Clifton is noted for saying much with few words. In a Christian Century review of Clifton's work, Peggy Rosenthal commented, "The first thing that strikes us about Lucille Clifton's poetry is what is missing: capitalization, punctuation, long and plentiful lines. We see a poetry so pared down that its spaces take on substance, become a shaping presence as much as the words themselves" In an American Poetry Review article about Clifton's work, Robin Becker commented on Clifton's lean style: "Clifton's poetics of understatement—no capitalization, few strong stresses per line, many poems totaling fewer than twenty lines, the sharp rhetorical question—includes the essential only."
Clifton's first volume of poetry, Good Times (1969), was cited by the New York Times as one of the ten best books of the
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The poems, inspired by Clifton’s family of six young children, show the beginnings of Clifton’s spare, unadorned style and center around the facts of African-American urban life. Clifton's second volume of poetry, Good News about the Earth: New Poems (1972), was written in the midst of the political and social upheavals of the late 1960s and 70s, and its poems reflect those changes, including a middle sequence that pays homage to black political leaders. Writing in Poetry, Ralph J. Mills, Jr., said that Clifton's poetic scope transcends the black experience "to embrace the entire world, human and non-human, in the deep affirmation she makes in the teeth of negative evidence." However, An Ordinary Woman (1974), Clifton's third collection of poems, largely abandoned the examination of racial issues that had marked her previous books, looking instead at the writer's roles as woman and poet. Helen Vendler declared in the New York Times Book
Discuss how intertextuality allows Dobson’s poetry to resonate across time and place. In a society determined to identify and correct every one of the never ending inequalities and injustices of life, Rosemary Dobson provides an alternate perspective. Dobson’s poetry creates the concept of equal opportunity. This is the idea that in fact, everyone on Earth that has ever existed has been born into their lives with an equal and proportionate chance at achieving success and happiness, within their given circumstances.
Each poem has their own back story to them. For example, “To a Dark Girl”, Gwendolyn writes to all the African American female children saying that they should not care what others say about them because they do not look like everyone else. They should stand out and not be afraid of it. She called them queens, and says that their skin color, hair, face, plump lips, everything is perfect because that is how they were made. Gwendolyn wanted equality and freedom, as did every other African American. She also wrote short stories. One of her short stories, “Wedding Day” show representation on how White Americans use African Americans. In the short story, Paul was a fighter who went to jail because of how he reacted to a white male calling him names. He moved to Paris when he got out of jail. He hung out with African Americans in the “pit”. He met a white female, named Mary, who wanted his attention and help. He decided to help her, and they ended up falling in love. On their wedding day, Mary wrote him a letter saying that she could not go through with it. He figured this would happen because people like the idea of being in love and even with someone who is not like you until you are about to be legally bound to one another. He got on a train and left
As her lifestyle improved, Clifton’s works and opportunities increased, allowing her to complete her education at various schools and become a published author. Lucille Clifton has stated on many occasions that she believes a poet’s job requires telling the truth about the world and about life (Lupton 2). Therefore, her poems were “generally short and precise,” using “simple, easy-to-understand language” to transcend literal meaning though powerful images (Champion 76). Most of her famous poems rooted from her experience as an African-American women raised in poverty. Critics acknowledge Clifton’s “ability to craft powerful, evocative images that express pride in her identity as a black woman” (Milne 113). However, although she had a love for music and the arts, it never occurred to Clifton that she would pursue a career in poe...
When sorting through the Poems of Dorothy Parker you will seldom find a poem tha¬t you could describe as uplifting or cheerful. She speaks with a voice that doesn’t romanticize reality and some may even call her as pessimistic. Though she doesn’t have a buoyant writing style, I can empathize with her views on the challenges of life and love. We have all had experiences where a first bad impression can change how we view an opportunity to do the same thing again. Parker mostly writes in a satirical or sarcastic tone, which can be very entertaining to read and analyze.
During the early part of the 20th century, White-America fed and thrived off the established institution of racism. Although the physical bondage of slavery had ended years before, social chains still confined the African American public to a lower level of society, making it hard for them to climb to the peak that is equality. From areas where the most oppressed lie, however, some of the most beautiful art emerges. Movements in black culture such as the Harlem Renaissance provided an outlet for the struggles faced by those who were stepped on by society, and Lucille Clifton’s poem “in the inner city” exemplifies artist’s ability to analyze their situation and transfer thought and emotion gracefully into word. Clifton’s use of free verse to
“Never Ever” is a poem written by Brenda Shaughnessy about employees working at a restaurant. Born japanese but raised in California, Brenda Shaughnessy is a 46 year old lady and author. Brenda attended the University of California, where she got her Bachelor’s Degree of the Arts in women’s studies and literature. No biographies about her that have been published to this day include information about her childhood, however after that, she has won many an award for her publishings. From watching an interview or two with her, she seems to be very passionate about what she does and does not do it solely for money.
