poetrybysaraa

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The Darker Side of Things Manifesto

Manifesto 

While looking through all the humanities assignments I’ve posted on my blog, I’ve noticed a recurring theme. The recurring theme that I have noticed throughout my posts is darkness. When I say darkness, I am referencing the darker perspective of humanities. While looking through my posts, I have noticed that I often put a darker twist on my assignments, even if it isn’t required. I write a lot of poetry that references the darker side of things, and I believe that is why I tend to twist most of the things I write. I also tend to read a lot of books about overcoming the darker corners of one’s mind. For in the darkness, we find the depth of human experience- the pain, the sorrow, the heartache, the strife. Without the darkness, there is no possibility of light. In the dark corners of our minds, fear and depth creep through. Within these shadows we discover resilience, strength, and the ability to overcome. The darker things in life are not to be feared but to be respected and revered. We must embrace the night, for it grants us the wisdom of unseen things. This manifesto is not glorifying suffering but accepts the full spectrum of life, giving the ability to embrace the light throughout the darkness. My first example of this theme is my Ekphrasis posting. This assignment consisted of me choosing a piece of art, writing a poem about it, and then writing an ekphrasis on that poem. For this assignment I chose the piece Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh, and my poetry consisted of a darker twist. My poem was about a girl who had to leave her hometown, full of despair while she did so. However, she knew she had to leave to protect the one she loved most. The girl was full of pain when she left, though she knew it was for the best. Upon looking at the piece Starry Night, one wouldn’t assume a poem about this piece would consist of a darker twist. However, it came naturally to me, without a mere thought. The second assignment I will be referencing is the Not Seen on TV posting. Throughout this assignment, we were to pick a short film and write an analysis on it. For this assignment, I chose the short film “Ascension,” which consists of a lifeless body floating in water and then ultimately floating to the surface in a kind of spiritual awakening manner. I noticed that through this posting I chose the film in a darker manner. Although the film is centered around a spiritual awakening and ascension, the way it was filmed, and the coloring of the film presented itself in a darker manner. The third assignment I noticed a darker pattern with was the Tragedy Scripted and Staged posting. For this posting, we were required to pick a scene from Hamlet to analyze. I noticed while looking over this posting that I chose the final battle scene between Hamlet and Laertes, which was arguably the darkest scene throughout the entire movie, as everyone ended up dying. The fourth assignment I noticed a darker pattern within was the Anatomy of a Scene posting, in which I was required to pick two movies and analyze them. The first movie I chose was Freaks, a 1932 American horror film which consisted of a group of circus performers who wanted revenge on a trapeze artist. The movie was incredibly dark and gory, which plays a part in my “darkness” manifesto theme. The fifth assignment I chose was the Photographer’s Eye posting, in which I was required to choose five photos from my gallery that all consisted of a unifying idea. While my descriptions and titles for my photos weren’t necessarily dark, the photos themselves consisted of a darker theme, throughout my photos there is a noticeable darkness, many of which contain some sort of lighting. Two out of my five photos have a flame in them, which I would consider to be a type of light in the darkness sort of vibe. Throughout these postings, I noticed a darker twist on many of them, though I also noticed there was still a lighter aspect of many of them. I often enjoy putting a darker twist on my work, but not too dark. I enjoy leaving room for light, growth, and prosperity.  

[poetrybysaraa]

Ekphrasis

Strolling through this town, something seems to capture my eye

As I look up into the night sky, I am filled with dread

Tonight, I must bid this town I've called home goodbye

For if I am to leave, peace will be brought

I mustn't destroy this place with my existence furthermore

So as I tread along the waters, reminiscing over memories, I begin to rot

My feet resist to take me away, so I force them to

All of this pain, will it go away?

After all, I am just some runaway

Forging my path through the darkness

When I'm gone, will you forget me?

