Poetry Out Loud

Part One:
"Keeping Things Whole"
"Deliberate"
"Ozymandius"
"Cold Blooded Creatures"
"Prisoners"
"The Negro Speaks Of Rivers"
Part Two:
     Of the six poems listed above, I liked "Ozymandius," and "Cold Blooded Creatures." Typically, I enjoy poems, and literature in general that serves a purpose, and conveys a message, rather than simply exists to entertain. I like "Cold Blooded Creatures" because it has an underlying message, that maybe, we should be more aware of the world around us, and that we're not the only creatures on this earth. "Ozymandius" is an exception to my usual tastes; I enjoy it simply for the imagery it contains, rather than the message it contains. The rest of the poems, although not bad, simply didn't connect with me. For the competition, I am interested in reading "Cold Blooded Creatures."
Part Three:
     The easiest criteria for me to meet will be Voice And Articulation, as well as Physical Presence. I feel that especially if I have spent time practicing, I can project when speaking in front of a group, additionally, I don't  get nervous when I'm standing in front of a group, which helps with things such as articulation, and presence. The hardest two categories for me to meet will be Dramatic Appropriateness, and Level Of Difficulty. I always feel awkward when I start to use things like hand motions in front of a group, and it can be difficult to be "dramatic," as I can project, but I'm not a very dramatic person
Part Four:
"Writ On The Steps Of Puerto Rican Harlem"
My first thought was "damn, that guys good." This isn't a poem I would have chosen, for if I was reading it independently I would have had no connection to it, and yet, when it was read aloud, it suddenly gained a whole new level of  meaning.
"Forgetfulness"
I watched this video because it is one of my favorite poems by one of my favorite poets. The first thing I noticed was how awkward the speaker looked with his hands clasped together in front of him. The initial awkwardness disappeared when he began to speak. His voice, gestures, and expressions gave an already satirical poem a somber, and slightly cynical edge.
Part Five:
     One of the things that has annoyed me about Poetry Out Loud is the selection of poems. Presumably because they don't want to offend anyone, whoever picks out the poems has neglected to include anything slightly political. As I mentioned earlier, my favorite writing is that which serves a purpose, and delivers a message. I like books like Animal Farm for their political nature, and my favorite poems all include satire of something. It is sad that they would omit poems Just because they might offend someone. There is no point to literature if it doesn't offend someone.