Lies will hurt me but I will move past them

One thousand and One nights full of hope and despair

I need to stay strong is what I say to myself

I buried my anger deep inside 

I need to find the beauty in myself

Never rest till you get to the top

For every women, that cries herself to sleep

This is for every women, who’s scared of being hurt
You left me broken

You left me shattered

I was afraid and alone

and you didn't give a second thought

I won’t let you hold me back anymore

I need to find beauty in myself now and forever

This is my life 

And you can’t take what’s mine
You have to find beauty in yourself before anything else

I chose these lines because I feel like they best show everything she went through and how much of good influence she was on other people especially women.She showed people that it's okay to be afraid but you have to move past that and overcome your fears.She did many things that made other people think she was such a good influence. I chose to do her because not many people know her and I feel that it is important that they learn at least a little bit about her because it will show how much good she did with her life.She was a very important Civil Activist because she decided to do something good with her life and make a change in the world.

Mae Jemison has never given in to self doubt .

In the summer of 1968 Mae Jemison was 12 years old.

It was the year that Martin Luther King jr ,an important leader of the civil rights movement,was shot.

“I want to be a scientist”

Mae accomplished her childhood goal.

Without stopping to dwell on the obstacles that blocked her path.

Mae Jemison the first African American woman in space.

I chose these lines because it shows how confident she is. She did everything she could to fulfill  her dream of being the first African American woman in space. I can relate to this because I am also confident and will not let anything get in the way of my dream of being on Broadway. 

He refuses to sleep until he has created a masterpiece

Sloppy , ugly, and sometimes weird, but somehow beautiful

Images enchant Jean-Michel’s mind

Art is the street game of little children

A concrete jungle where only the tough survive
“When I am a famous artist”

With powerful color composition and line

While sounds and images jump into his mind

Jean-Michel’s body heals, but his heart breaks

The place of honor is his mother’s, a queen on a throne

The energy and life of the city

radiant , wild, a genius child

He is now a famous artist

  
The lines in the poem represent the life of Jean-Michel and how he became an artist. The world he lived in was filled with color and his mind saw color different than most. The line where is says “With powerful color composition and line

While sounds and images jump into his mind” this meant that when people just saw a wall Jean-Michel saw art in all forms. Even when his mom got sick he didn’t give up because if he did he wouldn’t be who he is today. 

He was a young man with an awe inspiring legacy 

When he walked into a room there was warmth 

Hearts empty because they couldn't see him 

And hearts full of the loved he shared 

He made the world a better place 

A true fighter, Chadwick preserved through it all 

A true warrior is who you were staying true to your god given 

You will be missed in a physical sense but your legacy will never die 

R.I.P Chadwick Boseman.

I chose this as a poem because he was an actor that i loved and that i could look up to.I loved watching him in movies and knew that he was a great person and he was a great actor. He was a human rights activist who wanted to make a change in the world. You could see how many people really loved him.

Even though I was only four years old, I told my plan to my Mama

I walked ninety-seven steps to the front door of the school, then used all my weight to open it wide enough to let myself in

I loved to learn so much that going to school alone wasn’t enough

Most days I would walk back home from school with the other kids

Once you understand the background of any idea, you can figure any problem out for yourself

Math had always come easily to me

I may have been only four, but I could understand everything

I chose these specific lines because I feel it describes how much she loved school. Even though she was really young, she could easily comprehend things. Many people judged her since she was a woman and black but she proved people wrong every single time. She loved everything she did and I admire that because she was doing something that she has always loved as a child. That’s why I feel these specific lines could show how much she loved doing what she does best.

A man is a god in ruins.

There is two kinds of worries- those you can do something about and those you can’t; Don’t spend any time on the latter. 

A Problem is a chance for you to do your best.

Fate is being kind to me; Fate doesn’t want me to be too famous or too young.

I don’t need time;What I need is a deadline.

If it sounds good,It is good

It doesn’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing

The meaning of my poem is how music leads people to do their best but to me I like listening to music and which when I listen to music I look back at these quotes which one of them being “If it sounds good, it is good”. As some of the other lines may not lead to music they do help lead to motivation while  referring to the quote “A problems is a chance for you do the best”  which this  quote is telling me that if I were to do bad on one test I have the chance to do best on the next one. The great artist of music Duke ellington has many words to say or many quotes all of them come with different meanings and these could impact or help people in different ways. I chose Duke Ellington because his words are very powerful and lead people to thrive and achieve many things.

Segregation must be stopped.

It must be broken down.

The only thing they could do to me was kill me.

Promote equality of rights.

Eradicate race prejudice among the citizens.

The black panthers urged African Americans to withdraw from white society.

The communities that remained became isolated.

African Americans still suffer from inequality.

Resistance is in our marrow as black people.

