Letter to Mr. Sue's father, about the poem A boy named Sue by: Shel Silverstein

Dear Mr. Sue’s father,

I hope that you are well. My name is Taire T. Rios Cardona, and I am currently a student in the UPR Cayey. I am on my second year, and I am studying Natural Science so I can become a Nutritionist.  I’m sending you this letter because I’m very confused to the idea behind your decision; to me it looks very absurd and unnecessary. Even though you thought that you were doing a good by naming your son that way, supposedly making him stronger for this world, just because he has to defend himself.  But instead of doing that you created a traumatized person. I don’t think that your son acted like that because of his name, I believed it was because you abandon him.

 On the other hand, we can say that his way of expressing his weaknesses and fears was with violent actions to people that offended or embarrass him in the past.  I don’t know the reasons for leaving you family, but for me it looks like an act of cowardice. It’s amusing how you talk about making your son tough and strong, but you were the worst example, you demonstrated you’re not even a tough person. A real dad tries to guide his son towards life, helping him to make the good decisions.  No one deserved to be hurt, much less rejoice for it, but I believe in Karma and life charges you for your mistake, life was teaching you the lesson for leaving him.

 I hope life has taught you a lesson.  You should take this as an experience and reflect each of your actions. A relationship between father and son is a beautiful thing, like everything it will always have its good and bad, but if there’s love and respect it can get ahead. However, you should be proud of your son; since he finally thanks you for naming him Sue, he would no longer be ashamed of his name.

 

Sincerely,

Taire T. Rios Cardona

Student in UPR Cayey

 

Phenomenal Woman by: Maya Angelou

Phenomenal Woman

By: Maya Angelou

Marguerite Annie Johnson knows as Maya Angelou was born in April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, she died in May 28, 2014. She was an American author, poet, dancer, actress, and singer. Also, she was active in the Civil Rights movement and worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Angelou is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim. She became a poet and writer after a series of occupations as a young adult, including fry cook, prostitute, nightclub dancer and performer, cast member of the opera Porgy and Bess, etc.

Phenomenal woman is a Maya Angelou poem, its starts in a conversational fashion where a group of women, wanted to know the secret of her success. The poet proudly says she is very happy with whatever she has and definitely is not going to take an invest to beautify herself. Her real appearance like the ones she mentions makes of her such a phenomenal woman. She also express that she will never do anything to get attention, and less of a man. What she tries to stand out is that there is nothing fake about her appearance. Confidence makes her a phenomenal woman who refuses to shape herself according to male desire.  The constant repetition of being a phenomenal woman is a way of celebrating the mature age of a woman.

This poem is a lyric poem because it express the feeling of a single speaker, in this case Maya Angelou. It’s also has a free verse structure, since it doesn’t have a pattern of rhythm or rhyme. The tone the author use is confident, the confident that she had with her body and with herself, although it has an ironical voice. Self-Confidence is the theme of this poem; she has confidence with everything in her, she is so confident that repeatedly calls herself a phenomenal woman.

            Maya Angelou uses some figures of speech, such as metaphors like:

“Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.”

In this line the poet compares desiring men to bees flocking. Another one can be: “The sun of my smile.” here, she compared the warmth of her smile to the one of the sun.  She also use the personification, in “And the joy in my feet”.  Maya Angelou also shows imagery, the first one is when she mentions men like bees flock and second imagery is, men coming onto their knees.

            When I first read this poem, it thought in all the girls that tries to get attention all the time just because of man. I think Maya Angelou with this poem teach all of them to be confident with their selves. She really doesn’t care in fitting in to the beauty that society constructs. Woman don’t have change their figure just to impress men, they have to love themselves just the way they are. Every woman has different qualities which make them unique and special. 

This Too Shall Pass by: Helen Steiner Rice

This Too Shall Pass

By: Helen Steiner Rice

Analysis:

 This poem is about the author reflecting on what the faith is and what means to her.  She is telling us that it doesn't matter the situation she had, she is not going to be defeated by them. Also she let us know the faith in God she had, and thanks to that can go ahead fearlessly.

• Theme:  Faith;  theme is faith; it is because of the faith in God she had that can go ahead in life.

• Tone: Reflective, Succeed.

• Poetic Devices:

1.            Sound Devices

a.       Rhythm 

b.      Rhyme -  believing – morning, remains – chains, happening – dawning, fear – near.

c.       Alliteration – me – me, true – too, darkness – dawning.

d.      Consonance – fear – near, remains – chains.

• Opinion: 

It doesn't matter how difficult is the situation you’re passing through, you have to be brave and have faith that everything is going to be fine.

• Graphic elements:

1. Punctuation – the use of commas
2. Capital letters – Capitalizing the first word in a line.

• Type of poetry:

   Lyric poem – express the feeling of a single speaker.

Letter to Maya Angelou about her poem, Still I Rise.

Dear Maya Angelou:

            Greetings, I hope that you are fine.  My name is Taire T. Ríos Cardona, and I am currently a student in the UPR of Cayey.  Currently I am on my second year, and I am studying Natural Science so I can become a Medical Nutritionist.  However, I am sending you this letter, because I want to express my opinion about your poem “Still I Rise!” At first, I did not quite understand what your poem meant, therefore, I had to read it many times to understand the message you were trying to give us.

“Still I Rise!” is poem clearly addressed to others, it is not simply a private meditation.  Therefore, it is addressed to the white oppressors of black persons.  What I loved the most is that you presented to us a black woman willing to speak up for herself, for other living black people, and even for her black ancestors.  Also, I liked the tone that you used in this poem because you used a little bit of sarcasm, but it never sounds arrogant or cocky.  I felt immense sympathy when the woman began to reject any further oppression.  Finally, I enjoyed this poem because it turns writing into an instrument of liberation.  Meaning, that no one can control what you wrote or how you felt, and even if they turned you down you would still rise. 

Thank you for your time and attention, I hope that you enjoy my letter about your spectacular poem.  I think that people should read your poems because every single one of them is really inspiring.  Maya Angelou you have influence the whole world with your letters and wise mind.  In conclusion, what I liked most about your works is that you are not afraid to speak the truth, and that you tell it how it is.  I hope that you have a lovely day! 

Sincerely,

Taire T. Ríos Cardona

Student in UPR Cayey