Hello out there!
The first semester of the Essential Conversation class has drawn to a close. I am quite pleased that two of my students have taken an interest in English beyond conversation. As an exercise, my manager suggested that one of the lovely young ladies translate a short story by Raymond Carver, which she did, and which culminated as a class project which we will post on a blogsite for all to see...a blogsite because we intend to translate more American authors into Serbian. It's all unauthorized, of course, but what can we do, call up Tess and ask for permission?
We also read a little of the Plath, which was a first exposure to both of the girls showing an interest in literary English. And as a final assignment, they took on the challenge of writing in sonnet form. Shakespeare's, because we're not Italian, so somebody else can post Petrarch's. Note: we're not onto the iambic pentameter yet, just the rhyme scheme.
So, introducing Sandra Tomasevic and Andrea Nadj:
Happiness
by Sandra Tomasevic
Did you ever try
to find a happiness road?
Did you ever look in the sky
and imagine you are abroad?
Or is happiness not so far?
Did you try to find it?
Maybe, you bought a new car
and smiled a little bit.
After a while you found
that happiness went away
and you listened to your heart’s sound,
knocking,
“You can at home stay!
Happiness is in little things,
just don’t let sadness spread its wings!”
Loneliness
by Andrea Nadj
I've collected sand on the beach
I gave the grains names
Listened to each
No wicked games.
Then I threw my heart on the sand
Lack of reaction
Is this the end?
Lack of satisfaction.
I felt homeless
I ran to the forest
The silence there, priceless
Need a place to rest
Or someone to come for a visit.
That's nice, is it?