Author: Kwasi cooper

Journal Assignment 10

 

My experience with dialogue writing has been a little different from the others. This was a whole new ball game. The tricky part was setting the stage. I really had to go back into my thoughts and remember what I was feeling during the text conversation, which made me really think about things that were said. It was fun as always for me as I read the conversations over, then I shared it with my friend who was the other character in my dialogue. She laughed and said that I made her look bad, which I didn’t do intentionally, but I was pleased to see how she was amused after reading her own words with more context and a stage sitting added to it. Overall this was a good project and I enjoyed it.

Scene 1 rhythm/pace was fast because there were few rests. There were two brothers. The older brother was staying with the younger brother. The older brother preferred to have a regular job, while the younger brother had other ideas.

I like poetry writing. It is a good way to express yourself. It allows you to be creative, and let you share memories, and experiences with others, in a different way. I feel excited when I write poetry, because I think it is fun trying to use your ideas in a way that makes you think deeply about your message. Poetry can sometimes be very difficult to understand, and if I have a hard time interpreting a poem, it can be very discouraging to read, so I keep it simple when I write poems. I may not be very good at poetry, but I enjoy the ones that have a little focus on rhymes rather than just a complicated message.

Staceyann and Kwasi

 

“White noise” caught my attention as soon as I read the first few lines. Staceyann spoke about New York, the Q train, (a train I took for over 15 years), she also spoke about the noises you can hear from your apartment windows, the sirens, the car horns, it is all part of my experience living in New York.

  I like this poem because it was very easy for me to connect with her experience. I remembered weeks of banging, while I tried to sleep, and the view of my window was not good at all, just like she mentioned. The rats on the street was also something she wrote  about that I can relate to. 

  It seems like Staceyann uses her time writing poetry just the same way I use my time practicing guitar songs. This poem gave me the understanding that we probably have shared some similar things living in this concrete jungle.

   Everything about this poem I’m sure most New Yorkers can relate to. The small apartments, the energy of the people, and just life itself on the trains, is a story to tell.

Kwasi Cooper (Compare/contrast fiction writing to memoir writing)

 

I prefer memoir writing because it allows me to revisit some of my life experiences. I’m able to express myself and share some of the life lessons I have learned in my life with others. On the other hand, I also like fictional stories. I can be a little more creative. It allows me to use my imagination to capture the attention of my readers. I can twist my ideas around in order to bring more drama, thrill of excitement to the story. With memoir writing it doesn’t have that opportunity to change things to entertain your reader. Memoir writing can be boring if the author doesn’t have a good story.

Kwasi Cooper (Tsunami Rising by Stacyann Chin).

 

Stacyann Chin poetry “tsunami rising” is very raw and to the point. She isn’t afraid to say what she feels. When I read her poem I felt sad. I felt like black people, especially black women, continue to struggle in this world despite the fact that we are all human beings that deserve a fair share in life. Her video was a little different for me. I felt more connected. I also felt empowered. I felt as though black women stood up for themselves and will continue to do so. She even made me smile a little with how bold and brave she was. She showed a lot of strength, and any black woman or man watching that video surely would feel a sense of liberty after.

Kwasi Cooper (x and x and me)

 

The poetry I love is actually from a great reggae singer called Bob Marley. Redemption Song and War. He is a singer but I believe these songs were also considered poetry. Since I didn’t have any other form of poetry that I read in the past, I will use these two titles. Redemption song kept me connected with my black heritage. It’s very inspirational and war shows how corrupted the world is, and what we can do to make it a better place. I love that.

Kwasi Cooper Journal Assignment 7

 

At first I took this class because I had to take one more intensive writing class. After two months of short story writing, I must say I’m enjoying every bit of it. Besides having the best professor in this program, I enjoy writing about short stories because it  is very therapeutic. It helps me release stress, and also I can express myself with words, while I’m writing about things that I truly enjoy. The only bad thing I must mention. I’m drawn into doing my creative writing short story assignments and fall back on other class assignments. I’m able to get other class assignments done but Short stories come first. 

Journal Assignment 6 by Kwasi Cooper

 

Today is the sixth day I haven’t been outdoors. The coronavirus has me thinking twice about going outside. Life in my apartment is not as boring as I thought. I live alone so if I don’t play my radio or watch TV it can be a bit quiet. 

   If I had a choice I would rather sit in a classroom to get my education, but unfortunately I have no choice but to complete my degree by participating in CUNY’s online program. It’s not that bad since it keeps me busy so I won’t be drawn into too many random thoughts of the city’s current health crisis. 

I have friends who keep in touch with me on a daily basis, so that helps me pass time. I like cooking and watching movies, and I also make use of my gym equipment. These activities keep me somewhat busy. 

    My sleeping pattern is all messed up because I don’t have to be at school or work or anywhere, so I’m waking up late and going to bed around  four am. 

I believe life will soon be back on track so I’m going to use this opportunity to get all the rest that I can and hopefully one day I can tell my grandchildren that I lived through a pandemic.

 

 

 

We Will Prevail by Kwasi Cooper

 

I remembered when my sister said to me that this year was our year. Little did we know we would be dealing with a pandemic. 

  The coronavirus is changing the lives of millions of people. As a small business owner, my business was deemed non essential and I had  to close my doors to the public indefinitely. 

 Even though I’m losing income, I’m able to stay focus mentally and emotionally. I’m on the optimistic side of this situation. I believe something will be done very soon. 

Cities like NY and Cali have imposed strict laws to stop the spread of this virus. I’m happy to see that the majority of citizens and residents are complying to aid in these efforts. Everyday has been different. I limit my outdoor activities. I wash my hands and face constantly and shower every time I walk into my apartment. I sanitize everything I put my hands on, like my TV remote, cell phone, head phones etc.

    I’m always encouraging someone with positive words who seem more stressed than I am over this situation. I hope when it is all done the world can be a more peaceful place and people remember how much we needed each other.                  

Thanks to all the professionals who are out there risking their lives to save others.