As you begin to transform a fairly formal, academic research paper into a personal essay, you'll need to play around with the kind of voice you want to use on the page. Your homework is to find a paragraph (should be about ten to twelve sentences minimum) in your favorite book, article or poem (if it's a poem, it should be at least three stanzas, let's say), and to, as we did in class, mimic it as closely as possible. Use the same punctuation, number of words, and even some of the same verbs and nouns if you'd like, but be sure the pacing is closely styled after that of your author. For your title, please write: "Imitation of _______ by _______ ________" inserting the title and author's name.
If you don't have a piece of writing at hand, you are welcome to choose one of the short stories, essays or poems from the excellent literary magazine, Gulf Coast, to imitate. (Be sure to click on one of the brown titles, these are the ones available to read online). Don't forget to write "Imitation of _____ by _____ _____."
Have fun!
And remember, this one is required.
Imitation of Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak.
ReplyDeleteThe day Teddy went to his class and made mischief of one kind
and another
his teacher called him "Wild Child"
and Max said "I wont go to sex-ed!I won't"
so he was sent to detention without learning anything
That very night in Max's room his crush came over-
and again-
and again until his crush told him something
and the walls in his room came tumbling all around
and a flood tumbled by with worries and pains for Teddy
and he cried out through night and day
and in and out of weeks
an almost over a year
until he finally spoke to his teacher.
and when he came to the place where his teacher was
she roared with terrible grief and said "I told you so"
and rolled her sad eyes and reminded him of the one class that could have saved him from this unfortunate pain.
Immitation of Happy Families by Judith Kroll
ReplyDeleteWe’re talking with the ‘sever to extreme’ Obesity group in a huge ball room in the University Student Memorial Center. To the left of the room, a space—circled off like an octagon—has been cleared for fitness testing, with rows of stations set up for different aspects. Although my brother is, according to his weight, severely obese, he has been put in this group because he is at risk for heart disease and type two diabetes and needs change
H2A
Imitation of "I too sing america" by Langston Hughes.
ReplyDeleteWe all pronounce America,
In each our own way.
Some have had their liberties estranged
In the past,
But it’s a movement,
to be equal,
To be prosperous.
We merged from yesterday
A place like a family table,
Equivalency.
The war that came
Shot down the phrase
“You are not able”,
Now.
In any case,
We are now subject to the same view.
pulling aside the curtain that once held degenerate feelings.
We all pronounce America
Imitation of Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
ReplyDeleteThey may slap me with hands,
They may grind me with their words,
They may murder me with their bullets,
But still, like spectators, they'll stare.
Does my skills scare them?
Does talent come as an amazement?
That I hit like I've got riches
At the start of my cranium?
Absent of the fame of history's glory
They stare
Down from the future that's engraved in me
They stare
I am a red firecracker, jumping and bright
Soaring and riding I glide the world
Adding to people's fears and terrors
They stare
From a night that's pretty vivid
They stare
Sending the gifts that our God gave,
I am the vision and the delusion of God
They stare.
They stare.
They stare.
Imitation of "Having A Coke with You by Frank O'Hara"
ReplyDeleteand the phone radiation seems to have no health impact at all, just safe
you suddenly wonder why in the world anyone ever use them I use
the iPhone and I would rather use the iPhone than all the phones in the world
except possibly for the iPhone 5 occasionally and anyway it's in the Lab
which thank heavens it haven't released yet so I can stand in line the first time
and the fact that the iphone look so beautifully more or less takes care of competition
just as at home I never think of the "Windows phones" or
at a conference a single device of Motorola or Nokia that used to wow me
and what good does all the research of the researchers do them
when they never got the conclusive result to prevent the risk when the world waited
or for that matter the consumers when they didn't pick the carrier as carefully
as the phone
mr.t
Imitation of Fire!!! by the Irish Front
ReplyDeleteYou're the idiot I thought you were!
You keep letting them
lie and lie as you eat and watch
lie and lie as you sleep and sex
sex and watch
and with the cosmetologist's hands on your face you ask in disgrace
take my face! please God take my face!