To me it feels Lucy Larcom feelings are kinda Typical. She did mention how she was a country girl and it was un usual for country girls to work out in bigger places because there used to being so independent. I think that she liked it because being a country girl they liked being put to work or were always working hard because working in the country isn't easy. And now they only have to work a few hours a day. And they in joyed only having to work a few hours. In the quote they said that “The preferred it to going out as “hired help.”” Then Lucy went on saying how it was like a mans pleasure in entering upon a business. I do think what he thought was pretty typical and she did In joy it because it was something she has never done before so
Rituals, teachings, ceremonies and identities of the Aboriginal people were lost and neglected in the past. Even today, those of the culture continue to heal and strengthen from the consequences. In Louise Halfe’s poem “My Ledders,” a native woman addresses the Pope expressing her passionate feelings towards the traditions that were robbed of her culture, while pleading him to change the teachings back to the original way. In the letter the speaker writes as if she was speaking, using phonetic spelling and broken English, asking the Pope if he could use his power to retain the native culture, as the government may listen to him. Directly linking the losses of native traditions, customs and languages to the residential school system, the speaker uses orature combining a native dialect along with satire to express how the losses in one generation continue to affect the aboriginal identity in future generations.
Influenced by the style of “plainspoken English” utilized by Phillip Larkin (“Deborah Garrison”), Deborah Garrison writes what she knows, with seemingly simple language, and incorporating aspects of her life into her poetry. As a working mother, the narrator of Garrison’s, “Sestina for the Working Mother” provides insight for the readers regarding inner thoughts and emotions she experiences in her everyday life. Performing the daily circus act of balancing work and motherhood, she, daydreams of how life might be and struggles with guilt, before ultimately realizing her chosen path is what it right for her and her family.
As Lucille wrote many children’s books,” Clifton wrote more than twenty children’s books centered on the African American experience.” (Obituaries 1). Although Lucille cared about people seeing viewpoints on African Americans, she also believed in seeing the viewpoints of whites during the slavery times as well. She wanted to understand history throughout all viewpoints of all Americans. “Many children’s books were written expressly for an African American audience in mind.” (Beckles 2). Lucille’s children’s books would be based on how African Americans lived throughout slavery and how women would be treated. She would write poems that described the everyday life of an at home wife that only cooks or cleans for a master that does not care for them. After writing many poems base on slavery and viewpoints, Lucille won many, many titles and received many awards for her
Finally the coal mine war ended in 1933, many dead bodies were buried of innocent people, with many untold stories. The emotions Diane fisher used in her lyrical poetry can be relate to any of the culture, not only to the people of West Virginia. It’s a responsibility of the poet to give his readers entertainment, but at the same time the information about what they are talking. She did a great job in this. She not only told us the situation of miserable people, but also helped us to heard the untold stories.
Fair Phyllis is a song or poem written in the 16th century by John Farmer, in this poem he tells the tale of a relationship between a shepherdess and her lover, in which is told by the song and in history has been presented with the Italian practice of “word art”. This beautiful song is very special in the format of the piece, it is sung in a cappella, meaning that many voices work in harmony to create the song, while the work itself is first monophonic, then for the last part it become homophonic switching off between one person singing and then many at different paces and tones. At the beginning of the song where it is monophonic the highest voice is reinforced by the other voices, while in the latter half of the song when it changes to
In this Bibliography written by Susanne Woods, the author analyzes the life of Amelia Lanyer and how her life story contributes to the many poems she wrote. Lanyer is considered to be the first women to ever publish collection
HI my name is savannah what I’m about to tell you is a very sad story, and if you dislike animals I suggest you leave now!Okay it all started after 3rd grade going into 4th grade during the middle of summer,break and my dad my sister,zoe and Zoe’s x-boyfriend. I was watching wreck-it-ralph when we were in the middle of the movie when someone called ,my dad so we paused the movie.” It’s your mom savannah” said my dad. I took the phone, I could tell something was wrong “Hi mom!” I said. Not knowing this call would change my life forever,”Hi sweety how are you?” “good.” I said but soon I would not be anymore, and I could tell something was off.”I have some bad news sweetie”… mom said sadly.
“I don’t like supposing that somebody like Jesus was alive now and pretending and imagining what he’d do. But if he was Jesus and he held that he was the real Jesus that had the same views as before – well, Eleanor Rigby wouldn’t mean that much to him.” (John Lennin) Eleanor Rigby Is justifiably known as one of the Beetles most timeless compositions to this date. This song marked a shift in the optimism of the Beatles “happy go lucky” tune in their previous works, and in its place it presented an almost dark cynical feel. Written by Paul McCartney and produced by George Lennin; Eleanor Rigby was composed in the basement of John Asher’s family home on Wimpole Street, London. Initially this song was alleged to be a love ballad, but that quickly translated into a melodic tune about the loneliness that takes place in the lives of two people.