It is posted as a page above!
Complete this assignment in your notebook then..
PREPARE FOR OUR ONLINE FISHBOWL AND WORKSHOP!
Watch the video Anthology Traces Rap's Lyrical Journey, Poetic Roots.
Write a one-paragraph reaction in your notebook to share in class.
https://youtu.be/GBA4A4Q6pSs
Reaction- 2-3 Sentences
Check Out one of the stand up poets from the HBO special Brave New Voices...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYaOuQJUI84&feature=related
Reaction: 2-3 sentences- What is your reaction to "Favorite Color"?
Please Watch Alicia Keys
P.O.W
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oElUUt4mxgc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYaOuQJUI84&feature=related
Reaction: 2-3 sentences- What is your reaction to "Favorite Color"?
Please Watch Alicia Keys
P.O.W
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oElUUt4mxgc
What is your Reaction to "POW"?
PART III
Visit WWW.POETS.ORG ALSO KNOWN AS THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS. PERUSE THE WEBSITE! You can sign up for a poem a day if you like!! This is one of my favorite websites !!
For YOUR WORKSHOP: CHoose TWO POEMS from Poets.org (Love) that you feel passionate about and that evoke emotion in you. PRINT THE POEMS if you have a printer.. If not, write down your favorite stanzas in your notebook.. The website is fantastic and has poems listed by subject. You can peruse the LOVE section and choose two you like. In addition, Choose ONE song you really like and print the lyrics.. If you do not have a printer.. choose one song and write down your favorite lines..
You will need the poems and your song for our fishbowl.
Poems and song should have a related theme. Answer the following and post it as a comment for our class fishbowl!
Why did you choose poem 1? Discuss the theme of love as it relates to the poem why? Provide examples and quotes. What emotions did it evoke? Describe the tone of the poem?
What is the poets purpose? Provide a concrete example and lines in in-text citation to support ideas.
Do the same for POEM 2 -
Discuss how both poems you chose and the theme relate to the song you chose. Discuss why? PRovide at least 2 examples.
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PUB 4! It is POSTED!
SONG OF THE WEEKEND
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What to Look Forward to!
PUB #4
Zoom CLASS April 30th!
Zoom Class 5/5
Final Lecture: The Human Condition & Literature!
I cannot wait to read your reflective lyrical essay!
Thomas Dominic
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the video and am glad that people are looking at these lyrics as works of literature. However, in today’s rap culture the emphasis is on beats and catchy melodies. The days of rappers being poets has fallen by the wayside. People like Eric b, Andre 3000, Tupac, Etc. have written some outstanding and gripping poetry. I often listen though these songs and others, and I marvel at the inter play of words and some of their rhyming schemes. It most certainly tales many of the same skills as a poet.
I also enjoyed Miss Key’s poetry tremendously. The line that really stuck out to me is when she says: I’m an old prisoner dying to be young and when she says she has thoughts she’s dying to express but are trapped in her mind. She really makes the audience feel her pain and provides countless examples of her feeling trapped. She does not simply read this poem; it came straight from her heart.
I choose to pick two poems by Shakespeare, and one song by Cyndi Lauper to really convey the message that love is eternal and unwavering. The first poem I picked was Let me not to the marriage of true minds. It really resonated with me while reading and provides many examples and a sort of guideline for what love really is. One of the most powerful lines in the sonnet is when he describes the eternity of love. “Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks but bears it out even to the edge of doom.” It shows that love is not something to be thrown by the wayside when you get bored, or tough times emerge. It is this commitment forever that makes love so special. Another work of literature that really conveys this same notion as Shakespeare is Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time. This also is a song about the eternity and commitment love entails. She says, “If you're lost you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting Time after time.” She says this throughout the song, and it really drives home that the one you love should always be there waiting for you. It is a very powerful song; it keeps mentioning time and time again that Cyndi will in fact be there through thick and thin, which we all should strive for. It ties in closely with Shakespeare’s sonnet, however another prime example that conveys the same message as his other work and Miss.Lauper is Shall I compare thee to a summer's day. In this sonnet he says “Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date.” In this sonnet he portrays the idea of falling deeply in love and apricating beauty. Just like in the other two works of literature, here Shakespeare intricately describes how deeply in love one can fall, and the lengths they will go for this person. All three of this examples show how powerful and undeniable the attraction of love is, and the lengths people will go for their loved ones.
I found “favorite Color” to be very powerful and emotional because of how much emotion the woman felt. I like how the woman stated, “humans just have crazy tendencies when we want someone to love us” because it portrays a major human factor of how people feel if people don’t show any love or affection.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the video with Alicia Keys because of how powerful her poem was. When she stated, “I’m a prisoner of words instead just lonely feelings locked away in my head” I found it to be touching because of her tone which helped the viewers perceive her poem as inspirational.
The first poem I chose is “Love’s Secret” by William Blake. I chose this poem because of how interesting his views about love after his lover rejects him. Blake stated, “I told my love, I told my love, I told her all my heart, trembling, cold, in ghastly fears. Ah! She did depart!” (Blake). The poet is portraying to the readers the idea of love in terms of being rejected because he wants readers to ponder about the different ways love can go in terms of getting rejection, jealousy or fear. In Blakes case, the man was rejected after expressing all of his love for a woman who had left him. At the end of the poem, the man observed a traveler who he had “took her with a sigh” (Blake) portraying how easily he had moved on from rejection.
The second poem I chose was “Love and a Question by Robert Frost. I chose this poem because of how interesting the story line was. A stranger went to a newly married couples house asking for a place to stay because he needed shelter for the night. The bridegroom throughout the poem pondered about helping the stranger until he saw his wife by stating, “Her face rose-red with the glowing coal.. And the thought of the heart’s desire” (Frost). After the bridegroom saw his wife the idea of helping the stranger diminished portraying the readers the idea of losing ones’ morals. The bridegroom is more worried about the idea of his wife getting hurt more than helping out a stranger who had nowhere to stay for the night. Robert Frost shows the humanistic ideal of how people can lose their morals when it comes to love.
Mac Kenzie Tierney
ReplyDeleteI really cherish the video and how the people are looking at rappers as poets of their works. As you can see, rappers in the 1970’s are different then today. I liked how Common and the interviewer were talking about seeing beyond the stereotypes, and how the outsiders don’t understand the depth in what they are saying.
The poem “Favorite Color” was very powerful and opened my eyes to young adults who express pain and heartache in their own way. The poet is comparing herself to color trying to decrypt what color her mom sees her as that will shine her love for her daughter instead of black and white images because her love is fading. The pain she endures as she speaks voice trembling because she wants to be loved and accepted not tolerated.
I feel like listening to P.O.W Alicia Keys does a tremendous job of portraying it. I interpret the poem and how people have self doubt about themselves and they walk the world trying to find themselves but instead they cage themselves by holding their own tongue.
