Reflection
In the poem “A litany for Survival”, Audre Lorde conveys the symbolism of fear to show that in any situation, there will always be something holding us back. Lorde contrasts common situations to help show that either way, there is a problem. When the author says “When we are loved we are afraid that/ love will vanish/ when we are alone we are afraid/ that love will never return”, and this exemplifies contrasting situations both ending up with fear as an outcome. Fear is is something the author conveys to us that it will always be inside of us. Lorde wants us to have the acceptance that “We were never meant to survive”, and I completely disagreed because it is like accepting the worse out of every situation. We may always have fear inside of us, but may even be conscious of it. Accepting that we will always have fear is a bad idea, because it brings the concept of failure to a reality and it pursues to hurt us. You may love someone so deeply, that you may not even think of love disappearing because the connection is so incredibly strong between the two people. Fear comes and goes, but the author makes it seem as if it is just a constant thing that haunt us forever destroying our lives. Lorde continues to state the negativity in completely different situations which frustrates me because the author is practically telling the reader to see and accept the worse in things. This is not the best way to live life, it almost seems as if the author is trying to bring the readers down in a way. The author also says “We are still afraid”, and this may be the case for us all deep down inside, but some people rather not look at every situation like that. Overall, I completely disagree with author's message, I believe that seeing the good in things will make you truly happy. "A Litany For Survival", by Audre Lorde (Poem not available to copy)
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Reflection
In the poem “At the Metropolitan Museum”, Matthew Siegel uses descriptive imagery of the moment to describe his feelings towards his mother when they have a dispute. It seems that the author likes to write his feelings out, I know this because I do it myself. The author says“I once called our fights a kind of dance in a poem I rightly tore up.”, and this shows that the author is putting every source of emotion into that poem. It’s the way the poet can express their emotions. When the poet says “I won’t call it anything I tell myself in the poem I told myself I wouldn’t write.”, I believe the poet may be afraid to revisit the scene, or just wants to let it go. He probably wants to let go of anger with his mom, but feels like every time he writes about it, he is just holding on to it. About this Poem “This poem is about facing a felt experience that the conscious mind resists while the unconscious demands further inquiry. The mother in the poem is both an obstacle and a path to a greater presence of mind. The challenge is getting the consciousness in line with the project of feeling what a given moment asks of us so we can uncover its lessons.” "At the Metropolitan Museum" By, Matthew Siegel I had sworn I wouldn’t write another poem about my mom but in the museum there is a room filled with centuries-old pottery sherds and it is difficult not to start seeing symbols everywhere. We walk through the frigid air toward a reconstructed temple, likely stolen, I say, and she looks at me. A rope keeps us from going further. Who are you texting? she asks and I want to scream but don’t. What question could she ask that wouldn’t make me bristle? I once called our fights a kind of dance in a poem I rightly tore up. I won’t call it anything I tell myself in the poem I told myself I wouldn’t write. I’d change the subject but resistance is a sign to go forward, I tell my students because something is wrong with me. So I go forward into what it might mean to struggle a few hours with the one who made me, whose dark I once lived inside. We step into the centuries between us and the vessels behind glass which once held water, grain, and now the silence of a light so gentle as to not damage the precious things. Reflection
In the poem “To The Swimmer”, Countee Cullen uses intense imagery of a swimmer to draw connections to having a strong heart. When Cullen says “battling and struggling with the waves against you”, I think it means that someone is struggling in life, but their support system is always with them. The author conveys that there will always be someone with even if you think there isn’t and that you're not alone. Everyone struggles in life, but they eventually make it through with the help of loved ones. I really like the way the poet described their heart when they say “My heart goes out to you of dauntless courage and spirit indomitable”, because it shows the value of their heart and that they are willing to give it all to the person they love. This stood out to me because it also shows that the person who is struggling keeps the good in their heart even when going through a tough time. The author continues to admire the character's strength and I really like the way poet describes the water the person is swimming in because the author makes it seem like the water is the support to the person swimming in it when they say “boundless expanse of blue.”, this makes the water seem like it is endless support to the swimmer that is willing to help the person effortlessly. I believe this poem is really about how there is endless love and support from your family, and friends and they will help you without a doubt. The poem has a transition when the author says “Is your heart as true as your arm?”, because the author is is asking if they are really as strong as they seem. This reason that this is considered a turning point is because throughout the poem, the author is helping the person in need and admiring their strength and now questioning whether if they are as strong as they seem. Overall, the poem’s purpose is to inform the reader that you will make it through no matter how difficult the situation is. "To The Swimmer", by Countee Cullen Now as I watch you, strong of arm and endurance, battling and struggling With the waves that rush against you, ever with invincible strength returning Into my heart, grown each day more tranquil and peaceful, comes a fierce longing Of mind and soul that will not be appeased until, like you, I breast yon deep and boundless expanse of blue. With an outward stroke of power intense your mighty arm goes forth, Cleaving its way through waters that rise and roll, ever a ceaseless vigil keeping Over the treasures beneath. My heart goes out to you of dauntless courage and spirit indomitable, And though my lips would speak, my spirit forbids me to ask, “Is your heart as true as your arm?” Reflection:
