We Real Yummy

The cold plums.
A few in the Icebox.

We real yummy. We
In your tummy. We

Your breakfast. We
Your past. We

Delicious. We
Nutritious. We

Good Food. We
Conclude.

Better Late than Never

Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem” is broken down into four main stanzas. The first stanza consists of a single question. This isolated question introduces the subject at hand, a delayed dream, with significant emphasis. By serving as the heart of this poem, the singular question demands the reader’s attention and understanding of the situation at hand. This question is what carries the reader throughout the entire poem; it is the basis of comparison for every other question. The organization of this first line promotes clarity, and the lack of confusion; Hughes message is apparent.

Meanwhile, the next stanza holds of a cluster of questions. These questions serve as ambiguous answers in regards to the first question that is asked. There is uncertainty here. Each question serves as an example of what happens to something if it is, like the dream, neglected for so long. Furthermore, there is a sense of progression and relationship between the questions asked. They all seem to relate towards one another, especially with the question that was asked before it.

For example, a raisin becomes so dry, that it is inedible. By loosing all of it nutritional value, it becomes worthless. Similarly, a sore that is unattended, becomes infected, so that it takes longer to heal. The relation between the two occurs somewhat ironically. The raisin was dried out for too long, while the sore needed to be dried out in order to heal. Considering this, the next example is that of rotten meat. Meat that is left out for too long (like the raisin) becomes infected (like the sore). The relationship between the questions seems to grow; they all correspond with one another. The last example is that of honey or syrup crusting over. Unlike the meat and the raisin it is not completely inedible if it is neglected for so long. As long as the surface crust is removed, the honey or syrup can still be consumed. Similarly if the sore is taken care of, it will heal. Like the honey or syrup, it still holds potential usage.

Now, with this in mind, it becomes apparent that the questions feed off one another and have not been placed at random. The questions are somewhat back and forth progressions between the potential outcomes that may still exist within this dream. From the lack of possible outcome/ gain (raisin, meat) to the possibility of potential (sore, syrup).

Finally, the last two stanzas are also structured the same way the first line is. They are both isolated, although one is a statement and the other is another question. These two stanzas also fall into the pattern of the poem. From certain to uncertain to certain to uncertain again. The organization and the structure of this poem are at times clear and at other times unclear, somewhat like the initial question. As a result, this poem is very effective in capturing the attention of the reader in relation to the main issue at hand. Although this dream has already been neglected for so long, does it still hold possibilty? Look around, better late than never.

Uh oh.... forgot the thesis

The single occurring line break which separates the two stanzas within Sylvia Plath's poem "Mirror", signifies both a new beginning and the reinforcement of distinction between two different speakers.

A words worth

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many pictures is a word's worth?

In a Station of the Metro, Ezra Pound’s entire poem consists of his emphasis on a particular moment. So rare and precious was his reaction towards this moment that he had to capture it. In doing so, Pound did not elaborate, and use flowery language, but instead he wrote a short and concise poem. By enhancing this moment into what it was, a brief instant, Pound comes across as very effective. Pound further enhances his feelings and thoughts in relation towards this instance by his use of a single metaphor; the comparison of an unusual sight in the midst of normality. The photo of the wet branch demonstrates this normality; it is a natural sight that we take for given. Just as the use of the metro is a given, there is nothing special about it. Meanwhile, the second photo of a crowded branch of blossoms, demonstrates the beauty that lies within this given normality. Just as these faces lie within a massive crowd. This beauty exists; we just have to look for it.

Pound has created this imagery of contrast, the unusual against the normal, light versus dark, faces within a crowd, and petals to a branch. All of these comparisons can be seen through the use of these photos in some extent or another. Yet, his basic representation of the contrast of angelic faces within a dark dense and massive crowd is more abstract in relation towards his realistic comparison of small, light, and airy petals against a thick, wet, and dark branch. At first glance these images provided enhance the visual representation of the poem physically, and after much thought symbolically. Yet they lack a complete justification of Pound’s thoughts and emotions. While, Pound clearly communicates his ideas, his feelings are more abstract. The uses of these photos to enhance the text are limited because each image generates a variety of different responses from every person. A particular image may not be as meaningful to one person as to the next. There are an array of possibilities. And these possibilities complicate the essential idea that Pound may be trying to get across. For instance, maybe the branches represent seasons, growth, life, or nature. But Pound may be only implying the contrast of a beautiful sight and nothing more. There is no guarantee, that the responses we give in seeing a photograph actually help clarify the poet’s ideas.

Death an Inevitable Fate

Though William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73 and Dylan Thomas’ Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night are both poems that discuss the concept of death, the two poets differ in their approaches towards the idea of death.

In sonnet 73 death is seen as a progression. Time slowly compresses itself, from the expansion of season, to day, to moment. The life of this person, the time that they have left in this world is gradually diminishing and Shakespeare acknowledges this by claiming, ‘as the deathbed whereupon it must expire’. There is no question or doubt in regards to the possibility of death; it is stated as an expected end through the use of must expire, not will expire. Furthermore, Shakespeare recognizes that this person is refusing to accept death that they are trying to grasp whatever they have left. This person loves more and more what they must leave and cannot have for much longer; life. Meanwhile in Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night, death is not easily confirmed as an inevitable end. There is a lack of acceptance on Thomas’ part as he pleads with his father again and again not to acknowledge death. He is asking for his father’s emotion in fighting off the possibility of death, as seen through the repetition of the paraphrase, ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’. While Thomas refuses to accept death, he clearly tells us that death exists, for "wise men know death is right", and wild men grieve the coming of death. Furthermore, the immense reality of death is the sole cause of his rage against the ‘dying of the light’. While Shakespeare both acknowledges and accepts death, Thomas finds difficulty in recognizing this fact. Meanwhile whosoever is dying within each poem seems to perceive death differently from the poets themselves. Each poet’s approach towards death is the opposite of the other.

Shakespeare furthermore, by using metaphors compares death with realistic examples that we as readers can identify. For instance, the concept of growth as seen through the trees’ leaves changing colors in fall. Shakespeare supports his argument of the inevitable, death. Thomas on the other hand, approaches death in another way. By using the conventions of repetition, he demands attention to his emotions, a bias towards death. The metaphors that he uses are ideas that not every reader can easily relate too.