One poem I chose about love was “LoveSong'' by William Carlos Williams. I think this poem is about a man thinking about his love and comparing her to the light from a sunset and how it affects the trees, seemingly symbolising him. It has a rich description of colors you would normally find in a sunset with the line "the wine-red selvage of the west!' is a large clue as to determine what time of day it is and what the light imagery throughout was referring to. Also the 'smooth purple sky' could mean that it is close to the night because the night sometimes appears to be a smooth purple sky. It takes the form of a song because of the use of alliteration, for example 'limb to limb', 'whole world', 'leaf to leaf' and finally the most obvious being yellow, yellow, yellow'. The use of saffron and honey to describe colors is very aromatic and suggests that perhaps this view of love is a positive and powerful thing. We gain, as readers, an individual insight into the poem through the use of the language rather than the poet just telling his readers that he is in love as we can put our own meaning into the poem. Another poem I chose was “The More Loving One” by W. H. Auden. I love how Auden begins his poem with typical romanticism and the act of ‘looking up at the stars’ and then immediately follows with the abrupt claim that ‘for all they care, I can go to hell.’ Auden is immediately clarifying his realist perspective to us readers, but also addresses that this kind of indifference is not the most evil our world has to offer as there are far worse things ‘we have to dread.’ He points out to us that if it were that the ‘stars would burn with a passion for us’ our planet would catch a blaze it would end in destruction. If we continue with the interpretation that the poem is discussing the pains of unrequited love, we can infer that Auden has deduced that ‘equal affection’ is not always possible and not always a positive thing. Affection and attraction can result in damaging relationships filled with obsession and jealousy. He thus concludes that if this ‘equal affection cannot be, then let the more loving one be me’, diluting his pain with the antidote that if all does not go the way in which he willed, he can still pride himself on his ability to love and protect the one who evokes his affections from the pain he suffers.
Nicholas Rella
ReplyDeleteProfessor Brady
English 102
30 April 2020
Part 1
This poem was very emotional, and I liked it a lot. For this young girl to stand on that stage and talk about something so personal and so emotional was very brave. I admire this girl a lot and if everyone had the ability to open up about themselves, the world would be a lot better of a place.
Part 2
This is a very emotional poem. I like the rhyming scheme and the overall theme, about how she feels like she’s trapped in her own head. I also like how she uses visualization and vocal variety as well. She does a fantastic fantastic job of making everyone emotional and feel how she feels. Overall it was fantastic performance and it was enjoyable to watch and I enjoyed it a lot.
Part 3
The poem How do I Love Thee, by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is an excellent example of a love poem. In this poem, the narrator is describing how they love someone. For example, the poem states, “I love thee to the depth and breadth and height.” To me this means that the narrator is saying that they love someone with all their heart and soul. This poem has a very bright undertone, it's not about loving someone who doesn’t love you back its just describing how the narrator loves someone. This poem evokes very positive emotions and it reminds me of the people I love.
The second poem I chose is called For Keeps, by Joy Harjo. This poem reminds me a lot of just wanting to spend time with the people that you love. For example, “There is nowhere else I want to be but here.” In this case I think the narrator is describing how she want to be with the person that she loves. Throughout the whole poem, the narrator is simply saying that she wants to spend time with the person that she loves. This poem once again reminds me of the people that I love, and that even in these difficult times, it's still important to spend time with loved ones.
Both of these poems remind me a lot of Just the Way You Are, By Bruno Mars. In this song Mars, says “Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she'd let me.” This reminds me a lot of the first poem, just because he describes how much he loves her, and he could kiss her all day and show his love for her all the time. In the first poem, the narrator is describing how much they love someone. This quote also reminded me a lot of the second poem.This is because the quote is also saying how he wants to spend all day with this girl and that he could just get lost in her. Another quote that reminds me of these poems is “She's so beautiful, and I tell her everyday.” This first part reminds me of the second poem just because, he’s describing one of the reasons that he loves her, because she is beautiful. The second part of the quote reminds me of the second poem because, he want to tell her everyday how much he means to her and how beautiful she, and he wants to spend all day with her. That is how that song is related to those two poems.
Rey Maloco Jr.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Brady
ENG 102
30 April 2020
Fishbowl Week 14 4/26
Part 1)
I 100% agree with Adam Bradley when he says that rap is related to poetry. Rap can contain imagery, emotion, stories, etc. just like any other poem can. As stated in the video, “Rap has rhythm, complex rhyme schemes, allusive and metaphoric language.” (PBS). Music in general has had a huge impact on my life because it has been there for me during hard times and great times. For example the song “Love Yourz” by J.Cole, contains exceptional poetry and use of pathos to encourage self- love. In my opinion, J. Cole is the best rapper today, mainly due to how lyrical he is and how he’s able to tell such powerful stories through his music. The evolution of rap has been one of the most interesting things that I am grateful for experiencing.
Part 2)
“Favorite Color” by Jay Davis – I was unprepared for the power and emotion that was present in the poem. This was an amazing piece that many people can relate to. The line “Humans just have crazy tendencies when they just want someone to love us” really stood out to me.
“P.O.W” by Alicia Keys- This was also an amazing performance and piece. The word play and creativity in this poem were executed perfectly. The line “…prison of words unsaid” stood out to me, because it was something I can relate to.
Part 3)
Poem 1- “Why I Love Thee?” by Sadkichi Hartmann - https://poets.org/poem/why-i-love-thee-0
Poem 2- “You Are Who I Love” - https://poets.org/poem/you-are-who-i-love
The poem “Why I Love Thee?” caught my attention because of how it portrays love. The poem compares his love to natural actions of earth. For example he says “Why I love thee?; Ask why the seawind water,; Why the shore is aflush with the tide,;” (Hartmann). To me, these types of examples represent natural, unquestionable, and raw love that someone has for another. The poem continues with “Where the waves sing themselves to sleep;” (Hartmann) to further emphasize the innate love. The use of words and imagery help to give off a comforting and loving tone. Reading this made me wonder and hope that I live to feel this way about someone.
The poem “You Are Who I Love” by Aracelis Girmay just like “Why I Love Thee?” uses examples to portray a natural and grateful sense of love. This poem uses more everyday actions to describe the love in the poem. For example, “You are who I love… You dancing in the kitchen, on the sidewalk, in the subway waiting for train…” (Girmay). This quote highlights specific memories and actions that has made the love stronger. “You are who I love, throwing your hands up in agony or disbelief, shaking your head, arguing back, out loud or inside of yourself, holding close your incredulity which, yes, too, I love” (Girmay). This part further expresses the love she has; including that even during the bad and lows, the love will never go away.
“Foldin Clothes” is a song by J.Cole that expresses the happiness and love he has for the mother of his child. What ties the poems and song together is how they portray a simple, yet unique type of love. All three pieces represent a natural and raw form of love. My favorite part of the song is verse 2 when he says:
“There’s nowhere I need to be
Except right here with you
Except right here with you
Folding clothes
Watching Netflix
Catching up on our shows
Eating breakfast
Raisin Bran in my bowl
With bananas and some almond milk
I never thought I’d see the day
I’m drinking almond milk”
Just like the poems, J. Cole highlights the simple things that he does with his significant other. He uses the acts of folding clothes, watching shows together, etc. The happiness he retains from doing these simple things portrays an undeniable love. The end of the verse really stood out to me because it was something that I was able to laugh and relate to. Both men and women learn and experience new things from someone they love; even things that they’d never think of. In this case J. Cole’s was using almond milk. Small things like that are what makes a bond with someone stronger and more exciting.
Alessandra DiPalma
ReplyDeletePart 1:
I really enjoyed watching as this poem was spoken from such a heartfelt and wounded place. For this young girl to get up and share her emotions and hardships with the world can only be described as brave and ambitious.
Part 2:
Alicia Keys did an amazing job portraying a feeling that many of us feel and experience on a day to day basis. People often entrap themselves by hiding their feelings and emotions from others in order to avoid confrontation or even hurt, but keeping quiet can only hurt you more.