I can't be natural, I would have no place!
Dr. Phillip fix my relationship!!
You take girls like cotails and cure yourself in a way of the same
Put out!
Or you'll..
Fit out!
like on TV
Your TV makes the best teacher for your kids
It is in love with their guiliblity
I am the most smartest person you'll ever know
like baby Einstein patented speaking through a jagged microphone
I found happiness in the pages of a book!
The tiny bits of knowledge weighing more than the plasma!
It's so nonsensical!!!
Being dependent is something I've always lacked,
I looked for a way to keep intellectualism jailed and only found crack
In a media this dire
Why am I the only one screaming LIARS!!!
I'm among liars!
imitation of Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe
ReplyDeleteIt was shortly and recently a day ago,
in the Kingdom of Think Tank,
that a damsel there lived whom you may know,
by the name of Beatrice
and this damsel she lived with no thought
than to be loved by the boy she loved
She was a girl and he was a boy,
in the kingdom of think Tank
and she hoped with a hope more than hope itself
that he will soon realize her love for him,
with admiration that winged the seraphs of heaven,
gave her hope that he will soon be hers
And this was the reason that a night ago,
in this kingdom by the sea
a wind blew out from the sky, prompting
the beautiful beatrice;
to profess her love to her prince
and bear her heart to him
to never shut it again
in this kingdom, Think Tank
The stars were not so happy
with the prince's reply
No!-was his reply (to the Damsels's love offer)
that lighting came out of the cloud loud
to express the damsels anger
And her hate was now stronger than the hate
between very old enemies
even between cats and rats
and neither the demons below
nor the christians and jews
can match thy hatred
for her handsome prince
For the moon never beams without bringing her dreams,
of her handsome knightly prince
and the stars never rise, but she feels the bright eyes,
of her handome and knightly prince;
And so all the night tide, she lays by herself,
weeping and blaming herself for loosing him
to the princess there at the kingdom
the kingdom, Think Tank.
Inspired by the broken heart of a friend. "sometimes love comes around, but it knocks you down, just get back up when it knocks you down"
Immitation of Ashes of Life by Edna St.Vincent Millay..
ReplyDeleteInnocense has gone and left them and the days are getting slower
Care I must, and teach I will-and would that make things clear
But yes!-to show and guide these children prior
would it help at all with distinction still left to cover
Imitatin of These Are Mysteries by
ReplyDeleteSarah Shun-lien Bynum
why is the young child crying in the rain far from home? And whose doll is that,lying dirty in the road? Why is he away from his family? Other children are home. Playing in the puddles.
Where are his parents? Are the drops running down his cheeks tears or the rain? What forced him to run away from home and cause pain.
How far is he? Where is the sign he is looking for? His search for love and happiness continues.
Imitation of Black Like Me by John Griffin
ReplyDeleteFrom a series of quotes:
"Suddenly I had had enough. Suddenly I could stomach no more of this degradation- not of myself but of all men who were black like me."
- December 1, p. 132
"I felt the Negro children's lips soft against mine, so like the feel of my own children's good-night kisses. I saw again their large eyes, guiless, not yet aware that doors into wonderlands of security, opportunity and hope were closed to them."
-November 24, p. 114
"When all the talk, all the propaganda has been cut away, the criterion is nothing but the color of skin. My experience proved that. They judged me by no quality. My skin was dark."
- November 24, p. 115
My imitation:
Time has quickly gone by. I grow older each day not knowing what comes next-waiting for sign to show me that my color is right.
The soft kiss of a loved one I know, so similar to feeling an intensity of an intimate lover. I felt again a pleasant gaze, desperation, not aware of the situation I had at hand, something great and beautiful in my presence.
Again I am known, not for the accomplishments I have made, but for the mask of color seen by society. I’ve lived with this. They judge me by no quality. My beauty is dark.
