Slam+Poetry

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Taylor Mali "Tony Steingberg: Brave Seventh Grade Viking Warrior" The first time I had listened to this poem was in Miss. Hannah's grade eight english class. I was holding back tears when I listened to Taylor talk about the thirteen baldheaded boys. The reason I chose this poem was because I could somewhat relate to this. When I was in a 3/4 split class back in Calgary, a boy named Stephan had an older brother in grade five that had been diagnosed by cancer. His mother at my school was a music teacher and one day they both came to school with shaved heads for sick family member. I never heard if Stephan's brother had gotten better, but I gained alot more respect for Stephan and his mother. The main message that I got from this poem was that solidarity makes a positive difference. When Tony came to school they all supported him and understood what he was going through. The boys knew that coming close to death can make a person depressed, which can affect the people around them, bringing everyone down. Instead, they got Tony and everyone else around laughing at the sight of "13 bald-headed seventh grade boys". If they hadn't done this and just laughed at him because he looked funny with no hair, it would have made things worse for Tony. He would definately have felt more depressed, embarassed, and might have feeling to give up. Though Tony did die in the end, the boys actions showed Tony that his family weren't the only people who cared about him, but also his peers at school. This probably gave Tony hope and drive to make sure that he could keep living his life with his friends and family. The first poetic device that I noticed Taylor used was the repition of a particular phrase, "He died with his sword in his hand and so went straight to heaven." If i look at this alone, the sword makes me think of a knight who is suppose to be gallant. This could mean that he died gallantly. But when I look at this with the poems plot, it make me think that Tony was always fighting to overcome the disease until he died. He also used some symbolism and metaphors in his poem, but my favourite was his concluding phrase. "...the smoldering remains of a miniture Viking ship, the soul of the brave warrior rising slowly with the smoke." This symbolized that they were burning brave Tony's body ,who wouldn't give up to cancer, like the Viking releasing a warriors soul to Valhalla.