Part 3:
"Ever Faithful to You" by Lucian B. Watkins https://poets.org/poem/ever-faithful-you
"Rain" by William Saphier https://poets.org/poem/rain-4
Both of these poems spoke to me in very different ways. "Ever Faithful to You" spoke more to my heartfelt side explaining how when you love someone so intensely and deeply that you physically cannot be anything buy faithful to them. "Rain" referred to more of how the little voices inside of you can sometimes shape the way you feel and look at certain situations. Both pieces spoke to me in different ways, but equally made me feel as if I was reading an expert on my own life and the different feelings I experience throughout my life. In "Ever Faithful to You" the line that caught my eye more than any other was when Watkins said "Through every sorrow, joy or pain that we in life may meet, / In sweet compassion we'll share- the bitter with the sweet" (Lines 8-9). When we marry someone we vow to love them in sickness and in health, in the good times and the bad and I felt as though this line represented that by allowing people to feel as if they are not alone on their journey through life, and the person they love will not leave when times are hard, but stick through the hurt and difficulties with them. I believe it is important to experience the bad times with those you love to provide comfort, and also be able to celebrate together when life finally goes right. In "Rain", Saphier writes "Tires and dazed I sit on a bear skin / and timidly listen to the concert of storms" (Lines 17-18). This reminded me of the constant voices speaking to us inside our heads, and when we feel most alone, there is not much to do but listen to the voices. Both pieces felt very personal to the things that I feel I experience very often as well as most deeply.
Thomas Vierling
ReplyDeletePart 1) I found “Favorite Color” to be an extremely powerful literacy word. As the young women performed her work my heart broke for her because I could tell that she had experienced a longing for love during her childhood.
Part 2) The poem “P.O.W” by Alecia Keys was a creative way of illustrating the pain of silence. I thought that it was smart that she connected being a prisoner of war to being a prisoner within yourself.
Part 3) I chose the poem “Ever Faithful to You” because it talks about a never ending love. The theme of love shown in this poem is commitment. This can be seen through the line “"Ever!" ah, then eternally you pledge that you'll be true! For love's sweet sake, alone, I choose a happy life with you” (Watkins). These lines show that Watkins and pledge to love each other until the end of their days. This poem gave me a sense of longing because I wish that I was in the position to commit to someone. The tone is assuring. The purpose of this poem is to assure his wife that they will face life together as seen in the line “Through every sorrow, joy or pain that we in life may meet, In sweet companionship we'll share—the bitter with the sweet” (Watkins).
The second poem I chose was “The Modern Women to Her Lover”. I chose it because it shows the strength of marriage. The theme of this poem is openness. This can be seen when she says “I shall not lie to you ever again—Will you love me still” (Widdemer). I felt admiration that the women was willing to put present herself as she truly was to her love. The tone is assuring as seen in the repeating of the line “I shall not lie to you again” (Widdemer).
The song I chose was “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. A line that relates to the poems is “She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share her homeI found a love, to carry more than just my secretsTo carry love, to carry children of our own” (Sheeran). This relates to the poems because like the poems these lines illustrate the longing to build a life with the person they love. Another line that connects with the poems is “Fighting against all odds I know we'll be alright this time” (Sheeran). This line connects to the poems because it assures the person that as long as they are together they can make it through anything.
Anthony Induisi
ReplyDeleteThe video on the Anthology of Rap by Adam Bradley and Andrew DuBois mentions many interesting characteristics relating the music genre of rap, and the poetic writing style. It brings up that the flow in rap is similar to the rhythm in poetry, and the deep emotional situations in many rap lyrics are similar to the deep stories told in poems. I see rap remarkably similar to poetry, and I agree with both of these comparisons between them.
“Favorite Color” is an enormously powerful piece. It absolutely brings strong emotions to the reader/listener of it. The deep, emotional story within it brings the audience closer.
Alicia Keys’ “POW” similarly brings emotion and feeling to the audience. The beginning and end if the piece were the same, similar to the loop in a rap song, recurring. Alicia uses outside references in P.O.W. (prisoners of war) and M.I.A. and relates them to the topic in the piece.
Part 3: The first poem I chose, “We Two”, by Hilda Doolittle is about hardships with love with a feeling of being separated. I chose it because the emotions from it are compelling. It makes the reader almost take a side in the poem, either the man or woman. When Doolittle writes, “We two are left: I with… you with…”, she is bringing a sense of opposing sides to the poem. Love is a strong feeling, some so strong that it could eventually break. The second poem, “Initials”, written by Alfred Kreymborg is different from “We Two”. It is written about a man after love, after the strong feeling is broken. Shows love as a ruthless thing that left man in a dark place. Kreymborg says he will be “Battling for love”. The use of adjectives such as thin, narrow, and old to describe the man is a darker side. “Love of My Life”, by Queen is similar to the feeling of battle, separation, and hurting within the poems. “Love of my life, you've hurt me, You've broken my heart and now you leave me” showing the dark aftermath love can leave.
Salma Abdeltawab
ReplyDeletePart 1) The poem “Favorite Color” showed such a vulnerable side of this girl and many people that can relate to her. I loved her language she used such as “ I want you to stop living in black-and-white images pay close attention to the movement in your children's “ or "I would drown myself in the Pacific Ocean for you to kiss my corpse cheek because I often forget you have lips" I can’t stop the tears!” these had such an impact on the tone of the poem. The language she used was able to move anyone to feel some type of way.
Part 2) The poem “POW” was very relatable as I believe many can relate. Most of us tend to have so much in our heads, words unsaid because we know people want to hear certain things. The way she compared words not said like being a prisoner and especially when she said, “bars of steel…surround my mind.”
Part 3) The first poem I chose was by Khalil Gibran titled On Love this poem has multiple meanings on the perspective of love. The main points that stood out the most in his poem for me were loving yourself and loving another human. “For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.” This stanza is one of my favorites because I relate to it so much, love can make you feel like you are growing positively and at the same time, it shows you what needs to be cut away. It shows the balance that love provides you with, it can make you grow but for that to happen “pruning” must occur. I like how he used the word “pruning” because it just has a greater effect on the meaning of the stanza. “ To be wounded by your understanding of love….. And to bleed willingly and joyfully …… To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;” Gibran outdid himself with this poem because it's very relatable. This stanza explains that its okay to be hurt by the way you love but do it happily and be grateful for love. Your type of love is normal, and it will happen because its all a sense of growth if your hurt you will be able to love through It because every day you wake up grateful to love. The second poem I chose was by William Carlos Williams titled Love it talked about how love can not just be a one-way street. “Passion ‘tis and pain which mingle” this gives some type of comfort knowing that its normal to go through phases of extreme love for something but also an immense amount of pain when you fall out of love, or don’t have a passion for something you once wanted to pursue. He goes on to say “Born one instant, instant dead…” this was a similar concept of how love is a two-way path of loving but losing love. It's this ongoing cycle of finding a passion or a love and growing with it for a certain time but at any time you can lose it. The song I chose is Jessie Reyez Love in the Dark talked about a failed love and how she coped with it. “The sweetest goodbyes are never with smiles at all” This can relate to both the poems where the passion and love that they once had was great but now its time for “Pruning” as Gibran said. This seems like a universal ideology where growth is necessary but it is also as painful. Reyez goes on to say And when the stars are falling….There's love in the dark.” There can be multiple perspectives on this lyric, which is how music should be viewed but to me, it's more of when the relationships are over and there is no more “ me and you” there will always be love. The love that will be there in the dark will be the past love I have and the love that I will begin to grow in the dark is where she will begin to grow and maybe even self-growth.
