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.===

This poem expresses who Canadians are as individuals. What Shane Koyczan says in his poem made me feel good to be Canadian. The first things I heard him say were stereotypes of Canadians, like how we love hockey, fishing, etc. I thought he chose his words well and gave nice imagery to what he was saying. The quote, "We are young, we are cultures strung together then woven into a tapestry", gives beautiful imagery. It shows how multicultural Canada is and how we all live together happily. When I listened to Shane read his poem versus just reading it myself, there was more impact to the poem. There was more impact to the poem because of the emotion he expressed through his voice. His voice would be powerful and loud at times, and soft and understanding as well. His hand gestures gave more meaning to what he was saying. The use of metaphors in this piece of poetry blew me away. When he said, "So don't let your luggage define your travels", I thought about what this meant. By luggage he means what you're carrying as a person and by your travels he means where you're going with your life. So, whatever kind of 'baggage' your are carrying should not change where you decide to go, or what you decide to do.

5/6