Friday, September 28, 2012

Calypso


Calypso

The oars on the boat row in fury to reach its sunset demise.
The sightless captain glimpses through a spyglass
in confirmation of his destination. Up is like down in Davy Jones’ Locker,
but reach the horizon where dagger meets tip, and waft in calm breaths of Aeolus.
Free the helm-sway to Siren songs, toward petal shores of her Majesty.
Anchor into dusty pixie sands of Ogygia
Dionysus orchards rejoice; flowing silks of violet in violet brush – feasting in jubilance.
                        Golden masked Nymphs welcome you to her diamond masque domicile
            Stay a while; fill your stomach in goddess feast,
 puffy clouds in your glass of wine are sprite ecstasy – Aphrodite’s potion
   enchants with velvety rhythmic moans arousing Olympus,
on her golden tiles, glass steps, silver bath tubs - Stay a while my love.
The Spring of Youth a gift to my gratified Mariner and hearty crew.
Stay with me (I Calypso), and be my immortal Kings.
            But veiled from veracity -
A single sunset for a thousand kisses, Graeae spins. 

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ η μετενσάρκωση της Ἶσις * (*Cleopatra VII Philopator the Reincarnation of Isis)


Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ η μετενσάρκωση της Ἶσις *
(*Cleopatra VII Philopator the Reincarnation of  Isis)

Nefertiti’s Pythagorean Pyramid,
passed down to the notorious
narcoleptic, egocentric Cleopatra.
Escapes, Capulet style, 
to Caesar the Montague.

Vinegary wine retreat,
to land afar.
Amulet lit,
florescent serpent eyes, yellow-green,
return to Romeo’s eyes rolled back.

Ogles glow once more.
War admirers adhere,
her venom nipped Antony. 
A lie hissed by a handmaiden.
Juliet’s inert news
stabbed his core.  

She slithered and shed
shining striking skin.
Hauling him near, she spit
passionate expressions
gasping, rasping last breaths
for a venomous kiss.

A renaissance curse,
Aset twisted and spiraled.
Spoils of ivory Pompeii palaces to
the golden granite Nile shrines,
seized by providence.
Summoning Naja haje, sincere sister,
commanding Dionysus’ amethyst injection,
she silenced the slithering Latrodectus.

Rekindled at Hades horrid doors,
with deafening laughs of Jackal
and screeching cries of Hawk nearby,
she coiled undyingly into Osiris’ arms.

Barzakh


Barzakh

cotton white wrap
a pale dust coat
ten feet bellow
position me to the right
my head northeast

will darkness be my light?

verve above
the last to leave
takes forty steps

will faith, prayer, proclamation be enough to unmute my soul?

looming Munkar wa Nakir
with abyss spiked hammers
 their lips of black blaze
ask three questions-
my bodiless eyes sear
awaiting a final answer

Araneae’s Restoration


Araneae’s Restoration

artful ascendance
plucked home restored
against winds wrathful
green dew clouds
tree-ward once more              
a new tapestry embroidered 

The "Prince"


The “Prince”

...is crowned
In a game of chess
Where justice is drowned
Sporting wars to impress
     Rivers flow in blood and gold                                                         
At the cost of pauper heads
While their lands are swallowed by a greedy lord
With plagues becoming their eternal beds
And yet his majesty is still on his perch
Masked in a century masquerade                                                    
Where vengeful nobles carefully lurch
Playing a Muse’s serenade
A slight princely mistake
Can end the ill-fated game
Of which the rules are opaque                                                       
Another crowned head down for another to proclaim

Lyrical Embellishment

                                             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-be3Lcaur0


Original Lyrics: 

Dr. Seuss The Lorax Soundtrack Lyrics
The Once-Ler - Everybody Needs A Thneed Lyrics

Everybody needs a thneed!
A fine thing that all people need!
The thneed is good, the thneed is great,
Let's hope we're not too late!
It's a super trendy hat,
It's a tightrope for an acrobat,
A net for catching butterflies,
Daily use for EXERCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISE!
Everybody needs a thneed,
(A THNEED!)
A fine thing that all people need,
(WE NEED!)
Everybody needs a thneed!
(ahhhhhh ahhhhh)
We want the thneed,
(ahhhhh ahhhhhh)
We need the thneed,
(ahhhhhhh ahhhhhh)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Own Rendition: 

Everybody needs a reed!
A fine thing that all people need!
The reed is wood, the reed is bait,
Let's hope we're not too late!
It's a super bendy slat,
It's a green-soap for an alley-cat,
A set for scratching butterflies,
Mainly juice for EXERCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISE!
Everybody needs a reed,
(A REED!)
A fine thing that all people need,
(WE PLEAD!)
Everybody needs a reed!
(ahhhhhh ahhhhh)
We want the reed,
(ahhhhh ahhhhhh)
We need the reed,
(ahhhhhhh ahhhhhh)

