the outlet would be someone who is already open-- an open opportunity, "shoveling" is a basketball term I think its a way to pass the ball

Spinning around could also mean that he is looking around seeing who he pass the ball to

Comparing the basketball to a cherished possession, this falls into the category as "kissing" they're gentle but lovingly

perfectly is put onto the next line even though its a continuation of the previous line, also taking note how the poem is written in couplets I wonder why

putting himself between the player of the opposing team and the rim, and basically blocks him as they try and get the ball which still hasn't gone in ?

Gangly is like lanky, so the starting center is described as tall, thin, and moves awkwardly (hence the for once)

Talking about the moment when the ball stands on the rim no going in or out, could this be referencing a deeper meaning?

A hook shot is a basketball term and "kisses" mean it gently touches the rim almost grazing it

Fast Break is a basketball term for an attempt to score before offense is up, so we can infer that they will be using basketball to describe something deeper

Citizens who are tired of the conditions of their countries wanting to seek a better opportunity or a better life

Speaking of the citizens who are looked down upon in their country and the statue of liberty is welcoming them

she cries out yet without actually saying anything (personification of the statue of liberty)

The statue of liberty is speaking to someone, maybe speaking to countries about they can keep their lands, describing them as self-important, storied because they are older than America having more history

Twin cities being New York City and Brooklyn , as the statue of liberty lies between the two in the harbor

Describing the statue of liberty, Colossus of Rhodes was approximately the height of the statue of liberty (which was built 8 yrs before the poem was written but was not completed)

Her beacon acting as a lighthouse (before it actually became a light house) for immigrants to come and follow acting as a safe haven,

Meaning that she (America) is to mother all immigrants being a welcoming sign to those who decide to go in seek of opportunity

Saying the flame itself is imprisoned, which to use such words is ironic as she is known as a symbol of freedom

It was located on the island near the gates as it was built in celebration of the defense of Rhodes. Assuming that its described as sunset because the statue was of Helios the sun god

The statue had either foot on different parts of the island, connecting the two of them

Referring to Colossus of Rhodes which had fallen, but was meant to represent Greek god Helios, and with the title it could be saying there will be a new great statue in dedication

To having not been able to see herself, its like she now found who that was as she's glowing and radiant, finishing the poem with a different kind of bright a more positive one compared to a fire

cindery, having been burned but can burn no more, or if it can not by a flame. To say nonexistent reminds me the first stanza where she says its there but not there (no house, there is no breakfast) tied together with the last.

Like it wasn't anything special, but she's clearly able to remember, can see the parallel to her childhood--wasnt anything special but significant

again reliving past memories, as she can clearly still see the girl she was

referencing earlier lines where she is described as unable to see, almost being able to see her memories? contradictory

Her memory of walking through the house, will forever have made a mark, which in this case is her memories, the fire is almost acting as an in-between of the past and present

She's alone, entrapped in her memories, but is fond of them so she finds it enjoyable

what is the poet trying to say here? Perhaps within the timespan of this poem she's been able to further grow as a person?

Supports that she's physically no longer that young girl

The body she had as a young girl is gone, as she's grown into someone else, but her mind remains here

All the past objects she spoke of, they all have hidden or deeper meaning, like her lack of money growing up, the struggle of growing up with her family as there could have been disputes and fights

as one grows up they could lose contact with family as their lives continue but she keeps finding herself going back to the past and unable to move foreword

Going back to the memories of her childhood

The memory of her home or of her childhood which is why her family is not there because it was her childhood home, she's no longer a child, and she is entrapped by the past which is why she can describe everything so clearly but unable to see herself, who she is now

Its odd that its described as she cant see, when the past few stanzas have been detailed descriptions of objects, and even described as clear, as if her memory is clouded by something bad that lingers (applying the descriptions)

how the light reflects off the grass, how it shines a light on something new

Oilcloth is almost like a vinyl, to be waterproof , another in depth detailed is described

the silence it gives is almost eerie or insidiously, and dark bread means that it is a fluffy storm cloud, if a storm is to come we can infer something bad

bank of cloud could mean a big cloud, so maybe rain or storm is to come

describing the serene nature around, but why describe the forest as watchful? alerted for the danger that could come

putting these two words together as they almost contradict each other, when one thinks of bright its thought of as hopeful, joyful, or wonderous and songless is like there is no joy or fun in a day, its dreary

A rippled mirror reminds me of a funhouse mirror, which are usually cheaper than a real glass mirror, and a tin cup is often used to ask for money so maybe they had financial issues

every detail of the house can easily be seen and picked out

Another piece like the woodstove which outdated however its also described as old, been in use

Keeping the time period in mind I'm assuming this was common, the small detail adds onto the imagery,

As if there were still people living in the house, but like the shirts pieces of them left behind. Why was this not affected by the "fire"?

