g brooks!

i'd just like to point out before i respond to this poem, that i LOVE gwendolyn brooks. you guys should look up, "we real cool" by her. it's one on my favorites.

: )

so the important thing to remember when reading poetry, is not to beat the meaning out of it. poetry is thought transcribed onto paper and i think it's important to be sensitive to those emotions of the voice of the poem. my favorite section was this one:

Sleek, tender-clad, fit, fiftyish, a-glow, all

Sweetly abortive, hinting at fat fruit,
Judge it high time that fiftyish fingers felt
Beneath the lovelier planes of enterprise.
To resurrect. To moisten with milky chill.
To be a random hitching-post or plush.
To be, for wet eyes, random and handy hem.
Their guild is giving money to the poor.
The worthy poor. The very very worthy
And beautiful poor. Perhaps just not too swarthy?
perhaps just not too dirty nor too dim
Nor--passionate

the listing of these descriptions as well as the feelings that these words connote, for example, the lush and delicious weight that brooks tries to convey when she writes, "hinting at fat fruit" makes the reader feel the luxury enjoyed by the upper-class that she's describing. this is in stark contrast to the images conjured up by her descriptions of the poor, primarily focusing upon the rotting stench, which one may possibly believe alludes to the fear and repulsion some feel towards the poor- as if they are already dead and beyond saving. i really enjoyed this poem because of it's raw emotion and passion that brooks puts behind her words. i think each of us should feel just this passionate about the work and journey that we're about to embark on.

with lots of b-love,

michelle