Poems

I Do Have My Likes and Dislikes

 I like cashmere scarves and cashmere sweaters and cotton blouseswith button down collarsI like mink muffs when my hands are cold and leather gloves up tomy elbowI like manicures but I don't like nail polishI like facials but not to squeeze the black heads outI like caviar and pecan fried chicken and double decker sandwicheswhite bread extra mayoI really like anchovies on my pizza and quilts on my bed andeucalyptus soap when I take a long bathI prefer vacations in St.Vincent or Barbados or Jamaica but I'll takeany good beach I can findI like ESPN Sports Roundup and homemade vanilla ice cream in abig mug with chocolate chip cookiesI like bird houses and bird feeders and my coffee in the morning onthe deck where I hear birds singingAnd mostly I like the peace of the breezes singing through the trees and. . .oh by the way . . . I  really like you




 

• Allusion: She makes reference to ESPN Sports Roundup and St.Vincent, Barbados, and Jamaica, and eucalyptus.
• Tone:  Judgemental, whimsical
• Figurative Language: Repetition- Say " I like " more than once.
• Theme: People can have their likes and dislikes but when it comes to love it is really undefined.
• Interpretation: In this poem Nikki Giovanni talks about all the things she likes and dislikes and then she also states that she really likes this person at the end. She said all the things she liked and dislikes but she wanted to make it clear that she really liked the person.

Communication 

 

If music is the most universal language
just think of me as one whole note

If science has the most perfect language
picture me as MC²

Since mathematics can speak to the infinite
imagine me as 1 to the first power

What I mean is     one day
I'm gonna grab your loveand you'll be
satisfied

• Allusion: Whole note, MC², and1 to the first power.
• Tone: Animated, contemplative, and dramatic
• Figurative Language: Simile- " Just think of me as one whole note." " Imagine me as 1 to the first power"
• Theme: Love is communication to.
• Interpretation: She is using different ways we communicate to describe love or the love you have for someone.

Tree Line

 

We live above the tree line

If we stand tip toe we can
Reach into the Milky Way and run our fingers
Around the rim of that chocolate pot
Others call the Black Hole

This night is made for walking
Holding your hand having a crescent moon
Laugh down on us

There are things flying around
Even at this height where it should be
So cold only ice and snow grow

Yet there is something evergreen
About this love that I offer you

• Allusion: Makes refrence to the Milky Way and the Black Hole
• Tone: Reverent
• Figurative Language: Symbolism- Tree Line is used to represent thier love for each other that it goes above the usual
• Theme: Love can never be estimated
• Interpretation: In this poem she is comparing her love to nature. She is saying that love isnt made by man itself it comes natural like nature.

                                 

All Eyez On U

(for 2Pac Shakur 1971-1996)

as I tossed and turned unable to achieve sleep unable to control

anxiety unable to comprehend why

2Pac is not with us

if those who lived by the sword died by the sword there would be no

white men on earth

if those who lived on hatred died on hatred there would be no KKK

if those who lived by lies died by lies there would be nobody on wall

street in executive suites in academic offices instructing the young

don't tell me he got what he deserved   he deserved a chariot and

the accolades of a grateful people

he deserved his life

it is as clear as a mountain stream as defining as a lightning strike

as terrifying as sun to vampires

2Pac told the truth

there were those who called it dirty   gansta rap inciting there were

those who never wanted to be    angry at the conditions but angry

 at the messenger who reported:      your kitchen has roaches your toi-

let is overflowing your basement has so much water the rats are in the

living room

your house is in disorder

and 2Pac told you about it

what a beautiful boy graceful carriage melodic voice sharp wit intel-

lectual breadth what a beautiful boy to lose

not me   never me    I do not believe east coast west coast     I saw

them murder Emmett Till I saw them murder Malcolm X    I saw

them murder    Martin Luther King    I witnessed them shooting

Rap Brown I saw them beat LeRoi Jones    I saw them fill their jails

I see them burning churches    not me   never me    I do not believe

this is some sort of mouth action     this is some sort of political

action and they picked well     they picked the brightest freshest

fruit from the tallest tree     what a beautiful boy

but he did not go away     as Malcolm did not go away      as Emmett

Till did not go away       your shooting him will not take him from us

his spirit will fill our hearts     his courage will strengthen us for the

challenge     his truth will straighten our backbones

you know, Socrates had a mother      she too watched her son drink

hemlock    she too asked why     but Socrates stood firm and would

not lie to save himself       2Pac has a mother     the lovely Afeni had

to bury her son    it is not right

it is not right that this young warrior is cut down     it is not right for

the old to bury the young    it is not right

this generation mourns 2Pac as my generation mourned Till as we

all mourn Malcolm     this wonderful young warrior

Sonia Sanchez said when she learned of his passing she walked all day

walking the beautiful warrior home to our ancestors I just cried as all

mothers cry for the beautiful boy who said he and Mike Tyson would

never be allowed ti be free at the same time who told the truth about

them and who told the truth about us who is our beautiful warrior

there are those who wanted to make him the problem     who wanted

to believe if they silenced 2Pac all would be quiet on the ghetto

front there are those who testified that the problem wasn't the con-

ditions but the people talking about them

they took away band    so the boys started scratching they took away

gym      so  the boys started break dancing the boys started rapping

cause they gave them the guns and the drugs but not the schools and

libraries

what a beautiful boy to lose

and we mourn 2Pac Shakur and we reach out to his mother and we

hug ourselves in sadness and shame

and we are compelled to ask:

R U Happy, Mz Tucker? 2Pac is gone

R U Happy?

• Allusion: 2Pac Shakur, Mike Tyson, Malcolm X, Emmett Till, Martin Luther King, Sonia Sanchez, and KKK
• Tone: Apologetic, qudacious, and candid
• Figurative Language: Repetition- " not me  never me I do not believe ".  " it is not right" and " what a beautiful boy to lose". Simile- " it is as clear as a mountain stream as defining as a lightning strike as terrifying as sun to vampires"
• Theme: Your life is as important to others as it is to you.
• Interpretation: She is mourning over 2Pac death. She is stating that he did not deserve to die and that it is sad to see people say that he did and that he didn't mean anything to our society or our world but he did. She is saying that 2Pac Shakur deserved his life.