16 Beautiful Butterflies

16 beautiful butterflies flutter,

1 gets washed down in the gutter

15 beautiful butterflies remain,

1 gets eaten, 1 goes down the drain

13 beautiful butterflies stay,

1 leaves and becomes prey

12 beautiful butterflies fly

A cat hunts, 3 more die

9 beautiful butterflies land

2 get squashed between human hands

7 beautiful butterflies take flight

1 gets too close to the light

6 beautiful butterflies survive,

1 gets lost, now there's five

5 beautiful butterflies race

1 loses and leaves no trace

4 beautiful butterflies mourn

1 crash-lands and gets its wings torn

3 beautiful butterflies enter town

They find a river, 2 of them drown

Now there's one butterfly, left all alone

Who's lost a brother for each mile it's flown

And being the last one alive is not something to desire

So, out of options, he thought of his brothers as he flew into a fire

Gym Essay

A lot of people work out and do sports.  They participate in these activities for different reasons.  Some people are trying to lose weight; others just have fun playing their sport. Physical activity provides me with enjoyment.

My sports are track, cheer, and gymnastics.  I love these sports because I get the greatest feeling of pride when I get a faster time, or nail a stunt, or am able to do a new skill without being spotted.  Improving my speed and strength makes me happy because I know that I am being active and staying healthy.

I also enjoy physical activity because my friends do the same sports that I do.  I think it's fantastic that we can have fun and hang out while we are being active.  We even help each other reach goals.  In cheer, we help each other learn dances and jumps, and in gymnastics, we help each other with skills that we struggle with.

People participate in many different kinds of physical activity. Some people do zumba or yoga, some do sports, some jog, and some weight lift. With any activity, they still benefit from it somehow; by getting stronger, more flexible,  faster, or by losing weight. Personally, I just think it's fun. No matter what activity you do, you will benefit from it too. So get out there and get active!

"A Clean, Well-lighted Place" Story Vs. Film

Three main things bothered me about the film adaptation of the story. Firstly, the older waiter sat in a strange position.  It was like a "pregnant lady slouch".  I get that the director might not have wanted any shadow on the older waiter, but there are other ways to make that happen.  No one sits like that.  It's extremely uncomfortable. Secondly, when the older waiter thinks the prayers and replaces words with "nothing", that was the worst part of the film. It got so loud and annoying, it gave me a headache, and since he was Irish and saying prayers, the whole film almost seemed to be a bad imitation of The Boondock Saints. Lastly, I thought how they ended the film was totally awkward.  The older waiter walks down a road in early morning, and birds are squawking.  This bothered me because with all the squawking, I felt like he was about to be attacked by birds or something.

I didn't like how the older waiter was portrayed, but I did like how in the bar that the older waiter went to, there was music playing and he commented on how the counter was unpolished.  I liked this because in the story, the older waiter says you want a bar to be well-lighted, clean, and to not have music.

A Clean, Well-lighted Place Reading Response

"He should have killed himself last week."
"An old man is a nasty thing."
"He has no regard for those who must work."

I chose these quotes because they show how little the younger waiter respects the old man.  He is cruel to wish death upon an old man that did nothing but annoy him because he got home a little later on a few nights.  He falsely states that the old man is not clean, even though he drinks without spilling anything on him, while he is drunk.  Lastly, he thinks that the old man is rude to stay late and drink, but it is the waiter's job to serve the customer.  He is getting paid, and even though he insulted the old man, he still received a tip.

"Overreacting" Parody of "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons

 Author's Note: I love Imagine Dragons, please do not think by me writing this song parody that I am making fun of them or do not respect them.  That said, the parody is about a girl (or it could be a guy, but girls tend to be the dramatic ones) who cuts her hand on a page in her book and totally "overreacts". Enjoy.

I'm waking up to ash and dust

I'm suffering from a paper cut

I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust

I examine my wound, on my hand there's a deep rut

I'm breathing in the chemical

I'm breathing in very deep breaths

I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus

I'm sobbing loud, standing up, then collapsing back on to the couch
This is it, the apocalypse
This is it, the possible death of me
Whoa
Oh no

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
I'm throwing up, it cut right through my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Enough to make my stomach blow (chunks)
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the next page, to the next page
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the next page, to the next page
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm Radioactive, Radioactive
Ow, ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,ow, I'm overreacting, overreacting
Whoa,whoa, whoa whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm Radioactive, Radioactive
Ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,ow, I'm overreacting, overreacting

I raise my flags, don my clothes
I'm covered in blood, I wash my clothes  
It's a revolution, I suppose
It's a fatal wound, I suppose  
We're painted red to fit right in
I'm cleansing my wound to sanitize it
Whoa

Ow

I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus

I'm sobbing loud, standing up, then collapsing back on to the couch
This is it, the apocalypse
This is it, the possible death of me
Whoa
Oh no

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
I'm throwing up, it cut right through my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Enough to make my stomach blow (chunks) 
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the next page, to the next page
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the next page, to the next page
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm Radioactive, Radioactive
Ow, ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,I'm overreacting, overreacting
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm Radioactive, Radioactive
Ow, ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,I'm overreacting, overreacting

All systems go, the sun hasn't died  
No hope for my  life, I haven't yet died

Deep in my bones, straight from inside

I'm feeling alone, empty inside

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
I'm throwing up, it cut right through my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Enough to make my stomach blow (chunks)
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the next page, to the next page
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the next page, to the next page
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,whoa, I'm Radioactive, Radioactive
Ow, ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,I'm overreacting, overreacting
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm Radioactive, Radioactive
Ow, ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,I'm overreacting, overreacting

Fire Brings The End

There are many different theories about how the world will end.  Some argue about them, some try to prove their theory, and some even write poems about their theories.  Robert Frost explains his theory in "Fire and Ice" and T. S. Eliot explains his theory in "Little Gidding."  These poems/ theories are quite similar.

