Shadowing Practice: Ciara Chantelle - "Ghostwriting" @ Voices In Power | Philadelphia | Spoken Word Poetry - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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I disappear into thin air very often.
37 sentences
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I disappear into thin air very often.
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A modern day William Shakespeare, I'm a ghost writer.
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Writing for any misconceived emotions because my two cents have never made sense except to my five senses.
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So understand that I never have intentions of coming back to life.
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When I'm in my head, I often forget that I tend to play dead.
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So I find myself playing charades with strangers attempting to amuse and entertain the crowd.
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I can be a clown for another round until Simon says, get back to the circus.
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Your thoughts have been unattended to for just a second, but I promise you, self-destruction has never felt this comfortable.
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I find comfort in my imagination, a safe haven, a replacement for awkward conversations.
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See, I see pirates on the trains and hidden treasures beneath the sands.
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I'm Alice in Wonderland, so forgive me if I feel safe here, dear, because it isn't you, it's me.
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Multiple thoughts at once are subtly seducing.
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This is mental polygamy at its best.
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Where rest is forbidden, I dream where the wild things are.
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Where Elm Street meets Jurassic Park and where thunderstorms meet Noah's Ark
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and where going to sleep is like agreeing to your dreams being lynched after dark.
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I wish my mind's pace were more patient, less audacious, more peaceful, less invasive, let's face it.
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Concentration will escape the second we're face to face.
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I wish me, myself, and I were more acquainted, but neither one of us are willing to initiate the mediation, you see.
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Patience and meditation seem far-fetched.
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I'm simply displaced, not detached.
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There's a difference.
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For instance, 24-7, three perspectives possess my attention, so answering any questions like, yo, what's on your mind, makes me nauseous.
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I fall into exhaustion struggling to find answers
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so I can literally taste the words nothing I'm absolutely fine regurgitate
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and become professional dancers rehearsing on my tongue a job well
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done to my puppets now the show must go on act 4 scene 1
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and I'm Macbeth watching witches prophesize my potential as
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if angels weren't convincing enough Aristotle convinced me this once no
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great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness
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because I'm buried alive and this little light of mine is a casket
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so please pull me a glass of whatever you have as we discuss how Edgar Allen Poe
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and Van Gogh appeared to the masses maybe then you'd understand my absence
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or how I almost sold my soul to Mary Jane in
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exchange for some rose-colored glasses you see distraction you see distractions are how I keep a peace of mind.
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But keep in mind that a penny for your thoughts couldn't buy a peace of mind.
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When I'm a mime in my interactions when you see me don't judge my actions I'm simply thinking out loud.

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Who Will Benefit from This Video?

This spoken word piece is perfect for intermediate to advanced English learners aiming to boost their english speaking practice and master expressive communication. It’s ideal for those who want to move beyond basic phrases and learn to convey complex emotions—great for shadowing (or "shadowspeak") practice, as the rhythmic flow and vivid imagery challenge you to match tone and pacing.

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

  • Two cents: Your opinion. Example: "My two cents on the movie? It was too long."
  • Play dead: Act unresponsive. Example: "He played dead when his mom asked about the broken vase."
  • Rose-colored glasses: A positive, unrealistic view. Example: "She sees the world through rose-colored glasses."
  • Penny for your thoughts: A request to share what someone is thinking. Example: "You’re quiet—penny for your thoughts?"

These phrases add color to everyday speech, making your English sound more natural.

How to Get the Accent Right

To nail the speaker’s pronunciation, focus on improve english pronunciation through shadowing ("shadow speak"). Notice her deliberate pauses after vivid imagery—e.g., "I’m Alice in Wonderland, so forgive me..."—and mimic the rise in tone to emphasize emotion. Pay attention to reduced forms like "it isn’t you, it’s me" (pronounced "it isn’t cha, it’s me") to sound more conversational. Practice the rhythmic cadence of lines like "mental polygamy at its best"—stress "mental" and "best" to maintain the poem’s flow. This will help you master both clarity and expressiveness in your speaking.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.