Gabriel Moses
ReplyDeleteEnglish 102 4/30/2020
Part 1:
"Favorite Color" by Jay Davis is a breathtaking poem that discusses the need for a child to feel the love from her mother. The poem provides us with a new perspective of how colorism exists in families and how it causes pain. Jay Davis demonstrated fearlessness as she shared her poem with others.
Part 2:
"P.O.W" by Alicia Keys was both vocalized and performed in a way the audience would be able to understand the struggle of being held back. The poem inferred that when individuals have conflicts, we tend to hold back certain words. The words that are being confined obstruct our ability to move forward. "P.O.W" is a creative piece of work that reveals to us that being a prisoner of war can mean being a prisoner of yourself.
Part 3: Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou & Blues Haiku by Sonia Sanchez
Poetry is defined as a literature that evokes a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience or a specific emotional response through language. Countless poems are often related to love or being in love. Love is described as an emotional feeling that is pure and unconditional. "Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou is about women empowerment and self-love. I selected this poem because growing up my mother always read it to me, so I learned at a young age the importance of loving myself. Angelou says, "It's in the reach of my arms, The Span of my hips, The stride of my steps, The curl of my lips. I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me" (Lines 6-13). In these lines, Maya Angelou is saying that she's in love with every inch of her body and is proud of her appearance. She is also expressing to us that we should appreciate all of our assets and walk with pride. Sonia Sanchez wrote "Blues Haiku" a poem describing how love is infinite. Sanchez says, "let me be yo wilderness let me be yo wind blowing you all day" (Lines 1-3). All around the world, there is always going to be wind blowing, so the line is saying love is everlasting and will always occur. I chose this poem because it is simple and there's no misconstruing of the words. It is something everyone can read and interpret easily. The poems I've chosen relate to accepting, receiving, and giving love whether it is self-love or love for all. The tone used in "Phenomenal Woman" is strong and formal because the poem is describing what others think but simultaneously uplifts the woman. "Blue Haiku's" tone is best detailed as playful because some of the words are replaced by slang. In today's society, multitudes of songs are known to objectify women and disrespect body types they don't view as perfect. One song that truly represents self-love is Megan Trainor's "All About That Bass". This song expresses you don't have to force yourself to look like a model or someone other than yourself. the song says, "I see the magazine workin' that photoshop we know that shit ain't real, come on now, make it stop if you got beauty, beauty, just raise 'em up 'cause every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top". This line tells men and women they don't have to be the societal term known as "skinny", they can look however they want as long as they are happy. This song relates to both poems because it dwells on love and to have an infinite love for yourself or anyone you have to embrace how you look first.
Kevaughn Simpson
ReplyDeleteEnglish 102
I found the favourite color to be very powerful and captivating. It shows how powerful the human need to be loved and accepted is. I also enjoyed the imagery she used throughout her poem, it really brought her performance to life.
I enjoyed Alecia Keys P.O.W. A Lot of people tend to create their own mental captivities and I feel like this poem will help give them the motivation to break free. Her body language and tones really enhanced the experience and made it even more powerful.
Poem 1 - “Your Soul and Mine” (Fenton Johnson - 1888-1958)I chose this poem because it is very heart wrenching but at the same time something everyone has to go through. It talks about love and the happiness that comes with it, but also the pain that it can cause. “We twain have bleeding wounds from Love's deep knife”. This line made me feel downhearted because of how true it is. Love is like a sharp knife in a butchers shop, it can be very useful and makes things that much easier but if you are not careful it could cut you deep. The tone of the poem is very monotone and dark, almost depressing. The poet's purpose is to maybe find closure and let out some feelings he has been holding inside. Poem 2 - “Why I Love Thee?” (Sadakichi Hartmann)I chose this as my second poem because it shows how powerful love is, and how it can sometimes be unexplainable. “Why I love thee? Ask why the seawind wonders, why the shore is aflush with the tide?”. This is a perfect example of that, he doesn't know why he loves his partner but it happens naturally. This poem makes me feel hopeful and happy that these two shared a love so robust. The tone of the poem is very intimate and loving. The poet's purpose is to express how much he loves his significant other. The song I Chose Lewis Capaldi’s Someone You Loved. I think this relates to the poems in that it talks about love and the complexities of love and it also expresses the pain that comes with it.
Waldina Lopez
ReplyDeleteI related a lot to “POW” because I am a prisoner of words, I don’t speak my mind and I tend to keep my thoughts to myself. Just like Alicia I am trying to stop putting myself down and speak my mind and make sure I am not letting an opportunity slip through my fingers because I was too nervous or shy to speak up. I feel very bad for the girl that wrote “Favorite Color” because I am lucky enough to have the love of a mother. It seems her mother just lives day by day and doesn’t enjoy the little things in life such as her five kids and how amazing and intelligent they are. My first poem is “Love’s Body” because it seems people expect love to be perfect but perfection is not real and can never truly be found. “Love gives all its reasons as if they were terms for peace…. But there is no peace in the mountain cleft where the fruit bats scatter from the light.” (Jonathan 1-2, 6-8). This reminded me of the expectations one has when they first enter into a relationship and they expect it to be perfect. The tone and the purpose of the poem is love is not perfect. My second poem is “True Love” because it shows how even in a relationship in which only one side truly feels love it is still not perfect and can end badly. “Remember me at the hotel in Paris, on my knees in the lift?... We fool ourselves into thinking we’re strong then complain the rest of our lives crippled by the consequences.” (Barry 13-17, 23-29). This reminded me of my last serious relationship where I thought it was true love but it wasn’t. In the end I regretted being with him because of how he belittled me. The tone and the purpose of this poem is to show how even true love isn’t perfect. The song I chose is called Perfect Day by Gabbie Hanna because she talks about a personal experience where she thought she was in love and in the most perfect relationship which ended up not being the case. “I saw “I love you” written in the steam… But it wasn’t in your handwriting then those happy letters were the saddest things I’ve ever seen.” This showed how love isn’t perfect and if only one side is truly showing love and the other isn’t it can lead to affairs and end up damaging the other person. “Let me live in blissful ignorance and let me have this perfect day.” This shows how love truly isn’t perfect no matter what someone may think.
Deon Hoppin
ReplyDeleteMy reaction to “Favorite Color”, I feel bad for the girl and her siblings because it seems her mother does not show them the love every child deserves. This touched home to me because I myself lost my mother at a young age and to see a mother not give her children the love they deserve hit home for me. To “POW” I myself try to never let this happen to myself I always want to make sure I say what I have to say. All though I find myself speaking up for the people in my life who don’t have the courage to speak up and speak their truth. I chose “Love Is a Flame” as my first poem because I saw it as you always let the people you love most hurt you. “But knows the heart, ‘tis but a word for pain.” (George 8). This has reminded me of the pain my friends have gone through. The tone was love is blind because when you are in love you are blinded and sometimes easily forgive the other person for the pain they cause you. The poets purpose was to show that sometimes the heart will do anything for love. I chose “Love Is Enough” as my second poem because it shows that not even fear of being hurt or losing someone can alter the love someone has for the other person. “The void shall not weary, the fear shall not alter these lips and these eyes of the loved and the lover.” (William 12-14). This brought up love for me, the love I feel for my significant other and that nothing has stopped me from loving them. The tone for this poem and the poets purpose is love overcomes everything. When it is true love nothing can get in your way of loving your significant other. The song I chose was Falling by Trevor Daniel because this song shows how this person got hurt from their last relationship and thought they were never going to be able to love someone else the same way they loved their ex. “My last made me feel like I would never try again.” It also displays how when it is true love they are able to overcome anything such as the fear of being hurt again. “But when I saw you, I felt something I never felt.”