Imitation of The Real World and the Dream World by Geoffrey Nutter
ReplyDeleteUnder the Picket-signs, crunched up referendums, false hope, the revolt is emerging. In an oil company of rust sovereignty flourishes, so does the revolt. And the people are screaming with rage, are screaming with false hope. This prehistoric building, rusty-clunky building the older this building this building of outdated and exhausted company of oil and independence of foreign investment; the greedy, cruel foreign investment; this history of linearity constructed by the strong, independent Mexican citizen. This brief and searing vision: now begins Calderon’s exile from fellow president to former enemy.
The Imitation of "How to reduce your likelihood of murder" by Ander Monson.
ReplyDeleteDo not spend money. Do not go shopping, in malls, or to the market, ever. Do not go spend money on men. Do not spend money on men who run. Do not spend your money, because that may be the last money you are going to spend on a man who thinks you are just good for your money, he may take all your money. Do not date men who spend a lot on money on cars. Do not spend time in cars or let yourself lean against the seat, or lay down against the leather skin of the seats when you are being driven home. Do not eat at night. Do not drink at night. Do not stay up late at night. Do not be full. Always eat early at night or don’t. You are still hungry? Do not spend money on men, men friends, or boys. Do not spend money on any kind of men at all. Do not spend time with food or men. Most women lose money because of men’s words. Most women lose money because they wont lose food or the men.
Manila06
Imitation of Promise by The Optimist International
ReplyDeletePromise grandma to be so solid that nothing can
intrude your peace of mind.
To exchange health, happiness, and prosperity to
every soul you meet.
To make all your acquaintances feel like there is
something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your
optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best,
and expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on the
greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give
every living specimen you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, and too
strong for fear, and to happy to permit the
presence of trouble.
Imitation of The Giver by Lois Lowry
ReplyDeleteThe old man shook his head. “Wrong, wrong,” he spoke. “I’m being vague. It’s not my experience, my past that I must pass on to you.” He moved back, putting his head against the back of the couch. “It’s the history of the our family,” he said with despair. “Before the madness, before me, before the previous storyteller, and long before him.” Jonas exasperated. “The whole family?” he questioned. “I don’t understand. Do you mean not just us? Not just my immediate family? Do you mean our whole family line?” He tried, in his mind, to understand the idea. “I’m sorry, sir. I don’t fully understand the meaning.”
Imitation of We wear the mask by Paul Lawrence Dunbar
ReplyDeleteWE have the dreams that challenges and ,
It causes us despair and ruins our hopes--
This debt we pay for societal aspirations;
With broken and dejected thoughts we live
With little hope for society.
Why should the world choose and decide,
In forcing us into tears and sighs?
Parents, placing ideas into their children head
We have our dreams.
We envision, but what does this mean?
To have but only tortured souls.
We imagine, but what does this mean?
Within our heart, we know the answer;
But let the world tell us otherwise,
We dream for others!
-Salami
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ReplyDeleteImitation of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
ReplyDeleteShe had different views on everything. We didn't see eye to eye with a lot of things that's why I wanted you to go read to her. I wanted you to noticed things. I needed you to understand what being courages is all about. Instead of believing that courage is a man with a weapon, real courage is when you're screwed before you even start but you begin anyway and you finish the task. You almost never win but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, the little women won. She died indebted to nothing and not a single person. She was the bravest human being I ever knew.
Imitation of "The Things They Carried" by Tim O' Brien.
ReplyDeleteA true war story is never the right period. It does not suggest models of proper human behavior, or controlling men from doing the things men have always done, does not instruct, nor inspire integrity. If a story seems honorable, do not have faith in it. If at the end of a war story you feel that some small bit of morality has been salvaged from the larger waste, or uplifted, then you have been made the victim of a very old and awful lie. There is no morality whatsoever. There is no benefit. As a first rule of thumb, then you can tell a true war story by its total and inflexible loyalty to vulgarity and evil.
-Gilbert9
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteImitation of The Bible, Book of John 3:16-20 by Unknown
ReplyDelete16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17. His Son was not sent to earth to say that everything wrong just that the world can be saved with him or through him. 18. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19. Now that the son has come to the world, where men like the bad more than the good, which is bad. 20 everyone that does the bad things, does not come to good because they are scared but because they will see what he can do.
