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| Two men I met at the park in November |
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| Oppenheimer Park Sign |
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| A bench across the park from ours |
1) Visit a park, choose a bench,explain your choice, and describe your bench.
As I'm walking down Powell St. with my mom, Starbucks coffee in hand, the sun had just begun to set behind the tips of the Vancouver skyscrapers. We began to pass Oppenheimer Park when my mum took me by the hand and sat me down on the bench closest to the corner of Jackson and Powell. The bench had older looking wood, the stain from it washed away by many sunny summer days. As I ran my hand across the weathered wood, I couldn't help but look at the description. To Barb, Mother, Wife, Friend. It was so sweet, a great idea for people to enjoy and help you remember your loved one.There were no carvings on it, no graffiti or anything like that, but it was definitely well used. The wood had begun to sink in between eat bottom support, and the bolts that held the wood to the metal had started to eat away the wood that it was supposed to support.
2) From the bench, describe what you see, what you feel, what you think and what you want.
We sat there, "people watching," as I enjoyed our surroundings. My mum and I did this on regular basis, going to the same spot every time. The warm summer laced air swept around us as Downtown natives bustled around us. Across the park, groups of people sat together in the sun, laughing loudly, filling the air with a warmth that only friends could give. My mum and I barely talked, all we did was watch the people around us, occasionally taking a sip of coffee while we enjoyed the park. to our left, a small modern play ground had mothers and fathers with their young children, trying to keep a safe hand on their child while they scamper laughing out of their reach.
3) If a bench were dedicated to you, where would you like the bench, and what would you like the inscription to say?
If I were to have my name put on a bench, I would want a park bench down on the sea wall just beside the lions gate bridge. When ever I go away traveling for the summer, I always think about how I want to move away and never come back That there is a place better than here, and that I would be happier in a new place... but every time I come home, and drive over that gorgeous green bridge with it's bright white lights... I know that there is no other place in the world as beautiful and unique as Vancouver. My inscription would say, "No matter where the wind takes me, I'm always coming home." I want people to know that this is one of the most wonderful places you can ever be and a bench would be a great way to do it.
4) If you dedicated a bench, where would you like the bench and what would you like the inscription to say?
When I was sitting in the park with my mum, she sighed heavily and closed her eyes. She looked so peaceful, more peaceful than I had ever seen her before. If I were to dedicate a bench to her, I would have to dedicate the one we were sitting on, or make one right beside it. I looked to my right and saw a open place. Right there, I thought, a nice deep brown wood with carvings of sunflowers. The inscription would say "For Trudi, now she can always have a place to people watch." I truthfully don't even want to think of when I have to get something for my mom's loving memory... so I would definitely do this with her.
5) Write a journal response about your trip to the park.
It was really just another day. My mum and I wanted to go somewhere since it was so nice out. I thought it would be a good excuse to get a photo project done, and take some nice photos of the downtown area. It was one of the first nice nights in Vancouver, and the day had gone from overly hot to a pleasant warmth, where you are still able to wear a t-shirt comfortably. Mr. Hallam had just announced the "Bench Project" and shown us the videos on it, and I told my mum. She thought it was a cool idea, to open your eyes to something that people don't normally take a thought to, let alone teenagers. We grabbed a Starbucks coffee, and took a stroll down Powell St. where everyone was walking and enjoying the sun. Being the lazy teenager I am, I asked my mom to sit with me on the bench near the playground. "We can people watch!" my mom said. All around us, people walked and enjoyed each others company. Let me just say, this was not the nicest part of Vancouver... People were selling items on the sidewalk, stolen or found, I was not sure. Everyone except my mom and I smoked cigarettes and yelled profanities at each other from across the park, but they weren't mean hateful profanities, more like a happy/jokey greeting among friends. Not within 10 minutes of sitting there, a woman came and sat beside us. She was wearing clothes that were definitely too big for her and she, like everyone else, smoked a cigarette. She looked at me and smiled, asking me how i was doing.
I don't exactly know how, but we some how got on the topic of her entire life. Apparently she was from a wealthy family, but she dropped out of school in Victoria and ran away to Vancouver where she got into "bad stuff." She seemed sad when she spoke of that, but after a long drag from her cigarette she looked me in the eyes and said an entire speech. "Stay in school, and don't let boys define your life, kid, you got your whole life ahead of you. Not only will you have time to worry about boys later, but you got a whole life time to think of what you want." I thought it was great advice, and sometimes I think of this random lady when ever i have tough teenage problems. Although, the fact that she instantly switched to the topic of her cat kind of drew me off the great advice.