Ivana Davila
ReplyDelete04/30/2020
1. "Favorite Color" was very emotional. You could feel the emotions and feelings in every word she spoke. I personally could feel the power every line she spoke had.
2. Alicia Keys spoke truth when it came to "P.O.W". Everyone has questions they want to ask, but too scared or concerned what others may think. It could also be seen as the silence forced onto many people by societal norms.
3. My first poem was "Love" by William Carlos Williams (1883-1963). I choice this poem because it showed love being a group effort. Real love is not a one sided emotion, but takes two people for true love to exist. Williams uses repetition to emphasize the two parts needed in love. "Love is twain, it is not single" was repeated in lines 1 and 9 (Williams).
My second poem was "My Love Is Black" by DéLana R. A. Dameron. This poem showed the struggles of being in love with a black man. In Damerons poem she spoke about her concerns of becoming a widow every night her husband goes out on his night shift. It is a type of love filled with fear and concern of how others may look at her husband.
Bismah Dhar
ReplyDelete"Favorite Color"? Reaction:
Right off the bat, “Favorite Color,” made me emotional. The deliverance and the speaker had emphasized her emotions and her pain that resonated with my pain of not being able to get to know my grandparents because they had passed. It is a very powerful piece that can bring tears to an individual's eyes.
What is your Reaction to "POW"?:
Alicia Keys’ “P.O.W.,” is something many people can relate to, as I am someone who is also a “prisoner of words,” she offers her own perspective of being trapped within a repetitive cycle of staying within the mind and listening to the unsaid phrases and words that she is haunted with. Her poem sparked my own inner dialogue.
Poem 1:
For the first poem I chose “The Rainbow,” by Effie Waller. The theme of this poem is hopeful love. She emphasizes her appreciation for what love offers her, stating that “Love is a rainbow that appears, When heaven’s sunshine lights earth’s tears.” Love is a source of hope that comes after the difficult times she has gone through. “The Rainbow,” helped me understand that love is positive and can be both rain and rainbows, the message was clear and made me emotional. The tone the poem has is romantic, as it is speaking about love.
Poem 2:
The poem “Aunt Hannah Jackson,” by Fenton Johnson is about the loss of the main focus on the poem, the aunt. The poet speaks of the fondness he had for his aunt and her impact against all the people she encountered, “ Despite her sixty years Aunt Hannah Jackson rubs on other people’s clothes.” Reading this had reminded me of my uncle who had passed away, although I hadn’t known him for long, I was around him enough to know what he was like and the impact he had among all his family and friends. The overall tone of the poem is somber.
Song:
The song “Feeling Good,” by Nina Simone celebrates feeling more at peace and happiness after overcoming obstacles and issues. She uses nature and calming sounds that we hear everyday to compare to how she is feeling, “Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me. Yeah, it's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me, ooooooooh, And I'm feelin' good.” She communicates that she is excited for a new start of her life, and is excited for new experiences. As this is one of my favorite songs, listening to it puts me in a better head space. It helps me look towards the next day and what might come for me. The tone of this song is excited.
I found the Anthology Traces Rap's Lyrical Journey, Poetic Roots video to be very interesting. I have never been a fan of reading poems, it was the one thing that i always dreaded however I am a fan of rap music. Even though rap songs are a type of poem it is made in a way that makes more sense to me and I can relate to it and as a result enjoy it. I found it fascinating how they talked about the different types of rap and how all of them are still like poems.
ReplyDeleteI found “favorite color” to be very powerful and touching. She just wants her mother's love and seeks acceptance from her. Her poems touch the hearts of the audience listening to her and feel her pain that she is feeling.
I really enjoyed P.O.W by Alicia Keys. I found it powerful how she talks about how she feels trapped and people don't actually want to hear the truth. I think many people can relate to the poem with feeling stuck and lonely and like they can't say anything to anybody.
The first poem I chose was Ask Me Why I Love You by Walter Everette Hawkins. I chose this poem because the author implies that he loves her because it makes him a happier person. The states “Ask me why I love you, dear, And I will ask the flower Why it loves the Summer sun,
Or the Summer shower” (Hawkins). Flowers can't really live without the rain shower or the sun, so by comparing his love to this it shows how much he actually cares for her and makes him feel whole. The tone of this poem is happy and upbeat, it makes the reader smile because true love like this is what people look for. The second poem I chose was You Are Who I Love by Aracelis Girmay. I chose this as my second poem because in this poem the author names people who she loves, when in actuality she is naming everyone. For example “You cheering for the bees, You with cats in your voice in the morning, feeding cats, You protecting the river You are who I love delivering babies, nursing the sick, You with henna on your feet. (Girmay). By just naming everyone she can think of she is implying that everyone is special and beautiful in their own way and should be loved. I think that people sometimes need to hear that someone loves them and I like how the poem does exactly that. Both these poems relate to each other because in both poems they talk about why they love who they love, but they never answer with something physical. They are saying things that have more meaning, then just looks. For example in the first poem he says “I will ask the lover’s heart Why it loves the moon Or the star-besprinkled skies In a night in June.” (Hawkins). He keeps on comparing his love to other things that people can't live without. He never once mentions something that is physical or materialistic, he just answers it with a deeper meaning. Also in the second poem she says “You want to listen, you are trying to be so still, You are who I love, mothering the dogs, standing with horses.” (Girmay). She always keeps on answering with the little thing on why she loves them. She's noticing the small details in every person. I feel like in today's world all people care about is someone's looks. However beauty is just temporary, and if you only love them for that then its not real love. Both poems are examples of real love. The song I chose is Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran. In his song Sheeran talks about how he loves his wife for her personality and not just for her looks. For example he sings “ When my hands don't play the strings the same way, I know you will still love me the same Cause honey your soul can never grow old, it's evergreen” (Sheeran). He talks about how even when they grow old and do not look the same, they will still love each other because they fell in love with each other's souls. Both poem and the song show how when its true love, you love the person for themselves and not looks.
Favorite Color”-
ReplyDeleteMy reaction to “Favorite Color” was astonished at how profound it was and heartbroken since it expresses the intense pain the speaker was feeling. I believe this poem is very profound since many parents refuse to accept and love their children because they don’t agree with what they believe in. Children would go out of their way to gain acceptance from their parents but unfortunately won’t receive their love because they don’t approve of what their true character is.
Alicia Keys “POW”-
“POW” is a very powerful piece that has deep meanings and intense emotions. Rather than using “Prisoner of War,” she used “prisoner of words,” which shows that she feels entrapped within the words that she said since she can not take them back. I also liked how she draws the audience by speaking about herself with a bitter tone.
