A Child’s Tale

The children gather around,
amazed by the gleaming protrusion.
Unaware they stand,
in awe of a world never seen.
With their minds at attention,
their light becomes dull.
A shaking of gravel and sand erupts,
with a cracking their world goes black;
As if under mass confusion,
small beings fall into darkness.
Their emotion withered,
they speak a prayer of solemnity.
Their blurred minds blind them
in spite of their peace.
The flustering unknown
is now their home.

I wrote this poem a while back, sophomore year, as we read Night by Elie Wiesel. The book put very strong images into my head, and inspired me to write a poem, not about Auschwitz, but rather about the suffering of those who did not deserve that kind of end. Looking back this poem is more morbid than I had intended.

We are not amused.

Compare/contrast essay final draft

A roaring riff tears through the speakers, the bass pounds the amp and the percussion draws out a tempo to set a trashing rhythm. Meanwhile, the screaming from a masked man entices the visage of a roaring crowd, his words dark yet powerful. Only the dulling of the synthetic ambience calms the crowd. With their fists in the air, the bridge for the next song proceeds and the torrential onslaught of a musical endeavor begins yet again.
In terms of appearance and appeal, two musical bands in particular share the same cake: Mushroomhead and Slipknot. Their methods of destroying a stage or amusing their audience are the ideas that widely destine them to be many worlds apart. Despite their profoundly analogous looks and their defiantly heavy music, they each create a scale of intensity unmatched by any other.
Mushroomhead and Slipknot once had a fan-defined “feud” that entailed Mushroomhead copying Slipknot and vice versa. The feud gave them more motivation to be different, and carve their names amongst the wreckage they created. The arguments that arose about which band was “better” had divided their similarities. This lengthened the gap in their fan base, and truly defined the differences between them.
First of all, Mushroomhead and Slipknot use fairly different instrumentation. Mushroomhead has three forms of percussion; one standard drum set, and two sets of water drums. Not all of their songs utilize the additional drums, but when they are used the effect is quite strong. In addition, Mushroomhead uses dual vocalists. With two different voices raging, they can master a variety of sounds. To add a touch of synthetic ambience or playful tones, Mushroomhead uses a keyboard. With it, they make sounds that vary from monstrous sawing noises to upbeat 1900’s saloon pianism. Slipknot, however, takes a different approach. Slipknot, instead of multiple water drums, employs the use of kegs and snare drums to match their brutal sound; those instruments provide a dense sound that compliments their lyrical assult. Their vocals also have more consistency throughout their songs than Mushroomhead does. With only one singer, the brutality commonly heard in their songs remains alive. Unlike Mushroomhead, Slipknot uses a DJ to acquire their astounding synthetic sounds. This works best for their fast-paced and brutal songs.
Secondly, Mushroomhead and Slipknot have much different looking costumes. Mushroomhead, like Slipknot, uses masks. Their masks, however, are more centralized around one theme with more consistency. Mushroomhead’s masks follow a deranged appearance, mostly based around their logo, “X-Face.” In terms of clothing, they typically wear black formal clothing with ties and such. Despite what they wear, it looks frightening and dark. In the beginning of their protracted trek, Mushroomhead used to have dancers. Over time, though, they’ve limited their use of dancers while performing. Slipknot also uses masks. Their masks are spread out in creativity; rather than using similar or consistent masks, they are diverse based off of each member’s character and preference. Slipknot also wears similar clothing in their acts, but in a different form. Without formal-looking apparel, Slipknot struts around the stage with the same jumpsuits, with a pentagram patch and their band “number” plastered on their sleeves. They match their dominating visage with a scheme of nightmarish manifestation.
In addition to their costumes, Mushroomhead and Slipknot have dissimilar aliases in their bands respectively. Mushroomhead’s members tend to have “nicknames” that branch off of their legal name, or not have one at all. They simply found derivatives of their names, and thusly they are known. Their names also seem to have different connotations from their interests or personalities and even in relation to their costume. For example, Jack Kilcoyne, Mushroomhead’s eccentric bassist who wears a pig mask, goes by the name “Pig Benis.” Despite the crude play on spelling, his nickname fits his costume. Slipknot’s members take a simpler approach to on-stage aliases. Each member has one single-digit number ranging from zero to eight. Through the years as of late, however, they have tended to go by their first names while still wearing their number like a badge. Instead of going by a number, they are putting their names out in the world, unlike Mushroomhead who desire to be famous by the mask and not the face underneath.
Through it all, the simple and minor differences between Mushroomhead and Slipknot are what truly draw their fans’ attention. Their sounds, names, and appearances are ultimately the threshold that started an aggressive war amongst fans of each band. Time has healed the tension between them, but their unique songs, aliases and visuals remain just as different as they once were years prior.