I hope the memories of me don't capture you too deeply

For, my love, I am trying to free you from my cold heart

Once I have vanished, I will finally be able to let you be

These stars above glow with a sadness

The wind bids me farewell as I finally cross over into the unknown

It is time to finally be alone

The art piece I chose was Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh, a beautiful piece that captures Van Gogh's east-facing window of his asylum room at Saint-Remy-de-Provence. I put a little twist on my poem, attempting to make it more eerie and dramatic. Throughout my poem, I captured the darkness of the image, using the glow of the stars in a somber way to capture the essence of my poem. My poem is about an individual who must leave her hometown for the sake of her loved one, though she struggles to do so. Each step floods her with memories of this precious town she once called home, but she is rooted with the feeling that it is for the best. While some may feel that Vincent's painting captures a hominess and light, his painting fills me with a remorsefulness. The way the starts shine down on the village capture a light in the dark in my writing. I think that I still managed to preserve the image in its originality, however, by capturing the essence of the town and its beauty, along with the beautiful and glowing stars shining above the darkness. I feel that my poem captures the feeling of beauty, though my narrator is not able to stay with that beauty. She must leave her beautiful home behind in order to protect what she holds closest to heart. I feel that my piece brings a new perception of this piece, one that some may have not identified by simply looking at the piece. I thought that it would be interesting to take this piece and put a darker twist on it, while still keeping it's originality alive in certain aspects.

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Not Seen on TV

The video "Ascension" created by an artist named Bill Viola showcases the artists exploration of human experience and perception. This video focuses on life, death, and rebirth. Throughout the video, viewers are shown a slow-motion, lifeless body in water, lit by a compelling blue light. The strong lighting adds to the dramatic effect of the short film and expresses the spiritual aspect of it well. The body then begins to move and ascends towards the surface, creating bubbles and the water to stir. This scene is suggesting something along the lines of a spiritual awakening or journey. This work is often interpreted as something representing afterlife and having a spiritual awakening. The slow-motion effect of this short film creates a sense of deep emotion and intensifies the impact it has on the viewers. The water is a central symbol which serves as a reoccurring theme throughout the artists work. This video represents the threshold between life and death while also emphasizing change. While watching this short film, I was filled with a sense of dread as the lifeless body floated down throughout the water, and then with a sense of peace as the body then ascended to the surface. This film was beautifully done and captures the message incredibly well.

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Tragedy Scripted and Staged

The scene that I chose from Hamlet for this assignment is the final duel between Hamlet and Laertes. In this scene, tensions have reached a boiling point as the long-standing conflict is finally being faces. The duel is arranged by the king as a trap to kill Hamlet and secure power. During the duel, Laertes conspires with the king and poisons his sword. This then leads to both Hamlet and Laertes to death. The truth about the king Claudius is finally revealed during this and Hamlet, in an act of final defiance, kills Claudius with the sword before dying of his own wounds. This duel is climatic for the play, highlighting the themes of betrayal and fate. One of the ways Shakespeare highlights the language and turns of phrase throughout the duel is through the insults and taunting and how the characters words become the weapons of the match, reflecting their inner emotions. When Laertes accuses Hamlet for being responsible for the deaths of Polonius and Ophelia, he responds with, "Give me your pardon, sir: I've done you wrong; but pardon't, as you are a gentlemen. This presence knows, and you must needs have heard, how I am punished with sore distraction." This quote is an example of one of the cutting remarks Hamlet made throughout the duel. This really stuck out to me as it demonstrates Hamlet's intelligence, witfulness, and how he handles the accusations made against him. Shakespeare language in this scene truly showcases Hamlet's complex character and adds depth to it. Shakespheres characterization of the final duel is shown through their actions and motivations. Hamlet is driven by a sense of duty and confronts Laertes with encourage. Laertes, on the other hand, is consumed by anger. During the live-action scene of the final duel, the actors are able to embody the characters and bring them to life in a way script cannot. Use of costumes, props, and stage direction enhance all of this. The choreography of the fight and their physical interactions contribute to the dynamic and overall experience of the final duel, enhancing emotions as well. The audience is able to connect with their struggles and motivation as the characters are brought to life in such a way. This captures the essence of the characters, their relationships, and the themes of the play in a way that resonates with the audience.

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Anatomy of a Scene

The two movies I chose for this assignment were Lost in Translation and Freaks. Freaks is a 1932 American horror film which was directed by Tod Browning. The movie revolves around a group of circus performers who want revenge on a trapeze artist. The film was incredibly controversial and many people had a negative reaction to it. However, over time, the film gained more acceptance and has become a significant and influential film throughout history. This film is known for its technical details, pacing, scenes, lighting and more. All of these factors contribute to the overall dramatic effects of this movie. The lighting creates a dark and eerie environment and adds a lot of suspense to the movie, as well as creating a creepy and unsettling feeling. The pacing of the film is incredibly slow which helps to build tension and suspense throughout the movie. There are many shocking and disturbing scenes in this film, which create strong emotions within the audience. The usage of things such as close-up shots, sound effects, music and more creates an intimacy, heightening the drama of the story.

