Found poem- The Things They Carried

(hey, by the way, I don't know the ending)

"Well,
"So listen,
"Thing is,
"Understand?
"And the thing is,
"Man,
"Yeah,
"Jesus Christ,
"Roger that,
"Honest to God,

(hey, by the way, I don't know the ending)

I'm ready to fly."
that's a bad date."
I sometimes can't remember what real is."
it doesn't care me."
you just got to want it hard enough."
but where's the rain?"
Nam- it truly talks."
you best pull your shit together."
it's against the rules."
there it is."

(hey, by the way, I don't know the ending)

Analysis of “Yet I Do Marvel” by Countee Cullen

Imagery is a key aspect of this poem. The poem is about racism, and when the author speaks of a buried mole digging in the soil, it is because it is easier for a reader to visualize this image rather than the concept of racism. Both situations are accompanied by the feeling of perseverance even when it is hard to see the rewards of the work being done. By taking a large, hard to envision idea and replacing it with an incident that is smaller in scale yet identical in the emotional repercussions, the reader can better grasp large concepts and complicated emotions.

The rhyme scheme in this poem is very unique. It starts out with a true rhyme scheme of ABABCDCD, but by the ninth line, the scheme changes to EEFFGG. Because the poem is technically a single stanza, the full rhyme scheme would be ABABCDCDEEFFGG. This change in pattern is very sophisticated, because rhyming helps to make things more lyrical and memorable, while the change in routine makes sure that the poem does not sound cliché. This method also gives to author more freedom of word choice while still adding structure to the poem. In this poem, there is also a fair amount of alliteration, marked by examples such as “God is good,” “fickle fruit,” “black, and bid,” which all help to make sure that the poem sounds melodic. This smooth delivery of the poem helps to add a cohesive binding to it.

A large part of the body of the poem is made up of allusions. While the references to God may not be strictly allusions, it is important to note that the author is referring to the Christian god, as demonstrated in line four (a belief in Christianity is that humans were made in God's image) and in the reference to the catechism. There are also references the two characters in Greek mythology, Tantalus and Sisyphus. The fact that all of these allusions mark struggles that have the same emotional scope as do struggles with racism means that they could also be interpreted as metaphors for the struggles the Black community has to deal with, especially concerning self-expression, as stated in the final line of the poem.

Modern transcendentalists are everywhere, but they are usually annoying. Fortunately, there is one man who rises above. That man is Lil B, “The BasedGod.”

Enter Lil B. Born as Brandon McCartney, a rapper originally from the Bay Area, Lil B has always strived to live a life of non-conformity and spiritual nature. Utilizing social networking sites in the same way that the original transcendentalists utilized poetry, The BasedGod freely shares his deep connection to nature, his unwavering faith in the human spirit, and his belief in the power of the individual.

Lil B has always cared about nature. He loves animals so much that he even featured his adopted tabby cat, Keke, on one of his singles. His love for wildlife and all living things is youthful and full of wonder, very similar to Walt Whitman's.

In addition to a career in music, Lil B has scientific aspirations.

He exhibits gentleness towards the world and has a conscientious nature towards, well, nature.

Lil B is one with nature.

Like most spiritual views, this love of nature eventually intersects with another belief. In this case, it is his awe towards the human spirit.

What is "The BasedGod?"

Most celebrities and intellectuals of our time are cynical about the human condition. They believe that we are all doomed, or that our efforts are meaningless. By contrast, Lil B loves everyone and isn't afraid to show it.

Here, he praises god for the life of all people, speaking to the reader as if he knew them. He cares deeply for other people and wants the best, even if he doesn't know them. He is fascinated by the human mind and the diversity that our world holds.

Even when times look harsh, Lil B manages to find the good in people.

The BasedGod is also a strong non-conformist. He promotes free thinking, self expression, and self love. His twitter feed is filled with affirmations of things that are not usually considered the social norm. To him, creativity is the most important thing a person can have. Lil B rejects the standards and constructs that society has created by which to gauge our achievements, and by doing so, accepts his people for who they are. 

Sometimes Lil B is a little more aggressive with his non-conformist stance, and challenges his fans to think outside of the box, as pictured in the image below.

A true individualist, Lil B always stands up for the underdog.

