Poems to Celebrate the Fall Season - 2021
Poems to Celebrate the Fall Season - 2021
9/12/2021
By: Geoffrey McMain
Edited by: Kaitlin Graham
With Fall 2021 beginning in fewer than two weeks, it’s a great time to get in the spirit for the season of colors, cool weather, and pumpkin spice lattes. What better way to channel the mood of such a poetic time than through poetry? Here’s a few top picks of poems about Fall!
As Summer into Autumn slips
By: Emily Dickinson
As Summer into Autumn slips
And yet we sooner say
"The Summer" than "the Autumn," lest
We turn the sun away,
And almost count it an Affront
The presence to concede
Of one however lovely, not
The one that we have loved --
So we evade the charge of Years
On one attempting shy
The Circumvention of the Shaft
Of Life's Declivity.
Autumn Birds
By: John Clare
The wild duck startles like a sudden thought,
And heron slow as if it might be caught.
The flopping crows on weary wings go by
And grey beard jackdaws noising as they fly.
The crowds of starnels whizz and hurry by,
And darken like a clod the evening sky.
The larks like thunder rise and suthy round,
Then drop and nestle in the stubble ground.
The wild swan hurries hight and noises loud
With white neck peering to the evening clowd.
The weary rooks to distant woods are gone.
With lengths of tail the magpie winnows on
To neighbouring tree, and leaves the distant crow
While small birds nestle in the edge below.
The Beautiful Changes
By: Richard Wilbur
One wading a Fall meadow finds on all sides
The Queen Anne’s Lace lying like lilies
On water; it glides
So from the walker, it turns
Dry grass to a lake, as the slightest shade of you
Valleys my mind in fabulous blue Lucernes.
The beautiful changes as a forest is changed
By a chameleon’s tuning his skin to it;
As a mantis, arranged
On a green leaf, grows
Into it, makes the leaf leafier, and proves
Any greenness is deeper than anyone knows.
Your hands hold roses always in a way that says
They are not only yours; the beautiful changes
In such kind ways,
Wishing ever to sunder
Things and things’ selves for a second finding, to lose
For a moment all that it touches back to wonder.
Fall, Leaves, Fall
By: Emily Brontë
Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.
I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night’s decay
Ushers in a drearier day.
My November Guest
By: Robert Frost
My Sorrow, when she's here with me,
Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree;
She walks the sodden pasture lane.
Her pleasure will not let me stay.
She talks and I am fain to list:
She's glad the birds are gone away,
She's glad her simple worsted grey
Is silver now with clinging mist.
The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And vexes me for reason why.
Not yesterday I learned to know
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so,
And they are better for her praise.
Autumn
By: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Thou comest, Autumn, heralded by the rain,
With banners, by great gales incessant fanned,
Brighter than brightest silks of Samarcand,
And stately oxen harnessed to thy wain!
Thou standest, like imperial Charlemagne,
Upon thy bridge of gold; thy royal hand
Outstretched with benedictions o'er the land,
Blessing the farms through all thy vast domain!
Thy shield is the red harvest moon, suspended
So long beneath the heaven's o'er-hanging eaves;
Thy steps are by the farmer's prayers attended;
Like flames upon an altar shine the sheaves;
And, following thee, in thy ovation splendid,
Thine almoner, the wind, scatters the golden leaves!
Hopefully these poems brought you a greater appreciation for the beauty of fall and put you in the mood for the new season!
The Cave Radio Show feat. Gospel Singer Joshua McClain
The Cave Radio Show feat. Gospel Singer Joshua McClain
The Cave Radio Show feat. Gospel Singer Joshua McClain
The Cave Radio Show feat. Gospel Singer Joshua McClain
The Origin of Churrasco - Hispanic Heritage Month 2021
The Origin of Churrasco - Hispanic Heritage Month 2021
9/15/2021
By: Geoffrey McMain
Edited by: Kaitlin Graham
September 15th through October 15th is Hispanic Heritage Month, making it a great time to learn about and connect with Hispanic and Latin American cultures. As the son of a Brazilian immigrant, I thought it would be fun to share a little about an iconic cultural practice from Brazil to celebrate this Hispanic Heritage Month.
Churrasco: Brazilian Barbeque or Something More?
The first things that might come to mind when you think of Brazil are probably beaches, tan bodies, and Carnival. But possibly the most notable of these things are Brazilian steakhouses, known as churrascarias in Portuguese, renowned for their seemingly endless waves of high-quality, slow-cooked meats sliced tableside at customer demand. While churrascarias are famously popular in both the US and Brazil, they stem from a much less high-class (and expensive) practice in Brazil, known simply as churrasco. (Pronounced: shoo-HAW-skoo)
Friends, Family, and Meat
At face value, a churrasco might seem the same as an American barbeque, where family and friends gather together to revel in each other’s company and enjoy great food, but in Brazil, this gathering runs deeper than a run-of-the-mill cook-out.
A typical Churrasco is an exciting event where everyone brings something to share, whether it be cuts of meat, side dishes, or a pack of cold beers. This process of sharing is enhanced by the continuous rounds of grilled meat passed around throughout the night for everyone to enjoy, not unlike the experience of a Brazilian steakhouse.
As people stuff themselves with a variety of savory meats like slices of juicy picanha (a famous Brazilian cut of steak) or other classics like pao de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), people partake in conversations with long-missed friends, sing traditional Brasileiro songs, and even dance the Samba.