Their clothes could be lingering remnants of her family like memories

Even their parents leaving, why the ocean and why does she think they ran there

Could be their death or the abandonment due to family disputes which made them leave

They were left alone, so what happened in the house, the fire could represent a dispute which tore the house (the family)

Why scrape the bowl if it is melted as well? The bowl and spoon play into this figurative breakfast, which could signify a new beginning or an unpleasant situation. Which changes my view on the spoon as it could mean household quarrels

If the spoon is melted, but the fire is figurative and never really happen what could the spoon symbolize? The word scrape could mean the act of scraping or a distressing encounter

Showing that past the "burning" and the lack of breakfast, they remain still standing. Endurance is shown, also I love how this this gets its own line

Directly addressing the reader, which helps the reader put themselves in their shoes, and puts focus as its not done often. But what do the house and represent? Did the burning house really signify a traumatic experience, also noting she used a house, not any other building, maybe involving family? What does the breakfast signify?

Could the burned house be her own home, if she's eating breakfast there we could infer it is morning which could be a new beginning after the "burning" or whatever traumatic event it's supposed to signify

Showing that those who work here are common people, gossiping on break as anyone would do. Showing humanity

So this could support the idea of the mal treatment of people (treated like animals), because of the poor working conditions of sweatshops--not factories. Why the mention of Koreans and Malaysians

Its nearly perfect, could the collar be like a horse's collar? Or its like a play on words as it was talking about animals in the previous line but could be talking about the collar of a shirt as that's the title

Could be talking about a farm of some sorts, or the idea of animals doesn't have to be literal, per say the treatment LIKE animals is what's happening

The flames surround, engulfing the girl, but why skirt?

Like a 'u' shaped valley, which is seen as a natural beauty as it doesn't occur often, another simile in use

Foxfire is a bioluminescent fungi, so he is saying that she burns bright, in a not so literal way he could be saying that she was a bright light in his life; of much significance

Noting the indention for this line, as well as its a simile. He compared the girl to paper, so maybe thin and fragile, and when you burn paper it burns quickly. but going back to if its just his memory his mind, would that be burning too?

Knowing Komunyakaa writes of experiences during Vietnam War, can infer hes talking about the death of a girl who died in the crossfire (civilian death), but is he talking about the girl literally burning or her cries are forever ingrained in his memories

to descend (going down the hill) is creating a negative mood and it being the first line in the poem readers can see this will go into darker themes

Keeping in mind the fight for Civil Rights of African Americans were fighting for during the time the poem was written

Last line of the poem, singled out as well as its italicized, as well as being the short, to explode is an act of violence, and big (like ending the poem with a big bang), an explosion itself are quick big and fast, and leave in a second.

Noticing how these two lines are separated from the rest, perhaps to show the change in mood although the stanza before describes as deferred dreams in a negative light too..

Sagging would happen to a large burden, carrying the dream with the feeling like it will never happen, becomes tiresome, and heavy so its almost weighing them down

So overtime syrup hardens and stales, so if the dream was to act like this, it'd be like entrapping the dreamer

Again being forgotten if not tended to (the connection to postponing dreams)

To say "stink" means that it would linger like a smell, To say "rotten meat" means that it is strong. so as someone continues to live their dream lingers behind them their presence quite strong (not forgotten which contradicts earlier idea)

To run, so maybe saying that the dream eventually just goes away, or as you continue to put off the dream it is moving farther and farther from where you are becoming unattainable

Comparing dreams to an infected sore, so maybe putting off dreams could be painful and tiresome trying to go back to it

Thinking of how you can forget about something in the sun, and kind of just wilts, and depletes

Referencing to a dream almost as an object that can be held, and drying up is often seen as dying

Beginning with a rhetorical question, also noting the formatting of the line how it is singles out and separated. What dream is he referring to, and why was is put-off?

Bullet holes in peepholes could mean that people were jealous of him, so much so they would shoot at him,

An m-16 is a rifle (gun), so is he saying that his pen is his weapon?