This deeper meaning to this poem is to fight for what's right. In my black history book, I have read and learned about different things in African American history that I did not know before. Slavery was a big component in history that was not needed. Slavery was in multiple countries such as Great Britain, China, Egypt, and Russia which lasted for over 200 years. African Americans have been fighting for freedom for many years and hundreds of activists have taken a stand as well. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech, Jo Ann Robinson has talked about how she feels about inequality, and many other activists have inspired many African Americans including me.We are still not fully free to this day but we have come a long way and still have a long way to go.

“I have no expectations. I don't believe in pressure. I don't worry about anything”. 

If I am able to do it then I'll do it.

I was running wild and playing ball. 

His parents would yell at him to be proud of who he was and stand tall.

The family moved around so much that he never even got to have a best friend.

But that moving around helped make Shaquille tougher. 

It made him learn to adapt to different things all the time.

“Thank goodness I had two parents that loved me enough to stay in my case.”

“The world has too many followers and not enough leaders.”

“Shaq became the leader on the court, especially in practice where he worked hard. 

“ I have no expectations” 

The deeper meaning of this poem is to never give up no matter where you come from, or what your background is. Shaquille O’Neal grew up poor in Newark, New Jersey. He would get in a lot of fights and move around a lot.  He was soon put into an Army camp with his family. That was the first time he ever played basketball.  Growing up his dad signed him up at a boy's basketball league where they saw how talented of a player he was. He had great communication skills and big respect for everyone on the court.  At Shaquille's first-ever professional basketball game, he said “ I have no expectations”  he wanted to explore things himself and not put pressure on what everyone else would think. This poem talks about his life as a basketball player and his background.

Black and white folks feared and even hated him

Some people saw him as a hero, someone who was unafraid to tell it how it was

Willing to stand up and fight for black equality and power

The state and local laws  required whites and blacks to be segregated

Riding out at night

Dressed in white sheets and hoods

They burned schools,homes, and churches

The Ku Klux Klan was especially powerful

It was in flames

White men had put his family’s house to flames 

Escaped in time without realization

(Haley, Alex. The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Grove Press, 1965)This poem is about how Malcolm along with his family got his house set on fire by white men while he was inside. He spoke up for other black people and was hated on by many people. This was a dangerous choice considering the KKK and the racism going on back then. He was very courageous and helped many people.

Young, introspective, sensitive

A sexually abused little girl traumatized into silence

Unwed, teenage mother, teacher, and civil rights activist

For much of the time other things seemed too important

Perhaps there was too much she wanted to forget

She began to write her own story

Like all great literature her story moves from the individual to the general

“I accept that we human beings are more alike than unalike”

The story of her own survival

Not just surviving…but thriving with passion and compassion and kindness

The deeper meaning of this found poem is the story of Maya Angelou’s life. Maya Angelou didn’t have a childhood like any other child. When I wrote this poem, I wanted the focus of it to be the strength she had growing up and how it let her to be where she is today. I think Maya angelou is a huge inspiration because her past helped her become strong enough to overcome anything. I chose to do this poem about Maya Angelou because she stood up for herself and didn’t let people silence her anymore even when it was really hard. I felt like that is really inspirational and reading about her past and looking at where she is at today, I feel is worth bringing attention to. 

I made my Found Poem on Jimi Hendrix. My poem explains his legacy. The first few lines are about how he's recognized as an artist. Other people try to recreate his music but can never match his greatness. The last four lines explain how his music was to himself and other people. 

Black and loud
Power to the people 

None of that black power stuff in Alabama

She cut me off as if she knew what was on my mind.

You girls have some mouths on you

Maybe it was how Mrs. half jokingly said, 

“The slaves have been freed, Delphine.

Maybe it was three years’ worth of dread.

 I could feel things bubbling up inside of me.

The real answer was so we could see our mother

When the census came around, my mama told them

 to put ‘colored’ for our household. 

She was so dark they put ‘Negro”, because black was

 the only color they saw in her.”

The true meaning of this poem is to show what people go through. I had chosen these lines because Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern had gone to Alabama to visit their great-grandmother, before they left they were informed that they couldn't say anything they wanted. The dad had told them that in Alabama, they had “eyes” on them because they’re black and he let them get it out of their system so they wouldn’t say stuff like that there. Even their stepmother makes racially motivated jokes, talking about freeing slaves. They were bothered but what were they able to do about it? It even mentioned what happened with their mother when they had labeled her as ‘Negro’ instead of ‘colored’ because they only looked at how dark she was and instantly labeled her. From Rita’s background, she had wanted to make this book so she could display the roles of the children in the Black Panther Movement; she had based the characters on her friends and her sister(s).That was a movement that should've been remembered.

and devotion which makes a man insensible and indifferent

to deny himself of all for the sake of others, and for the elevation 

and advancement of others, without a single promise of reward

I was awakened and brought to see myself, poor, wretched

and undone, and without the mercy of God must be lost

for the plain and simple gospel suits best for any people

 a Methodist preacher, an outspoken advocate of racial equality 

and a founder of the African Methodist Church

one of the largest independent African American denominations 

we say, if these constitute greatness, then Richard Allen 

the first bishop of the AME church, was great

The deeper meaning behind this poem was why Richard Allen was a great man and how he worked hard to tell others what he believed in and how he inspired others. Why i chose these lines are that they tell us why he was a great man and what he did in his life time.