-liltunechi
Imitation of “Invisible Monsters” by Chuck Palahniuk
ReplyDeleteWhere you're supposed to be is some big Orange County wedding reception in a big manor home by the beach with flower arrangements and champagne glasses all over the house. This is what people call scene setting: the place where everybody, alive and dead, is. This is Natalie Freyer's big wedding reception. Natalie is standing down the big staircase in the house foyer, in what's left of her wedding dress, still holding her gun.
Me, I'm at the bottom of the stairs, but only in the physical sense. My mind is another place all together.
Nobody is technically dead, yet, but we can assume that the clock is ticking and it won't be too long until someone is all the way dead.
But not like anybody in this drama is actually a real, living and breathing person. Natalie Freyer is no different. Everything about the bride can be traced back to a commercial about organic hair care products, except now the remains of her wedding dress are burnt down to the hoop skirt that rests orbiting her hips and resemble all of the little wire remains of the flowers that were pinned in her hair. And just like her wedding dress, Natalie's big, teased blonde hair is burned off, too.
- vivusz
Imitation of "The Moon" by Henry David Thoreau
ReplyDeleteAnd he shines brighter than us,
No end to His light,
Into Him I put my trust
Creator of day and night
--Special K
Imitation of Girl by Jamaica Kincaid
ReplyDeleteAs you get wrinkly old, make sure that you pay attention to the fact that you can never look the same way you did;
you were the hottest thing in town;
you were the sexiest girl at your high-school
you were the only one with flawless skin
you had a smile that made the boys get up to jerk
you made other girl hate terribly on you ‘cuz of your swag
you used to have the brains of a dozen nerds
you had the beauty of a fantasy Disney character
you were born into a well known wealthy family
you had everything you needed at your beck and call even at school
did i mention that i had the biggest crush
you treated everyone like they were inferior compared to you
you have tried to keep this up for years but there is something that you seemed to forget, and this very important thing was that you were going to grow old and very wrinkly; ugly lonely and also needy!
Imitating Rewind by pillar...
ReplyDeleteAnd i remember everything, everything I loved I gave it away like it wasn't enough. All the words i said and all you forgive, how could i hurt you again? What if I let you win' what if I make it right, what if I give it up, what if I want to try, what if you take a chance, what if I learned to love,....What if what if we start again. On this time I can make it right with one more try I can make it right.... can we start again?
Imitation of A Little Bit Stronger sung by Sara Evans
ReplyDeleteRinging in my ears and I can’t erase the pain in my brain
Ringing and singing bringing me down
Moving slow through the fog or jogging a bit out of my head
I can see a better me
My new friend is in my head telling me the things I dread
Radio blasting a song of love, telling news and views of you
Talk’in of how good it is to feel your woman
Telling me to let it go and get with the flow
We see things in a different light with our flight
Flying low so I can breathe, media yelling loud
Making life heavy on my heart
My, my, life with you is ever the same game
Feeling the hurt and permanent change my heart pains
Healing inside taking place as I speak
My knees feel so weak
Shutting out the noise society sets
Plugging my ears and closing my eyes
Can’t see or hear and I can’t feel the pain inside
Keeping my mind and body busy off of doing it with you
Lovin’ myself more now
I am who I am a different person somehow now
Noises in my head, with remembering what was said
Songs and movies bring me down
Wow, oh, things just remain the same, words just remain
You have changed my view of life to black
Call me the virgin being strong
Songs in my busy head still, that don’t belong there now
I feel myself fight back harder
-Rachelle Star
Imitation of True Friends by Samantha Sumler
ReplyDeleteHaters are for life
Until you choose
They’re more than worthless
They’re your worst nightmare
They’re the ones you dislike
When you’re in anger
The ones that’ll hate you
Even when you did nothing wrong!
