Kate has continued to her next poem, which is called 'Gossip,' and is also taken from Bright Minds Poetry by Faith Essien, "In this recital, we are studying my favorite figure of speech, that is, the Onomatopoeia." It isn't hard to see that Kate really likes this figure of speech, for the whole class watches her frame her mouth into a perfect 'O' each and every time she pronounces the word Onomatopoeia...
"It is the use of words that initiate sounds associated with the objects or the actual actions that they refer to. A few examples are..." She gives Kusi the signal nod, he steps forward again to raise up each corresponding white placard, "Clap, murmur, ahh, huh (for sighs,) grunt, boom, bang, moo, meow, etc."
Kate goes on to recite the entertaining poem with gusto, dramatizing each and every sound for maximum effect. The class is either echoing her chorus lines or bobbing in their seats to an invisible drum beat.
Chatter chatter chat chat...!
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GOSSIPS
Chatter chatter chat chat,
Busy like the bees buzzing all the day long
Chatter chatter chat chat, wondering tempests all the day long
Tick tock with the clock and hop hopping from house to house
Faster than the tweeting birds can tweet,
Eager ears to hear things not their concern (Wowww)
Eager mouths to speak things not their concern (Wowww)
Chatter chatter chat chat, bit by bit, they divulge secrets not their own to disclose
Like ducks quack quacking splash splashing in every water they wade,
Chatter chatter chat chat, makes a big mess, runs away and always escapes blame!
†***†***†****†***†***†
***REVIEW***
Mr. Asiamah visibly enjoys listening to this poem so much it is as if, he briefly forgets his role as teacher and proceeds to write it line by line on the blackboard using white chalk. Then he goes ahead to ask and answer all the questions, by himself, to himself. The children all crane their necks, straining their ears to hear what he is mumbling to himself.
"Busy like the bees buzzing, is definitely alliteration. Nice one! Same thing with hop hopping from house to house, also alliteration, and even assonance! Like ducks quack quacking splash splashing in every water they wade, eh? Lyrical. Rhyme..." When Mr. Asiamah finally notices the quiet classroom, he turns to see them watching him with expectation. He glances at the clock to see that it is already twelve thirty in the afternoon. He says,"children! Its five minutes before the bell for lunch. Kofi, after the next poem, you are up. Your team mates are working very hard to get the best score, so I am certain, that you are quite... fully prepared, then, eh?"
Kofi is not prepared at all. As soon as the bell rings, he gets to his feet and follows Kusi Kojo and Kate to the dining hall for their lunch boxes. Kate has noticed the way he is hanging his head, she has already guessed the problem and is not happy about it.
"Kofi? Do you have anything to tell us, as a team?" She asks him, when they are all seated round a table, eating foods their mothers made for them. Kofi sighs, confessing.
"Mr. Asiamah just gave us this project yesterday! How are we going to memorize all the poems, and the figures of speech, in less than twenty four hours?"
"Kofi, Mr. Asiamah has given us assignment every week, to go and read up figures of speech! Every week, since the school term began last month, approximately four weeks ago! You are lazy!" Says Kate, munching on her watermelon with a spoon, like a lady ought to do.
Kojo echoes her sentiment, adding, "Kofi, you are not at all serious, this term. Is this about the Indiana Jones movie again? I thought that daddy hid it from you!"
"He did," Kofi admits, quite chagrined, "-but I discovered where he hid it. I watch it at night, when you've all gone to sleep!" He shakes his head, as if, he can't believe he is this bad a culprit!
Kate rolls her eyes, "Oh! We are doomed!just like indiana's doomed temple, Our awesome presentation is doomed! Kofi will drag us all down that hillside!" she wails, but the surprising thing is, Kusi does not think so.
"Kofi," he says, "Do you still have the three note sheets I gave you?" Kofi nods, yes, he does, "-then all is not lost! In fact, you might even gain us some extra points. Listen up, team, I have an idea!" Kusi says, smiling cheerfully as he takes a huge bite out of his bread and dry fish sandwich. Kate uses her left palm to carefully feel Kusi's forehead for a fever. It is cool to touch. Cool to the touch! Heyyyy, isn't that a... Zeugma?
"So, this idea," she says, "It's not malaria, Kusi?"
"Or worms, Kusi?" Kojo asks, laughing at his sarcasm. Kusi waves Kate's hand away and glares at Kojo,
"Nope! This is not like that maths test fiasco of my grade six Class!. This, my friends, is pure genius!"
STAI LEGGENDO
KUSI'S LITERARY CLASS: {FIGURES OF SPEECH IN POETRY} Work In Progress!
Storie breviKUSI'S LITERARY CLASS (Figures of Speech in Poetry) Kusi and his friends are going to team up for their new and exciting assignment. Kusi is chosen as the Team Leader, and he must ensure that they all contribute to the project! He has a creative ide...
