A Comparison Between the Poetic Techniques Of Ferlinghetti & Afrika

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A Comparison Between the Poetic Techniques Of Ferlinghetti & Afrika Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Tatamkhulu Afrika both have very effective poems. Both of which are written to state some form of inequality or discrimination. There are distinct and hidden similarities and differences between the two. These are going to be highlighted in this report. As mentioned before, both are talking about certain inequality or discrimination; however there are two main differences: 1. One poet is talking about racial issues (Afrika), the other about democratic issues (Ferlinghetti) 2. Afrika has a clear view point as he has been subject to the discrimination mentioned whereas Ferlinghetti is just stating what is happening Both of the issues written about were (and still are) key problems all over the world, which contributes to the poems' success, as everybody can identify with it. These poems are technically fictional, but the truth behind the moral of them adds a genuine realism. In "Nothing's Changed" (Afrika's poem), the tone as a general rule is very accusative and extremely opinionated. This is because the author is writing from his own experiences (he is black), almost in an autobiographical sense, and hence it is written in first-person form. He is in a way a spokesman, a representative for all black people that are discriminated against, which is shown in the poem by using "we" in line 26, "we" referring to black cultures. In contrast, "Two Scavengers in a Truck. Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes" (Ferlinghetti's poem) is written in third-person, as if he is an observer of the scenario described in the poem. Also, Ferlinghetti is writing a lot more factually, and isn't blatantly opinionated, however there may be something hidden within it. Those are the main differences. However, there are other differences that are present: Ferlinghetti's poem is taken from a freeze-frame, basically meaning that a moment in time is taken, like a snapshot with a camera. Afrika's poem, in a way; describes a journey, and is continually moving on, explaining the frames as they come and go.

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