English Exchange - the mailing list of English the international language. Hello
A very warm welcome to new members of English Exchange. And to everyone who hasn't done so yet, an invitation and reminder for you to introduce yourself to the list. Tell us about yourself, as much or as little as you want. You could tell us your name, where you're from, why you're studying English etc etc. Just send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] This time I'd like to talk to you about using poetry to help you learn English. I find poetry very enjoyable, both reading it and writing it. One of the keys to building vocabulary is reading things you enjoy and are interested in. There are all kinds of poetry, so if you can find a style that captures your imagination you'll really want to understand what the poet is trying to say. I'd like to share two of my favourite poems with you. The first is called "If" by Rudyard Kipling If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you But make allowance for their doubting too If you can wait and not be tired by waiting Or being lied about don't deal in lies Or being hated don't give way to hating And yet don't look too good nor talk too wise. If you can dream and not make dreams your master If you can think and not make thoughts your aim If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two imposters just the same If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools Or watch the things you gave your life to broken And stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools. If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch and toss And lose and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the will which says to you hold on. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue Or walk with kings nor lose the common touch If neither foes nor loving friends may hurt you If all men count with you but none too much If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds worth of distance run Yours is the earth and everything that's in it And which is more - you'll be a man my son. The second is "Futility" by Wilfred Owen. I will say no more other than to tell you it was inspired by World War I. Move him into the sun - Gently its touch awoke him once, At home, whispering of fields unsown. Always it woke him, even in France, Until this morning and this snow. If anything might rouse him now The kind old sun will know. Think how it wakes the seeds, - Woke, once, the clays of a cold star. Are limbs, so dear-achieved, are sides, Full-nerved, - still warm, - too hard to stir? Was it for this the clay grew tall? - O what made fatuous sunbeams toil To break earth's sleep at all? I hope you find them interesting. I'm not going to discuss these poems any further here, but if anyone has any questions or comments, please share them woth the English Exchange list by emailing us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] I'd like to close by sharing with you two poems that I've written. They are nowhere near as powerful as the examples above, but writing poetry does bring me a lot of pleasure. The first is entitled "Rocket to the moon" Rocket to the moon I hope I come down very soon I don't like it here at all This world is very small And it's surrounded by a wall I'm on a rocket to the moon And I hope I come down very very soon. And the second is called "Take your time" Take your time, my friend Take your time Life can be strange And dreams so hard to find But step by step Many mountains we can climb So take your time, my friend Be easy on your mind. Please let me know what you think of my poetry. And please have a go at writing some of your own, and share your work with the English Exchange. If you liked my poems, you can see more at http://www.twinisles.com/sos/tll.html The English Exchange is our FREE mailing list. It has been created in the belief that language learning is all about communication and practice through communication. Please use the list to ask any questions you might have, answer questions from other members, tell us about any useful English learning resources you've found, find friends and e-pals, add your contribution to our ongoing debates, start debates of your own. I will use it to provide you with useful material and ideas for learning English, keep you informed of new developments at English the international language, start and contribute to interesting debates, tell you about useful English learning resources I've found and try to answer your questions about the English language. Once you join English Exchange all new messages will be delivered directly to your mailbox. You may contribute at any time by sending an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You may read and search the English Exchange archives at http://www.mail-archive.com/eil@coollist.com/. Please note: English the international language will NEVER make your details available to other organisations. You may unsubscribe from this list at any time. 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