Scribe Anna Berdahl 10-10-14 period 5

Today: In the forum to meet and hear Javon Mays

Homework: SAT 6 words for Monday

Intro: Littleton public Schools poetry slam or spoken word competition November 11th 7pm the Ames Facility 7300 clermont Dr.

information on Javon Mays:

• he is on a slam poetry team
• performs and visits at competitions and schools
• had dyslexia and struggled to read when he was young
• he bought hip hop albums and records as a teen
• Didn't have thing for poetry when he was young but had a connection with music

How does slam work

• No rules except: slam three minutes and ten seconds (Any longer and you are deducted points)
• no rules
• all original work
• no props or musical accompaniment
• usually runs like three pages for  a poem “don't let your page become a cage”

Continues by sharing his views and experiences with music and poetry

• hears slam poetry everywhere-  like the passing of a rhyme his grandmother used to sing to his nephew “ it was like passing life on”

• the hard part is getting emotions behind your message in writing
• its hard to understand how to practice
• Challenge yourself to write ( Maybe even just 5 minutes a day!)  
• what really is your best- it may have been what you gave but you may also have more
• love is defined through music or poetry
• movies and songs can bring out your emotions like the song that always makes you cry.
• Do you remember the first time when you look for a book or album yourself? no, someone didn't tell you to you did it for yourself
• when an artist writes they give you a part of their life and space
• music and poetry are so similar

speaks a poem to himself ten years from now. talks about society and learning from the past. He is talking to himself but is also talking to us.

The assignment

Everyone takes out a piece of paper and so we create a working document

• the three best pieces of advice we have ever got/speech
• three best memories of our life
• the three worst ones
• three symbols/ objects that come to mind and are important to you

Prompt: Spend five minutes  writing a letter to yourself ten years into the future when your at you best, worst, when you accomplish something important to you… the prompt is loose so make it your own.