The Vietnam War was the longest war in American history. It ranged from 1968 to 1975, and there were over 60,000 American deaths. People today still ask if the Vietnam War was actually necessary or just a good gesture.
"Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa describes a Vietnam soldier that returns to a memorial several years after the war. He had prepared himself to see the memorial, “I said I wouldn’t, dammit: No tears. I’m stone. I’m flesh,” and yet he was not as prepared as he thought he would be. As he is standing there he describes a flash back of a friend who passed during the war. He describes a struggle he faces not only now but during the war; race. He leaves us with an open question of if he was white, would he have been treated differently during war, or took a different look upon it. Maybe his name would have been on the memorial.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Revision
Unfortunately there are certain things that happen in life that we can not do anything about. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, either way people have to learn to deal with the realities of life. In the poem "Metaphors" by Sylvia Plath she uses a riddle to describe an event that is occurring in her life that she can not do anything about, "Boarded the train there's no getting off." The tone of this poem is a little silly. She uses very figurative language, and metaphors. What ever she is describing is either big, or is growing because of the words she is using (elephant, melon, etc.). She also makes statements like, "This loaf's big with its yeasty rising." Maybe she is having a baby, or taking care of a pet?
Sometimes, people do things, and others take it the wrong way. In Stevie Smith's poem "Not Waving but Drowning," an old man had been at sea for a while. Every time he called for help everyone had mistaken his helpful wave for a friendly wave. This poem has a more serious, and sad tone. Everyone in the town thought they knew about the man, but they really had no idea. The people in the town said "Poor chap, he always loved larking." but the old man replies "Oh, no no no, it was too cold always." proving that they were wrong. The tone is sad because his whole life the man was lost looking for direction but no one ever stopped to help.
Sometimes, people do things, and others take it the wrong way. In Stevie Smith's poem "Not Waving but Drowning," an old man had been at sea for a while. Every time he called for help everyone had mistaken his helpful wave for a friendly wave. This poem has a more serious, and sad tone. Everyone in the town thought they knew about the man, but they really had no idea. The people in the town said "Poor chap, he always loved larking." but the old man replies "Oh, no no no, it was too cold always." proving that they were wrong. The tone is sad because his whole life the man was lost looking for direction but no one ever stopped to help.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
"Metaphors" & "Not Waving But Drowning"
There are certain things in life that happen, and you can not do anything about it. Unfortunately that is just the way life goes, sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose; either way, people have to learn to deal with the realities of life. In the poem "Metaphors" by Sylvia Plath she write a riddle to something that is occurring in her life that she can not do anything about, "Boarded the train there's no getting off." The tone of this poem is a little silly. She uses very figurative language, and metaphors. What ever she is describing is either big, or is growing because of the metaphors she is using, for example she uses words such as elephant, melon, and makes statements like, "This loaf's big with its yeasty rising." Maybe she is having a baby, or taking care of a pet?
Sometimes, people do things, and others take it the wrong way. In Stevie Smith's poem "Not Waving but Drowning," an old man had been at sea for a while, and every time he called for help everyone had mistaken his helpful wave, for a friendly wave. This poem has a more serious, and sad tone. Everyone in the town thought they knew about the man, but they really had no idea. The people in the town said "Poor chap, he always loved larking." but the old man replies "Oh, no no no, it was too cold always." proving that they were wrong. The tone is sad because his whole life the man was lost looking for direction but no one ever stopped to help.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Langston Hughes
The 1920’s were a great time in history. It was a time when people listened to the best music, went to the greatest parties, and wore the best fashions. Unfortunately in the late 20's there was a drastic change in the way things were; there was a depression. I feel like Langston Hughes's poem "The Weary Blues" was written during this time.
When the depression hit, people wrote poetry and sang to blues music to express the way they felt. People are enjoying the music, but they may not be listening to what he is saying. The man in the poem is singing about how he is actually depressed and how he is "Happy no more," and how he "Wishes he was dead." The man singing is probably upset with his life because of his race. He mentions that he is a black man, and blacks during this time had few rights.
This poem is kind of similar to Hughes's "Ballad Of The Landlord." The African American in this poem is clearly treated unfair and when he tries to get his way, he is sentenced to 90 days in jail. Meanwhile, the landlord who is probably white is refusing to fix any of the broken things in his house.
When the depression hit, people wrote poetry and sang to blues music to express the way they felt. People are enjoying the music, but they may not be listening to what he is saying. The man in the poem is singing about how he is actually depressed and how he is "Happy no more," and how he "Wishes he was dead." The man singing is probably upset with his life because of his race. He mentions that he is a black man, and blacks during this time had few rights.
This poem is kind of similar to Hughes's "Ballad Of The Landlord." The African American in this poem is clearly treated unfair and when he tries to get his way, he is sentenced to 90 days in jail. Meanwhile, the landlord who is probably white is refusing to fix any of the broken things in his house.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Rebellious Poems
Two poems that are rebellious are "Homage to my hips" by Lucille Clifton, and "Cinderella" by Anne Sexton. In "Homage to my hips," at first you may not think it is very rebellious, but she says some things that make you realize that she is a little rebellious. For example, she says, "these hips don't like to be held back...they go where they want to go, they do what they want to do." People, who do what they want, when they want, are usually considered rebellious. She is saying that she is her own person, and does not let any one hold her back from doing what she wants to do.
When I started to read "Cinderella," I assumed that it was going to be like the original story. Anne Sexton uses the original idea, but puts her own twists in to it. Instead of a fairy god mother, she has a dove, when the prince goes to find whose foot the slipper fits, the sisters cut off a part of their foot; not the typical Cinderella as we know. This story is rebellious because Cinderella went to the ball for three days when she was not even allowed to go for one. The tone of the story is a little sarcastic which makes the story seem a little more rebellious.
When I started to read "Cinderella," I assumed that it was going to be like the original story. Anne Sexton uses the original idea, but puts her own twists in to it. Instead of a fairy god mother, she has a dove, when the prince goes to find whose foot the slipper fits, the sisters cut off a part of their foot; not the typical Cinderella as we know. This story is rebellious because Cinderella went to the ball for three days when she was not even allowed to go for one. The tone of the story is a little sarcastic which makes the story seem a little more rebellious.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Dangerous Minds
I really enjoyed this clip! It reminded me of "The Freedom Writers" and that is one of my favorite books and movie; I actually met the author of the book, with one of my teachers in high school. I really need to see the rest of the movie, because it left me on a complete cliff hanger!
From what I watched, I feel like the teacher is going to use poetry so she can relate to the students. For example, the first poem was about a drug dealer, and when she asked one of the boys in the class to talk about it, he told her it was too personal. I feel like she might be able to have the kids open up through poetry, and reading other poets poems.
From what I watched, I feel like the teacher is going to use poetry so she can relate to the students. For example, the first poem was about a drug dealer, and when she asked one of the boys in the class to talk about it, he told her it was too personal. I feel like she might be able to have the kids open up through poetry, and reading other poets poems.
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