Amelia+Campbell

The Tendencies of Man Amelia Campbell Humankind has often exhibited behavior that is stunning, amusing, violent, or peaceful. A human’s inclination to behave in whatever manner they so choose is fascinating and beautiful, and inspired me to explore how different authors identify with mankind and how they admire and examine the multitudes of ways to be **human**.

Buffalo Bill's code Buffalo Bill's defunct who used to      ride a watersmooth-silver stallion and break onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat Jesus he was a handsome man and what i want to know is how do you like your blueeyed boy Mister Death

code




 * E. E. Cummings** __(1894-1962) is a celebrated modern poet who is well known for his use of lyrical wit and his proclivity to write about characters that did not generally fit within the expected lifestyles of his time period. Cummings wanted his poetry to be accessible to every man, so he used plain language and paid more attention to the shapes of his poems. He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and grew to like Literature. He attended Harvard and lived a relaxed lifestyle of travel, writing, and speaking at universities.

“Buffalo Bill’s” depicts a particular cowboy who seems to be misunderstood in a society of rugged, western ideology. The first adjective used to describe Buffalo Bill is “defunct” which puts a shadow on his character henceforth. His horse is odd—instead of referring to the brawny strength of his horse, Cummings refers to the “watersmooth-silver stallion.” This oddity is reflected yet again in when Buffalo Bill is referred to as a “blueeyed boy.” Cummings is focusing on the delicate attributes of Bill, which is unexpected for a man with such an occupation.

Cummings also employs specific indentation and spacing to develop the poem even more. The poem, as seen above, is spaced in a way such that the shorter lines (some only consisting of one word) are emphasized because they are set apart from the rest of the poem. Additionally, Cummings refrains from using spaces twice in the line “and break onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat.” This increases the pace of the poem and makes it more rhythmic. The poem expresses the regret that the narrator is feeling about the loss of Buffalo Bill. From his word choice of “handsome” it is assumed that the author is fond of Bill, and that it is sad that he has died. His open ended question to “Mister Death” leaves readers wondering why Bill was so special, particularly because he did not fulfill the rugged, expected lifestyle that a typical cowboy enjoys.__ __This photo expresses the rugged and mysterious nature that cowboys are typically associated with. However, Buffalo Bill is not necessarily associated with this rugged nature. Cummings chooses to depict him as delicate and fragile instead manly and powerful.

Cummings views humans as unique and important, regardless of whether or not they “fit” with a specific stereotype.__

Call the roller of big cigars, The muscular one, and bid him whip In kitchen cups concupiscent curds. Let the wenches dawdle in such dress As they are used to wear, and let the boys Bring flowers in last month's newspapers. Let be be finale of seem. The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream. Take from the dresser of deal, Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet On which she embroidered fantails once And spread it so as to cover her face. If her horny feet protrude, they come To show how cold she is, and dumb. Let the lamp affix its beam. The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.
 * The Emperor of Ice-Cream **
 * Wallace Stevens** __(1879-1955) was a successful businessman and lawyer who graduated from Harvard and worked for the same company for the majority of his life. His pursuit of poetry was done in his free time, and he often spent summer evenings writing. Early in his career he fraternized with other literary figures, but this socialization declined as his writing evolved and he enjoyed more time focused on his business aspect. His first works were criticized for their lack of seriousness, but he argued that poetry is about finding the beauty in everything and exposing it in new ways, not only within, but on the surface. He focused on perception and how people see things in different ways. His verse is simple and unrhymed so that the reader focuses on the vocabulary and meaning of the poems.

“The Emperor of Ice-Cream” is about a wake being held for a woman who has just died. The people attending the wake are celebrating her life, and using her death as an excuse to have a celebration; men and women are there to flirt, and there is ice cream to be shared by all the mourners. While they are all present because of the death, they seem to want to ignore the loss: they cover her face with an embroidered sheet, almost beautifying death. However, her “horny feet protrude” to remind them of why they are there.

The mourners at the wake are all attending because of the loss of their female friend, but they have different reasons too. The men that are attending are muscular, able to roll cigars and show off their skill. The females are “in such dress as they are used to wear” suggesting that they are trying to embrace their younger years and deny that life is catching up with them. All of the individuals are in a case of constant denial for several reasons. They have placed the woman that they are mourning in a separate room and covered her with a sheet so as to ignore her, they are denying their youth, and they are denying their poverty. The “dresser of deal” suggests a plain, unfinished wood that cannot be easily afforded. They are making their own cigars and struggling with their ability to find was to celebrate her life other than enjoying ice cream.