“Ask Me Why I Love You” by Walter Everette Hawkins
DeleteI chose this poem because it emphasizes the meaning of love through different examples. Hawkins says “Ask me why I love you, dear, And I will ask the flower Why it loves the Summer sun” (Hawkins). In other words, he states that love comes naturally and it is unexplainable. Love is an intense warm feeling that intoxicates you but in a positive way. When you develop this feeling, it’s hard to understand why you do, which is why the narrator says “if you will but answer me, I will answer you” (Hawkins); he asked the person who he is speaking to questions about why things happen naturally and connected it to why the narrator loves. I believe this is very profound and evokes emotions of passion and tenderness. The tone of this poem is compassionate and pensive. The poet’s purpose is to show that love comes instinctively. The poem says “I will ask the lover’s heart Why it loves the moon, Or the star- besprinkled skies IN a night in June” (Hawkins). This connects to the poet’s purpose of demonstrating that love is a feeling that simply comes naturally.
“Yours” by Daniel Hoffman
I chose this because it is titled “Yours,” and the feeling of belonging to someone who loves you dearly is a good one. The narrator says “I am yours as the summer air at evening is Possessed by the scent of linden blossoms” (Hoffman). Lindens are trees with heart shaped leaves and yellow blossoms that give off a warm and sweet scent. It symbolizes the meaning of love because it is also warm and sweet. Admitting “I am yours” is the same way as saying “I love you” because you willingly want to be their significant other, someone who you cherish and can depend on. This poem evokes emotions of feeling appreciated and valued. The narrator says “without you I’d be an unleaded tree” (Hoffman). In other words, without the person they love, they would not be able to behave properly, like a tree without leaves. The tone of the poem is adoration. When the narrator says “Your love is the weather of my being. What is an island without the sea?” (Hoffman). This shows a high level of infatuation. The rhetorical question connects to how someone believes they can’t live without someone else, which is the feeling of love.
“I Need Your Love" by Ellie Goulding is an exceptional song that can relate to both of the poems and the theme of love. The song is about someone who needs another person’s love or else they’re powerless. For instance, the song says “And I feel so helpless here Watch my eyes are filled with fear Tell me do you feel the same Hold me in your arms again I need your love” (Goulding). This displays a feeling of neediness in a relationship and how they are dependent on someone else to be happy. In the poem “Ask Me Why I Love You,” the narrator showed that loving someone comes naturally. This correlates to the lyrics “I come alive” (Goulding) because without their love, they believe that they cease to exist. Therefore, it connects to the poem because Hawkins states that love develops instinctively. Once that love is developed, it is hard to let go since they feel like they can not live without it. This concept also correlates to the other poem “Yours” by Daniel Hoffman because the narrator states “without you I’d be an unleafed tree” (Hoffman). Love is developing an intense feeling of someone to the point where you believe that it is hard to continue life without them. This is demonstrated through both the poems and the song. The song continuously says “I need your love” and both of the poems highlight the importance of acquiring love.
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Laura Canela
Channon Lawrence
ReplyDeleteProfessor Mignano-Brady
EGL 102 - 9:25 am - 10:40 am
1 May 2020
PART 1
Favorite Color - The poem gave me chills as the poet’s emotions flowed out her mouth in such a beautiful rhythm. She made me think about my relationship with my parents and appreciate the love and affection I received from them as a child. All she craves is her mother's love and support, as many children do.
PART 2
P.O.W - Alicia Keys poem blew me away from the moment she started talking, she grabbed my attention. I saw myself in that poem, friends, and family. In a way, I think we are all prisoners of our words and have a way of entrapping ourselves in the darkness of our minds.
PART 3
Poem 1 - The first poem I chose for my response was "The Modern Woman to Her Lover" by Margaret Widdemer. I chose this poem because I could relate to it as a young woman in the 21st century. It is hard to be a strong independent woman in society who is both educated and successful. Women, especially those who live in western societies, tend to be labeled as bossy, and their careers tend to affect their love lives. Within this poem, it is evident that Widdemer is focusing on the female perspective in concerns to the woman’s relationship with her partner. Widdemer declares, "I shall be strong as a man is strong." Thus, it is hard to be a strong woman within a relationship. It is more socially acceptable for a woman to be considered delicate or naive. I think the poet is questioning the stance of love in a relationship where a woman is dominant. Widdemer asserts, "Will you love me still?" The speaker is asking her lover, will you still love me if I am not the woman you perceive me to be? Will you still love me if I am as strong as a man? Essentially, will his love change in the end. The poem displays a powerful stance on love and gender roles, which made me feel emotions such as disappointment and sorrow. Love should always be unwavering, never questioned, especially by a partner you trust. I think the tone of the poem appears to be gloomy and anxious. The speaker, as I can imagine, seems to be worried about her confession and the toll it will take on her relationship.
Poem 2 - The second poem I chose to discuss was "A Golden Day" by Paul Laurence Dunbar. I picked the poem because it grabbed my attention from the very first line, in which the poet states, "I found you and I lost you." This stanza silenced my train of thought, and I could feel the message of the poem. In life, we experience great love and loss, whether it is a friend, a family member, or a pet. I could relate to this poem because I have recently lost someone that I loved. However, symbolically love is an experience, not an object or possession. I think the poet is trying to discuss the experience of love and the joy it brings. The poet's tone appears to be that of sorrow, heartbreak, and passion. This is evident when the poet asserts, "And all the world was mine." In a way, love has a funny way of making you feel like you are on top of the world. It is an emotional roller coaster, but it is an experience, nevertheless. Overall, this poem made me sad, however, it also allowed me to reminisce on the love I had for someone I lost. It is never easy losing someone you love, but the love you had for them never goes away.
DeleteSong - I feel the song "All of Me" by John Legend relates to the two poems, "The Modern Woman to Her Lover" and "A Golden Day." The song is a tear provoking harmony about love and giving up a part of yourselves for your partner. Both poems share a similar theme of longing and sorrow, similar to John Legend's song. For instance, in the poem "The Modern Woman to Her Lover," Widdemer promotes the message of loving someone honestly and truly for who they are. The poet writes, "I shall not lie to you anymore." The woman wants to know that her partner will still love her even after she reveals her truth. She wants to be loved for her, not what her partner perceives her as. This message can be compared to John Legend's chorus when he states, "Give your all to me, I'll give my all to you." The modern woman in the poem wants to give her all to her partner. She wants to be loved unconditionally. On the other hand, the poem "A Golden Day" relates to the song because it is about finding love yet losing it. A person who has the world yet lost it at the same time. Dunbar asserts, "I found you and I lost you." This stanza compares to John Legend's lyrics, "You're my downfall, you're my muse." In a way, love is like kryptonite, it is poisonous and destructive, yet pretty and alluring. Both artists are describing love as being painful and beautiful. Overall, love is an experience and a roller coaster of emotions.
Brittany Cooper
ReplyDeleteEGL 102
PART I
It was hard to hold back tears when hearing “Favorite Color”. I don’t think I could ever bring myself to get on stage and share my traumas and pain the way she was able to and I truly applaud her for that. You can feel every emotion she’s ever felt and the part that really got me was when she said, “Humans just have crazy tendencies when they just want someone to love us” because I can relate to having felt and experienced this way years ago. Such a powerful poem!
Part II
Alicia Keys “P.O.W” can be described in two words: creative and relatable. Her choice of her words made it possible for her emotions to be felt and understood with each word. I understood that the message she was trying to portray is that there is a struggle of feeling like your holding yourself back from saying certain words, resulting in this painful and silent suffering.
