I love this line because I feel like it does a great job of reclaiming the narriative. Throughout the poem, we see these people rioting because they're fed up or just simply need a form of escapism. If they were treated better, perhaps they wouldn't need to turn to intoxication. I love the indlugence of vulgarity and the ownership of wild behavior. It's like a big eff you, saying "Look at what you made me. Are you happy now?"

There are several mentions of angels throughout the poem, which make me curious about the significance. Perhaps, the minority groups Ginsberg labels as "angels," signifies the innocence of these persecuted groups. These people have done nothing wrong, yet have been berated by White America for generations. It makes sense why Ginsberg would label these people as "angels".

This line is really thought provoking, leading me to wonder if other persecuted minorities in America found solace in one another during this time. I always hear stories of discrimination rising within minority communities as a way to reclaim power (for example: black communities and the rivalry between latinx communities, or the rivalry between the Irish and Italians). I've always wondered: why don't all minority communities work together instead of against each other? Perhaps if we did, we might be strong enough to overthrow our persecutors.

This is extremely powerful. I feel as if McKay is reclaiming his narriative in America. So much of the poetry during this time does not frown upon the burdens the black community has had to face. But rather, highlights the empowerment and beauty that comes from resistance.

There seems to be a theme of water and rebirth in McKay and Hughes' poems.I like the hopefullness that comes with the idea of returning again, and finally carrying out one's dreams. This reminds me of Hughes' poem "Harlem," seemingly offering a response to the question propsed--"what happens to a dream deferred?" Here, it seems as if McKay is hopefull of one day pursuing those dreams. The poetry of this time indicates liberation is coming, so we must push forward.

Something I love about this movement is how poets romanticize black people and their music. There is less acknowledgment of the saddness that haunts the black community. Instead, there is celebration of black culture, which feels more liberating. By displaying this beauty, more people in the black community might begin to internalize it as well. This reminds me of severing the veil, and reclaiming their identity.

I loved this whole poem. It was so evocative and beautiful. Most importantly, I feel like it ties back to Langston Hughes' "The Negro Speaks the River." There seems to be a constant reminder in the black community of the glory days in Egypt, perhaps as a reminder that their people can be something great. There is so much hopefulness in this recollection, and I feel like this movement is filled with positivity and liberation.

This reminds me of Langston Hughes' "Weary Blues." I feel like this line is very telling of the times, and how the black community collectively started to find a voice through music.

While this poem seems to end on a sad note, I actually think there is so much beauty to it. To me, it reads as if he falls so deeply in love with his music that it is unbecoming. It's a new sensation he has never known, almost like an awakening of the soul. I don't think it's him who dies, but rather, the previous version of his soul.

I don't actually think he's invited to the table to eat with the company, but rather serve. I appreciate the irony of this, for the joke is on them. While they try to shun him on a regular basis, the truth is that they need him when it matters. When they realize this truth, they will be ashamed. Hence the last lines of the poem.

This reminds me of the shift in power dynamics the Africans have gone through in history. In ancient Egypt, while the Egyptians were responsible for creating the pyramids, they also enslaved a handful of the Jews to assist them in the building. This dynamic shfts years later, when the Africans are enslaved in America.

I completely agree with this philosophy. With self-respect and self-dependence, it allows the Negro community true freedom of self expression, which can only lead to an era of greatness. Without the limitation of the white gaze a burden on their shoulders, there are no restrictions on what they can create. Liberation leads to creative freedom.

This stikes me as a transcendence from the concecpt of the veil. The veil is what causes the "lack of self understanding" for it only allows one to see how they are percieved by others, instead of how they genuninely percieve themselves. By removing themselves from the white gaze, they are allowing themselves to develop their own individuality and identity, thus breaking free from "the inner grip of prejudice."

This right here indicates signs of modernism, with a push away from tradition and an embrace of somethig new. The progression of "The New Negro" and the "vibrant new psychology" of the younger generation indicates a move away from the traditional white pedestal and a push towards creating a more diverse platform of art.

It is really sad and jarring for me to see such an outward rejection of black culture within the community. Although I don't feel super in touch with my culture, I still always support artists in my community trying to branch out. This really highlights the self-loathing within the community and reminds me of "the veil". The blacks see themselves the way they whites see them, and in turn reject how they see themselves.

I feel like this is a great example of modernist thinking--the idea of going against tradition (following the way of whites) and instead embracing entirely new kinds of art produced by the black community. The idea of accepting blackness as beautiful may be interpreted as a modernist way of thinking, since it rejects the traditional standard that white is best.