They’re the ones who’ll cry
And go crying when they realize they are alone
The ones who’ll hate you
No matter what you do
-Sunflower
Imitation of Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
ReplyDeleteOnce there was a boy...and he knew many people.
And every day the boy would come and he would go to school and see his friends and play the innocent bystander.
He would walk around and talk to people and eat apples.
And he would notice other kids.
And when he was concerned, he would stand by in the shadow.
And he was worried ... very much.
And the other kids were not happy.
But time went by.
And the boy grew older.
And the boy realized what he had to do.
Then one day the boy came to school and the other kids said, "Come, Boy, come and help us bully this other kid and throw rocks and make jokes and be happy."
"I am too nice to hurt another kid," said the boy.
"I want to be nice and have fun. I want friendship. Can you be my friends?"
"Of course," said the others, "but we are not nice. We make jokes and throw rocks. Go bully the other kid, and tell us about it. Then you will have our friendship and you will be happy."
Imitation of Mother to Son by Langston Hughes
ReplyDeleteWell, Mom, I've told you:
Life for me is no simple ball game
There's fouling players in it,
And injuries,
And heart break nights,
And nights when we come off the floor
Victorious.
And still the need
To keep playing my game,
While breaking ankles,
And hurting feelings,
And sometimes ending up hurt myself
It takes umpteen days to return.
So, Mom, don't you quit cheering.
Continue to be my number one fan.
'Cause I find it's kinder hard,
To play MY game,
When you aren't in there
In the stands,
Making sure I make the right move to score.
Imitation of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
ReplyDeleteMy name was Katherine, like the queen; nick name, Katie. I was fourteen when I was in high school on September 5, 2006. In school photos of catholic all girls from the seventies, most looked like me: catholic girls with ugly plaid uniforms. This was before teens of all races and genders started confronting the school about free will in concerning daily dress. It was still back when people believed things like that didn’t happen.
In my high school yearbook had a quote from a senior poet my class had turned me on to, Peter Drucker. It went like this: " Do first things first, and second things not at all." I chose it both because it expressed my contempt for my tasks surroundings a la the classroom and because, not being some dopey quote from a rap song, I thinkt it marked me as literary.
Imitation of The Royal Dilemma by Margaret Juliet Bailey
ReplyDeleteJamaicans are royalty when it comes to food,
oftentimes, persnickety and crude,
just one look, can make our stomachs' turn or
our mouths' water,
We shun certain eateries in order
to avert disasters,
Some may say when it comes to
food we are snobs,
Yet, we would like to think of ourselves
as royalty,
Preserving our bodies while eating healthily,
not just consuming food by the globs,
Our agricultural dilemma takes place,
when food begins to be rationed in every place,
baby food is being tainted,
everday specialties are polluted,
One bag of flour is supposed to serve
communities,
In one of the greatest countries,
this is a travesty,
Are the orchards being left unattended?
are the Bakers not baking or making bread?
Have the soils become barren and unable to suffice,
the modern generations' life?
It is a Royal Dilemma when simple foods
no longer bring joy,
when the meats we purchase start tasting
unrefined, filled with pesticides or are unhealthily
brined,
As Jamaicans we relish quality in foods,
to nourish our temple,
Yet, the foods we consume are riddled
with carcinogens, sometimes tasting like staples.
Imitation of The White City by Claude McKay
ReplyDeleteI will not stand for this torture that tests me.
Piercing into the most sacred parts of me.
I muse my new-found fear, and without waver,
I nobly beg for a second chance at this.
Have I become something dead? An empty shell
It is to be, this fear fills my mood ,
It tarnishes my heaven the one I had hope
Would last forever to feed my greedy hand.
I see the trickle of my facade fade,
No longer fooling all those who gave freely.
My open veins bleed remorse for my wrongs.
But what seethed within me has simmered away.
I learned to love the stranger in the mirror.
Just as, the tides, envelope the bulky world,
Love envelopes me like sweet wantons cradle a fortune.
