does the skin on the knee come from praying? Sinning? Both?

Despite the dirt being thrown at them, they overcome and grow stronger as people . Unity .

isolation of the self. cooped. trapped.

People love to assume that most of racism happens in the South when, really, it's all over . We should focus our efforts globally instead of pointing the blame at just one region.

unequal distribution of the masses .

if blacks cannot be seen as americans, they should at least be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor .

This question is made to see the perspective of people of color - specifically blacks . This is the picture of loss of hope .

Blacks have to remind others how much they contributed to the development of American society . They were born here just like everyone else, but have to prove their worth .

The word "grown" leads one to believe that his soul is deep because of past experiences - it wasn't always this way .

This is another thing that artists always forget. Artistry was originally born to express what isn't socially acceptable - to have the freedom t push social boundaries. But it has become tainted by the powers of censorship and political correctness (for lack of a better word).

Black artists around the world have chosen the path of safety rather than making an actual difference because it is less scary to do what you're told. it also allows black artists to make money instead of being exiled. Unfortunately, this is still a problem today.

Unfortunately, artists have become boxed in and restricted by society to do what is acceptable instead of what they want. It is a method used to avoid controversy.

suffering and in need of salvation . faith is present in this poem . or at least the thought of some kind of powerful presence .

when used in this poem it feels like a quick exhale in the middle of an intense moment .

I've always loved this word when used in poems . It can have so many emotions attached to it, but in this poem specifically, it feels intense .

I'm not sure if it was done on purpose but it sounds suggestive when said quickly .

hopeful for the beauty in transformation .

this rather pessimistic look on the slow workings of change was refreshing and interesting .

this seems to be a constant in society . the poor are used to their poverty being thrown in their faces . the constant reminders make it so they have no choice but to accept their unfortunate fate

This is typical for people who know little to nothing about things they aren't used to .

This is a foreshadowing to his eventual realization of his problematic behavior .

The questioning of motives leads to believe that the man in question has dies from poor choices .

Aging has caused the character to grow a layer of defense? But also, the cortex helps with consciousness so is the author hinting at building up a wall to keep one from losing said consciousness istead of keeping them away from harsh realities?

For love to be a feeling and not a life source, more people are mistaking it for something different and prioritizing it over necessary things . This misuse of love causes people to see it as something worth dying for (which it is not).

Love is not a necessity or life source . People take the idea of love and misuse it to the point of ruining themselves .

This poem sounds desolate and dark . The person in question seems to be trapped in some sort of darkness he can't escape from - he doesn't WANT to escape i guess .

I can't help but feel as though the author is being ironic . The words come out slightly bitter and uncomfortable . There is a meaning there for the audience to dig at .

life is harsh and so is fate . we know that so we try and cheat the inevitable . but there is a price to pay for that as well .

The security that comes with loneliness is both comforting and scary . You're getting all your thoughts and feelings out only to have it ricochet back to you . This line warms me and scares me because of its relatability .

Somehow I think the two authors are kind of similar in their pessimistic outlook on life . There is a melancholy feel to this poem and these two lines resonate with me because it is the same outlook I had to life when I first started writing .

This reminds me of a quote I once read that suggested insanity comes from knowing about all the evil in the world - that the insane are actually the ones that are in the know? I think that's how it went.

Perhaps he is suggesting that we live by our own set of morals - that no one has the right to play god in this world? This mindset is what causes a lot of conflict as it can often lead to self righteousness . I thought this quote was interesting .

This…saddens me almost . You can really see how women were expected to take marriage . For women, marriage was having a role to be played instead of working with someone else for a greater purpose . It was stagnant .

Somehow this reminds me of Sylvia Plath . When I first read this in high school, we were learning about women in literature and how they combated the stigma that women couldn't be ill - women were just being dramatic and there were no real problems that they faced . No one believed their cries for help until it was too late .

This seems to describe the African American experience perfectly . All life long it seems as if we're talking to a brick wall . Our lives we are drowning in our pain and tears and hard work to make things better (and to make life livable) only to have our work and dedication thrown back in our faces . There is no progress; we are not benefitting from the hard work spent helping build this country and fight for it .

As soon as I read this line, I immediately thought of how no one really knows something unless they can teach it to someone.

True knowledge is never really absorbed by the masses . The general public is often manipulated because no one is really absorbing the facts .

Is he essentially pointing out how education is often clouded by our own biases? If so, is there even a way to truly teach something? Is all knowledge false?

This repeated line represents the process of overcoming a certain hardship. Each time the author depicts a hardship or a form of oppression, this line will be there to support it, letting the audience know that through oppression, people will always grow to be bigger and stronger.

The first stanza seems to discuss how, through the forced silence of oppression, the voiceless can grow their "voice". "Out of burlap sacks, our of bearing butter" depicts being apart of the 99% - the working class . the working class is often silenced by he rich since money equals power . Through this obvious display of power, the oppressed can learn to rebel. This poem represents this very process, but specifically the first stanza talks about the beginning and how it all comes about.