An ODE to CAN Tweet

Last modification by brentsonr July 31, 2012, 8:12 pm → version: 3 Language: English Rating: Viewed: 2131 times

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HH presents to you a really nice and easy poem. It describes the the use of 'CAN' and 'CAN'T'. The ode (from the Ancient Greek ὠδή) is a type of lyrical verse. It is full of emotion and makes you realize how some grammatical words really do affect you in ways that you never thought possible.

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There's a four lettered word As offensive as any It holds back the few Puts a stop to the many. You can't climb that mountain You can't cross the sea You can't become anything you want to be. He can't hit a century They can't find a cure. She can't think about leaving or searching for more. Because can't is a word with a habit of stopping The ebb and flow of ideas It keeps dropping itself where we know in our hearts it's not needed And saying "don't go" when we could have succeeded.

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But those four little letters That end with a T They can change in an instant When shortened to three. We can take off the T We can do it today We can move forward not back We can find our own way. We can build we can run We can follow the sun We can push we can pull We can say I'm someone Who refuses to believe That life can't be better With the removal of one Insignificant letter.

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Now, that you have read and watched Toni Colette give her interpretation HH would like you to make TWO lists. On the left, WRITE DOWN TEN THINGS YOU THINK YOU CAN'T DO. On the right, opposite the 'can't dos' WRITE SOLUTIONS TO HOW YOU CAN. Once you get stuck, ask your class friends for their ideas on solutions to your 'CANTS'

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Michael Jordan, probably the greatest basketball player to have ever graced an NBA court had a difficult teenage hood. But he never gave up and knew that, "I CAN" do it was the only thing that could get him away from his troubles and poverty. Watch the video with the brilliant song by R.Kelly, "I BELİEVE I CAN FLY." This CAN inspire you to write and talk about the things you ONLY THINK you can't do.