Body rolls under the currents
the mind is destroyed by the sun
as it blares, the heat searing.
A wind that picks up and carries
me off into the distance.
Thank you for reading my work! I hope you will return in the future!
-Alina
Author: Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet
Alina Happy Hansen is a writer, poet, and blogger based in San Francisco. Besides writing nearly 24/7 and reading stacks of books, Alina enjoys watching classic horror films and listening to Stoner Metal. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in English with a Minor in Writing and Rhetoric Studies from The University of Utah.
Poem #164 (Spring Wind)
Blossoming light
carried the wind
through the backyard
through the house
lifting my spirits.
Thank you for reading my work! I hope you return in the future!
-Alina
Happy Anniversary to My BLOG!
Wow! It has been a full year since I first put together this blog. It has been a journey!
I have had to work out kinks and spend endless hours making my blog what it is today.
I want to thank all of my dedicated followers that have stuck with me and continue to take time out of their day to visit. I appreciate your time and attention, thank you thank you thank you!
I look forward to the next year of blogging and I can only say that it gets more interesting the more I get into it.
I am hoping to have a few book reviews done soon since I am getting near the tail-end of the semester. I am excited to be finally graduating from college and the more time I will have to write!
Thank you!
-Alina
Poem #163 (What Words Do)
The words climb up into
the mouth and spill out
between the lips. I see myself
reflected in the sounds they make
rubbing against your face.
Thank you for reading my work! I hope you will return in the future!
-Alina
How to Memorize a Poem in 4 Easy Steps
One of the great tools of any Poet is memorization. Memorizing and reciting poetry can help a poet write, read, and study poetry. Memorizing poems can benefit your own poetry and writing. By following a few of these suggested steps, anyone can memorize a poem.
Benefits of Memorizing Poetry
If you are a Poet, Writer, or avid reader, memorizing poetry can help you gain further insight into literature and writing. As a Poet, memorization, and recitation are key. At some point, you may have to read a poem out loud and practice always helps. For writers, reading and studying writing no matter the form or style is crucial.
Regardless if you love to read poetry or if you are just curious. Reading and memorizing poems can help you in the future. Analyzing text, recitation and memorization all contribute to learning and retaining information. And it only takes a little bit of curiosity and one poem for someone to fall into poetry completing.
Step 1: Pick a Poem to Memorize
Skim through a few of your favorite poetry books or search online. Find a poem that you like. It is easier to memorize poems that you like. It may be easier to memorize a poem if you have a printed copy. I would suggest having a printed copy of the poem and a few extra sheets of blank paper.
Step 2: Find a Place to Read Poetry
Once you have your poem picked out, find a place you can study. A quiet place that has no distractions is ideal. Consider an empty room or a quiet spot at a park. Your place of study should be particular to you, find a place you feel comfortable and are familiar with.
Step 3: Pick apart a Poem
Before you start memorizing, read the poem a few times over to familiarize yourself with it. Using a pen or highlighter, begin to mark off parts of the poem into smaller fragments. Separating the poem visually through line breaks, stanzas or couplets can help you tackle the poem a little at a time.
Step 4: Memorizing a Poem
Take an extra sheet of blank paper and cover the poem. Reveal your marked fragments by moving the blank paper over the poem as you recite the poem slowly out loud. Reciting poetry out loud can help you memorize faster. Try to mimic the rhythm of the poem as you recite. Can you recognize parts of the poem when you recite? Can you visualize the poem on the page in your mind?
Poems to Memorize
It will take time to memorize a poem. The poems length, form, and style can all contribute to the amount of time it may take you. I recommend picking a shorter poem first such as William Carlos Williams “The Red WheelBarrow”. Starting with smaller poems can help you get used to memorizing. After a bit of practice and a few poems ready to recite, pick harder poems.
Harder poems can include William Shakespeare’s Sonnets, John Donne’s “At the round earth’s imagined corners (Holy Sonnet 7)” or even John Milton’s “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent”. Memorizing a classic poem can help you study poetry. And conducting research can provide you with valuable knowledge about a poem. Knowing the history, cultures, and societies in which poem was written can add to the experience.
Want to learn more about poetry? Feel free to browse these blog posts! If you enjoy what I’ve written, I really appreciate a like, share, or most of all leave a comment and let’s connect ? Thank you!