The theme of “The Emperor of Ice-Cream” is to seize what life has to offer. The individuals in the poem are enjoying their lives regardless of the ever present aura of death that surrounds the wake, and they realize that they have no choice but to keep on living. Because ice cream is fleeting (you either eat it or it melts) the Emperor of Ice-Cream is the most powerful man in their eyes. He is important because he has power over the here and now, not the future or the past. Seizing the day is an important concept, particularly because it reflects the most fundamental human characteristic of focusing on living what life you have.__ __Stevens admires the individual’s ability to seize each moment and make something of it, regardless of circumstance or pain.__

THE HARLEM DANCER APPLAUDING youths laughed with young prostitutes And watched her perfect, half-clothed body sway; Her voice was like the sound of blended flutes Blown by black players upon a picnic day. She sang and danced on gracefully and calm, The light gauze hanging loose about her form; To me she seemed a proudly-swaying palm Grown lovelier for passing through a storm. Upon her swarthy neck black, shiny curls Profusely fell; and, tossing coins in praise, The wine-flushed, bold-eyed boys, and even the girls, Devoured her with their eager, passionate gaze; But, looking at her falsely-smiling face I knew her self was not in that strange place.
 * // by: Claude McKay (1890-1948) //**
 * Claude McKay** (1890-1948) is a Jamaican writer and poet who partook in the Harlem Renaissance. After many years of practicing communism and a visit to communist Russia, McKay decided that communism was wrong and spent the rest of his life learning about different political ideals. He was important to the Harlem Renaissance because of his efforts both in his poetry and his novels. He studied at Kansas State University, and moved to New York to be with his wife until his death.

“The Harlem Dancer” is about a young woman who is dancing for an audience at some venue, perhaps a night club. She is beautiful and graceful in her dancing and has the full attention and amazement of her audience, but she is struggling internally with her lack of passion for her actions and the disgust she feels with herself for performing at a night club. Her beauty and skill are offset by this distaste, and so the sentiments of a Harlem resident become more widely known as she struggles to make ends meet. This video describes the social issues raised by this poem: []media type="youtube" key="bJksjmtFzTE" height="385" width="480" McKay uses imagery to evoke the emotions of the dancer and her audience. The perfection of the dancer’s body is reflected through word choice such as “perfect, half-clothed body” and “proudly-swaying palm/ Grown lovelier for passing through a storm.” The audience is “devouring” her, with an “eager, passionate gaze” that suggest they are truly thrilled to be witnessing her dance. The irony is that she is putting for no passion at all, and so there is a significant difference between the dancer and her audience. McKay’s use of imagery emphasizes the difference in attitude and brings forth the true meaning of the poem: that humans will do what they can to get by.

The dancer’s plight is similar to what many Americans are experiencing as the economy stumbles. Getting jobs to get by, we are often in circumstances that are embarrassing and uncomfortable in order to sufficiently sustain ourselves and our loved ones. This risk that she has taken reflects the endurance of humanity and the chances people are willing to take to succeed. Historically, this poem reflects the struggles that African Americans experienced as they rose above the odds, particularly in the Harlem Renaissance.

McKay explains humankind as durable and tough, while beautiful and capable of facing fears and dangers. He admires this dancer, who is able to represent humans in many ways.

by Yusef Komunyakaa Fast breaks. Lay ups. With Mercury's Insignia on our sneakers, We outmaneuvered to footwork Of bad angels. Nothing but a hot Swish of strings like silk Ten feet out. In the roundhouse Labyrinth our bodies Created, we could almost Last forever, poised in midair Like storybook sea monsters. A high note hung there A long second. Off The rim. We'd corkscrew Up & dunk balls that exploded The skullcap of hope & good Intention. Lanky, all hands & feet...sprung rhythm. We were metaphysical when girls Cheered on the sidelines. Tangled up in a falling, Muscles were a bright motor Double-flashing to the metal hoop Nailed to our oak. When Sonny Boy's mama died He played nonstop all day, so hard Our backboard splintered. Glistening with sweat, We rolled the ball off Our fingertips. Trouble Was there slapping a blackjack Against an open palm. Dribble, drive to the inside, & glide like a sparrow hawk. Lay ups. Fast breaks. we had moves we didn't know We had. Our bodies spun On swivels of bone & faith, Through a lyric slipknot Of joy, & we knew we were Beautiful & dangerous.
 * Slam, Dunk, & Hook **

“Slam, Dunk, & Hook” by Yusef Komunyakaa expresses the excitement and extremely personal feelings associated with partaking in sport. Komunyakaa’s narrator is actively playing basketball and experiencing the physical toll on his body and the adrenaline of his emotion.
 * Yusef Komunyakaa** (1947- ) is an African American poet who likes to recreate characters from various aspects of life from elevator operators to Greek gods. He was determined to celebrate his heritage, and took the name of his grandfather after his family had assimilated and took a more American name. He served in the Vietnam War as a correspondent and editor of a military newspaper. He writes about his life experiences, both in the war and in other situations. He grew up close to New Orleans, Louisiana and the musicality of that region is reflected in his poetry in many cases.

Yusef Komunyakaa uses imagery to evoke the intended response from his audience. Because most of his poems are about war time experiences, it can be expected that action and emotion have a significant influence in his work, and “Slam, Dunk, & Hook” is no exception. Each line encompasses a specific idea about the immortality the athletes experience as they workout: they are exercising muscles, sweating, touching each other, and feeling very alive. Their ability to feel like gods is reflected in the line “We were metaphysical when girls cheered on the sidelines.” As if having out-of-body experiences, the emotions and imagery suggest that the athletes are perfect—but only while doing their sport.

