Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

Remembrance Day song- Green Fields of France November 10, 2013

Filed under: Poetry,video — Shawn L. Bird @ 1:12 pm
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Eric Bogle wrote my two favourite Remembrance Day songs.  I always weep while I play or sing sing them.  Beautiful and poignant pieces that explore huge themes.  While we acknowledge the sacrifices of those who went away to war, we must also recognize the need to better ways to deal with conflict.  When dealing with bullies, it’d be nice if discussion would bring about resolution, but so often, they only understand a  big stick.  It is the worst thing about humanity.  The fact that people are willing to deal with those bullies, for whatever motivation, is still sadly necessary.  So, here is Eric Bogle’s “Green Fields of France.”

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video- wherein Shawn recites a tongue twister with increasing speed August 28, 2013

Filed under: fun,video — Shawn L. Bird @ 2:16 pm
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One of my stranger talents is the recitation of this tongue twister.  My students over the years have been entertained, and the last couple of years they have encouraged me to record it for Youtube.  Here it is at last!  lol  Enjoy! 😉

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The words are,

“Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said, the butter’s bitter.  If I put it in my batter, it will make my butter bitter.  So she bought a bit of butter, better than the bitter butter, and she put it in her batter and the batter wasn’t bitter. So t’was better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter.”

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Sesame Street- Sons of Poetry August 16, 2013

Filed under: fun,Poetry,video — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:45 pm
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I have to show this to my English classes on Poetry Friday next year. lol

The Sons of Poetry aren’t quite as efficient as Rhymezone.com, but they’re much more entertaining!

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memory- This One’s for Shawn August 9, 2013

Filed under: anecdotes,Friendship,video — Shawn L. Bird @ 9:36 am
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Earlier this week, Diana Gabaldon dedicated her Daily Lines to me, and sent out to her 250,000 fans on Facebook and Twitter the message #ThisOnesForShawnLBird.  I was just remembering another time when my heart was warmed to bursting by a dedication from someone I looked up to.

Once upon a time, when I was 15 or so, a boy I adored worked once a week as a Disc Jockey on a late night radio show in Calgary.  Some nights, even though I lived 650 km away on the other side of the Rocky Mountains,  I could listen to him on the skip that happens when meteorological conditions were good.  One night I called him up to say I was listening, and he dedicated this song to me.  I have the dedication on tape, and when I hear it, it still chokes me up!  If you have fond memories of your first love, you may want to get out a handkerchief.

“This one goes all the way out to Kelowna, BC.  This one’s for Shawn…”

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(I sing “Share this thought with me” as “You shared the start with me”  Hmm.  Either way!

How about you?  Do you have fond memories of a very public dedication you received from someone special?  Tell us about it!

 

my first video poem- Dear Sam Heughan August 4, 2013

Filed under: OUTLANDERishness,Poetry,video — Shawn L. Bird @ 2:14 am
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It took a whole lot longer than I expected, but I managed to record a video, despite the objections of the dogs, the fact that apparently there is not enough light in my house to film a video at midnight for some reason, and the fact that YouTube no longer believes I am who I am, so I had to make a new channel!

I’ve been meaning to do this for ages, so I’m feeling quite accomplished!  Today we were at a wedding, and I’m still a gilded lily, so what better time, right?

Since the most popular poem on my blog (by a LONG shot) is Dear Sam Heughan that is where I began. (If you haven’t read it you may want to.  The Twitter debate at the end is entertaining).  Anyway, here I am, in all my animated splendour!  

Oh- sorry about the hair flipping.  I didn’t realise I do that quite so much! 😉  I’ll try to tone that down next time.

Also- YouTube offered me three options of mutated zombie type versions of myself for the thumbnail you see below.  I apologize that you have to see this.  Rest assured, the other two were worse.

Addendum: Diana Gabaldon made me feel like the most honoured person on the planet when amid a fire storm of the bizarre she dedicated her Daily Lines to me on August 5th.  I read those hashtags and positively GLOW!

 

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