Application to Corbin College

I am writing to you today to accentuate my excellence and explain my importance to you needing me in your college.

I first swam the English channel at the age of 7, but halfway through I got bored and did it backwards with my eyes shut. I managed to prove the existence of Bigfoot when I saw him from space on my way to the moon. I have never taken a single breath, air just wants to be in my lungs. It was recently discovered that the big bang happened when my heart started beating. It took me a year and a half to travel to the edge of the universe and back. I've seen all seven wonders of the world and decided to make an eighth. They say that the city of Atlantis is lost, that’s only because I hid it so well. Every year on the night of December 24^th I backpack the earth and deliver gifts to all good children on the planet. Last week I spent some time feeding children in Africa. This week I have exams. Yet I have never attended Corbin college.

I excitedly await your acceptance letter.

-Corbin

Adding Detail

               I have sat in this dank, dreary hallway outside my grandfathers room for a little over 3 days. It is my home. I have forced myself to become accustom to that stinging aroma of hand sanitizer, and I myself now must hold an aura of the scent. That constant hum of machinery is managing to be a sedative to my fractured mind state. I must wait. I have been told it would be a week at the soonest before my grandfather would even speak again, none the less stand and come home. The floor seems to be like a nice soft meadow of grass, beckoning me into the embrace of sleep. I can see the doctor coming towards me. He is a shadow walking with his head in a low hang. I can only think the worst of whats to come. My mouth has that sandy dry taste as he approaches closer. He appears to be a mountain towering over me as I sit and wait for him to speak. He speaks but I have droned out all that he is saying as I hear an all to frightening sound. The sound of a flatline.

Beatlemania

      Beatlemania is a term said to be coined by a former Scottish music promoter Andi Lothian in 1963.  Beatlemania commonly refers to the period of time in which the Beatles popularity grew massively with merchandise etc. This massive amount of popularity led to die hard fans who were often screaming hysterical women. These screaming women are one of the potential reasons that the Beatles broke up since you could not hear their music over the screaming. This popular period of time was also evident simply by the immense amount of record sales in both the United States and England. In the United States the Beatles managed to hold “Let it be” at the top of the top 100 list for a total of 59 weeks. To accentuate their popularity we can just look at sheer numbers; when the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in February of 1964 the program was estimated to have been viewed by about 73-million people. In addition to this as the Beatles arrived in Adelaide they were greeted by upwards of 300,000 people. mania is a suffix that is directly defined as extreme popularity for a short period of time. An example of this for people from the 90's would be "Spicemania" or "Tebowmania" both referring to brief popularity or a fad.

1. Poet: Saul Williams
2. Poem: Sha-Clack-Clack
3. Synopsis: This poem shows that the black people as a race have already overcome the largest hurdle of racism, yet they have not defeated the greatest foe of all, which is time.
4. Important poetic technique: Saul Williams has a way of using superb diction to power his point along with being able to make excellent connections with his audience. His way of using dynamics tends to force the audience to listen to what he is saying.
5. Favorite line: “I am a negro! Yes negro, negro from necro meaning death,
   I overcame it so they named me after it” This line stands out to me because it shows the driving force that the black race has used to keep on pushing past the ostensive racism and blatant name-calling.

1. Poet: Taylor Mali
2. Poem: What Teachers Make
3. Synopsis: This poem tells the story of why there is more to our life than just money, that instead making a difference will always matter more.
4. Important poetic techniques: 

Corbin G.

Why My Homework Wasn’t Done

     I took a long hard look at my feet as I muttered the first thing I could think of. “Well you see sir, this past weekend our class took a short submarine trip to the bottom of the ocean where many were left to their deaths.”

     

     “Ah yes,” acknowledged Mr. VanCamp “I remember that quite well, what an unfortunate turn of events indeed”

    My brain quickly turned to overload and I soon conjured up the greatest, most undeniable excuse of all time. “Well sir due to lack of poor judgment on your part, you decided to leave me to die with the rest.”

     “A decision I greatly regret. However I must know the details of your miraculous escape. How did you survive the poison?”

     I spoke in a tone of pride as I remarked “Surviving the poison was the easy part. You see sir, over the past few years I have dedicated time to developing an immunity to the stuff just in case of this treacherous situation”

     I could see that I had taken Mr. Van Camp a back as he curiously leaned in a little closer and questioned. “And then what happened?”

     “Using only the items I could rummage from my right pocket, I managed to jimmy open the ruthless door you left us to die behind.”

     “What I was able to find was a meager deck of cards as well as a small pack of matches.” I had him right where I where I wanted. I could dance around the topic all day if I wanted to.

     “That would leave escape impossible!” chuckled Mr. Van Camp.

     I racked my brain to come up with a compelling solution to this problem. “As many do not know, each card contains a thin layer of nitrate on the surface that can quite easily be scratched off.”

     In a somewhat angry manner Mr. Van Camp glowered “Of course! How could I not have thought of that?”

     “Aye Sir, all it took from there was the mere spark of a match to blow that door wide open!”

     “Upon opening the hatch to the deadly ocean above, I found myself bombarded by the ice cold embrace of water.”

      “This is no excuse as to why your homework never made it in,” Grumbled Mr. Van Camp “It would still leave you with plenty of time for it to be completed.”

    This is what I had waited for; it was time to unleash the ferocity of my true excuse. “Well sir, being the excellent student I am, I had brought my homework along with me to complete on this voyage. However upon attempting to swim to the surface this homework became quite wet and virtually unreadable. That is why I stand before you today pleading for a second chance.”

    “And a second chance you shall have! Never in my career as an educator has an excuse brought me to tears.” Sobbed Mr. Van Camp.

Corbin Graham
132 Penrose Court
Penticton, B.C.
V2A 9B6

February 22, 2013



Captain Van Camp
Commander
HMS Princess Margaret

O Captain, My Captain:

         

So… it has come to this. Trapped in a metal tube that is soon to be many of our caskets. Only very few of us will be spared and I am determined to be one of those few. The life of a mere young boy like myself may seem trivial to you, however this young soul has much more to offer to the world then what meets the eyes. His regular shy and reserved attitude does not apply to this life or death situation. It’s time to enter my life and walk a day in my shoes where you will then understand why I must be spared.

Have you ever been to the hospital? Dreary isn’t it? The insufficient amount of people who set their day to make it a little bit brighter must be spared. As you may not know I am a Health Care Cadet (commonly referred to as Candy Stripers). I am one of those dedicated few who forfeit hours and hours each year to kindle the dwindling fire of peoples will to live. Imagine, if you will, our world having all hope extinguished with the death of one boy when all he wanted to do was make people happy. For simply this reason my life should be spared but if more assurance is necessarily I shall happily oblige.

How does one cope with the crippling loss of a loved one? Now how would they cope when the heart and soul of the family is buried twenty thousand leagues under the sea? It’s a very morbid thought, do you not agree? Sixteen short years I have lived, and in those years I have pulled my family closer then a tight knit scarf that is always there to comfort one another. Yes there may be others who have this strong bond, yet how many of those others have also traveled the world with one another? We are a one in a trillion family that can only be separated by my passing. I appreciate any consideration you give to letting me live my life to the fullest and simply want to leave you with a quote “ believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact” William James.

Sincerely,

Signature

Corbin Graham