Komunyakaa is addressing immortality in this poem. The speaker is addressing the power and wonder that he experiences as he plays basketball; this power ceases to exist after the basketball ends. The final line “We know we are beautiful and dangerous” sums up the attitude the speaker feel: he can fall to nothing and no one, thus he is god-like. In a way, each and every day we put athletes like this up on a pedestal and expect them to perform in superhuman ways. Often we forget that they possess human qualities, and we become angry and upset when we discover their infidelities. For example, Tiger Woods is without a doubt the best golfer in history, but his humanity and mortality become evident as he struggles to be human and work through family issues.

Komunyakaa admires the individual and thinks that man can be immortal while pursuing sports. However, this pursuit is fleeting—often the athlete looses this mortality the instant he leaves the court.


 * Marianne Moore **


 * The mind is an enchanting thing **
 * is an enchanted thing **
 * like the glaze on a **
 * katydid-wing **
 * subdivided by sun **
 * till the nettings are legion. **
 * Like Gieseking playing Scarlatti; **
 * like the apteryx-awl **
 * as a beak, or the **
 * kiwi's rain-shawl **
 * of haired feathers, the mind **
 * feeling its way as though blind, **
 * walks with its eyes on the ground. **
 * It has memory's ear **
 * that can hear without **
 * having to hear. **
 * Like the gyroscope's fall, **
 * truly unequivocal **
 * because trued by regnant certainty, **
 * it is a power of **
 * strong enchantment. It **
 * is like the dove- **
 * neck animated by **
 * sun; it is memory's eye; **
 * it's conscientious inconsistency. **
 * It tears off the veil; tears **
 * the temptation, the **
 * mist the heart wears, **
 * from its eyes -- if the heart **
 * has a face; it takes apart **
 * dejection. It's fire in the dove-neck's **
 * iridescence; in the **
 * inconsistencies **
 * of Scarlatti. **
 * Unconfusion submits **
 * its confusion to proof; it's **
 * not a Herod's oath that cannot change. **

“The Mind is an Enchanting Thing” focuses on the manner and subject of human behavior. The poem is about the contradictions that exist within the human mind by making comparisons regarding all of the minds abilities. Moore uses paradoxes to convey the theme that the human mind is a remarkable entity simply because it has the power to be so confusing.
 * Marianne Moore** (1887-1972) is a radical modernist who embraced the restrictions place on her by society to pursue her poetry. She is famous for saying that poems are “imaginary gardens with real toads in them.” She was born in Kirkwood, Missouri and moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania shortly after her father abandoned her family. She never married, but instead merged households with her brother, a Presbyterian minister. She enjoys taking the figurative and relating it to the real world and making strange comparisons. Her work made her revolutionary in the poetry world.

Moore is creating a paradox through this poem and describing the magnitude of the human mind. While she describes the wondrous capabilities of the mind, she often quickly contradicts them with statements about the confusion that exists therein. For instance, the mind “has memory’s ear that can hear without having to hear.” Moore may be suggesting that the mind is inept because it cannot hear by itself, but actually the mind is exceptionally powerful because it has the capability to remember sounds and what their significance. Another contradiction occurs in the last stanza of the poem. Moore states that “Unconfusion submits its confusion to proof,” suggesting that the mind is capable of clearing up confusion, therefore it is remarkable powerful. This statement says that the mind is able to prove the inconsistencies that exist in life through thought and understanding memories. By using the past, humans are capable to further understand the future.

“The Mind is an Enchanting Thing” completes the tendencies of man. The ability of the human mind to constantly change, to try to understand right and wrong, and to discover new truth is remarkable, and surmounts any behavior that humans can do. Moore’s imagery and poetic technique help to further confuse and cause the reader to use their “enchanting” mind to find a meaning that suits that particular reader. The poem is applicable to many situations, but I believe that Moore is suggesting that human actions are special and important to the constant paradoxes that surround us.

Humans are so versatile and different, as evident in each of the poems above. By examining each poem, we find a new way to think about humanity as a whole. I personally believe that humans are a vital part of the equation of life. I love this commercial, because it sums up what I believe is so true about the world.

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Works Cited Cummings,E.E.”Buffalo Bill” __The Norton Anthology of American Literature__. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol 2. New York, 1979. 999.  Stevens, Wallace. “The Emperor of Ice Cream.” __The Norton Anthology of American Literature__. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. 2. New York, 1979. 817. Moore, Marianne. "The Mind Is an Enchanting Thing." __The Norton Anthology of American Literature__. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol 2. New York, 1979. 858-59. McKay, Claude. “The Harlem Dancer.”__The Norton Anthology of American Literature__. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol 2. New York, 1979. 969.  Komunyakaa, Yusef. “Slam, Dunk and Hook.” __The Norton Anthology of American Literature__. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol 2. New York, 1979. 1605.