Unedited Compare/Contrast Essay

This is my first draft for my compare & contrast essay.

A roaring riff tears through the speakers, the bass pounds the amp and the percussion draws out a tempo to set a trashing rhythm. Meanwhile, the screaming from a masked man entices the visage of a roaring crowd, his words dark yet powerful. Only the dulling of the synthetic ambience calms the crowd. With their fists in the air, the bridge for the next song proceeds and the torrential onslaught of a musical endeavor begins yet again.
In terms with appearance and appeal, two musical bands in particular share the same cake: Mushroomhead and Slipknot. Their methods of destroying a stage or amusing their audience are the ideas that widely destine them to be many worlds apart. Despite their profoundly similar looks and their defiantly heavy music, they each create a scale of intensity unmatched by any other.
Mushroomhead and Slipknot once had a fan-defined “feud” that entailed Mushroomhead copying Slipknot and vice versa. They had motivation to be different, and carve their names amongst the wreckage they created. This lengthened the gap in their fan base, and truly defined the differences between them.
First of all, Mushroomhead and Slipknot use fairly different instrumentation. Mushroomhead has three forms of percussion; one standard drum set, and two sets of water drums. Not all of their songs utilize the additional drums, but when they are used the effect is strong. In addition, Mushroomhead uses dual vocalists. With two different voices raging, they can master a variety of sounds. To add a touch of synthetic ambience or playful tones, Mushroomhead uses a keyboard. With it, they make sounds that vary from monstrous sawing noises to upbeat 1900’s saloon pianism. Slipknot, however, takes a different approach. Slipknot, instead of multiple water drums, employs the use of kegs and snare drums to match their brutal sound. Their vocals as well have more consistency throughout their songs. With only one singer, the brutality commonly heard in their songs remains alive. Unlike Mushroomhead, Slipknot uses a DJ to acquire their synthetic sounds. This works best for their fast-paced and brutal songs.
Secondly, Mushroomhead and Slipknot have much different looking costumes. Mushroomhead, like Slipknot, uses masks. Their masks, however, are more centralized around one theme with more consistency. Mushroomhead’s masks follow a deranged appearance, mostly based around their logo, “X-Face.” In terms of clothing, they typically wear black formal clothing with ties and such. Despite what they wear, it looks frightening and dark. In the beginning of their trek, Mushroomhead used to have dancers. Over time, though, they’ve limited their use of dancers while performing. Slipknot also uses masks. Their masks are spread out in creativity; rather than using similar or consistent masks, they are different based off of each member’s character and preference. Slipknot also wears similar clothing in their acts, but in a different form. Without formal-looking apparel, Slipknot struts around the stage with the same jumpsuits, with a pentagram patch and their band “number” plastered on their sleeves.
In addition to their costumes, Mushroomhead and Slipknot have different aliases in their bands respectively. Mushroomhead’s members tend to have “nicknames” that branch off of their legal name, or not have one at all. They simply found derivatives of their names, and thusly they are known. Their names also seem to have different connotations from their interests or personalities and even in relation to their costume. For example, Jack Kilcoyne, Mushroomhead’s eccentric bassist who wears a pig mask, goes by the name “Pig Benis.” Despite the crude play on spelling, his nickname fits his costume. Slipknot’s members take a simpler approach to on-stage aliases. Each member has one single-digit number ranging from zero to eight. Through the years as of late, however, they have tended to go by their first names while still wearing their number like a badge. Instead of going by a number, they are putting their names out in the world, unlike Mushroomhead who wish to be famous by the mask and not the face underneath.
Through it all, the simple and minor differences between Mushroomhead and Slipknot are what truly draw their fans’ attention. Their sounds, names, and appearances are ultimately the threshold that started an aggressive war amongst fans of each band. Time has healed the tension between them, but their unique songs, aliases and visuals remain just as different as they once were years before.