I have many fond memories of my childhood, in both Brazil and the US, of Brazilians and non-Brazilians alike coming together to eat, sing, and dance to the sweet sound of laughing friends and a melodic guitar, well into the night.
The Origins of Churrasco
Brazilians are known for being some of the most outgoing people on the planet, which makes sense why such a festive gathering would originate from Brazil.
The art of Brazilian barbeque started in the Rio Grande do Sul, in the south of Brazil, in the 1600s, when Portuguese ranchers built on the indigenous tradition of grilling skewered meat in pits. Over the years, it became a tradition to gather the entire village in a massive feast of freshly butchered, slow-cooked meat to celebrate the fruits of many hard months of labor.
And so, churrasco was born.
If you want to enjoy churrasco, it’s as simple as taking a trip to one of many churrascarias that now dominate the US. But if you want to enjoy churrasco more like a Brazilian (or just save some money), head over to your local meat supplier to buy your favorite cuts of steak, pork, or chicken, and invite your friends and family to partake in a night of lively festivities and, of course, decadently juicy meat!
10 Movies and TV Shows to Watch During Drug and Alcohol Abuse Awareness Month
10 Movies and TV Shows to Watch During Drug and Alcohol Awareness Month
9/03/2021
By: Aaron Kaushal
Edited by: Kaitlin Graham
1. Shameless
Shameless is a Netflix comedy-drama about a dysfunctional group of siblings who are trying to cope with their alcoholic father. The show does a good job of portraying how addictions such as alcoholism can affect the entire family. Spending his money on drugs and alcohol rather than supporting his family is a common theme throughout the series.
2. BoJack Horseman
BoJack Horseman is an animated Netflix series that tackles themes of alcohol and substance abuse. The constant substance abuse by the main character, BoJack, ends up causing a lot of problems for him throughout the series., making it very clear that substance or alcohol abuse can lead to individuals making terrible decisions. Having to cope with depression as a result of this abuse is another theme that can be seen throughout the series as well.
3. Euphoria
The HBO Series Euphoria follows Rue, a 17 year old drug addict who just got out of rehab. Rue and her friends go through high school, going through experiences of drugs, depression, friendships, love, and identity. The series did well when it came to tackling these themes. It follows a teen dealing with mental illness and her addiction to drugs which she sees as an escape. Rue’s character was created with these themes in mind in order to spread awareness to viewers. It shows the struggles an addict faces in their life and how it affects their future.
4. Requiem For a Dream
Requiem For a Dream is a psychological drama that depicts various types of drug addiction each leading to different outcomes for the characters. The main characters are addicted to heroin. The movie itself was seen as an effective anti-drug PSA. The movie follows the stories of four main characters who deal with failure throughout. The characters had big dreams, but ended up not being able to achieve them due to their addictions.
5. Mom
Mom was a CBS comedy centered around addiction. It explores the life of Christy, a recovering alcoholic and single mother. It follows her struggles and triumphs as a recovering addict. This series showed viewers how much your life can change if you overcome an addiction. Viewers have claimed that the series helped them stay sober in their recovery as well.
6. Flaked
Flaked is another series that follows an alcoholic. The series takes on themes of addiction in an interesting way. Many scenes take place in 12-step meetings, which is a program to help people recover from addiction. The series seems like it urges viewers to deal with their own addictions, as well, by attending these meetings and seeing how beneficial it can be for their health.
7. Patrick Melrose
Patrick Melrose is another series that accurately shows the dangers of addiction. The recurring theme throughout is that if you do not deal with an addiction it will only continue to get worse and worse. It covers the dangers of addiction as well as the negative effects it can have on one's life. It demonstrates that it is important to get help early on.
8. Nurse Jackie
Showtime series Nurse Jackie educates viewers on many aspects of addiction and recovery. Loving someone with an addiction can be painful for both people involved. Being able to help someone with recovery is an important step in getting over an addiction, which is seen throughout the series. The series focuses on helping viewers understand that they are not alone and there will always be help available for them if they choose to accept it. The series also goes against the stereotype that addicts are failures in life, because many successful people may hide addictions.
9. Intervention
Intervention is a docuseries about addicts trying to overcome their addictions with the help from their families and friends. This is a truly hard hitting series with each episode following a different addict, who are told they are being documented for their addiction, but in reality they are the subject of an intervention. It is interesting to see the role friends and family can play in helping an addict recover. It has been extremely popular as viewers have also claimed that the series helped them overcome their own addictions.
10. The Basketball Diaries
The Basketball Diaries is a 1995 crime drama following the life of Jim. Jim is a high-school basketball star on the surface, but a heroin addict behind closed doors. Dealing with the stress of high school, family, and his coach's expectations, he turns to drugs. This movie explores the realities of a high school addict and the struggles they face. Ultimately, Jim receives help from a friend in order to try to recover from his addiction.
The Kia D Unplugged Show feat. Singer/Songwriter Buchi O (REWIND)
The Kia D Unplugged Show feat. Singer/Songwriter Buchi O (REWIND)
The Kia D Unplugged Show feat. Singer/Songwriter Buchi O (REWIND)
The Kia D Unplugged Show feat. Singer/Songwriter Buchi O (REWIND)