What I have learned from this experience is that everyone has faced different situations in their life that they have overcome. Not everyone has a perfect life, and not everyone is perfect. What surprised is how everyone put a piece of themselves in their poem and made it into a beautiful poem. I was shocked on how person some people got, they were so incredibly empowering and inspiring. I have learned how powerful words could be, and this impacted my love for writing to another lever. Poetry is a way to express your emotions and relate to some others as well. Overall, I believe that this assignment was incredible because it gave me a greater understanding of people are going through and how they deal with it. Quotes "You can only see me as the girl who cries" This line stood out to me because it really it represents the notion that women are inferior to men and that we are seen as weak, yet this line rejects it as I do. "There is a reason that they put pain in paintings" This line really provided a deeper meaning to paintings by exemplifying true pain that is felt by the painter and that can relate to the admirers. "My attempting to murder the thoughts that reoccur" I truly can relate with this line because of how the author tells of how they cannot erase bad memories and that they will linger forever, and I completely relate to this. "No one can control a hurricane" I really like the way that this line represents how anything out of control cannot be tamed by anyone, and that the object has its own power. "My prized and perished possession" I cannot really relate to line line, but I really enjoyed the poem, it was amusing. Reflection: In the poem “I, too” Langston Hughes, utilizes the repetition of the word "too" to emphasize the segregation between African Americans and America. This happens when Hugh says “ Tomorrow/ I’ll be at the table too/ when company comes.” and this demonstrates the horrible relationship between African Americans and Americans. Hughes then shows the segregation when they state “I too,/ am American”, and this demonstrates how Americans treat others like their under them and how they are treated as inferior. Everyone is equal, Hughes also thinks the same when he says say “They’ll see how beautiful I am”, and this tells how proud they are to be an African American. I believe Hughes uses this piece of poetry to empower all African Americans and to emphasize the major, but suppressed segregation in life. "I Too", by Langston Hughes I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table When company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, “Eat in the kitchen,” Then. Besides, They’ll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed— I, too, am America. I believe that this poem is written to describe why people who are in danger in their country, do not want to be there. When the author says “no one puts their child in a boat unless the water is safer than land”, I think the this means that no one will put their child in any setting of danger. I really like the way the poet describes their home when they say, “I want to go home, but home is the mouth of a shark”, because it really emphasizes their love for their country, but must let it go because of its dangers. The author ends the poem by saying “ I don’t know what I've become but I know that anywhere is safer than here”, because it uncovers the meaning, ‘love has to be sacrificed for safety”. This poem has left me heartbroken, It really impacted me as the author described the conditions of them and how they stay strong through really intense situations. I really dislike to think of the conditions of scared people in the world, it leaves me disappointed in my country. My countries current president has left the innocent people to nothing and has completely blocked them out. I think our country has forgotten what humanity is.
"Home" by Warson Shire no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark you only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well your neighbors running faster than you breath bloody in their throats the boy you went to school with who kissed you dizzy behind the old tin factory is holding a gun bigger than his body you only leave home when home won’t let you stay. no one leaves home unless home chases you fire under feet hot blood in your belly it’s not something you ever thought of doing until the blade burnt threats into your neck and even then you carried the anthem under your breath only tearing up your passport in an airport toilets sobbing as each mouthful of paper made it clear that you wouldn’t be going back. you have to understand, that no one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land no one burns their palms under trains beneath carriages no one spends days and nights in the stomach of a truck feeding on newspaper unless the miles travelled means something more than journey. no one crawls under fences no one wants to be beaten pitied no one chooses refugee camps or strip searches where your body is left aching or prison, because prison is safer than a city of fire and one prison guard in the night is better than a truckload of men who look like your father no one could take it no one could stomach it no one skin would be tough enough the go home blacks refugees dirty immigrants asylum seekers sucking our country dry niggers with their hands out they smell strange savage messed up their country and now they want to mess ours up how do the words the dirty looks roll off your backs maybe because the blow is softer than a limb torn off or the words are more tender than fourteen men between your legs or the insults are easier to swallow than rubble than bone than your child body in pieces. i want to go home, but home is the mouth of a shark home is the barrel of the gun and no one would leave home unless home chased you to the shore unless home told you to quicken your legs leave your clothes behind crawl through the desert wade through the oceans drown save be hunger beg forget pride your survival is more important no one leaves home until home is a sweaty voice in your ear saying- leave, run away from me now i dont know what i’ve become but i know that anywhere is safer than here |
AuthorNicolette LaMarr |