The Man Who Sold the World

The music has produced the same old clones To gain a worthwhile star we did aspire But you transformed the music and the tones Just when the music scene was looking dire

Smells like teen spirit! the people shouted Your revolutionary song was sung At first your music talents were doubted But people heard the lyrics from your tongue

You were recognised as a nineties God Kurt Cobain was a high, revered name But your fame flashed through like a lightning rod Without you the world will not be the same

But will your fans ever forget? Never Through us, your music will live forever

Ms. Chelsea Sutherland 68 Phoney Street Faketown, Australia

Blast from the Past - New poems from old times Poetry Competition P.O Box 154, 2010 Stratford, England

Dear Blast from the Past Judges, My name is Chelsea Sutherland and I am a student at Ryan Catholic College. William Shakespeare s work is a brilliant example of the power of words, having survived centuries to be revered still in today s society. His sonnets are among the most quotable and well known verses in the world, but often deal with subject matter that is irrelevant in contemporary society, particularly for modern youth. I have therefore chosen Sonnet 18 to re-present to a modern teenage audience as I believe it contains universal themes that shouldn t be disregarded by today s youth merely because of a difference in language. Shakespeare composed his famous sonnets in the late 16th century which was a vastly different age to the one today s youth occupy. Shakespeare lived in the peak of the renaissance when poetry, art, music and science were flourishing. With the emergence of the middle class and the construction of open air theatres, for the first time people of all social positions were able to enjoy plays, yet his sonnets had a much more refined audience. Education in the 16th century was generally reserved for the upper class therefore confining the audience of sonnets to the wealthier members of society as they were the only ones able to read. The subject matter of the sonnets also play a big part in the audience who were able to appreciate them as they often deal with more mature themes such as love, lust, the passing of time and greed. This means the original audience of Shakespeare s sonnets, including Sonnet 18, was most likely restricted to adults in the upper class. Sonnet 18 is established in the first few lines as a dedication to love and beauty, but as the poem progresses the discourse of decay (of beauty and of the poem itself) is evident. The sonnet begins by comparing the poets beloved to a summers day and deciding that he/she is, more lovely and more temperate . The poem then progresses to describe the process of decay and age by saying, and every fair from fair some time declines . The poems conclusion alludes to the immortalisation of the subject of the poem through Shakespeare s eternal words. My re-presentation of Shakespeare s Sonnet 18 is about the astonishing music that Kurt Cobain, and his band Nirvana, produced in the few short years they were famous. It s about the absolute worshipping of Kurt Cobain that so many individuals participated in. It s also about how Nirvana saved music by creating the grungy styled music that made them overnight millionaire s. Though Nirvana had their highest popularity in the early 90 s, nearly 20 years ago, they are still widely recognised and admired. Any teen or child can relate to this re-presented sonnet purely through the

fact that the sonnet is mainly about having a Music God to look up to and admire. Granted, not every person loves music, but many of the population have a rock star to hold close in their hearts. It s important to convert these sonnets to a modern perspective so the universal themes are not lost. The language used in the re-presented Sonnet is much easier for youths today to understand just because the lingo used is Modern English, rather than Middle, the language spoken during Shakespeare s time. Though his plays were able to be appreciated by all, Shakespeare s original Sonnet 18 was limited to the rich, educated and mature people of his time, an exceedingly refined audience. This was because the Sonnet s required the ability to read- not an awfully common attribute amongst the inhabitants of the late 16th century. Sonnet 18 is a beautifully written piece about beauty and adoration, but the poem becomes more forlorn and grimmer as the poet speaks of the age and perishing of loveliness of this person. He ends on the strange prospect of the immortality of this individual through his script, forever immortalized on paper. The re-presented sonnet essentially means the exact same thing as the original. Absolute love and adoration of a certain individual, said individual eventually aging and dying but being forever immortalized. The only difference is the language through which the Sonnets are spoken. It s very easy for teenagers of the 21st century to get lost in modern technology and books, and that s why it s important to re-create Shakespeare's magical and meaningful work to better interest today s youth in incredibly significant universal themes. Kind regards

Chelsea Sutherland