Frost believes that the world will end in fire because of man's desire.  But of mans desire of what?  The desire to know how the world began, because that's what Eliot believes causes the end.  Man finds out how the world began,  the water "rots", and the world goes down in flame.  Yet, in both of the poems, there is still hope for forgiveness and rebirth.  Frost says the world may perish twice, but in order for the world to perish twice, it would have to have been recreated.  With the world anew, man is given a second chance, and perhaps we won’t make the same mistake as last time.  The world may perish twice, we still have a chance.  In Eliot's poem, our only chance of survival is if we pray for forgiveness from God and everyone dies, but He will create living from all the dead.

According to these poets, man is the cause of the world's end.  We bring the ending upon ourselves.  We have no one else to blame.  Everything is destroyed, and then whether you read "Fire and Ice" or "Little Gidding," you will see that fire brings the end.

Hell Hound

Author's Note: I really, sincerely think that Montag is an idiot who has no idea what he is doing throughout the whole book, unless he is told what to do.  Fahrenheit 451 is my least favorite book because it bothers me that Ray Bradbury chose such a dull, brainless person to be his main character.  The book would have been a million times better if it was written with Clarisse as the main character.  Anyway, if you like Montag, I suggest you don't read this essay so you don't get offended.

The Mechanical Hound is a very misunderstood creature, simply for that reason.  The Hound is considered a creature, but it is only a machine.  It does what it is told to do, nothing more, nothing less.  For some reason, this confuses Montag.  He just doesn't understand the Hound.

The Hound perplexes Montag because, him being childish, he expects the Hound to have feeling because he has feelings.  Something that can't feel is just too hard for Montag to understand.  He wastes emotions on the beast multiple times.  One of those times is when Captain Beatty says, "It doesn't think anything we don't want it to think"(27) and Montag feels sympathy for the Hound.  He even tries to be nice to the Hound and tries to pet it, and it growls at him.  He is offended and says to Captain Beatty, "It doesn't like me"(26).  Montag is extremely shallow and expects everything and everyone to like him, and then he is upset by the Hound because it is not emotionally capable to like something.  So, technically, the Hound doesn't like him, and though it doesn't like anyone,  Montag gets upset.

The reason Montag is confused by the Mechanical Hound is because he doesn’t understand how something can not like him. He just needs to realize that the Hound is not capable of emotion.

Over and Over Again

When the world stays at bay,
You can give in,
It's okay,
Just say, I've had enough, I gave it my all
Now just get me out of this hell.
This isn't what anyone said
War was like, then again,
I didn't
Talk to anyone who's seen a life pass before their eyes
What happens now?
How do I take it back?
I'll take his place
I'll do anything, just so I won't have to live that moment
Over and over again

Back In Time

Been a long time since I seen ya last,
You were long forgotten, in the past
But you gotta, turn back a page, set me in reverse
Baby, you got me goin back in time

Singin clouds

Driftin rain

Bloodred tears

Unbearable pain

Laughin children

Smilin white

I'm still drownin

Because of their spite

Everybody's laughin

And I'm still standin by

Nobody is payin attention

As I just sit here and cry

The floor is lava

I'm hidin, come and find me

You can't catch me,

It's all childish games with you

I love you always

I promise, there's nothin goin on

Between me and her

It's never the truth when I'm with you

Just look me in the eyes

No more games,

No more lies,

Just you and me for once

Tell me what I did do,

Why do I deserve this

Comin from you

Tell me, tell me why

Child Labor Letter

Author's Note: Picture taken from http://thelinthead.blogspot.com

 

Dear Annabeth,

I hope you are happy with your new husband.  I am doing fine, workin in a cotton factory.  The hours are long and pay is low, but every penny helps.  The farm isn’t doin too well.  The cows are gettin old and mamma’s gettin stretched too  thin, doin papa’s chores and takin care of four children.  Molly is gonna start workin next year.  Eight is a young age to start workin, but she will be in the cotton factory, so I’ll be able to look after her.  It’ll be sad though to see her soft little hands turned callused like mine.  Pullin on the thread for hours burns your hands at first, but you get used to it.  The fumes, however, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get over.  Every day, I walk through the door, and right away, I just want to turn around and run right back out.  The smell from all those machines is just foul. 

I miss you.  I know mamma does too.  But she’s happy for you.  You were lucky to get to marry a rich husband.  Between all the men being  gone at war and me never gettin out of the factory, I don’t know if I’ll ever get a husband.  I’m afraid I’ll be stuck here forever.

                                                                                                                                         With Love,

                                                                                                                                           Farrah