Poetry Excercise

Nora Mohtadi
Steven Wexler
English 495ESM
20, September 2012
1.      Alliteration and Assonance Lists
a.       Alliteration
                                                              i.      Luscious Lion
                                                            ii.      Pythagoras Pyramid
                                                          iii.      Infuriating Insect
                                                          iv.      Furry Feline
                                                            v.      Ominous Owl
                                                          vi.      Catastrophic Canon
                                                        vii.      Wavering Winds
                                                      viii.      Whispering Willows
                                                          ix.      Raging Rivers
                                                            x.      Colossal Cliffs  
b.      Assonance
                                                              i.      Keen Fiend
                                                            ii.      Furry purring
                                                          iii.      Dazzling jazz
                                                          iv.      Rich fish
                                                            v.      Wide Tide
                                                          vi.      Colorful Horoscope
                                                        vii.      Prized pie
                                                      viii.      Scorched pork
                                                          ix.      Meek eel
                                                            x.      Frail Veil
2.      Metaphors for Life
a.       Birth
                                                              i.      Birth is a shining star to a new home
                                                            ii.      Birth is a basket of bundled joy
                                                          iii.      Birth is a brand new clock ready to be unhitched
                                                          iv.      Birth is a friend to death
                                                            v.      Birth is a pearl unearthed from a clam
b.      Death
                                                              i.      Death is an extracting black hole.
                                                            ii.      Death is a masked man.
                                                          iii.      Death is a waiting watchman
                                                          iv.      Death is a fire with no light
                                                            v.      Death is the  gatekeeper to life
c.       Graduation
                                                              i.      Graduation is the light outside a tunnel
                                                            ii.      Graduation is a torch to another dimension
                                                          iii.      Graduation is birth and death
                                                          iv.      Graduation is a free eagle
                                                            v.      Graduation is the gateway to life
d.      Marriage
                                                              i.      Marriage is two doves in paradise  
                                                            ii.      Marriage is the moon at night and sun in the day
                                                          iii.      Marriage is the shackles of life
                                                          iv.      Marriage is an ocean of adventures
                                                            v.      Marriage is a fiery fire  
e.       Having Children
                                                              i.      Having children is a relentless sport
                                                            ii.      Having children is a full time job
                                                          iii.      Having children is life and death
                                                          iv.      Having children is bone breaking happiness
                                                            v.      Having children is the pillars of a family
f.       Starting your own business
                                                              i.      Starting your own business is a flowing river of opportunities
                                                            ii.      Starting your own business is an ocean of violent waves
                                                          iii.      Starting your own business is a broken piggy bank
                                                          iv.      Starting your own business is an open football field
                                                            v.      Starting your own business is a weed amongst flowers

