This Life Is Your Life

1. From what poem/author does this commercial borrow (without credit)?
2. Why might the use of this poem by a corporation be considered ironic?
3. Does the poem reflect the reputation of the author? Why/why not?
4. How did you find the answers to #1 & #3? Describe your research process and your sources in detail.
5. MEMORIZE the poem and be prepared to recite it on demand.

You can find the video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT16DcHcjRA&feature=player_embedded


Here is the poem written out.

Your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
Be on the watch.
There are ways out.
There is a light somewhere.
It may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
Be on the watch.
The gods will offer you chances.
Know them.
Take them.
You can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
And the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
Your life is your life.
Know it while you have it.
You are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

Answers:
 #1. The poem is called The Laughing Heart and it is written by Charles Bukowski.
#2. This poem is considered ironic because it is about Levi's and the poem is saying that you should enjoy your life and have fun.
#3. No, the poem does not reflect the reputation of the author because he had a hard life and the poem is about having fun and to do something in your life.
#4. I found number 1 by going to google.com and typing in Levi's Go Forth. milan-poetry.blogspot.com/2007/03/laughing-heart-charles-bukowski.html I found the answer to number 2 by typing in Charles Bukowski timeline and it gave me all of his events in his life. The major events in his life were very bad. bukowski.net/timeline/