homage to my hips
these hips are big hips.
they need space to
move around in.
they don't fit into little
pretty places. these hips
are free hips.
they don't like to be held back.
these hips have never been enslaved,
they go where they want to go
they do what they want to do.
these hips are mighty hips.
these hips are magic hips.
i have known them
yo put a spell on a man and
spin him like a top.
By: Lucille Clifton
Lucille Clifton’s ‘Homage to My Hips’ is a poem that commemorates the female body and its power. I love this poem, because when she talks about her body she expresses pride and ownership. Even the title of the poem ‘Homage of my hips’ is so strong. Homage means respect or reverence paid or rendered. This means that Clifton thinks her hips deserves recognition of their worth. I chose this poem; because many women forget the importance they poses and let men destroy their self-esteem by calling them out their name. These positive images in this poem allow women to appreciate their body and not enslave themselves society perception of beauty.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Chico 1/27/2010
Chico...so many images come to mind
whenever I speak your name;
It seems like when you entered my life
so many things changed.
You became my friend, my companion to the end.
As you consumed my life with
your love, and manipulative smile.
I remember all the times
when I gaze deep into your big beautiful eyes,
and watch you twirl your tail
to get me under your spell.
Even though it would not change the damage you've done,
You keep me young and
with me you will always be at home.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
“The Little Black Boy” 1/16/2010
The Little Black Boy
My mother bore me in the southern wild,
And I am black, but O! my soul is white.
White as an angel is the English child:
But I am black as if bereav'd of light.My mother taught me underneath a tree
And sitting down before the heat of day.
She took me on her lap and kissed me,
And pointing to the east began to say.Look on the rising sun: there God does live
And gives his light, and gives his heat away.
And flowers and trees and beasts and men receive
Comfort in morning joy in the noon day.And we are put on earth a little space..
That we may learn to bear the beams of love.
And these black bodies and this sun-burnt face
Is but a cloud, and like a shady grove.For when our souls have learn'd the heat to bear
The cloud will vanish we shall hear his voice.
Saying: come out from the grove my love & care.
And round my golden tent like lambs rejoice.Thus did my mother say and kissed me.
And thus I say to little English boy.
When I from black and he from white cloud free,
And round the tent of God like lambs we joy:Ill shade him from the heat till he can bear,
To lean in joy upon our fathers knee.
And then I'll stand and stroke his silver hair,
And be like him and he will then love me.
By William Blake
“The Little Black Boy” is a poem about a young boy from Africa telling the story about when he started to accept the color of his skin. In the beginning of the poem the boy constantly refers to his soul being white as the English child he wants to assimilate. He only accepts his identity when mother teaches him about God. She says that God lives in the East and gives comfort and joy to men. William Blake uses the mother to symbolize his ideals of the Bible. He explains that people are put on earth to learn to accept God’s love. My favorite part of the poem is when the mother tells the boy that his black skin “is but a cloud” that will be dissipated when his soul meets God in heaven. The black boy then teaches the lesson to the English child and promises that when they are both free of their bodies and delighting in the presence of God, he will shade his white friend until he learns to bear the heat of God’s love. Then, the black boy says, he will be like the English boy, and the English boy will love him. Little Black Boy is a great five stanza poem, that teaches people to love appreciate themselves.
My mother bore me in the southern wild,
And I am black, but O! my soul is white.
White as an angel is the English child:
But I am black as if bereav'd of light.My mother taught me underneath a tree
And sitting down before the heat of day.
She took me on her lap and kissed me,
And pointing to the east began to say.Look on the rising sun: there God does live
And gives his light, and gives his heat away.
And flowers and trees and beasts and men receive
Comfort in morning joy in the noon day.And we are put on earth a little space..
That we may learn to bear the beams of love.
And these black bodies and this sun-burnt face
Is but a cloud, and like a shady grove.For when our souls have learn'd the heat to bear
The cloud will vanish we shall hear his voice.
Saying: come out from the grove my love & care.
And round my golden tent like lambs rejoice.Thus did my mother say and kissed me.
And thus I say to little English boy.
When I from black and he from white cloud free,
And round the tent of God like lambs we joy:Ill shade him from the heat till he can bear,
To lean in joy upon our fathers knee.
And then I'll stand and stroke his silver hair,
And be like him and he will then love me.
By William Blake
“The Little Black Boy” is a poem about a young boy from Africa telling the story about when he started to accept the color of his skin. In the beginning of the poem the boy constantly refers to his soul being white as the English child he wants to assimilate. He only accepts his identity when mother teaches him about God. She says that God lives in the East and gives comfort and joy to men. William Blake uses the mother to symbolize his ideals of the Bible. He explains that people are put on earth to learn to accept God’s love. My favorite part of the poem is when the mother tells the boy that his black skin “is but a cloud” that will be dissipated when his soul meets God in heaven. The black boy then teaches the lesson to the English child and promises that when they are both free of their bodies and delighting in the presence of God, he will shade his white friend until he learns to bear the heat of God’s love. Then, the black boy says, he will be like the English boy, and the English boy will love him. Little Black Boy is a great five stanza poem, that teaches people to love appreciate themselves.
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