Is he comparing someone's outward appearance to their internal state of mind and emotions?

Despite the knowledge a person may have, it does not mean they will have a good paying job. "It isn't about WHAT you know, but WHO you know."

a follower of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

This is such a beautiful poem, and brought tears to my eyes. This reminds me of Toni Morrison's novel Beloved, because Sethe is a mother who protects her child by taking her out of the world... She would not stand for the abuse and mistreatment of her children. She rather kill her baby with Love, than it die by hate.

building bridges may be challenging, yet it unites people.

She uses various colors to make the poem pop.

This reminds me of Gwendolyn B. Bennett's poem "Heritage," and how she expresses the desire to have the right to want something aesthetically pleasing.

Not allowing him to express himself?

Sand can be stolen, such as Land..

If they are physically bound, they can choose to be free by their voices and song.

She is expressing her heritage through the culture and passion of music and unity.

Gwendolyn B. Bennett expresses how they are silenced and forgotten, and she ends the poem by explaining how such voices need to be heard. They can prove their strength through preservation.

Just like prison, the devil who turns into a "cracker, wid a sheriff's star," tries to cage him in hell, lock him up, and keep him bound for all eternity. The devil shows him people "raising hell" and fighting, things he would never dare to do, or else he'll end up there, but the punishment is far worse.

They did not treat them equally, as their religion intended and exploited their work. These built luxuries were not enjoyed by people of color.

This reminds me of Toni Morrison's Beloved, and how the Schoolteacher abuses Sethe into doing something that she does not want to be done to her. Halle, her husband watches the whole time, without her knowing, and his friend Paul D confesses to her that strong men break too, that they experience hurt and cannot fathom it. Yet Brown says they can overcome such pain..

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MUSEUM/Armory/galleryI/picabia.415.html

The image reminds me of this specific part because of the distance within this couple. Only one of them wants to talk, and the other doesn’t. I picture this is the closeness in which one of the partners want.

http://teaching.lfhanley.net/english528fa19/texts/edna-st-vincent-millay/

This reminds me of Edna St. Vincent Millay’s sonnet, “Love is not All.” She says, "Love can not fill the thickened lung with breath, Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone." In contrasts in gender, and who is more in love within each writings. Albert is the one to be pleased and well taken care of. Yet in Millay’s sonnet it is the woman who is being confronted by commitment, after one night with a man... “love is not all” yet LOVE & “pleasing your man” seems very apparent within The Waste Land..

In a sense dreams become weary and heavy, because they loom over us, and it is a struggle to achieve it. When not achieved or postponed, it becomes baggage that may be hard to achieve...

This reminds me of a recent movie I watched called “The Green Book.” In which a world-class African American pianist plays in the homes of white people, yet despite how talented and We’ll mannered he is, they still treat him as less than they are. Hughes declares, “I, too, sing America.” Saying he is just as talented, and although you may love MY WORK, you do not LOVE ME. This does not weaken him, but makes him Stronger.

This reminds me of sacred rituals done amongst some African Americans, in which involves nature; water and trees. There are paths known to them, that not many others know about.

https://youtu.be/46GwJbrMghQ

This Reminds me of the Shawshank Redemption scene, and One of Andy’s famous quotes, “Get busy living or get busy dying.” This part reminds me of being stranded within this “Waste Land” and not being able to Better the situation because of thunder and the imprisonment that comes with it. “He who was living is now dead” reminds me of ex prisoners who are released after years of a sentence and being brought into a world they do not remember.. just like what happened to Brooks in the movie (I won’t spoil it Now). It is a struggle to live within the Waste Land, and they are “dying with a little patience.” There is more to life and the world, than being stuck within the waste land. This scene fits perfectly with this piece. I also thought of Andy’s ending in the movie, his own sweaty face, and demeanor, after all the agony he endures.

"Hurry Up."

it seems as if the waves are consuming a decaying body, and dragging it into the depths of the ocean...to be forgotten?

It is time now, to please her man? She used the money her husband left her on something they did not agree upon?

There is no peace nor freedom, even for the smallest cricket. Nature seems to be dying, or giving up as well. Only shadows to protect or hide?

She is being reminded of her innocent days, where it felt easier to be free, rather than trying to find it as an adult. Can this also be a part of burial? Burial to "childish freedoms?"

Isn't Winter the first season of the year, and starts right at the end of it? When the author says, "breeding Lilacs out of the dead land?" It can be referred to as Winter, since it becomes very cold, with hardly any sunny and bright days..The roots have not been replenished.

Can she mean to measure one’s worth? It reminds me of Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure.”

This feels as if she has a lot on her mind, or “chest” that she is waiting to pour out. When she uses the word “wading” I can picture a deep ocean, that flows within her chest, metaphorically of course.

Is she humming away her thoughts? Is she not free to Think and speak? But only to “Obey?”

Is the speaker trying to say that, despite something that is "cold," maybe hard to reach or achieve, can still be sweet? Is he referring to a stage of life?

No one to help her, and no one to ease her burdens...

Do not use words to make yourself sound smarter, but say it with meaning.

is she trying to say "Sickly," or "Silky?" Also, I am not too sure how she is trying to use "Mignonette."

are the remains scattering on/ to the sea?

Peace and Food can be better than Love, because sometimes Love is complicated. It can be hard to love someone, in which takes away some kind of peace in someones life. Food is essential for survival, yet she would not trade love for these things, because she believes it is all worth it.

Is he comparing “Elves” to minor little problems? As if these issues can be easily ignored and blocked from the mind?

Does he mean that even someone who considers themself “perfect,” or who achieves a kind of excellence, cannot escape the harsh ending or beginning of a different life?

Is he trying to explain that we should provide some kind of example for others? If a person feels lonely they can rely on money?

He wishes things were how they used to be with friends who are there for him, at least it would be better than drunk and alone.

Would this be considered a web to demonstrate a kind of "cycle" of life? This meaning nothing changes as time goes on.

It takes Life to beat the crap out of you, to appreciate it?

This reminds me of the meaning of yin and yang, because this is a perfect balance. This also reminds me of something I would read in the book of Proverbs. Really love these lines!

John does not want her writing a word, yet she stays in the same room day by day. He says it is getting the "better" of her, yet he does not allow her to express her frustration in spoken or written word. She has no place of dwelling nor improving her thoughts..

“The red stain” makes me think of white American and African American blood intermixing, because of the defilement of African American women, leaves a “stain” due to this intermixing, yet the “white adulterers” do not let their children call them Father. Their adulterous ways leads to corruption and “almost the obliteration of the Negro home.” They have stripped them from freedom, resources, and the goodness of their homes.

When a peoples resources has been taken away, how are they expected to achieve or help within their society? Are they supposed to dwell on things they do not have or cannot achieve? They are forced to ask if they are the “problem,” as Du Bois mentions earlier.

This reminds me of "Areopagitica," and how Milton argues that moral and intellectual growth begins through ignorance. Knowledge is gained through education which can be a Force/ Strength. "We have become hitherto the latest and the backwards scholars of whom God offered to have made us the Teachers."

Comparing Religion and science, do they have the same power/ force?

These last lines remind me of a sacrificial offering to a God, or even nature itself. This also reminds me of how some of us inherit good things, yet abuse or do not appreciate it. It seems as if they are taking The Lion away from its home and keeping it secluded, so when the right time comes they may "feed they Lion."

This sounds as if they are raising a strong Lion. A disciplined Lion that knows when to "Bow Down" and "Rise Up." when they feed "they Lion" it can be a difficult task that must come with patience and hard work.