Contemporary Poets

Contemporary poetry contain poems focused on modern subject matter. Usually the writing methods of contemporary poets are creative and new. Kay Ryan is a contemporary American poet from California. In her Casa Romantica conference she reads from "The Niagara River" collection. Although her reading is a bit boring and unenthusiastic her poetry is far from it. She uses geographical allusions in her work. This special style uses vibrant images to help the reader connect with the poetry. In her poem "Blandeur", the title is a made up word that the speaker uses to describe a made up land. The fictitious word is a very playful way to connect with the reader. Like this poem in her conference she was playful and interactive with her audience.


Another contemporary American poet is Yusef Komunyakaa of Trinidadian descent. Komunyakaa is a Vietnam war veteran. In the reading of his poem "Facing It", Komunyakaa expresses the difficulty he endured when revealing his true feelings concerning the war. The reading was powerful and inspiring. He gave great insight into the turmoil post war veterans experience while trying to assimilate back into society.

Natasha Trethewey is a contemporary poet who chooses to stay active and speak about modern racial issues. Trethewey is the product of an interracial marriage in which at the time of her birth in Mississippi was considered an illegal act. Her background is an obvious influence in her subject matter. In the poem "White Lies" Trethewey, like Komunyakaa gives great insight into an experience some have never gone through. The speaker is a light skinned black or interracial little girl who lies about her nationality. As a young girl in a racially biased society she cannot help but feel being white is better. So many can relate to this being that the United States of America is such a culturally diverse society.Contemporary poets are new and innovative in their writing styles and subject matter. Most contemporary poems are easily identifiable because the writers are still alive and continue writing today.

Despair

Many literary works can leap off the page and shake the reader at the core. When writers use a negative tone and add poetry it amplifies the effect. The poetic manner in which the speaker is conveyed gives the audience that much more of a jolting feeling and connection. In the poem, "Metaphors" by Sylvia Plath, the speaker uses metaphors to describe being pregnant. She considers this pregnancy a negative event. She uses everyday objects and events to help the audience understand the despair and anguish during this time. Men and women alike can comprehend the suffering this woman endures during her pregnancy.

Another poem, "Not Waving but Drowning" by Stevie Smith, conveys despair and angst through tone. The speaker uses a drowning man to symbolize the helplessness he feels in his life. The man calls out for help but onlookers pay no mind. The speaker helps the audience understand the immense anxiety and despair the swimmer feels as onlookers do nothing. Like Plath's poem, this too forces the audience to appreciate a foreign scenario and experience it through the tone of the speaker.

The painting below is by Edvard Munch, a Norwegian expressionist artist. This painting is an example of despair not only depicted through literature but works of art as well.

The Weary Blues

During the Harlem Renaissance music and the arts were an outlet for the poor and oppressed. Langston Hughes was one of the biggest names to come out of this era. In "The Weary Blues" Hughes expresses the emotions of a poor street performer. The images in the video depict in contrast performers on stage at the Apollo Theater. While both performers sang the blues the images in the video do not represent the political and economic turmoil blues players endured. While the reading and the music behind the poem was slow and weary, the images were the opposite, possibly representing the separation present amongst the community.

In many ways the Harlem Renaissance laid the foundation for the artistic culture in present day Harlem. The Apollo Theater still serves as a platform for minority artists. The influence of works such as "The Weary Blues" can still be heard in the music of popular

Harlem artists today.

The video below is by Immortal Technique, a successful lyricist, poet, and activist living in Harlem. Like the renaissance era, he too talks about social and political issues within his community.

Novel Post

The Wanderers by Richard Price was written in 1974 and is a coming of age story based on growing up around Bronx Street Gangs in the early 1960's. I thought I could research popular New York gangs of the early 1960's and compare them to that of the book. I can research formation of organizations, characteristics such as signs, clothing, or hairstyles, and identification.