Lost in Translation is a 2003 film directed by someone named Sofia Coppola. The movie revolves around two Americans who form a friendship while staying at a hotel in Tokyo. As they are both struggling, they end up getting closer and feeling more comfortable with each other. The lighting of this movie creates a more warm and peaceful atmosphere, which contrasts with the several absurd positions the characters find themselves in. The key to the comedic effect of this movie is the pacing. The slow pacing creates awkwardness and humor. The films scenes are often set up in a way that is able to highlight the comedic effect such as the use of subtle gestures, facial expressions and of course body language. This film has incredibly attention to detail. The shot composition and the editing of this film play a huge role in enhancing the funnier moments. The framing, candle angles, and editing choices help to emphasize the humor.

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The theme that I chose for the photos I selected is being content. I chose these five photos because they all create a similar feeling within me. When I see these photos, feelings of peace, ease, and being content arise within me. For my first photo, I am sitting outside in my yard with my cat, Murphy. In the moment of this photo, I was outside and the temperature was perfect. Breathing in the crisp, cool air while petting my cat made me feel incredibly comforted and at ease. If I had to choose a title for this photo, it would be “Late Nights.” During my second photo, I was also outside, having a fire with some of my closet friends. This photo brings me a feeling of content as it was one of the best nights I’ve had in awhile. Sitting outside, roasting marshmallows and listening to music while being with those I love most brings me an immense amount of comfort and content. If I had to choose a title for this photo, it would be “Fire Nights.” For my third photo, I am once again outside having a fire, but this time just with my best friend. Being with my best friend is always something that makes me content, but this night especially. The night this photo was taken, my best friend and I were listening to music and talking about everything we possibly could. Talking with her fills me with a sense of peace that no other person can quite live up to. When her and I have our deep conversations, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my chest. Every time we have a conversation, she manages to say just the right thing to lift my spirits and to make me feel comfort and bring me a sense of safety. If I had to choose a title for this photo, it would be “A Flame you Cannot Put Out.” In my fourth photo, one of my friends is holding me and comforting me when I am terribly sick and unable to move. The day this photo was taken, I had become ill and was unable to function. As I was slowly reaching unconsciousness, she grabbed me and laid my head on her as she held me. I was surrounded by many friends during this time, all of who made a collective effort to make sure I was safe and comforted. It’s a feeling I won’t ever forget. The amount of security I felt when this photo was taken was incredibly intense and peaceful. If I had to choose a title for this photo, it would be “Peace and Love From Those Who Surround me.” During my fifth and final photo and the one I probably feel the most looking at, I am walking to my friends house. Unfortunately, I am no longer in contact with this person. However, I have many memories in her neighborhood and walking to her house late at night. Every time I would walk to her house, she would meet me in the middle of the street, and the moon was always visible. While walking to her, I would always look at the moon and take a deep breath, letting the scenery and familiarity of the walk overtake me. Once I would finally reach her, she would hug me and we would go inside of her house to make tea. Although we aren’t in contact anymore, I will forever be grateful for the memories I have with her and the sense of security brought with that and with her. If I had to choose a title for this photo, it would be “Longing.”

[poetrybysaraa]

The theme that I chose for my playlist is time. I chose time for my theme as I feel that the concept of time is used beautifully when regarding music. I appreciate lyrics about time more than anything else. This theme is relevant to me as I have always struggled with time, as it creates a feeling of despair within me. Often times, I feel that time is slipping away from me, and I long for the world to slow down just a little bit. The song 'Shut up My Moms Calling' by Hotel Ugly focuses on time and the artists longing for the individual being sang about in the song. This song creates a feeling of longingness for time to rewind. The melody of the song is "baby come home, home." This song's tempo is slow-paced and relaxing. This song has incredible consonance as the piece musically flows together very well.

The song 'Where'd All the Time Go' by Dr. Dog focuses on how time flies, specifically how it goes too fast or too slow. This song, along with Shut up My Moms Calling also creates a feeling of longing. This piece focuses on saying goodbye, and how people leave. The melody of the song is "Somebody sinks and is gone in the blink of an eye." This songs tempo is also slow-paced, it's very calming and one of the songs I listen to on my nighttime playlist. This song displays consonance incredibly well. For example, during the lyric "Now she's walking backwards through a parade," "she's walking backwards" repeats during that time frame, creating a nice flow.