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Monogamous Eternity

Nora Mohtadi
Steven Wexler
English 495ESM
20 September 2012
Monogamous Eternity
Mortality is one of life’s most difficult and feared journeys. With every breath of life there will always be a time where that breath will expire. Death is incorporated with the chilly eerie feeling of darkness and nothingness. Therefore as humans, death is excessively feared. In Emily Dickinson’s poem, “Because I could not stop for Death”, her perception is the antonym of death. In the poem, Dickinson uses the literary elements of personification and symbolism to convey the theme of her poem: that death is part of the endless cycle of life; death should not be feared but invited with calm regard.
The poem begins with the author clearly admitting that she did not stop for “Death, /He kindly stopped…” (l.1-2) for her. In the beginning, Dickinson personifies “Death” (l.1) as a masculine, referring to death as a “He” (1. 2). In Babette Deutsch’s book Poetry Handbook: A Dictionary of Terms, personification is defined under an “extensive metaphor” or an allegory (Deutsch 88). Deutsch also defines personification as “prosopopeia” or “abstract vices and virtues represented as person” (Deutsch 88). Dickinson uses personification by attaching attributes of kindness in the man that stops for her; the same man she couldn’t stop for. Dickinson describes Death as being chivalrous and romantic to have stopped for her and pick her up. The author is now riding with her romantic lover, Death, but is soon accompanied by another person, “Immortality” (l. 4). Dickinson also personifies “Immortality” (l. 4) as another traveler in their journey to eternal life. As the carriage is moving Death “…knew no haste” (l. 5). Death seems to be calm and unhurried to reach their destination, as if “He” is enjoying “his” time strolling along the road. The author also feels that Death has been so kind to that she has sacrificed her “…labor and my leisure too, /For His Civility” (ll. 7-8). The author lets go of her worldly pleasures for Death, because of his initial kind gesture. Dickinson personifies Death as not only kind but polite and courteous. Dickinson does not only personify Death and Immortality, but also personifies the Sun. As the author and her lover, Death, pass by the key stages of her life they come to the end of her stage, “…the Setting Sun-/Or rather-He passed Us-” (l. 12-13). Dickinson personifies the Sun, as the Sun passing them by, which signifies that the Sun is traveling the opposite direction from where they are heading. Near the end of the poem, Dickinson describes what the author is dressed in, a wedding dress. Dressed as a bride, Death can only be her kind chivalrous groom accompanying her to their eternal abode. 
Dickinson also uses the literary element of symbolism. In Deutsch’s book a symbol is defined as a:
…word or image that signifies something other than what is represents and that even when denoting a physical, limited thing carries enlarging connotations, so that it has the reality, vivid yet ambiguous, the emotional power, and the suggestiveness of a compelling dream or an archetypal myth.”
Dickinson is the best example in the usage of symbolism in regards to the theme of the poem: serenely accepting death. Death peacefully and calmly accompanies the author on a journey to and immortal destination. Towards their calm and easeful journey, the author is feels a breeze as “The Dews drew quivering and chill/For only Gossamer, my Gown/My Tippet-only Tulle-” (l. 14-16). The author is adorned in a wedding dress. The wedding dress symbolizes that her journey is a journey to a new beginning, like being married is the mark of a new beginning in life. The author’s attire represents her acceptance to the hand of Death and her joyful everlasting journey to an immortal life.  During their journey, Death and the author “…passed the School, where Children strove/At Recess-in the Ring-” (l. 9-10). The author and Death pass by a school and children playing at their recess time. This scene symbolizes the authors childhood and school years. As Death and the author pass the school the come upon “…the Fields of Grazing Grain-” (l. 11). The author again comes across another key stage in her life, her midlife and working life as an adult. Death presses on forward and the author comes to pass by “…the Setting Sun-” (1. 12). Death travels by the last stage of the author’s life, the stage of old age and death, which is being symbolized by the beautiful and romantic sunset. Death presses onward and they “…paused before a House that seemed/A Swelling of the Ground-/The Roof was scarcely visible-/The Cornice-in the Ground-” (l. 17-20). Death gently pauses in front of the author’s abode, which is described as her grave, her eternal resting place. Dickinson uses the house as a symbol of comfort and ease rather than a place of morbid attributes. Dickinson describes the house as spacious and wide, where the roof can barely be seen in height. Hand in hand with the author’s eternal companion they travel, “Were toward Eternity-” (l. 24), toward a new eternal blissful life.
Dickinson’s poem brings about the peaceful and serene notion that death is part of life’s most wonderful stages. Through her personified character, Death, the author eases her way onward toward a heavenly eternity. Dickinson uses many symbols to help create a tranquil and calmly passage. As the author leaves behind her worldly life, she enters her new beginning to life, her eternal calmly home where time stands still.


Work Cited
Deutsch, Babette. Poetry Handbook: A Dictionary of Terms. New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1974. Print.
Dickinson, Emily. "Because I Could Not Stop for Death." 100 Best-Loved Poems. Ed. Philip Smith. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. 70. Print.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Prolegomenon

One step closer to the Li(gh)t! 

Greetings Li(gh)t Seekers!


My name is Nora Mohtadi and God created me in the valley of San Fernando, California. I am an American Muslim and no I won't kill you with my covered head and modest dress- but I will make you feel warm by just looking at me (the black I wear captures heat so BEWARE!) 

On a more serious note, I am in love with English (and that is why I am divorced). My mother raised my six other siblings and I in the library - literally. After school we went straight to that humongous library on Nordhoff and we were to stay until closing - then head home. I ventured through each and every shelf, finding myself lost within the books I held. It was the first step into the Li(gh)t! I decided that English Literature was my true calling and teaching was not far behind. I started teaching Arabic early freshman year of college. And now I find myself teaching Religious Studies from grades K-8 at a private school while completing this last semester of this 10 yr. Institution of Higher and Pricier Education . Now that is total MADNESS! How I ended up in this situation I have no clue - its all a BLUR). 


And again on a more serious, serious note, how does media tie into all this? Well media is what I call the brainwashing machine (mostly news media). However, media is of importance especially in this futuristic 2000 millennium. As students ourselves, we use some sort of media every second. Also media has many mediums - some useful than others- but they are bridges to keep students informed and interested at least for a few minutes (dilated pupils in interest = Brainwashing Machine ON).  


Well I can keep rambling until 2 am... wait this is a blog... so I am allowed to ramble! EUREKA!

Seriously I should stop here - don't you think? (wait don't think its immensely harmful to your health)

Well I hope you enjoyed the cheesy humor and I hope to keep you interested for a minute at least - like most of my students when I teach. 


Bon Voyage to the Journey to Li(gh)t