Slam Poetry Analysis

Poet: Taylor Mali

Poem: What Teachers Make

Synopsis: Taylor Mali is asked, “What do you make?” and he responds not with an answer about money, but how he makes a difference in society. He addresses how people are often judged by how much money they make doing a job, not by what they do, and that is unfair. He indirectly raises the point that a person should not be judged based on the income they make, but the outcome of their profession.

Important Poetic Technique: Taylor Mali’s use of simile is extremely important. When he says, "I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal of Honor...", and "...an A- feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her very best." I feel he means that as a teacher, he marks students based on what he knows they are capable of, and can develop a strong work ethic which is extremely important both in and beyond the realm of school.

Favorite Line: “Let me break it down for you so you know what I say is true; I make a god damn difference, now what about you?” This line is my favorite because it forces the listener to think about whether or not a job that doesn’t make a difference in the world but can pay well is as respectable as a job that pays considerably less but influences countless numbers of people to change for the better.


Poet: Common

Poem: A Letter to the Law

Synopsis: Common believes that the government abuses its power of control of the law. He says how black people are discriminated and stereotyped to be criminals, and when they are accused of crimes, it’s a bigger deal than if a white person did the same thing.

Important Poetic Technique: I believe the rhyme scheme is very important. The way he delivers the poem is in the tone of a rap, which I feel helps establish his point about black people being stereotyped as criminals and the injustice of the American justice system.

Favorite Line: “I hold up a peace sign, but I carry a gun” is a paradox because guns represent the exact opposite of peace, but also implies the another paradox of ‘If you want peace, you must prepare for war.’


Poet: Shihan

Poem: Father’s Day

Synopsis: Shihan loves poetry, and his family alike. He spends a large amount of his time away from his family, and one day his daughter asks him if he still loves her. Shocked and stunned, he contemplates whether doing the thing he loves and spending all the time away from the people he loves is worth it or not.

Important Poetic Device: He uses imagery very well. While he doesn’t describe the situation fully, when he talks about his daughter asking if “[He] still loves her” a mental struck me clear as day. It was an extremely powerful quote, and the way he would describe moving mountains like grains of sand later on in the poem was just as strong.

Favorite Line: “So you tell me if everything I’m saying is worth me missing my family for” was an extremely exceptional quote. It shows his passion for poetry and his family, and being torn with having to balance the two. He loves his family and his job, but to spend time with one, he has to put the other on hold.

Homework Blues

      "As I shuffled into the classroom, I knew that Mr. Van Camp would never believe me. I looked at my scuffed shoes and mumbled, " My homework is not done, Sir. I do have a good excuse though."

     "This is not the first time your homework has not been completed. Perhaps," Mr. Van Camp suggested, "it's time to speak with your parents."

     "Please, you have no idea what will happen to me if you phone my home. My parents will kill me for sure," I moaned.

     "Well, let's hear your excuse. It better be good."

    “Okay, so I was at Tim Horton’s during lunch hour as you can tell,” I held up my mangled and torn cup of coffee, “and I’m pretty sure it was bad enough to call a riot.”
   
    “There was a riot in Tim Horton’s?” Mr. Van Camp scoffed at the idea, “That’s preposterous.”
   
    “I’m being serious!” I raise my voice, “Even ask Corbin, he was there!”Mr. Van Camp turns to him and inquires,

“Is it true?” and after receiving a nod of the head from Corbin, he started to consider the fact that my story may be true. He turns back to me, and states, “Okay, continue.”

    “Okay, so I finished my coffee and it was near the end of lunch, about 1:30, so we decided to go back to school. Just as we were leaving, I rolled up my cup and stopped to read that I had won a car.”

    “Zach, this story isn’t even remotely believable. Nice try though.” Mr. Van Camp started to walk away from me.

    “I had yelled out that I won the car,” I continued as if he was still interested in my story with a hope that he was listening, “Immediately people swarmed me, everybody wanting to grab the cup and see it for themselves. I tried to make my way to the counter, fighting through the crowds-“

    “This is the cheesiest story I’ve ever heard. How many times did you rehearse it?” He proved to me that he was indeed listening, but he still didn’t believe me. I continued,
   
    “Anyways, I made it to the counter only to be told that I need someone older than 18 to be with me when claiming a major prize because minors can’t receive cars. Everybody around me started volunteering to take the car, and a few people even offered me money.”
    “You should’ve taken the money,” someone in the class called out, “You could’ve paid Van Camp off to give you an A!”  I struggle to continue my story, competing with the laughter of the class,

    “I wasn’t going to take the money; I mean a car is way better than a thousand dollars!” the tone of my voice becomes agitated, “So get this, some jerk walks up to me, hits me in the face and grabs my cup! I don’t care you who are, even if it’s a losing cup, you don’t grab my coffee. Ever.”

    “So let me guess, you engaged in a 30 minute long chase with guns and explosions and cars, only to end up here with a mangled cup and a terrible excuse?” Mr. Van Camp has written off my excuse at this point, and I could tell.

    “Nope, no car chase, I just watched him run into the door on the right, which is always locked. He dropped faster than a boulder being pushed from a cliff. The problem was, as I first stated, the ‘riot’ that happened.”
   
    “This’ll be good.” Mr. Van Camp sarcastically stated.

    “Well, I won’t go too far into detail, but about fifteen people dove for the cup, and I’ve got to say, the situation exploded really quickly. Within seconds, people were being thrown around and tables were being flipped all for a cup. The employees all just stood at the counter, unable to do anything.”

    “Then let me guess, you grabbed the cup from the ground and ran to the school to escape all of the deranged customers?” Van Camp walked to his desk, “So I guess you’ll be getting a zero on this assignment.”

    “No, I swear it’s true!” I cry out, “You’ve gotta believe me! What proof could I possibly bring to you other than this cup that will prove to you that I’m telling the truth?”

    “I don’t know but it better be good.” Van Camp feels the floor start to shake as if there were a group of elephants stampeding through the hallways. I make eye contact with Mr. Van Camp and smirk,

    “Well, here comes your proof.”