703-704 Videos for Friday 19th October Mrs Mroz and Mrs Bianco

601-605 - Mrs G. - George the Poet "Mother Tongue"

Homework for Monday 15 October.
If ever you need a dictionary, feel free to go to www.wordreference.com

George the Poet (George Mpanga) is a 27-year old British spoken-word artist. He was born from Ugandan parents and has been raised in north-west London.

1) Watch this video a first time and write down: type of document? type of speech? your reaction to it.
2) Watch the video a second time and focus on words that you understand. Write them down.
3) Draw conclusions. Considering that the title of the poem is "Mother Tongue", what could George the Poet be talking about?
4) Read the script of his slam poetry below the video and check your understanding. Go to a dictionary for the words you don't know.
5) Choose the 2 or 3 lines that you prefer in his slam poetry and practise saying them with a good flow and rhythm. Learn them by heart! (I will ask you about them.)

If the video does not work, go directly to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrzgVQEHFBk

SCRIPT:

I'm George the poet. I'm a 20 year old Cambridge University student from Northwest London. This spoken word and my brand of poetry is new, so watch this space.

My parents never spoke to me in the language of my home city.

They tried to attempt it but the doctor advised against it.

Said it was too much to distinguish as a “world sandwich”.

So I grew up with English as a first language.

So my parents never spoke to me in the language it was supposed to be.

They said: “He'll pick up when he's older. Hopefully...”

And the culture, that's something that they both really know to keep.

I think of (it) all day and dream about (it) when I go to sleep.

So the irony is... it's when he turned finally, this 19 year old goes back to Uganda.

But I'm loving it. I'm happy. But more time you're finding me pissed

That I can't communicate the way I really wish.

Hearing my people talking my language, it's like smiling from prison.

It's funny when you miss what you know you never had: my bilingualism.

You might think it's insignificant but I think it isn't.

It's one thing trying to talk it and trying to listen but trying to fit in and fight and resistance makes you feel so far away even after flying a distance.

See, my parents never spoke to me in the language it was supposed to be.

My Nikes, I'm treading them over these clover leaves.

Why, I'm just one of them nobody's overseas,

disconnected from everybody that I hope to please.

Maybe it’s paranoia, maybe it’s distress but to me the word “diaspora” sounds a lot like desperate, dispersed and dispossessed.

I suspect that this verse puts myths to rest because it's possible to have the rest of both worlds and still miss the best.

601 Slam for Monday 8th October

503 Video for Tuesday 9th October Mrs Mroz

The work of Giants - 703-704 - Bianco/Mroz