe in bible, heaven, hell, and God, I go to church every Sunday
and participate in all kind of things our church has provide. 

I read, write, and speak Chuukese. When I am around our Chuukese elders, I speak Chuukese. 
I have been learning the English language since nine years old and it what I speak when I am in public. 

My interest is to be a nurse so I can help serve people especially the ones back home because they 
have bad health.

The symbol of family is the mom dad and the children. I don’t look like my parents or siblings;
I take after my dad's family. My family shows respect and kindness to people.

A Hard-Working Marshallese's Mandala

The BIBLE represents who I believe in and is God and my family raised me with knowing God and go church all the times

The flag represents my islands, and I am proud to be Marshallese

I am a student at Hilo High School on the Big Island. I came here to get a better education 

and work with my friend and my teachers

I am the oldest boy, and I have one younger sister and another who is older than me.

I play basketball and baseball which are my favorite sports

 I read, write, and speak two languages:  my first language is Marshallese and my second one is English.

I want to thanks my family for raising me to be a better person. My father always tells me

 to respect and humble myself to one and other

My island is a mix of coconut milk with almost every food like sashimi, rice and bread.

I am proud to me Marshallese. 

Gwendolyn Brooks is Real Cool

We might not be real cool, but here is our attempt at emulating the poem "We Real Cool" with our own messages.  Feel free to let us know your thoughts.

Extended Metaphor

It's been a busy week for us.  After creating our own odes, we are now creating poems using extended metaphors similar those used by Julio Noboa Polanco in his poem "Identity."  Please enjoy!

Odes: an expression of celebration and praise

Aloha!  This week we've been learning about odes.  Using metaphors, similes, and imagery, we've created odes celebrating and praising people we love, things we admire, or things we love to do.  Please enjoy our odes.

What is Poetry?

We are Hilo High School Vikings who have travelled from Chuuk, Japan, Marshall Islands, Philippines, and Yap.  We recently learned the difference between poetry and prose and the difference between metaphor and simile.  We also learned about anaphora and imagery.  Please enjoy our poems and feel free to provide us with feedback.