-M.J. Clyde
Imitation of As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
ReplyDeleteMy food does not exist anymore. No no no no no no no no. My food cookie was brown once, but I don’t know what color it’s now. People tell me that my delicious cookie is not a cookie but a carrot. My food is inside. In my food baby. They know a secret. My food is inside my satisfied tummy. What color is it in my tummy? I don’t have a gift to figure it out so I don’t know what color it is. I guess that’s the reason why everyone tells me it is a carrot. I can’t trust them. Well I can’t trust them because I don’t know who to listen. My food is dead. Inside my body. That’s why I am dying. They say it is perfectly fine. I am in a danger.
-Mihwacita
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteImitation of "Family Tree" By Tupac Amaru Shakur
ReplyDeleteBecause we all develop
With different dreams
Does not mean
We are all fully seen
Is the true beauty in the sight
Or in the endless thoughts in which it breeds
The dream must show some light
Amidst the discouraging darkness of night
I find greatness in the dream
That aspires against all odds
It feeds off skeptics
And makes way past all frauds
I was the person who began to doubt
And wasn’t meant to be seen
Failing I’m not in fact I am succeeding
Realizing what dreams can bring
-ACM
Imitation of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem
ReplyDeleteAlright, so lets just, check this
over here
make sure that it is obtainable-never quit
until it is there, right in your hands.
He can't keep steady, hands shakin, mind is racin, he forgot his sleep keeps forgettin, past already.
He's smart, but here at home he just keeps pro-crastinatin
the class' starting, but he just doesn't know what to say
and time keeps running
he pushes open the pen but the ink is out
hes crazy now, its on the internet
the clocks tickin and hes not gonna make it now
he needs to hurry to get this assignment done
.....
Imitation of “Life” by Marvin Bell
ReplyDeleteI wait for them, at the house,
Waiting for their call
It is after 12:00 noon - - it’s the call.
The dark, blue and cold bad news
It struck our hearts as we listened
And it leaves us all wondering
wondering what happened to that man.
They’re on their way to pick us up
From a morning that awoke us all
From wanting to give kisses and hugs
To having to say bye. Our grandfather passed away,
And has gone to a better place without him suffering,
He’s up with his mother
The one who he wanted to meet:
He was an orphan and this made him complete.
Life by Marvin Bell
I leave the office, take the stairs, 7
in time to mail a letter 6
before 3 in the afternoon--the last dispatch. 5 - - 3
The red, white and blue air mail 6
falls past the slot for foreign mail 7
and hits bottom with a sound 6
that tells me my letter is alone. 7
They will have to bring in a plane 8
from a place of coastline and beaches, 7
from a climate of fresh figs and apricot, 8
to cradle my one letter. Up in the air 9
it will leave behind some of its ugly nuance, 9
its unpleasant habit of humanity 5
which wants to smear itself over others: 7
the spot in which it wasn't clear, perhaps, 8
Immitation of She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron
ReplyDeleteShe lives by grace, below the clear blue sky,
Of clouds and winds and starry nights
and all thats best of day and night
is where the sunrise meets the eye,
soft touch to her skin and warm delight.
the endless nights, brought deep bright lights,and to her eyes such beautiful sights.
one shade the more, one ray the less,
had multiplied her endless grace.
the waves that soared the countless seas
brought joy to her with much more ease.
where sweet thoughts of serene distress,
made her believe in happiness.
and on that cheek, beneath that brow
a kiss from the sun that peaked somehow.
so soft, so peaceful and eloquent,
were proof of the good times she had spent.
a mind at peace with all below,
a heart whose light will always glow.
"Imitation of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer"
ReplyDeleteI KNEW I WAS DREAMING BECAUSE OF THE rare things happening. I appeared to be everywhere at once and, it confused me. Decisions, that's what made the scenes change, jumping from one place to another. I knew I wanted to wake up, my mind was very tired. But I could not the dream was holding me back.
"Run!" I heard a dark male voice and it scared me.
"Please I'm begging don't hurt me...wait where am I?" The scene had changed once more and I was lost again.
"Hello! Someone there!" I yelled, it was dark but I couldn’t stop walking towards the darkness.