Tyikenyua+Anthony

What is poetry? Who writes poetry? How is poetry defined? Poetry is a literary device, its imaginative writing; it’s an expression of a vision. Poetry is all around us and we are the people who create these wonderful masterpieces. Poetry has different occupations; it could be used for therapy or for pleasure. The word poem derived from the Greek word poieo meaning “I create.” Poetry is like a building, humans are the constructers and the elements of life are the things that go on that building and hold everything together. Resulting in a work of art. With my poems I used free verse, rhythm, figurative language, and similes/metaphors. All of my poems depict an image or an event that happened sometime in my life. For some of my poems I decided to use correct punctuation and for others no punctuation at all. The mood of my work varies as well. Sometimes a poem is happy; sometimes it’s sad sometimes there were no feelings behind it at all just words (found poem). The lengths of my poems aren’t a factor either. My poetry wikispace doesn’t have one overall theme because it touches different bases. I got some ideas for my poems from other poems that we read. Each time in class as we read a poem I was gathering ideas for my poems. I would say other poets like Gwendolyn Brooks and Langston Hughes influenced me. Each piece of poetry on my wikispace is original and from my wonderful creative poetic mind.

="Poetry is above all a concentration of the power of language, which is the power of our ultimate relationship to everything in the universe." - Adrienne Rich=

__**School First**__ Beginning school may be rough When you start it will be tough Adjusting yourself to a new environment isn’t as easy as it seems A new building, new faces, and a new scene. Time to set some priorities straight What will come first? Hanging out with friends? Maintaining grades? Or fitting in? Will school even be the life for you? Or will you choose another direction to go into How will your mindset be towards education? Would you think? School is boring School is a waste School isn’t fair School is really lame School is a shame School is what everyone needs So get over your pesky complaints School is needed for everyone's sake!

__**Ode to restless souls**__ Tired souls, restless lives No more miles, no endurance. crying eyes, broken heart deceived perception Distress and depression restless souls calm your heart restless souls O restless souls

__**Whats good?**__ Its good to know that you know that is it good? ohhh, thats ratchet abbra cadabra, magic johnson lets be real was that supposed to be like that? lets be honest The world doesnt revolve around you omg. omg. omg. omg. dont you hate that your dismissed

__**Raised by my mama**__ Raised by my mama, influenced by society i was bought up in a home. small, cozy outside the city protected from forgeiners and danger, pure simplicity I was raised by my mom, educated by community inspired by the church, corrupted by tv molded by tradition, religion, and morals. nutured by my mama, abandoned by many. deceived by some taught to be independent and driven raised by my mama, sheltered as well created by my mama, a mirrored image life wasnt hard, nor was it a struggle i was raised by my mama, she was always on her hustle. I was raised by my mama media type="file" key="Raised by my mama.mp3"

__**True Beauty**__ __**(Line from Bill Moyers)**__ I see my beauty in you. The true beauty i see The purity of your heart and the blood flow of your veins I see my beauty in you and its radiant just like the sun The stories your eyes tell stories that holds one captive for so long I see my beauty in you the beauty that was created graced by an everlasting god simply flawless without mistakes i see my beauty in you I've become a mirror that cannot close its eyes to your longing

__**That old bookshelf**__ the dusty shelf, that collects dust used for sitting, used for leaning against the wall, with no purpose or meaning hundreds of books stashed in a pile Old wore wood, somehow still standing in the corner alone, eventually its going to crumble down and become nothing. Nothing more than a few pieces of dusty wood that once was a tall strong standing bookshelf Now it has become trash to one, but treasure to another The old faulty bookshelf that had life but is now standing on its last limb the old bookshelf in the corner alone



GWENDOLYN BROOKS

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Gwendolyn Brooks is an honored, distinguished highly regarded African American poet. She was one of the first Black female authors to win the Pulitzer Prize. Gwendolyn Brooks was born in Kansas, but later moved to Chicago with her family when she was younger. Brooks had a great life for an inspiring poet. She had a passion for reading and writing, which was supported by both her parents. By the age of thirteen Brooks published her first poem, and by the age of seventeen she began publishing for a local news company. Brooks style of poetry varies, from free verses poems to sonnets. Most of her poems reflect civil rights, race, past, race dynamics, and political subjects. Brooks attended college and was apart of an organization called “National Association For the Advancement of Colored People. In the program she went through many workshops and started focusing her poems on urban blacks. In one of her poems “//The Bean Eaters”// Brooks portrays a scenario of a poor black urban family. She describes the life of a poor couple based on observations and personal conception. Below is an expert from the poem, “//The Bean Eaters.”// =====

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Brooks poems are more factual than emotional; they show the reality of things. In all of her poems she used basic Standard English as far as technique goes. One of her most recognized poems is called “We Real Cool.” This poem has a rhythm to it is a short quirky poem about a memory Brooks relived and expressed through poetry. Along with poetry Brook was also a novelist. She published her first and only book //Maud Martha// in the 1950’s. Many of the themes in this book focuses on racial identity and the dignity of black women. In a review Annette Oliver stated " Brooks does not specify traits, niceties or assets for members of the Black community to acquire in order to attain their just rights. . . . So, this is not a novel to inspire social advancement on the part of fellow Blacks. Nor does it say be poor, Black and happy. The message is to accept the challenge of being human and to assert humanness with urgency." The following statement is regarding Brooks novel. Brooks work is unique because it’s more political than emotional. Her items aren’t mainly based on feelings but on issues. Although that’s her main focus her poems are still dynamic. She sends a message to all her readers and informs them as well. The poem that intrigued me the most was called //My Dreams, My Works, Must Wait till After Hell.// This poem analysis’s the hope and happiness that will eventually resume after a hard time. In the first stanza: " I hold my honey and I store my bread/In little jars and cabinets of my will./I label clearly, and each latch and lid/I bid, Be firm till I return from hell." This stanza is illustrating everything she has on hold until she returns from wherever she was before. She will return to this after she comes back from “hell.” =====

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 In Stanza 2: " I am very hungry. I am incomplete./And none can tell when I may dine again./No man can give me any word but Wait/The puny light. I keep eyes pointed in/Hoping that, when the devil days of my hurt" =====

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She now has hope, she’s pursuing something and going for her dreams. She wants to get things back to normal she keep hopes and pray that these “devil days” are over. =====

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 In Stanza 3:" / Drag out to their last dregs and I resume/On such legs as are left me, in such heart/As I can manage, remember to go home/My taste will not have turned insensitive/To honey and bread old purity could love." =====

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Her life is now resumed and everything is going as it should. Her perspective on life has changed and it’s the way it should be. =====

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Many of Brooks poems could be interpreted differently, but this is what I picked up after reading and analyzing this poem. Gwendolyn Brooks was a very talented person and her work will be distinguished forever. =====