to you who would wage war against me
I
there are many lines
you have not traced on my palms
still
you think you know me
when i speak
you nod knowingly
as if
you’ve already read my mind
and are only politely acknowledging
the confirmation of my spoken words
II
but you cannot possibly know
what i’ve been contemplating
these days
my head is full of blood
but you show no fear
and i do not trust my hands
they look to me like stones
you do not cower when i approach
though i feel like a runaway train
and i can hear your voice cool and steady
while my brain screams profanities
into the air around your ears
our past has given you no reason
to be afraid
but still i am surprised you cannot see
the danger burning brightly in my eyes
the fire i am struggling to control
III
as i sit stewing in the kitchen’s false light
with tears my daughter
comes to me
frightened by what she cannot see
afraid tonight to sleep
i hold her in my arms
singing soft words of comfort
feeling her heart quickly
beating against my chest
knowing before i can think that
i have forgiven us
for our stupid little wars
knowing in that incandescent light
that anger will never move me
as delicately as she has moved me
this night
Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm
Activities
EAT the poem
1. The title of the poem refers to a nameless “you” and “me”. Look closely at the poem or clues about the personalities of the two people referred to by these pronouns. What can you conclude about the personalities of these individuals (support your claims with evidence)
2. The poem deals with two powerful contrasting emotions, anger and love. What words and images does the writer use to convey the intensity of these emotions?
3. What is the significance of the narrator’s observation that “anger will never move me as delicately as she has moved me”? Why does the narrator’s concern and love or her daughter move her more than anger?
4. Examine the poem “the laughing heart” and compare it to this poem. Which line from Bukowski’s poem relates the closest to “anger will never move me as delicately as she has moved me. Explain your response.
5. What ideas does the poem develop regarding perspective? How can this be related to Shawshank?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Taylor Eichel
1. The title of the poem refers to a nameless “you” and “me”. Look closely at the poem or clues about the personalities of the two people referred to by these pronouns. What can you conclude about the personalities of these individuals (support your claims with evidence) One of the people is angry but can hold it back “my head is full of blood
but you show no fear
and I do not trust my hands
they look to me like stones”
One person is positive because and polite because it says you’ve already read my mind
and are only politely acknowledging
2. The poem deals with two powerful contrasting emotions, anger and love. What words and images does the writer use to convey the intensity of these emotions? danger burning brightly in my eyes. i hold her in my arms
3. What is the significance of the narrator’s observation that “anger will never move me as delicately as she has moved me”? Why does the narrator’s concern and love for her daughter move her more than anger? Love overcomes anger.
4. Examine the poem “the laughing heart” and compare it to this poem. Which line from Bukowski’s poem relates the closest to “anger will never move me as delicately as she has moved me. Explain your response. Love is more important than anger because when anger takes place it brings people down.
5. What ideas does the poem develop regarding perspective? How can this be related to Shawshank? This poem relates to Shawshank because most of the prisoners are angry but people like Andy who have a connection to the outer world are fine.
Mike temple
1. The title of the poem refers to a nameless “you” and “me”. Look closely at the poem or clues about the personalities of the two people referred to by these pronouns. What can you conclude about the personalities of these individuals (support your claims with evidence) the person is angry but he can hold his anger in so it doesn’t get worse. my head is full of blood
but you show no fear
and i do not trust my hands
they look to me like stones
2. The poem deals with two powerful contrasting emotions, anger and love. What words and images does the writer use to convey the intensity of these emotions? i hold her in my arms
singing soft words of comfort
feeling her heart quickly
beating against my chest
knowing before i can think that
i have forgiven us
for our stupid little war.
3. What is the significance of the narrator’s observation that “anger will never move me as delicately as she has moved me”? Why does the narrator’s concern and love for her daughter move her more than anger? Love overcomes anger in life.
4. Examine the poem “the laughing heart” and compare it to this poem. Which line from Bukowski’s poem relates the closest to “anger will never move me as delicately as she has moved me. Explain your response. Love is more important than anger because anger just brings people down and there sperit they have in them.
5. What ideas does the poem develop regarding perspective? How can this be related to Shawshank? The poem relates to the book because everyone has anger and that is taking over there body, but Andy is not letting that happen to him. He is thinking positive and doing things that interest him and what he likes to do.
1. One person's personality is sad and angry and the other persons personality is a loving and happy person.
2 “brain screams profanities” is one for angrer. i hold her in my arms
singing soft words of comfort is showing love.
3.because her love for her daughter is stronger.
4. “it may not be much light but it beats the darkness.” Because it talks about anger and sadness.
5. This poem is very much like a storage Shawshank because it is talking about not giving up and always to look on the bright side.
By Devon Telle
The Poem Mike B
1. One deals with hate and one deals with love, The hatful one is always pushing people away, and the loving one is always loving and accepting people.
2. Danger is burning in my eyes- anger Hold you in my arms-loving
3. The narrator is implying that that love is stronger then hate.
4. Both the stories say that love always will be more powerful then hate.
5. The poem gives ideas to never give up and keep a positive attitude.
Brandon Richardson
1.The title of the poem refers to a nameless “you” and “me”. Look closely at the poem or clues about the personalities of the two people referred to by these pronouns. What can you conclude about the personalities of these individuals (support your claims with evidence) The person doesn’t show his anger but inside he is full of anger, for example “my head is full of blood but you show no fear” The other person is loving and full of happiness and doesn’t express any anger.
2. The poem deals with two powerful contrasting emotions, anger and love. What words and images does the writer use to convey the intensity of these emotions?“I could hold her in my arms singing soft words of comfort” expresses the happiness and love this person shows and the other for anger is “Brain screams profanities”
3. What is the significance of the narrator’s observation that “anger will never move me as delicately as she has moved me”? Why does the narrator’s concern and love or her daughter move her more than anger? The lover for her daughter becomes stronger and love has the power to overcome anything.
4. Examine the poem “the laughing heart” and compare it to this poem. Which line from Bukowski’s poem relates the closest to “anger will never move me as delicately as she has moved me. Explain your response. Love is what keeps people going, it brings them happiness and joy in life. While anger just makes people mad and sad, which also brings people down and depressed.
5. What ideas does the poem develop regarding perspective? How can this be related to Shawshank? The poem is similar because both shawshank and the poem shows and talks about anger, sadness, and happiness.
Post a Comment