Slam+Poetry

Tony Steinberg:Brave Seventh-Grade Viking Warrior By Taylor Mali [|Taylor Mali " Tony Steinberg: Brave Seventh-Grade Viking Warrior "]


 * Poetic Devices:**

"The soul of the brave warrior rising slowly with the smoke"-Metaphor, Repetition

"a floating island of flames"-Metaphor

"He died with his sword in his hand and so went straight to heaven"-Repetition

"No,no,no"-Repetition

"I have"-Repetition

"Perfect points and planes"-Alliteration

"Angels and angles"-Alliteration

"Different degrees"-Alliteration

This piece of slam poetry is different from most, because it is lacking in rhyme/rhythm, but has constant use of several other poetic devices. The most common is repetition. some examples are "no,no,no,no,no,no,no!" and "he died with his sword in his hand and so went straight to heaven". Taylor Mali also uses other devices like metaphors ("a floating island of flames") and alliteration ("perfect points and planes") to emphasize his point. Despite the lack of other devices, Mr. Mali's poem is still just as beautiful, if not more so, than many other device-filled ones.

The reason I chose this poem was because I loved his style writing it, and because it spoke to me from the cancer perspective, because i have had an experience close to his, albeit one that ended happily. I thought it was a beautiful piece of writing, and enjoyed the meaningfulness of the poem, as well as the depth.

I believe the theme of the poem is bravery, and how Tony, like a viking warrior, was brave throughout his treatment, despite the pains, and his eventual death. It also speaks about the bravery of his classmates, and how when he came to school bald, they all did too, and were supportive of him as friends. The poem also speaks of togetherness, of how the class built the viking ship, and then burned it at Tony's memorial, and of how Tony's family built the Egyptian pyramid.