Later, after she had three cigarettes and commented on my clothes and my mums hair, she slunk away never to be seen again. My mum had finished her coffee and asked me if I took any pictures, which I hadn't. A woman, missing a few teeth and having a drunken swagger about her, slurred at me to take a picture of her. I happily obliged as she posed in various ways, then showing her how awesome she looked. She giggled and thank me, walked away, mumbling something about becoming famous. The sun had passed the buildings, and a chill began to sweep though downtown. "Our sign to leave."
6) Choose a poem that suits your bench and explain the choice. Include a copy of the poem.
A Team - Ed Sheeran
White lips, pale face,
Breathing in snowflakes
Burnt lungs, sour taste
Light's gone, day's end
Struggling to pay rent
Long nights, strange men
And they say She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18
But lately her face seems Slowly sinking, wasting,
Crumbling like pastries
And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
Cos we're just under the upper hand
Go mad for a couple grams
And she don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
Or sells love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly
Angels to fly
Ripped gloves, raincoat
Tried to swim, stay afloat
Dry house, wet clothes
Loose change, bank notes
Weary-eyed, dry throat
Call girl, no phone
And they say She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18
But lately her face seems Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
Cos we're just under the upper hand
And go mad for a couple grams
And she don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
Or sells love to another man
It's too cold outside, For angels to fly, An angel will die
Covered in white, Closed eye And hoping for a better life,
This time, we'll fade out tonight Straight down the line
And they say She's in the Class A Team Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18 But lately
her face seems Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
They scream, The worst things in life come free to us
And we're all under the upper hand
And go mad for a couple grams
And we don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe we fly to the Motherland
Or sell love to another man
It's too cold outside For angels to fly, To fly, For angels to die.
I have been to the bench in the winter (pictures above), and it gets extremely windy there, but there is always someone in a good mood. whether they are laying on the wet bench or greeting people who walk by, but I have also seen their hallow faces... it's truly heart breaking to see someone this way, and that's why this poem basically describes the people who sit and spend their days on that bench. Like the woman I spoke to, many others had big dreams and made a bad mistake, and now they "go mad for a couple grams" or "sell love to another man".
7) Explain how your peom connects to your personal philosophy of life.
This poem connects to my personal philosophy with life by being realistic. I believe that reality is a hard path to walk on and if you cant grip it you're not going to get where you want. You can't go out and play until your chores are all done, which is what basically every mom says, prepping a child for the bitter sweetness of reality where in order to do the things you like, you have to save up your money and work hard. Then maybe one day they will achieve a goal of theirs. Carpe Diem is deffinately a big philosophy of mine as well. To see the day is what every one should do, "Dream like you will live forever, but live as if you will die tomorrow."
8) What is the purpose of a park? What are your thoughts about parks?
Parks are so that, even in a busy city that continues to grow, nature is still there. Stanley Park is a preservation of nature and the animals in it, but in Oppenheimer (the one where my bench is) is more for recreational activities, where kids can play sports, or play on the playground within it. I think that parks are amazing, in fact, I spent my entire summer last year trekking through Banff National Park, and enjoying the fun activities have to offer. Now a days, we all seem to forget that there is things to do outdoors, with all the computers, video games and high definition televisions. Parks in cities are to help people get outside to enjoy nature without having to go far. There are always national and provincial parks to go to that preserve nature in all it's glory, and have fun outdoor activities.
9) Write a poem reflecting upon your bench expirience or your impending high school graduation.
Welcome to Reality by Dani McLaughlin
Here it comes,
that one step left
before you leave forever.
No more exams,
but don't worry,
you got work at 6am.
Reality,
the single approaching tsunami
that you walk toward with open arms
ignorant of the terrifying experience that waits before us.
"You are all unique"
They preach as we all
sit in matching gowns and caps.
Yeah, just like everyone else.
That bridge, the last you have to cross
before you are looked upon as
Normal.
Adult;
Resume, Interview, Job, Car,
Rent, Gas, Groceries, Utilities,
Clothes, Furniture, Wedding, House
Baby,
College fund,
Retirement fund,
Life.
Welcome to reality.
10) POSTED.
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