I really resonate with this passage, for this is something even I struggle with as a writer today. As an Asian American, I barely grew up seeing myself in the stories I love. In fact, it wasn't until I was 20 years old that I actually felt represented in a story the way I wanted to be seen. From a young age, I have always wanted to be white. It's all I've ever seen as "beautiful" and this conflict lead to a seperation between me and my culture entirely. I've always felt more American than Asian, and I feel more comfortable around white people than my own race. I didn't even realize how badly I've shunned my own culture until the day it dawned on me I know nothing about my culture at all. It is really sad that this is something we have always had to deal with in American society, regardless of what minority race you are.

The motif that arises in this passage is desire, and the fullfillment/unfullfillment of it. It first appears that the speaker's desire is fulfilled. "My feet are at Moorgate, and my heart under my feet." The line "my heart under my feet" indicates that the speaker is exactly where they want to be. However, it says "After the event he wept. He promised a new start." This idicates that whoever the speaker is with is still unfullfilled, for his true desire has not been satisfied. The speaker responds, "What should I resent?", meaning, he is content. Here, we have one person completely fulfilled, and one with a desire that is not.

The first motif that catches my eyes is time, indicated in the "withered stumps of time." This motif stays on theme with the warped sense of time constant throughout the poem. In this piece, Eliot frequently alludes to desire, and being unable to fulfill that desire. "Withered stumps of time" reminds me of decaying time, as if this wealthy woman surrounded by her riches has wasted away alone, with nothing but her treasures. There is a sad longing in this motif, as if she longs for something more fulfilling than just her riches. When she hears the "footsteps sheffled on the stair," her "hair spread out in firey points." This indicates that at the sound of life, of company, something within her ignites, thus indicating her desire for company.

Again, this is abrupt and out of place. It's as if the speaker just says things for fun with no intention. What is the point of this? What even is the point of mentioning a clairvoyante? Who are you thanking and for what? Who is Mrs. Equitone and why do you have her horoscope? Why must one be careful these days? None of the content within this poem is consistent or clear. It's as if there are several narriatives within one poem strung together with no purpose

This entire stanza is rather confusing for me, since the transition is pretty abrupt and the subject is unclear. What "stony rubish" is the speaker refering to? Where are they? How does this tie into anything they've been saying thus far? Who is this "son of man" they are refering to? This entire passage is really abstract and and unclear. How will going into the shadow of a red rock enlighten the "son of man"? Then it just transitions into a whole other language.

What is the significance of switching to a different language? It's abrupt and out of place.

This reminds me of "the veil" and how even the poor have a veil, not just people of color. By tormenting someone about the lice in their hair, it not only reminds them that they cannot afford proper hygine, but they internalize that they are dirty and it dehumanizes them.Here we see how the poor can develop a double consciousness, and one's hate for them can become hate for themselves.

This follows William's critique on the American tradition of how women--especially colored women--are dehumanized and objectified by the male gaze. This line sexualizes the young fifteen year old, only descibing her as a sexual object with "ungainly hips and flopping breasts" for "rich young men with fine eyes."

This appears to be a critique on American tradition, which is one of the themes of Modernism. The way this is written, it is implied that it is normal to send out young colored girls to work for rich suburban families. It is even more normal to spin this as a savior narriative, noting how if they the state didn't "rescue" her, she'd end up in desolation "hemmed round with disease or murder." This is the American tradition Williams appears to critique.

What counts as an "adjective that reveals something"? What if I were to use an adjective to descibe beauty. Would that be considered a "superfluous word"? Is Pound saying that every adjective has to contribute to something meaningful? If writing this way, is one limited in discussing only topics of high importance?

Since art is subjective and of course tastes are going to differ, why even come up with this re-design with someone else? Why not just create your own poetic movement? Is there a specific reason Pound wanted to team up with H.D. Aldington to do this?

What defines a "musical phrase"? It is clear what the sound of a metronome is, but a "musical phrase" is more subjective. Could this mean, poetry without a set rhythm? Or is it calling on the poet to invent a new kind of rhythm? Also, what does Pound have against the metronome sequence?

The rose is personified as a woman, and the delphinium is personified as a man. The speaker describes the thorns as "armour". Perhaps the rose (the woman) did not mean to hurt the delphinium (the man), and was just defending herself as women so often have to do against men.