PART III
(Poem 1) “The Rainbow” by Effie Waller-Smith
This poem stood out to me because the poet compares the beauty of love to something in nature that symbolizes peace and serenity. The first line of the poem “The Rainbow” reads “Love is rainbow that appears when heaven’s sunshine lights earth’s tears” (Waller-Smith). When you’ve found love, you feel like your finally at peace and it becomes part of your life that has the ability to outshine all the bad or grey areas. Sometimes people think of love to be painful and a roller coaster and sad emotions, but this poem describes the complete opposite. Two lines that justify this point is when the poet says, “There passion’s glowing crimson hue burns near truth’s rich and deathless blue” (Waller-Smith). Love has the power to be nothing less than positive and put you in a happier and more upbeat atmosphere, like a rainbow. She closes together the poem well by saying “O Dark life’s stormy sky would seem, if love’s clear rainbow did not gleam” (Waller-Smith).
(Poem 2) “How the Stars Understand Us” by Christopher Gilbert
I chose the second poem because of the way the poet describes how theirs a deeper level of intimacy between him and a lover and it’s because of the love they’ve developed for one another. Again, from the very first line when the poet says, “We are not making love but all night long we hug each other” (Gilbert). The love him and his partner have together, has gone deeper than just sexual connections and keeps them attached to one another. They’re in tune with each other bodies and therefore able to express their languages through smaller gestures. This was my favorite poem out to the two because it was simple yet pure.
The song, “Best Part” by Daniel Caesar ft. H.E.R tells a story of two individuals who seem a little hesitant to pursue one another but both have strong feelings. One of the lyrics in the song goes, “You’re the coffee I need in the morning, you’re my sunshine in the rain when it’s pouring, Won’t you give yourself to me, Give it all “. It seems like a love story between two individuals that have grown to connect with each other and want to make things officials. When talking about one another, the describe the feeling felt when in each other’s presences which makes the song so much more heartfelt. In another part of the song Daniel says, “It’s the Sunrise and those brown eyes, you’re the one that I desire”. This part of the song reminded me of how Effie Waller compared love to a rainbow. The love and emotions are so genuine and understood with every word.
Nick Andrle
ReplyDeleteEnglish 102
5/4/2020
Final Fishbowl
Part One:
“Favorite Color” was a very hard hitting poem, as she tells the tales of her traumatic past with her family, namely her mother. The emotions she displays are genuine and can be related with many across the globe. During the poem, I stopped and thought about my own connection to my family and just how different it is to anyone else's.
Part Two:
“P.O.W” reminds me of someone who is in an abusive, violent relationship and is too afraid to speak up for herself. As she states “I should start to speak, but I stop and stay silent”. Also I feel that she is a free thinker, and that she does not reveal her thoughts and ideas, imprisoning herself.
Part Three:
The first poem I choose is called Electricity by Lola Ridge, in this short but sweet poem, the complexity of human relationships is summed up in a simple, yet very powerful verse. “Female and Male, complete, indivisible, one, fused into light”. This verse is so powerful because of how complex a relationship is, just like electricity everything needs to be perfect for a connection to occur, such as if electric cables are run perfectly, then a connection is formed that is as everlasting as love.
The second poem I choose is called A Song by Lucretia Maria Davidson, this poem describes ascension and descension in one's life, such as one's ambition to learn or rise through the ranks. However, as many say; what goes up must come down and once that descension does occur, you'll have nothing. However as long as you have a friend you love, you will rise again stronger than ever.
A song I choose that represents the theme of love portrayed in both of these poems is “The Connection” by Phish. This song shows someone who has found a connection with someone and is afraid to lose it. For example, “When I see the connection, though I see I dont stare… if i stare you'll be gone” in this example, the fear of loss is present in the person, since it takes very precise connections to form a romantic relationship however the theme of love overpowers the person, staying by the side of the significant other taking it step by step into something new. Another example is, “Then I change my direction, one foot follows the other, one foot follows something new, ‘cause I need some protection”. This example can relate to poem two due to the descension of the person, needing the protection and love of the significant other in order to overcome the descent. Both examples show how the theme of love is present in the song and two poems,
Part 1: I couldn't help but immediately feel the pain as soon as I saw the video, looking at the tears fall before her face before she even started the poem. The raw emotion of her desire for love and affection from her mother was very transparent and desperate, “I would drown myself in the Pacific Ocean for you to kiss my corpse cheek because I often forget you have lips”. It's extremely upsetting that children experience this but very strong and powerful of her to express this to the world at the same time.
ReplyDeletePart 2: When Alicia Keys started to cite her poem I began to get chills, she conveyed the right body language and tone for the audience to feel her mood. She is known to be a powerful speaker as you can see that in her songs. You can tell how restricted she felt from being a prisoner inside her own head, words have a powerful meaning and being unable to express it held her back.
Part 3: The first poem I chose was Ever Faithful to You by Lucian B. Watkins, I chose this poem because it seemed like a heartfelt poem. When you know you're with the love of your life there is nothing you want more than to stay by their side through the ups and downs life throws at you. I've always admired men sharing their emotions which is another reason why I decided to choose this poem, “through every sorrow, joy or pain that we in life may meet, in sweet companionship we’ll share”. The theme talks about loyalty because of the love he has for his partner. The poem brings a sweet and sincere tone to the audience as he lets his guard down explaining that there is nothing better than being faithful. He says “I choose a happy life with you”, which goes along with his devotion
The second poem I chose was “Stray” by Elizaberth Alexander, originally I thought this poem was going to be the bad side of love, heartbreak. It turned out to be a family walking on the beach while a stray dog runs towards them looking for food, the parents grab the children close to them as the dog finds a piece of scrap near them. One of them asks if there's such a thing as a stray child, a mother who leaves their child to be a mother to another child. Her husband then says “I was a stray man before I met your mother”, you feel the pure love a man has for his wife. Someone who was hurt, lost, and abandoned, finding the one thing that gives them security and joyfulness. The theme of the poem is love can give a person sanity, the poem described the dog “agitated, perhaps feral” someone who is stray is lost. The husband described himself to be stray like the dog until he found his sanity, his wife. This was a very meaningful poem to me because i hope to find love like this, someone who considers me to be his sanity, his place where he feels the happiest.
Both of these poems remind me of the song Conversations In the Dark by John Legend, he explains that there is nothing he wants to change about the women he’s with, everything about her is perfect and he’ll never break her heart. This relates to the first poem as Lucian Watkins explains he gives his loyalty to his love through the good and bad as well as until death. The second poem Elizabeth Alexander’s husband finds sanity being with his wife and assuming he loves everything about her.
1. The poem “Favorite Color” was deep and relatable for several children in this world. All children want is their parents love and acceptance. They will do anything for that, but parents can tend to be distant and not show this love to their children. The poet spoke with a lot of passion only allowing the meaning of her poem to stand out more than it already did.
ReplyDelete2. Alicia Keys “P.O.W” is very touching. When we feel upset or angry with something, we often tend to hide our feelings and keep them bottled up inside, which is never a good idea. Alicia Keys speaks this poem with such enthusiasm and emotion that it allows the audience listening and watching to feel the pain she is explaining.
3. The first poem I chose was “A Song”. It discusses several different emotions that humans feel in life. Love is compared to a flower that “blossoms in the morning beam, and whithers with the evening hour.” Friendships are only part of the definition of love. “Friendship shall like a rainbow rise, and softly whisper --- peace, be still.” It evokes the emotion of curiosity. When the poet speaks about these humane feelings of love, someone may read this poem and wonder if she can feel these emotions too. I read this poem with a relaxed and calm voice as well as an open mindset. The choice of words is easy to take in and understand. The purpose of this poem was to address a deeper meaning of love and emotions that the human race experience. Lucretia Maria Davidson says, “Life is but a troubled ocean”.