I'm assuming Scarface is another rapper, and that he did cocaine cause the use of "smelling"

Maybe referring to not being "black" enough, not "truly" being black

dungeons would be used to refer like the depths, so maybe before rap was popularized

I don't completely understand, but chalk and choke i don't know why but I'm reminded of written in stone

this referencing the future to continue on with the battle

Non-cheering, like society is not on their side, they wont have their support. so to continue doing the good works in the dark--the unknown hardships

now the strength is not meant just for oneself, but also for the betterment of others, to "heal and enhance", to continue as they are needed

Continuing with the calling, to summon the strength and victory

so like overcoming an obstacle, that is trying to break you down. Coming down the mountain as I have mentioned before

a single word for a single line, draws out attention, after reading the first stanza I first see this as to overcome, like when you are going up the mountain and "over" is its peak, what will follow will be like a way down

The long blows the war of the oppressed and the oppressor, the "strong" and the "weak" (not really but those with power due to connections or position nd those without), Blows you are going to get, that they will win this war, they'll make it out and that karma will be returned

Once again cultivation is brought up, but now not striving for the strength ( maybe because it is already obtained) but for a victory of this war of keeping their sanity, their being

Connecting and going back to the first line of the stanza, except this is singles out, she is calling for someone or something wanting them or it to appear

It is repeated to bring emphasis, but why? She is calling, but also describing weakness one feels, like when one is filled with fear and anxiety your throat becomes very dry

going back with the "hot" but cultivation was also mentioned, so what could be describes as dry? I'm thinking of a place where life could not or is not meant to survive

Wolves and coyotes usually are loud and dominant creatures, but is contradicted with "silences", but what or who could represent these wolves that over them bringing this disparity

With research, I found that the poem was written in 1981, and in the 1980s incarceration rates had increased drastically, advocacy maybe for wrongful imprisonment?

Cold and hot contradict each other, but vertigo and paralysis can connect with the inability to move, of being stuck, or trapped (like prisoners), but why the contradiction?

Once again using words with a neg. connotation to build the image of disparity the prisoners face, I think of cold vertigo as dwindling down feeling lost and being alone

using a theme of darkness to describe the prisoners despair, but why use garden? it goes into the same category as cultivate, perhaps she could be saying to rise and use that strength

Perhaps calling to prisoners for strength, or this is the POV of a prisoner and this being their cry for help

No one knows that she knows the art of ballet

"The house" could be talking about the audience

Eider balls symbolize the gowns used for swan lake--a very popular ballet, in which is referencing eider birds which are known to be soft and light textured

That she has never experienced that ballet experience , and even compares ballerinas dancing to hopping birds, which doesn't sound great but creates this sense of grace

This would be describing the "look" of a ballerina which at the time they wore gauze dresses, she's admitting that yes she does not look the part

This is reminding me of the large gap in gender roles during this time period, women were objects that men could posses, however in this context I think she means that she was never taught

Talking about how ballerinas actually dance on their toes which not everyone can do

That she would shine even more than a professional ballet group (troupe) even lay the lead ballerina (prima) mad because her love or happiness that came from it would carry her

To dance freely and elegantly as if this is what she had done her whole life

like a happiness took over her

Often times her mind would wander, or she would imagine things

Yes they have the ability to speak, however that does not mean they should say the n-word. Just as you have the ability to drive 100 mph on a city street, doesn't mean you should.

The word will never go away. There will still be hateful people who will want to use it to hurt and belittle someone.

I interpreted what Coates said differently, in which he was saying this just goes to show you how it is living as a black person in America, not as reasoning for white people not to say the n-word

claiming that white people have a sense of entitlement

This is reminding me of "cancelled culture", which can easily be toxic and lose its purpose

I see this as the black community using the term to take back its power that it once held over them

in other words a sense of entitlement, Coates is claiming that white people feel entitled

Taking the power away from a word that was used to depict and keep them down

This word has been taken back by woman (used by men and society to label a woman if they didn't fit into their ideal) and is now used in the same way "girl" or "bestie" would be used (also once again using an anecdote to broaden the reach of the point he is trying to make)

Use of an anecdote to help the audience better understand the point Coates is trying to make (would be "relatable" to the entire audience)

Words without context and reason behind them are just words

She had heard the word but with this new context, the meaning of the word had completely changed, as she grew up hearing it as a word of endearment, of commonality, now was used to hurt her

This just shows how young she was, and the childhood innocence that this word carries

The wolf being an evil that she wants to keep at bay and her writing had been her safe haven which help keep her sanity.

This is restating the first lines and Hughes did this to emphasize the point being made here. Langston Hughes was in agreement with Washington's philosophy that the work must be put in to attain the dream they so longed for.

like the "must crawl before he can walk" that starting from the bottom was how the African American community was to "truly" get equality, and if done otherwise, it would eventually fall.

So the dream of equality for black Americans would be because of the hard-work put in (humble)

What was significant of 1885? Is the "joker" Washington as he was speaking of things that many probably considered foolish?