Examining this line with a feminist approach, could Millay be saying marriage is not everything? Taking away knowledge from my Women in Literature class, in the early 1900s, women were not allowed to exist independently outside of marriage. Could it be that the opposite of love is freedom? Do you think love represents marriage in this poem?

The way Frost specifically points out the witch is a "withered hag" reminds me of how women have been villianized and dehumanized throughout history over accusations of being a witch. What does this line say about the time period this was written in? Do you think this is this a slur to women?

If the speaker is indicating that the roads are equals, then why is one rode less traveled by? I feel like the meaning of the poem would be stronger if Frost defined what made the road he chose the more difficult one.

What is the meaning of the gaps? And why must they mend the gaps? Why does the wall represent division and not unity? If I were to build a wall in between a gap, I would think it would be like a bridge to unite two different sides. But that doesn't seem to be the case here.

Is this implying that all of his friends are dead, and that he is the last one standing?

It didn't occur to me until now, that Mr. Flood is just himself, and he has been speaking to himself this whole time. How will singing into the void soothe lonliness? Is it not sadder to hear your voice fill a vast empty space? What does this say about the speaker?

Was Seth Compton a real person who actually died? Or is this line meant to be symbolic, implying a metaphoric death? The speaker makes note of how the people of Spoon River destroyed his last vestige of memory and influence, and how they do not care about knowing the evil in the world. This appears to be criticizing their ignorance and behavior, almost as a warning. It is powerful that Masters chose to write from the POV of a dead character, because it comes off as a warning from the dead. The line, "choose your own good and call it good" appears to be a test or taunt, as if to scare the living into questioning their decisions, Or else, the ghost of Seth Compton will be watching you.

This line has a melancholy feel, perhaps implying loss. The speaker indicates that love is a fading rose, and the roses have vanished. This suggests that there was love once before, which is now gone. Perhaps due to the seeds? Could it be that some how, the seeds are the reason the speaker has lost love? What does this say about the seeds? It appears the seeds are more than just seeds. What is the significance about the seeds?

This reminds me of how I feel in math classes, which makes me wonder if the "left and right brain" theory is true. I can rarely spot sequences or patterns in math formulas, which makes me think some people were just born with one side of their brain stronger than others, and vice versa.

What exactly swayed man to abandon the common scale of measurement? How does this help to move technology forward? If the measurement system was working fine up until this point, then why abandon it?

It's interesting to "deny the truths of science" when science is designed to prove the truth. Does this imply he cracked something new and found something revolutionary? Is he the one paving the path of science?

This draws me back to our discussion of the veil, and how Du Bois will always be judging himself because he knows others are judging him. This inevitably leads to self hate, for he is always seeing himself through the lens of those who discriminate against him. Even when he is alone, this judgement is inescapable, because of how intense the prejudice against his people is.

This entire first stanza has a very solemn tone, reminding me of the role the ocean plays in Kate Chopin's the Awakening. In the Awakening, the ocean is Edna's escape from the constraints placed on her by society. In the end, she ends up killing herself in the ocean, because it was the only way she'd ever truly be free. The speaker's crying insync with the ocean makes me feel like the speaker is being tormented by the sea, for they too wish to escape like Edna.

This line further supports my first claim that the people are fed up. The line "Kiss My Ass" disturbs the seriousness of the poem, as if the speaker is over it and throwing it all away. It is essentially an eff you, exaggerating how tired the speaker is of the life they're living.

It is to my interpretation that because of the hard work these people are forced to under-go, they are tired and fed up. Because of that, their rage is growing--hence the line "They Lion grow". I feel like the line is written as "They Lion grow" instead of "The Lion grows" on purpose to indentify class status. Perhaps these people are from a lower, uneducated class, thus resulting in their improper grammar.

Her entire relationship with John infuriates me. I can immediately understand the reasons for her behavior at the end of the story. Controlling anyone, not just a woman, would make them go insane. As would constantly invalidating their feelings. The ending is pretty much inevitable to me, just based on the story's begining.

Immediately, this displays a woman's place in society (for this story). Women are not allowed to think or act for themselves, especially if they disagree with a man. Although she knows what she needs the most, she cannot even choose the decisions best for herself and her mental health. This foreshadows feelings of repression and resentment moving forward.

This reminds me of the notion of "female hysteria" when men would not believe a woman was mentally or physically ill, but rather hysteric. Often times, instead of getting treated for their actual health issues, women were just sent to an asylum. This belittles women by discrediting any physical or mental burdens they carry. It may be interpreted that being invalidated is what actually causes women to become "hysteric".