Rebellious Poetry

Many poets can use unconventional methods of writing poems or making a point. In the poem "Homage to My Hips" Lucille Clifton chose to use 1 stanza with 15 lines. She does not capitalize and uses en jammed lines. In the poem the speaker is a women and she celebrates her body. In particular her "big hips." Most women in this society criticize body types especially big hips or waists. It is inspiring for this female speaker to express the pride and respect she has for her body. The speaker gives her hips a personality by saying "they don't like to be held back" and "they do what they want to do." It seems as though the speaker rebels against society and the restrictions that are put on women. In line 8 the speaker says "these hips have never been enslaved." Her hips have not been enslaved to media, feminine restraints, or more literally girdles, tights, and other enhancement products. She is proud of her hips no matter what anyone thinks.
Another example of rebellious poetry is the poem "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams. This poem has 3 quatrains and no punctuation. The poem is short and each stanza looks similar in physical shape. The poet also uses en jammed lines in his poem. The speaker sounds as though they left a note. The note apologizes for eating an other's plums. Although the speaker asks for forgiveness the last three lines of the poem suggest otherwise. "They were delicious so sweet and so cold", these lines sounds like the speaker is not very sorry for eating the plums. The note is not typical in poems. Many poems are written on a note but not many poems are written like a note.

Ursela K. Le Guin Video

Ursela K. Le Guin is a world renowned writer. In this video she reads from her book Lavinia. After watching the video it is easier to understand her writing style. She reads and speaks with much confidence.
Le Guin's stories are easy to read. Like Lavinia, her short story, "The Ones who Walked Away from Omelas" is interesting and an enjoyable read. They both have a slightly dark tone. Watching the video helps relate the author and her writing style to the short story "The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas".

Tone

Tone helps convey a mood in literary work. The short stories, "The Ones Who Walk away from Omelas" by Ursela K. Le Guin and "The Handsomest Drowned Man in The World" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, both are opposite in tone. Although the stories are similar in literary writing they both convey different tones.

Le Guin chose to begin her story like that of a fairytale. The narrator talks of a town that is hard to believe, a perfect utopia. A town where everyone is happy. The story begins to get dark and upsetting when the reader is told of a little child that is kept as a prisoner in the basement of a building in Omelas. The child is tortured, malnourished, and neglected. The townspeople believe in order to continue with their utopia this child must be punished. At the end of the story the narrator lets the reader know not everyone in the town agrees to the punishment of the child. The end of the story we the reader learn many walk away from Omelas never to return.

Marquez wrote his story like that of a fairytale as well. The villagers in his story are not happy. The village is empty and purposeless. The reader cannot help but feel sorry for this village. A drowned man washes up on shore. This man brings all the villagers together. The villagers work together to give this man a proper burial. In doing so the village becomes vibrant and happy. This dead man gave the villagers purpose and happiness. The story ends with a happy tone and hope of this to happen in the future.

Reaction: Sandra Cisneros Video

A house can mean many different things. To many a house is merely a form of shelter and a place to sleep. To others a house is a sign of family and a place to share a home. In "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros the main character Esperanza is not proud of her house. At her young age she believes a house is a sign of status.
The Sandra Cisneros video summarizes the story very well. The video relates the story to the viewer. The pictures of the houses were much nicer than that depicted in the story but they helped move the video along.

Culture in Short Stories

Culture is a major part of every day life. It helps individuals identify with a group and relate to others. Authors in literature tend to use culture in many stories. In "A Pair Tickets" by Amy Tan and "House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros, the authors chose to let culture influence their stories.

In " A Pair of Tickets" Tan uses culture through out the story. The main Character Jing-mei decides to go to China for the first time to find herself and meet her sisters. In doing so Jing-mei finds herself and learns of her Asian heritage. Growing up in the Unites States Jing-mei had no need to identify with her Asian roots. Eventually at 36 years old she realized in order to learn more about herself she needed to identify with her heritage. By the end of her journey Jing-mei realizes she was always Chinese. She understood the importance of culture in her life.

In "The House on Mango Street" Cisneros chooses to show culture through the eyes of a young girl named Esperanza. Although this character is much younger than that of Jin-mei she still begins to understand her place in the world. Esperanza realizes her family is not well off. They buy a house that young Esperanza is not very proud of. Finding a cultural identity can come at different ages and in many different ways.