Poems

Without Hope (written in the point of view of Frida Kahlo)

Death is looming above my head

As tears cloud my eyes.

The sun burns its print upon my cheek.

Around me sit green fields, taunting me.

I'd love to be refreshed by a cool breeze,

But I'm trapped in my illness.

Even if I was freed,

My body is far too weak.

They torture me, saying I'll be better.

But I know its not true,

I'm stuck.

Death is looming above my head

As tears cloud my eyes.

The smell of rotting meat taints my breath.

Around me sit white sheets,

But all I see is gray.

I'd love to run among the fields I call home,

But I'm locked in my dispair.

What is Poetry?

Poetry is

A song, written.

A letter, sent.

A story, told.

Poetry is

A movie, watched.

A painting, made.

A dance, chereographed.

Poetry is a life, lived.

Joy

What Happens to Joy Deferred?

Does it wither, like a weed?

Or does it sit, like an unplanted seed?

Does it melt, like a sweet?

Or does it stink, like rotting meat?

Does it poke, and pester?

Or does it become a sore, and fester?

Does it sink, like a stone?

Or does it sit like an old photo, left alone?

Sin Esperanza (Without Hope) by Frida Kahlo

Sin Esperanza (Without Hope) By Frida Kahlo (1945)

         "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," says a famous adage that has inspired many people who've struggled. In Frida's case, what doesn't kill you inspires you. Frida endured a lot of physical hardships in her lifetime. When she was five years old, she got polio. She was often sickly, and died in her 40's. Even in the midst of pain, she succeeded in making beautiful art. Once when Frida was seriously ill, she had to be fed strained foods because she had no appetite. She painted how she felt on this in her painting, Sin Esperanza.         

        The painting has an unusual texture, with an almost scratchy look. It shows Frida Kahlo laying in bed, crying, with a ladder that holds meat, fruits, vegetables, a cat, and a skull. A tube connected to those things went into her mouth. Around this scene are grass and mountains, with the sun and moon in the sky.

         Some have described this as scary, disturbing, even; I can see why. To me, it shows struggle. So many people go through things in their lives that forever haunt them. They may be ashamed or afraid to let them out. Frida painted how she felt. She displayed the torturous feeling of being force-fed.  Maybe this was meant for her to connect to alone. She seems almost trapped beneath her sheets, maybe by her weakness. Its kind of odd that she painted a pleasant scene around her, because she was most likely spending her sick days inside. Perhaps she wanted to be free of her illness. This painting gives me a liberating feeling, because I've been weak while I was sick, and all I wanted to do was feel the freedom of being healthy.

Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat

       I recently completed Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat. The main character Sophie lived in Haiti with her aunt and grandmother. Sophie's mother lived in New York. Sophie was conceived after her mother was raped. When she was 12, she got a ticket to go to the United States.
        Being Sophie must have been hard, knowing that your mother suffered because of you, knowing that you weren't wanted. Sophie's mother drank poison to abort her and even tried to kill herself, but it didn't work.In the book, Sophie's mother said that she "didn't want to die". This persistence to thrive is evident throughout the book.
         Sophie did well in school, and he mother wanted her to be a doctor. She met a man and after failing her mother's "virgin tests" she was kicked out- sent to live with him. Sophie became a secretary, and married Joseph, the man. Sophie had a daughter, despite her being without her mother.
         Sophie's mother became pregnant again, and ended up taking her own life. This was later in the book but it was the most climactic point in it. Sophie was forever a mistake, and even though she was loved, she must've known this. I don't think I could continue to try to succeed knowing that I wasn't wanted. Sophie thrived, despite all of the problems that surrounded her, which is really inspiring.
         This reminds me of Girl in Translation, where the main character was a poor immigrant, but ended up becoming a doctor, and saving her family from an unsafe lifestyle.

Before We Were Free

         I've always loved Julia Alvarez's book because it showed me how hard it is to keep hope in times of struggle. The main character, Anita, lived in the Dominican Republic, where a dictator ruled in the 1960's. Anita's father was involved in the murder of the dictator, and Anita and she mother had to go into hiding.
         Anita's brother was hidden in the embassy, her father and uncle were in prison, most likely dead. Anita's sister had to go to the United States after the elderly dictator tried to court her. Anita and her mother hid in a closet in a friend's bedroom. Anita was only 12, and I don't know how I would have handled that. One man ruined her life. The reality she once knew was only in her memory. Throughout the day, she found satisfaction in writing in her diary and reading books reccommended by the friend's son, who she liked.
         Anita didn't know if she'd live; the chances weren't likely. At any moment, the secret police could've raided the house and discovered her and her mom. Surprisingly, Anita made it from day to day. When a small problem arises in my life, I panic, acting as if the world will end because of my miniscule issue. Anita's family was falling apart, but she didn't allow her sanity to. In the book you can see that she struggled to stay sane, as I'm sure anyone would. She faced her problems with optimism, and in the end, she won.
        