My peace

You don’t know my peace,
not everyone can hear it.
I speak it softly,
but it lasts a lifetime.
Its sine breaks continuously,
with diminishing amplitude.
Its meaning resides loftily
atop a mountain of suffering.

Power

A voice so echoed and strong,
the power and lust it gives
is my strength at dusk.
Immune to hindrance
her words so soft,
is the chain to my pulley
that lifts me calmly.

No one appreciates my writing.

I have a voice. My voice is strong, echoed and, least of all, empty. I’ve noticed over time that my ability to express myself is best grasped through the form of written words, such as an artist is with paint on a canvas. No one can interpret my words, however gently spoken they may be, in the way I wish them to. My feelings are overgrown, and, at times, stronger than the thickest alloy. I say what I mean, in both type and voice, but it never arises to empower my feelings and mingle with my intentions. People read what I write with no answer as to why I wrote it or what it means. As if I’m writing blindly, no light to see how I truly do. It makes my words vacant and shallow, closed to the curiosity and imagination of my audience.

My only intention through writing is to express how I feel, to share with the world my opinion and justification for it. But even then closest people to me, the ones I would at least hope to mask their true feelings with opaque lenses, see my writing as menial and sheltered. To know that I can’t even touch the spirit of those I care about with my passion is… unpleasing to say the least.

I write this knowing it’s laden with errors and centralized around opinion. I use tone in my writing, I always have and always will. I write in my voice; I think it, I write it, I mean it. Just as with reading, the words aren’t whole if they don’t capture experience and float off of the page like smoke. Typically I would have a purpose for writing something. To explain, to clear misconceptions; perhaps in this case I have no point, maybe my pencil has dulled. Either way I put it, my writing is still neglected. What is my solution?

Should I write from your perspective? If I do that, my purpose is lost within my mind. Should I write of more favorable topics? I choose to write about things that are important to me, such as this mess of mixed words and thoughts. Should I deny my feelings and perceptions? That, in terms of all consequential outcomes, is not a risk I’m willing to take. I could lay back with my hands in the air without a care. I could choose to put my pencil down, and rip apart this piece of paper. I could see it as you do, a rant, purposeless, misguided. None of these are solutions to my lack of human resource. As the night ends, I know that the things I write are important to myself. That I’ve captured how I feel through my burdened eyes, through the test of time and in your mind whether you would agree or not. You may see it differently, maybe you do, indeed, appreciate my writing. I could stick to reading a dictionary and skimming through essays to better my writing. Or maybe I could keep doing what I am; I could push my words to the point of exhaustion, strip them of their importance and interest, and never find an audience filled with excitement.

Like many writers do, I find myself thinking back while writing this, wondering what kind of scattered attention it brings. I do not know what your reaction to this is. Nor do I care. I haven’t been shown attention or interest through my writings. Because of that I’ve learned the true importance of my writing. Like my opinion on paper, my signature, my swollen knuckles, my hidden sympathy, my colorful language, my twisted reality, and my flustered face in the steam covered mirror, my writing is indicative of me; the picture of me that sets me apart from the beggar on the street. It’s the fading shadow of my hunched visage. It’s who I am, and it isn’t worth changing.