3 . One early morning, I went into the living room to find my mother reading a thick book called Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again. I became immediately interested because of the word “Poems” that appeared in big, hot pink letters.

“Is it good?” I asked her.

“Yeah,” she answered. “There’s one I really like and you’ll like it, too.” I leaned forward.

“Patty Poem,” she read the title. Who is Patty? I wondered. The poem began:

The poem was just three short sections. The final one came quickly:

And I’ll be sad.

A terrible sadness washed over me. Whoever Patty was, she was a mean girl. Then, the shock.

“It’s you, honey,” my mother said sadly.

To my mother, the poem described a parent’s feeling when her child grows up and leaves. To me, the “she” in the poem was terrible. It was my mama who would be sad. It was so terrible that I began crying.

“What’s wrong?” my mother asked.

“Oh Mama,” I cried. “I don’t want to grow up ever!”

She smiled. “Honey, it’s okay. You’re not growing up anytime soon. And when you do, I’ll still love you, okay?”

“Okay,” I was still crying. My fear had gone. But I could not help thinking about that silly poem. After what seemed like a safe amount of time, I read the poem again and was confused. It all fit so well together, like a puzzle. The language was simple, so simple that I could plainly understand its meaning, yet it was still beautiful. I was now crazy about the idea of poetry (诗歌), words that had the power to make or break a person’s world.

I have since fallen in love with other poems, but “Patty Poem” remains my poem. After all, “Patty Poem” gave me my love for poetry not because it was the poem that lifted my spirits, but because it was the one that hurt me the most.

Activities for World Poetry Day

7 . Walt Disney is credited for creating such wonderful things as Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. However, he cannot take the credit for creating other well-loved characters, such as Cinderella and Snow White. They are almost automatically associated with Disney because Disney turned old fables (寓言) into cartoon movies.

The original Cinderella varies very much from the Disney version we know today. It started off with the girl mourning her mother’s death and going to her tomb three times a day. In addition, there were only birds that helped Cinderella; there was no such thing as a fairy godmother or helpful mice, nor was there mention of a horse and carriage.

The stepsisters were cruel: they always threw Cinderella’s food into the ashes of the fire and made her sleep on the ashes on the floor, hence her name.

In the original story, the king’s ball actually lasted for three days. With the help of the birds, the girl, beautifully dressed, danced with the prince on all three nights and the prince fell in love with her. However, she broke away from him to rush back home each night. On the last night, the prince placed soothing sticky on the stairs; as Cinderella made her escape, a shoe got stuck on it.

Here now is where the story becomes unpleasant: when the prince went to the house looking for the girl whose foot fit the shoe, the wicked (邪恶的) stepmother told one of her two daughters to cut off her big toe to fit into the shoe. The daughter did as told. So the prince took her away to be his bride. But when they passed the tomb of Cinderella’s mother, the birds called out to the prince, “Turn and peep, there’s blood in the shoe; the shoe is too small, the true bride waits for you.” Realizing he had been tricked, the prince returned the daughter to her mother. The other then had to cut off part of her heel in order to fit into the shoe, with the same result. Only Cinderella’s foot fit perfectly and so the prince chose to marry her. The story ends with the wedding day: as Cinderella’s two stepsisters followed her, pretending to be devoted to her so that they could enjoy the king’s riches, two birds flew by and plucked (啄) out their eyes. Because of their wickedness and falsehood, they had to spend the rest of their days blind.

The original Cinderella is so different from the Disney version. Thank goodness Disney made such changes; it indeed was a wise move.

The animated film Chang An has become a surprise hit, earning     1     impressive 600 million yuan at the box office of the Chinese mainland within just ten days of its release. It has appealed to audiences of all ages, who     2    (enthusiastic) recite poetry alongside the characters on screen, taking them on a fantastic journey. This film not only identifies with the Chinese people but also allows the world     3    (explore) the rich tradition of Tang poetry and the “Chinese Poetry Universe.”

The story centers around the deep friendship between poet Gao Shi and the romantic poet Li Bai, offering a brief look into the glorious history of the Tang era,     4     is known for its economic prosperity and cultural advancement. The 48 Tang poems     5    (feature) in the movie present a view of the most excellent poets of that time as well as their political ambitions and ideals. These poems transport audiences     6     sandy deserts to mist-filled regions along the Yangtze River.

Chang An is undoubtedly a masterpiece that shows the unique     7    (characteristic) of Chinese culture to the world. In China, poets and their poems     8    (consider) national treasures. These poems describe not only the historical changes of a dynasty, but also     9    (people) understanding of the world. The film has raised the audiences’ awareness and enhanced their love and     10    (believe) in Chinese culture.

For thousands of years, people have told fables (寓言) in     1     attempt to teach a lesson or to pass on wisdom. Fables were part of the oral tradition of many early cultures with the well-known Aesop’s fables     2    (date) to the sixth century, B.C. Yet, the form of the fable still has values today, as Rachel Carson says in “A Fable for Tomorrow.”

Carson uses a simple, direct style common to fable. In fact, her style, as well as tone (口吻), seemingly     3    (satisfy) the children. “There was once a town in the heart of America, where all life seemed     4    (enjoy) peaceful co-existence with is surroundings.” Her fable begins, with some familiar words    5     (adapt) from many age-old fables. Behind the simple style, however, is a serious message intended for everyone.

Different from traditional    6    (approach), Carson’s story ends with an accusation instead of a moral. She reminds people     7    the environmental dangers facing society, and she delivers the lesson     8     people must take responsibility for saving their environment.

The themes of traditional fables often deal with simple truths about everyday life. However, Cason’s theme is a more weighty warning about environmental destruction.     9    is likely that a simple lyric form that has been passed down through the ages can still be     10    (benefit) today to draw attention to important truths.