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

        I think the author of Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers, does a good job of conveying that people often fear love. This almost chilling topic was showed through the main character, Angel.
        Angel was born outside of wedlock, her father a married man. During her childhood, she heard her father say that he had wanted her aborted. Her mother died, and she was given to a man who raped her. She ran away and became a prostitute in 1850'S Gold Country. A man saw her, and married her after saving her life.
           Angel was afraid to love after all she'd been through. Angel didn't want to befriend a neighbor family, afraid they'd leave. She was afraid to love because she was afraid of getting hurt. In her opinion, everyone she loved and trusted seemed to die or leave. I don't blame Angel for her tendency to avoid love. Duke, the man who raped her said, "Love is a trap, Angel." (52%).
           Often in life, we avoid people who are kind to us. We avoid kind people- why? Because we're like Angel, afraid of getting hurt. Angel didn't want to love her husband, she didn't want to love her friend, or her neighbors. Sometimes we do this indirectly, by avoiding a particularly kind person. We let our stereotypes and prejudices cloud our vision of a person. Angel, from past experiences, was convinced that men were evil, out to use her. Her husband LOVED her. I can admit that sometimes, when someone is trying to help me, I avoid them, and I don't even know why.
            Angel later discovered that love wasn't what she'd been taught in her sad life. She saw that love meant trust. She had to trust that those she loved would treat her well, and not lean on her own convictions.
     
       

EC Blog

Life As We Knew It  by Susan Pfeffer

This book is absolutely thrilling, and very scary. Miranda, the main character, lived in a small town in Pennsylvania when an asteroid hit the moon, causing a worldwide tragedy- power was out, epidemics soared, tsunamis consumed cities, earthquakes killed thousands, and there was little food.
Miranda was a regular person, and one incident changed her life. She was once focused on school, friends and later Dan, her boyfriend. Her friend died, she didn't know where her father was, or if he was alive.  This makes me think about how easily life can be lost, and how precious it is.
Although this was a work of fiction, it was absolutely possible. Death may not be as extreme for us, but on any day we can be hit by a car, or fall, or have a heart attack. The scary thing is, we never know when death may come. We've become so used to life, that we don't realize it can end.
Miranda learned that the hard way, when all around her was death. On a more positive side, Miranda found life among the death by spending time with her family. She didn't know if she'd live, but she made the most of the life she had.
I commend Susan Pfeffer for teaching this in her book, because it made me think of how priveledged I am to be healthy and living. I don't have to worry about my next meal, or if I'll see someone I love again.

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”
― Mother Teresa

The Help REVISED

The Help Helped Me

         I finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett for my fourth time. Every time I’ve read this book, I found something new in it. This time, I learned from Skeeter, the author of the book Help which the real book The Help is about.

        Skeeter was the main character of The Help. She was a recent college graduate, living with her parents. She was raised by a Black maid who she loved. When she did things, she often wondered if she was pleasing Constantine, the maid. She spent her days writing, hearing her mother’s complaints that she was single, and going to play bridge with other wealthy White women, and going to country clubs. After writing about something she believed in, she was alone.
          Skeeter noticed things that she thought no one else did. In the South, a grown woman had to call a younger woman Ms. if she was Black. White women ordered their maids, and yelled at them in front of their children. A housekeeper could raise a child, and later be employed by the child they'd potty-trained, the child they'd fed and held.
          She went against the wishes of Hilly Holbrook, a powerful socialite who was once her friend. People who used to be her “friends” now wouldn’t speak to her. Then, she wrote a book on the lives of colored housekeepers and their opinions on the families they worked for. Many people sought to destroy the lives of her and the housekeepers. One of the housekeepers, Minny, was especially impacted. Her husband was fired after a complaint from Hilly’s husband. Another maid named Aibileen was accused of stealing and later fired by Hilly, who she didn't even work for. Later, Stuart, Skeeter’s boyfriend, ended the relationship after she admitted to writing the book.
       
             Skeeter was ALONE. No one but her boyfriend who broke up with her , Hilly and the maids knew of the book. No one would talk to her, not even friends whose weddings she’d been in. She was dropped by her tennis partner. She was no longer invited to parties, and treated like she didn’t exist.

          By then, after losing my friends and my boyfriend, I might have given up the cause I was fighting for- Skeeter didn’t.

      Often in life, we put what others will think over what is really the right thing. Skeeter’s life was becoming miserably lonely and sad. In order to write the book that went against the beliefs of her neighbors, she had to lose friends.  Writing Help wasn’t a major benefit for Skeeter. She didn’t need the little money she received. The book was written anonymously, so fame wasn’t what she sought. Skeeter sought a change. She could’ve gone on with the racist, mean, phony friends she had, she could’ve married Stuart and she could’ve kept her thoughts and desires inside like so many people do.

            Writing the book was a personal accomplishment. It showed what so few people do in their lives; risk everything for a fight they believe in. If you think about it, Skeeter could’ve even lost her life- people were just THAT racist. Skeeter was revealing the truth about a way of life that was prominent in the South.

       I found that this quote shows the beginning of Skeeter’s rebellion against the ways of life of those near her: ‘“A bill that requires every White home to have a separate bathroom for the colored help. I’ve even notified the surgeon general to see if he’ll endorse the idea. I pass." Miss Skeeter, she frowning at Miss Hilly. She set her cards down face up and say matter-a-fact. “Maybe we ought to just build you a bathroom outside, Hilly.” Skeeter faced her enemy with humor, not letting all she had lost stop her. She was lonely, but she won.