Through his mantra of self love, Lil B explores the individualistic and very transcendentalist idea of finding oneself through reflection and methods of soul searching.

In accordance with this belief in strong non-conformity, Lil B holds the belief that imagination is more important than reason. Although he is curious about the world, he shows that curiosity should be zealous, enthusiastic, and open minded. Sometimes an answer is not necessary as long as one asks questions.

Oftentimes his love of intuition is coupled with a want for peace and togetherness. In a way, Lil B denounces competition and the idea of winners and losers by valuing imagination.

Once again, his beliefs intersect. Here is the juncture where his love of nature and his love of intuition meet.

Although he uses social networking websites instead of pencil and paper, Lil B is a poet in his own right.

To add even more to his transcendentalist aura, Lil B does not believe in materialism. He questions the necessity of money, finding other things, such as love and relationships to be more important. 

Even though most people are deterred by Lil B's bad spelling skills and profane song lyrics, The BasedGod is the best example of a modern transcendentalist currently available. Not only does he surpass expectations by meeting every requirement to be one, but his views are consistent, proving that his transcendentalist beliefs are ingrained into his lifestyle. For him, his beliefs are one in the same, synthesizing his love of the natural world, human nature, and imagination all into one. His wonder and innocent curiosity is a refreshing change from the pessimistic mindset that many have in this day and age. Lil B may not define himself as a transcendentalist, but his actions speak louder than words, and from his twitter platform, he inspires others to lead a better life full of tolerance, peace, and self love.

Thank you, BasedGod!

How does the author use the characters' wealth to enhance and add dimension to the story?

Poetry is not practical in the slightest sense. In fact, it could be called an economic drain, as the only people who are required to have extensive knowledge of poetry are lit majors. (And even lit majors themselves could be called an economic drain, which makes you wonder why they don’t just skip the degree altogether.)

                Yes, poetry is not practical, however, that does not mean it is unimportant. If school systems taught only crucial information, we would have classes on self defense, how to understand legal documents and politician’s cipher; there would be in-depth health classes and courses that properly explained wage discrimination. There would be classes on how to read human body language and on how to keep your cool in front of your boss. But we have none of those. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is not practical. Gym is a required course, but there has yet to be an instance where tennis players were needed in the workforce. One would think, in a world where the workforce is so vital, that our classes would focus more on the acquisition of jobs, but they do not. Instead, in our very school, we have filmmaking classes, fashion classes, and arts of every kind. Some people would be unable to get through the day without a physical education class. These things have no other purpose than to bring us joy and they should not be ignored. If any particular sport is chosen to be taught in gym class, then poetry deserves an equal slot in the English room. It is true that poets rarely garner fame or money, but there are more important factors to consider when regarding a livelihood, like the fulfillment gained from that occupation.

                Poetry, often considered a bridge between the arts and literature, is important to education. Not only does it encourage creativity and improves comprehension, but it is an art. Is it any coincidence that arts were learned before irrigation systems were invented, even though the latter would have been much more helpful in developing the world? Practical skills advance civilization, but it is the arts that sustain the people. When learning, we often are doing so only to prepare ourselves for other opportunities, but knowledge is power for so many other reasons. A six figure career can wait. Your life can’t. Food needs to be put on the table, but there are other parts of you that need feeding. Poetry is one of many ways to do just that.

In America, change is a synonym for "more." More money, more power, more fame. It is rarely discussed when change pertains to the altering of mindsets, opinions, or traditions. The American Dream is expansion, or, enlargement of the ideal condition without internal growth. A friendlier way to state this is "moving forward while retaining old ethics and traditions." This dogma saturates the history of America. Even now, in an age where  technology has filled the nation's seams to bursting, people young and old are nostalgic for the "golden years." Americans dream of reliving their glory days while at the same time increasing the wealth acquired recently. Unfortunately, because the Dream is so focused on old traditions, it is usually only applicable to those who resemble America's founders: white men. However, other dreams- freedom, happiness, a better future- do exist and may be even more important than the American Dream when defining the American condition. Originally penned into the Declaration of Independence as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, these dreams are highly valued in American culture. They live inside every American regardless of their race, socioeconomic class, or any other factor that the proverbial Dream disregards. Though within America, these are not American dreams, but human ones. How a citizen reacts to the interaction between the dreams and the Dream defines what it truly means to be an American for that individual.