BY: RYA N B A K E R

ENGLISH POETRY PROJECT

SHIHAN VAN CLIEF

Shihan Van Clief (born Ron van Clief Jr. on August 4, 1975) is an African-American spoken word artist, poet and producer. He has appeared on the Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry. He has written poetry professionally for Pepsi, Jay-z and for his Father, Ron van Clief. He has produced one Documentary, Sp!t in 2006 as himself, also he has appeared as a member of the cast in one other Documentary, The Poetry Lounge in 2004.

SPOKEN WORD POEM FLASHY WORDS BY: SHIHAN

This poem is about speaking the truth and telling people the truth. He says in the poem that because a bunch of words are put together and they sound good doesn’t make them right. “ So I use these, real eyes to, realize the real lies being spoken but not heard cause We are more fascinated by that which are fabricated.” He then goes on to tell that he is speaking the truth and that the media has lied to us. While peoples lives could be great these lies that have been told have held people back and made their life satisfactory. There is an alliteration in the 3rd stanza it says “ Wingless Words”. There is a simile in the 3rd stanza it says “ Words like wrecking balls.” There is an example of personification in the 3rd stanza it says “ Tongue spits truth.” Personification in the 1st line it says that “ Flashy words make the world turn but it don’t turn right.” Words can’t make the world turn. Why did you choose this spoken word piece? I chose this spoken word piece because I like this poets flow and the way he puts life into his poems. What type of figurative language is used in this piece? Similes, Personification, and Alliteration.

I RISE BY: MAYA ANGELOU

Maya Angelou is an African American Poet. She has published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning more than fifty years. She has received dozens of awards and over thirty honorary doctoral degrees. Angelou is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. This poem “Still I Rise” is about Maya Angelou and her struggles through adversity. She has been through many things in her life such as racism, sexism, etc. She is an inspiration but the way she put this poem together is great she told a story. She has exposed the media and all of the negative people in her life and she has risen. This is a great poem.Some of the figurative language in the poem are similes, repetition, rhyme and metaphor. The simile example: “shoulders falling like tear drops.” The repetition examples” she repeated “You May” in 3 different lines. The rhyme examples: “with gloom…. Living room.” The metaphor example: I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide.”

IN THE EVENT OF MY DEMISE BY: TUPAC SHAKUR

Tupac Shakur is an African American Hip-Hop Artist/Poet. Tupac has sold over 75 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Music Television Video (MTV) ranked him at number two on their list of The Greatest Master Ceremonies of All Time and Rolling Stone named him the 86th Greatest Artist of All Time. His double disc album All Eyez on Me is one of the best selling hip hop albums of all time. In the poem “ In the event of my demise” Tupac told about the things that he wanted to do almost like a bucket list before he died. He wanted people to remember him by his music. Tupac was saying that he wanted to die for a purpose or principle that he stood for. He had a lot that he wanted to accomplish. During the latter years of Tupac’s career and life he was a very religious person. He became an accomplished poet. Some of the types of figurative language used in the poem “In the event of my demise” were repetition. The example of repetition was In the even of my demise being repeated at the beginning and end of the poem.

YET DO I MARVEL BY: COUNTEE CULLEN

Countee Cullen is an African American poet who was a leader in the Harlem renaissance. He attended New York University and Harvard University. He was very astute and had an excellent education. Cullen was a very prestigious poet and artist. I enjoy all of his poems.This poem is about the author marveling at all of the things in the universe. He is amazed that God could make all of these wonderful things in the world. He is also explaining about how good and well mannered and polite God we have. He is just spreading the word that God made all of these wonderful things in the world. I enjoyed this poem because of the fact that I love all the things that God has done for me and other people.He did not have a lot of figurative language he had an example of symbolism. The example of symbolism: the two characters Tantalus and Sisyphus represented the man and woman on earth Adam and Eve. His poetic works known for their hidden Homosexual Themes.

LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING BY: JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

James Weldon Johnson is an author, lawyer, teacher, civil rights activist, and songwriter. He is also known as the very first African American executive secretary for the (NAACP). He is well known for his writing and poetry. Johnson was also the very first African American professor at (NYU). Later in life he was a professor at Fisk University.

The poem lift every voice and sing was about African American people rising and coming together as one. They wanted their liberties and rights just as other people. This song is often called the Negro National Anthem. This song talked about African Americans rising from the trials and tribulations of slavery and racism. This is my favorite hymnal of all time.

IF BY: RUDYARD KIPLING

Kipling was one of the most popular writers in England, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known.“In 1907, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and to date he remains its youngest recipient. One of his honours, was when he was sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, all of which he declinedThis poem if was about having an if mindset. Meaning that you can do anything that you want you just have to put your mind too it. If you strive for success and excellence you will receive it. You just have to believe.The only type of figurative language found in the poem was repetition. That was when he kept repeating the word if over and over.

EMBED

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9A_k6Sj-Pg

REFERENCES

• www.biography.com• www.youtube.com• www.poetryfoundation.org