Animal Farm: Narrative Poem

Beast of England

Late one night on an English farm,
An old boar had a dream.
He gathered his fellow animals
To tell them of his scheme.

In old Major’s hopeful dream,
No humans were around.
The animals were free to rule,
And claim their piece of ground.

When old Major died,
His dream lived on within
All comrades worked together
To gain a victorious win.

Snowball and Napoleon,
Two pigs each with a snout
Led a rebellious riot
To drive the humans out.

After all was said and done,
Seven laws were written down,
Concerning the enemy –humans–
And their evil ways in town.

No animal should wear clothes
Or kill another beast.
No alcohol would be allowed
Obey these rules at least.

Two legs makes an enemy
Four legs makes a friend
All animals are equal
But then it all depends…

Craving the power for himself
Napoleon chased off Snowball
He convinced the other animals
This was better for them all.

One by one the rules were changed
Alterations made left and right
All seeming to benefit the pigs
And fill the rest with confusion and fright.

Napoleon changes one that clearly states,
No animals sleep in beds.
The new rule makes beds okay, but
Outlaws sheets instead.

All the rules are eventually lost
Power’s corruption is clear to see.
Yet the ignorant animals are oblivious
And keep on laboring readily

Late one night on an English farm,
The animals peered inside.
Napoleon had become quite human-like

And old Major’s dream had died.

Poetry Out Loud Performances: "Frederick Douglass"

Shawntay A. Henry's performance of the poem "Frederick Douglass" contained many exemplary characteristics for reciting poetry. Shawntay's physical presence as she began to speak seemed strangely unsure. But after only a few words, I could see that she was trying to convey a message to the audience. Her use of hesitation every once in a while made me recognize the dramatic tone of the poem. Through hand gestures, emphasis of certain words, and clear articulation, Shawntay displayed her maturity, poise, and deep understanding of the poem. The complexity of the theme of "Frederick Douglass" was thouroughly revealed through Shawntay A. Henry's performance.

Robert E Hayden's "Frederick Douglass" portrays the importance of freedom.
Freedom is as essential to life as air. Frederick Douglass was a slave who escaped and helped with the abolition of slavery. Because of him, many black slaves became free men and women. This poem honoring Frederick Douglass explains how vital freedom is. After hearing the poem, I finally learned to appreciate how privileged I am.