We+Are+More

Assignment: Describe what the poem means to you. Discuss the use of metaphor to create analogies in the mind of the listener. How does the impact of this poem change when you hear it as apposed to reading it? Use specific examples from the text. ==Penticton's Shane Koyczan, 34, woke up Friday a big fish in a small pond: a Canadian celebrity on the slam poetry scene. But by the time he went to bed (at 6 a.m.), he was something of an international sensation. ==

His performance of an abridged version of his poem //We Are More// during the Olympic opening ceremonies has suddenly made him a star. He woke up to 600 messages in his inbox. He struck a chord with the likes of The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Entertainment Weekly. And in the half-hour he spent with a Globe reporter, he was approached 12 times by autograph seekers and well-wishers, including children, teenagers and a police officer. How did it feel to be up there? Terrifying. First of all, I'm scared of heights. I have horrible vertigo. I even have trouble going out on the balcony of the hotel. So it was very nerve-wracking, but they made me feel really safe. They strapped me in and it was quite a large space so I wasn't anywhere near the edge. I really don't know how to describe being up there. I guess for a poet, language fails at this point. (Here we're interrupted by a family: "Are you the guy from last night? You were fabulous. We were there and we watched it again on TV this morning.") I'm honestly flabbergasted. I don't know how to react. All I can really say is thank-you, and those words never seem to suffice because I want to express the totality of my gratitude, but I don't have much more to offer than thank-you. I guess it's like I said in the poem: please and thank-you. In the arts community, lines are being drawn between people who are part of [the Olympics] and people who aren't. People are upset about cuts to arts funding. My hope was to galvanize us again because the arts community has always had a strong united front. I spent a lot of time going back and forth about doing the Olympics. I was very apprehensive. There were times when I just wanted to run away. Because I don't want to disappoint [the arts] community. But at the same time, spoken word's never been given an opportunity like that before. And I kept going back to that. My grandmother was instrumental in this too. I'd be sitting outside smoking and she'd come down at 4 in the morning and say what are you doing up so late? And I'd say I can't sleep; I'm so worried about this. And she said something that just really rung true: Once you say no to an opportunity, it's gone. And so are all of the opportunities that come with it. I hope so. You know, watching the Grammys, yeah, they have a spoken word award, but it always ends up going to a book on tape or speeches. A lot of people have pointed out that line: We say 'zed' instead of 'zee.' That came about because my last name is Koyczan and when touring through the U.S., I've had to spell it and when I say 'zed' Americans are like: 'What? What?' I've heard of that commercial; I've never actually heard it. I don't watch TV. I'm curious to hear it now. If it's actually similar, great; maybe I'll get an endorsement. I really just hope that I can continue doing what I'm doing. Maybe last night was an instant sort of recognition, but I've been doing this for 12 years. It's taken a long time to get where I'm at. I don't plan on vanishing any time soon.
 * How does that feel?**
 * What were your hopes for this performance?**
 * Were you worried about criticism for participating?**
 * Do you think this will boost the art form?**
 * What do you think of the reaction to the poem?**
 * Some people have compared your poem to the //I Am Canadian// beer commercial.**
 * Where do you go from here?**

==VANCOUVER, B.C. - A transcript of Shane Koyczan's poem, "We Are More," as delivered during the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic Games: ==

1."Define Canada You might say the home of the Rocket Or The Great One Who inspired little No. 9s and little No. 99s

2. But we're more than just hockey and fishing lines Off of the rocky coast of the Maritimes

3. And some say what defines us Is something as simple as 'please' and 'thank you' And as for 'you're welcome,' well, we say that, too

4. But we are more than genteel or civilized

5. We are an idea in the process of being realized

6. We are young, we are cultures strung together then woven into a tapestry And the design is what makes us more than the sum totals of our history

7. We are an experiment going right for a change With influences that range from A to Zed And yes, we say 'Zed' instead of 'Zee'

8. We are the brightness of Chinatown and the laughter of Little Italy

9. We dream so big that there are those Who would call our ambition an industry Because we are vineyards of good year after good year We reforest what we clear

10. Because we believe in generations beyond our own Knowing now that so many of us Have grown past what we used to be We can stand here today Filled with all the hope people have When they say things like 'someday'

11.Because we are more Than a laundry list of things to do and places to see

12. More than hills to ski Or countryside ponds to skate

13. We are the abandoned hesitation of all those who can't wait

14. We are first-rate greasy spoon diners and healthy living cafes

15. A country that is all the ways you choose to live A nation that can give you variety Because we are choices We are millions upon millions of voices Shouting, keep exploring We are more

16. We are the surprise the world has in store for you, it's true Canada is the 'what' in 'what's new'

17. So don't let your luggage define your travels Each life unravels differently And experiences are what make up The colours of our tapestry

18. We are the true North Strong and free

19. And what's more Is that we didn't just say it We made it be"

=﻿Response:=

To me, this poem fully explains what Canadians are truly about. It mentions how multicultural we are and how we do what we want. We have big ambitions and succeed in our goals. Its also states that we Canadians have more to us than meets the eye. How Canada is quite a new country is also mentioned. There are a lot of metaphors in this poem. This is a good quality of the poem because it allows others to think and interprate their own ideas and doesn't tell us bluntly about anything. For example, to explain that Canada is quite a new country, the poem says "Canada is the 'what' in 'what's new'". "We are the brightness of Chinatown and the laughter of little Italy" explains how multicultural Canada is. It is quite different listening to the poem being said by the author of it than it is reading it. When I read over the poem, it felt calm and relaxing without very much excitement. When he was reading it out loud, you can notice the increasing volume in his voice as he nears the end of the poem. This is has much more impact and is more exciting to listen to. 5/6