The second poem I chose was “The Rainbow”. I rainbow is something that forms as we read from the first poem, but “love is a rainbow that appears, when heavens sunshine lights earth’s tears.” This means that when someone is upset, there is always another person to cheer them up and the same thing goes for planet earth. When it is raining out, the sunshine just waiting to come through will form a rainbow. That is the definition of love. The poets purpose is to discuss love and connect it to something everyone witnesses…life. Without love, the world would not be a happy place. Effie Waller Smith writes “O dark life’s stormy sky would seem, if love’s clear rainbow did not gleam!” Without the rainbow gleaming in the sky which represents love, our world would be a darker place. Limited color and emotions would be seen.
The two poems make me think of the song “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley. The poets made the readers very well aware that love is a natural feeling, and everyone gets the opportunity to experience what it is like to love or be loved. Elvis Presley writes this song and the title says enough. People can never help but to love and that is his purpose in writing this song. It is an emotion that the human race feels.
The poem “ Favorite Color” is seen to be felt a lot in children, teens and adults. They look for love in their parents and any attention they can get. I truly felt this girl's pain, through her words and emotions.
ReplyDeleteP.O.W- As soon as she begins to speak, and her motions it really makes you understand what she is trying to say. I agree with her that we sometimes feel scared and trapped with our own thoughts, feelings or emotions as in words. If we don't say anything we keep everything bottled up.
Poem 1: To find a kiss of yours by Federico Garcia
Poem 2: Love song by Williams Carlos
The two poems I have chosen both have different meanings to me. The first poem symbolizes that he would give anything for the person he loves. For example, “To gaze at your dark eyes what would I give”. (Garcia). He is in love, he would do anything to get close or to see that person. The feelings are so deep he constantly thinks “what would I give”. The other poem is about a man thinking about his love and comparing her to the light from a sunset and how it affects the trees, seemingly symbolizing him. He uses the colors of the sunset throughout the poem. For example, it says “yellow, yellow, yellow, it eats into the leaves” (Carlos). Both of these poems connect to a song called “Love Me Like You Do” by Ellie Goulding. The connection is that they are all expressing the richness and wants in love. For example, it states “you're the night, you're the light you're the color of my blood”. (Goulding). It is a connection of love me as you want to love me.
Part 1
ReplyDeleteI do not appreciate how they described rap in the beginning of the video as a way of music to express and glorify violence and highlight profane language and imagery when in reality, rap is just another form of music for allowing personal feelings. With that being said, rap is literally poems with a beat to it, following a traditional rhyme scheme and 4-bar flow. Rap is not an outlet to project negativity, but rather to allow those with strong beliefs to broadcast them to the public in a way they are comfortable doing.
Part 2
I don’t care if my reaction is informal or not, that spoken word was tough! Literally one of my most favorite things to write and talk about, how non people of color – especially those close to us – don’t seem to have love for us. Her desire for love from her mother is strong and it goes deeper than her complexion. That girl just wants to be accepted for who she is.
Part 3
Poem to First Love by Matthew Yeager is as the title suggests. A first love brings forth emotions that someone cannot describe, which is why I chose this. This poem is relatable to me from beginning to end, especially when he opened up with “To have been told ‘I love you’ by you could well be, for me, the highlight of my life…” Your first love is always the one to bring out emotions that you won’t even be able to describe. A multitude of feelings overwhelm you to the point where when it’s over, a part of your being as left along with it. Yeager knows that these feelings not only linger with him, but for his other half as well, ending his poem with “Perhaps you saw too that the feeling would stay”. First loves evoke a mysterious spell on you and capture your heart as if they were Cupid themselves.
Sticking with unexplainable feelings, the next poem I chose is one I wrote called Indescribable. I wrote this poem to ironically describe what love feels like, and how it is nearly impossible to explain the feelings you have when you are in love. “Just the thought of them alone is enough to set off an atom bomb of feelings you can’t seem to translate into words”. Love causes you to be blind to many things because of how passionate you are towards the person you love. There truly is no other emotion like it
But like everything else, all good things must come to an end. Drake and Jhene Aiko’s song From Time tell the two-sided story of when the love dies out. Drake, like the first two poems, is in love with Jhene and though their relationship had ended in the past, still wants to be with her. “Know we were going through some shit name a couple that isn’t/ ‘Member out talk in our parking lot at the ‘Ritz/ I felt like we had it all planned out, guess I fucked up the vision”. Drake wants to rekindle the fire he once has with Jhene, going through those indescribable feelings of love. Yet, Jhene has fallen out of love with him, “I love me, I love me enough for the both of us”. She has no intention of wanting to be with Drake anymore, leaving him to deal with his one sided emotions.
this is the poem i wrote like a year ago btw
DeleteThe heart is a very powerful thing.
It causes all thought
And all judgement to fly through the window.
Making what you thought
A seemingly easy decision
Now one that you can’t seem to make.
It’s one of those indescribable feelings,
The one that makes you feel like
A rollercoaster inside.
Especially when your mind decides
To wander off on its own journey
And make its way to someone
Who stirs up that rollercoaster.
You try and shake that feeling,
Subdue it even.
Hide whatever definitionless emotions you seem to feel
Time and time again.
Yet seeing that someone is a trigger
To turn judgement
Into undenying emotion.
Just the thought of them alone
Is enough to set off an atom bomb
Of feelings you can’t seem to translate into words. “I just...it’s like...I feel...”
A phrase as confusing as this to us
Is just all to understandable to Mr. Cupid.
The poem “Favorite color” was a heartfelt poem. The poem made me rethink the relationship I have with my family members. All she wants in her life is her parents to show love and not feel soo distant.
ReplyDeleteAlica keys do an amazing job showing her emotions and how she feels on a day by day basis. I connected with her on a spiritual level on how she expresses her feelings through her amazing voice.
One song I picked was a drake song “Marvin’s Room.” My interpretation of the song is that, as anyone or mostly everyone has said is that he's used to the life of fame, fortune, and women but really wants to settle down and on this particular night, he's really drunk and calls this woman who isn't the type who likes to "get around." Drake calls her and tells her all this stuff like "f*** that n**** that you love so bad, I know you still think about the times we had" .Drake is so drunk that he does not realize that he's putting his real feelings out or he does but still with him being drunk helped him put his feelings out. He repeats himself over and over again to her but she rejects him, in the end, he gave up at the end of the song. Another song I picked was “In your eyes” by The Weeknd. A quote that stands out is when he says ‘I always look the other way, I can see the pain in your eyes.”n this first verse of “In Your Eyes,” Abel comes off to inform her romantic interest that the sadness he’s unconsciously enclosed by is just playacting, which is practical to his emotions to not be hurt. Certainly, if Abel reveals himself to the world as a Heartless person, his past flings will perhaps maintain distance from his inner actuality. This false sense of confidence gave rise to him being emotionally indestructible. Abel has recognized in many songs that his affair with this woman is toxic for both of them. “In Your Eyes” expresses his longing to condone all the damage it’s inflicted. He wishes to be ‘oblivious’ to the actuality of the circumstance and be with her regardless.