The song 'Long Time Coming," by Jagwar Twin focuses on on how it's been a long time coming to be free, and for it to be recognized that everyone bleeds red. The melody of the song is "It's been a long time coming." This songs tempo is faced-pace, and creates an eager and ambitious feeling. This song is a song I would listen to to get pumped up, or a song I would jam out to. This songs consonance is done very well. The lyrics "it's been a long time coming" is more of a repetitive song, so it's very pleasing to listen to.

The song '16' by Highly Suspect focuses on time and how it can cause remorsefulness. This songs focus on time has to do with getting older and not feeling the same way as you did when you were younger, especially about certain people. The melody of this song is "It took me sixteen years to find ya, one minute to lose ya, seven years to hold ya." This songs tempo is faced-paced, and creates an overwhelmed and remorseful feeling. This song is powerful, and creates intense feelings, especially for people who relate to his songs lyrics. The consonance of this song is nicely done. There is a perfect combination of repetition story-telling in this piece.

The song 'Mind Over Matter' by Young the Giant focuses on time changes, and how seasons change, but people don't necessarily stay with you throughout those seasonal changes. The melody of this song is, "And when the seasons change, will you stand by me?" This song is more of a slow-paced song, with certain parts of the piece getting more intense and fast-paced. It is a perfect combination of slow and fast to create a beautiful consonance and well-sang piece. This song creates a feeling of disaster and longing.

The song "If Only" by Maya Payne focuses on wanting to change, and wanting to go back in time to fix old mistakes. The melody of this song is, "If only, only I, only I could change, I would do it all again if only I could." This song is more fast-paced piece, and it creates a sense of despair and longing for something that is simply not possible or able to be done. This song's consonance is extremely well-done. It's catchy, and the lyrics flow together perfectly.

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[poetrybysaraa]

Plotting

This morning, I woke up from my deep sleep, feeling drowsy. I made my way to the kitchen, my cat circling around my feet consistently. As I made my coffee and poured some of my usual creamer into it, I could hear birdsong and a subtle breeze throughout my opened windows. I then sat down the couch, my cat curling up into my lap as I slowly sipped on my steaming coffee. Once I was finished, I decided to write some poetry and read one of my favorite books, Crier’s War. After finishing that as well, I then began to do my chores while listening to some music. Once I was finished with my last chore, it was then time for me to head out and go to work. Making sure my cats were taken care of before I left, I locked the door behind me and made my way to my car. On my way to work, I stopped and got Dunkin’, an iced caramel latte with extra caramel, vanilla cold foam and a glazed donut. I then got a text from my friend Mia, who was asking me to get her something from Dunkin’ and drop it off to her before my shift at 4:00. I thought I could make it as I still had twenty minutes to spare, but then I got stuck in traffic driving from her house to work. I ended up being fifteen minutes late to work, however my manager was pretty understanding. Then, when my shift ended, I went home and showered and did my nightly skincare routine, then drank some tea while watching my favorite show, then headed to bed for the night.

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The song Chocolate by The 1975 is something that I deeply resonate with. This song holds a lot of sentimental value for me and disregarding everything else, it is one of my all-time favorite songs and one I listen to quite frequently. My father, who I am very close with, used to play this song every morning when he would drive me to school. When the intro of the song played, every morning, he would say something along the lines of, "Good morning everyone, it's a beautiful day today with a high of 89 degrees and a low of 75 and my beautiful daughter and I are on the way to school, and she's going to have a fantastic day. Everybody, it's chocolate!" It may sound ridiculous to some people, but it's the reason I hold this song so close to my heart. Chocolate by The 1975 reminds me of a very loving and peaceful time in my life, and it's one of the reasons I listen to this song so much. The song is beautiful, the lyrics and the melody are beautifully done. Chocolate raises a sense of peace, comfort and joy for me like no other song does, as well as reminding me of my father who I will always have an immense amount of love for.

#Spotify

[poetrybysaraa]

Humanities Blog

My name is Sara Phillips and I am 18 years old. I am looking to get my associates degree at FSW, and then I plan to transfer to FGCU for my bachelors degree. I am pursuing a business major, and greatly look forward to this class. Gaining knowledge about human culture, critical thinking, and philosophy are all things that one should be educated on when looking to start a business. I intend to take what I learn from this class and apply it to my future business.