Countee Cullen's Poem

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Nicole Wells English 117 9/5/14 Rick Walters The first poem I am going to discuss is “For a Lady I Know”, by Countee Cullen. This is a short, satiric poem in which Cullen describes how a high-class women believes that even in the afterlife, classes will still be in effect. The “lady” Cullen is referring to in the poem thinks that even “up in heaven her class lies late” while black servants will rise at seven am to carry on with the chores to make her, and the whole of her class, happy. In “For a Lady I Know”, Cullen’s sarcasm is quite blatant. The poem mixed amusement and contempt for this truly ignorant woman. From reading this poem, it really spoke of the ignorance of many people. For a person to believe that all people are unequal, in…show more content…
When Saenz wrote in Spanish in lines 12 to 13, it really showed how many people in this world feel that they need “saving” from this reality and believe religion is the only way to achieve it. Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “Speech to the Young, Speech to Progress-Toward”, is a very optimistic and touching piece. In the poem Brooks is speaking to “the young” and letting them know that there will always be negativity in the world, “down-keepers” and “sun-slappers”, but you must always appreciate the life in which you live and not always wish to rush it, rather “live in the along” Brooks’ poem was a very beneficial piece of advice to the youth, and even the adults of this world. I found it very touching that she involved her two children in the audience to this very important lesson she was teaching. The last three lines to me were really the most important. When she says “live not for battles won. Live not for the end of the song. Live in the along” is an important message that all can find useful. She emphasizes the importance of not living in the past, not wishing for tomorrow, but living in the now and viewing life with an optimistic

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