Washington believed in accommodation, that black people must accept the discrimination for now (so being on the bottom of society before they can be considered equal to the top; white people)

Washington was born into slavery, so this could be talking about the change from when Washington was young and to the point in time of the Harlem Renaissance

So this could mean that because the school was also an industrial school, however looking closer at Hughes diction "workman's tools" a bad workman would always blame his tools, or the cards ones dealt so as well in Washington's school he'd teach his students to work with the cards they are dealt so they too can prosper

Quite literally. Washington had become a principle at a school in Tuskegee for African Americans (The Tuskegee Normal and Industrial school)

That wit and knowledge will only go so far, if there is not work being put in then it wont be beneficial

This is referring to Booker T Washington's philosophy that if black people were to get education/training to elevate themselves and prosper.

Accepting your fate, I'm thinking of it as your work and purpose or destiny is here, not trying to do something els

The bucket being oneself, and to create your roots from where you are in that point of life. Or maybe the bucket could be a metaphorical load you carry around

Interpreting this as until you die learn of your surroundings, or learn the lessons that you gain from life experience

Noticing how Booker T. Washington's name is a single line, As well as it's not as formal

The flesh being humans, mirroring him perhaps cause we are considered his children to be made in his image, will eventually die

Could this be blind faith? or blindly going on without God?

The "He" meaning God bent downward to object a trivial matter. What would be so trivial and its kind of going in contrast because why would God come down for something that is unimportant?

Speaker is saying that God is good or there is good in the world. Also noticing that this line is well connected in the sense that the words are ending with 'D' but it began with "doubt"

The materialistic things in life are not meant be ones life purpose or not meant to mean everything.

So if this would not make a man what would? If not to be artisans or money makers what are things that are key in defining a "man"?

Also the ellipsis as if he had more to say and it being right after such a powerful statement it really leaves you to resonate with what he had said

This being the oppressed. Black Americans weren't taken seriously, and in the arts (as DuBois stated earlier in opposition to his argument) "what do slaves and black to do with art?" as if their self expression was insignificant.

The one side being the side of prejudice and bias against Blacks, that is the idea that is always expressed in the media and what the majority had believed, because it was deemed this idea was superior than the oppressed

Notice how this statement is different from the rest as it almost stands alone. But I think of the art that would be confirmative to societal ideals, and not the expression of an individual or group

saying that if propaganda is the purposeful spread of information, rumors, etc. then by definition Art is propaganda as each has its own purpose, however this is not what DuBois means, he means that one creates art it is to promote the POV of the artist, often art is biased because art itself is subjective

Thinking back to textbook definition of propaganda, DuBois is saying that all his writings were promote or publicize his point of view--as a black man in America. To bring awareness but also like he said to "love and enjoy"

This could be in response to Alain Locke, who opposed DuBois idea of all art being propaganda.

Why had DuBois used synonymous words? And not only synonymous but to end the paragraph with them. Perhaps to really emphasize the inability to be divided.

DuBois uses rhetorical questions to get his point across, and emphasize it, like any rhetorical question it was to make the audience think

Took the side of his oppositions and "summarized" the thoughts of those who did not understand. The question at the end "slaves" is how most of America had seen black Americans--as lesser. So to them how could they create such fine things like art, what would they have to express.

One can draw parallels to DuBois telling Washington that he would be considered privileged due to the fcat that he can be considered part of the "Top Tenth" because of his education and connections.

This reminds me of the ongoing metaphor in "Jubilee" of the slaves being cage birds. So with Augustus him having education, him being a free man, it gives him the ability to fly like a bird. Much like the age old saying the "the skies the limit".

Like he said there is not room to build a character, to have a struggle to have redemption arcs, because they are just meant to be a symbol because of the limited representation

The 1992 LA riots were caused because the LAPD had used excessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King, because of media it spread like wildfire.

These are all prominent black men, from social activists, to philosophers, to rappers and athletes.

Perhaps this could be because of the fact he was born into slavery which is why he tends to lean more on realism and not idealism much like DuBois

What did DuBois mean by this, what could be the contamination be? Maybe the struggle the rest of black Americans had to face in society

Its name is talented tenth because it is referencing the able ten percent of black Americans that developed leadership capacity from higher education

This is why DuBois had become one of Washington's biggest opponents because he did not believe in a "sitting duck" method, wanting to create change not waiting to be accepted.

This is reminding me after the emancipation proclamation and after the civil war when the south was in a time of reconstruction, they had given freed slaves the ability to have land in the Midwest and begin their agricultural journey. Could this be in reference?

I see Washington's philosophy as a form of assimilation and conformity to American society and to gradually comfort those with a negative view of black people.

This plays a role in why Washington's philosophy is what it is

This just meaning the system of division of black and white Americans that many believed (and still do) believe in

This being to fix the societal gap between black people and white people

This is why David and Goliath is referenced to show that like David art should be the guide, as said before group expression

Saying that should be the "patron saint" is saying that he should be the guide or protector.

Jerimiah was one of the major prophet in the bible, he is remembered for his angry lamentations about the wickedness of his people