Mississippi had no intention of changing his ways that no negro life was really safe 

that the federal government was either powerless as it claimed or simply unwilling to step in to erase this blot on the nation's reputation for decency and justice  

For other blacks living in Chicago life was markedly better than it was in the south racial violence was relatively rare

Lack of recorded testimony from anyone other than Carolyn Bryant and with the various accounts of what came to be known as the “wolf whistle”

A long fuse had been lit and it would smoke for three days before it finally ignited an explosion and violent reaction on a fourteen-year-old boy 

“Is this the right boy” 

That was the last time Mose Wright saw Emmett Till alive 


     The deeper meaning of this poem is understanding how cruel the world can be. Emmet Till was only a little boy who lived in Chicago visiting his cousins. Emmet was unaware of the cruelty that went on in the south, Emmet was only a 14-year-old boy living his life, and he never expected to be the face of a civil rights movement. Till’s beating was so horrifying his mother barely recognized his face. No one will truly know what really happened to Emmet Till. Currently, in 2023 we are still seeking justice for Emmet Till. 

They had to travel in public busses to play in the National Negro Baseball league . 

The money was far less than major leagues received . 

Six months after Jack was born , his father left for good . 

The neighborhood was mostly white and one day a white neighbor said  racial slurs to jack .  

Jackie Robinson ignored incidents of racism  .

Money was always short at the Robinsons .

He disliked studying and hard labor .

He joined a group of boys his age called “pepper street gang “.

First African American to play in the major league baseball. 

 

The deeper meaning to this is that life can be really tough sometimes and there might be times where you might want to give up but there is always light at the end of the tunnel . Jack dedicated a lot of effort into being a baseball player and he deserved it . He had a really horrible childhood and racism was still a big thing back then so that is why  Jack really is a good person to look forward to .  

Wherever we lived, he was always making pictures

He always loved those color pencils, and he’d fiddle around to choose the right color

He only had 1 string

He  could really make that string talk

They made playing music seem like the best thing in the world

They wouldn’t let me have anything to do with music

They tell you what you are interested in and you don't have any choice

People would say, if you don't get a job you’ll starve to death

But I didn't want to take a job outside of music

I just sat there and thought to myself, there’s got to be a catch here

It was only time he was like that


The deeper meaning into this poem is to explain how fast time goes, and as time flies by you the harder and how much pressure goes on in life.  This should teach others how this is your life and how other people shouldn't tell you what not to do or to do. Also to do what you like to do and if anyone brings anything negative towards it shouldn't bring you done for whatever it is you believe you'll achieve. This poem seems to show how people judge and could just be harsh when you have an opinion, because everyone has a different opinion and people get judged everyday.

Father died of tuberculosis 

Had to move away to Maryland cause he had no family 

Worked in a college with only 3 other African Americans 

Graduated from college with an M.D 

Daniel Williams grow to treat any back and white patients

Dr. Williams practiced during an era when racism and discrimination prohibited African Americans from being admitted to hospitals and denied black doctors employment on hospital staff

Became the first surgeon to perform open heart surgery 

He was considered a porringer heart surgeon chief 

Decided to pursue his education 


I chose these lines because it shows how he achieved his goal. It shows how even after his father had passed away and lived in a time of racism and a time of discrimination he got to where he wanted to be. These lines also show how he has achieved what he wanted to, it shows that he has reached past his goal and that anything is possible. This is what the deeper meaning was and it is important to know that he has lived through a lot and nothing stopped him coming getting what he wanted to achieve. 

A glimpse of what was ahead for Micheal as a solo artist

“I’ll  never forget that night, because when I opened my eyes at the end, people were on their feet applauding.”

Leaving only one Jackson- Micheal-alone in the spot light

Jackson was one of the most famous people in the world.

He clearly shined bright

He had one clear goal

Although the success and fame came at a price,

Micheal Jackson's star was shooting toward the stratosphere.

His name, face, and music soon be known worldwide.


I chose these lines to put in this poem because it shows how he felt while in the spotlight and how quickly he was brought into it at a young age and managed to make a name for himself all by himself. He overcome his fear and he tried his hardest to get where he was as Micheal Jackson.

It may be odd to consider now.

Back then things may have been one way.

But they are different now. 

Coming of the success has brought to be a long way.

But things were harder than they were today. 

I have fought for many opportunities, but I never thought the fame would be one of them.

I try so hard to become something I would have never though I would become.

I picked these lines to form my poem because it shows that you can achieve anything you dream of. Chris rock never thought that he would become famous but he worked hard to achieve his goals. He started small with barely anything and he grew up to be one the most known/successful celebrities for his accomplishments. Chris Rock is basically an example of reaching your goals even if you think you might not achieve it. If you work hard enough, you never know what might happen. 

Why should we feel threatened? We’re not breaking the law.

Why do you push us around?

Parks traveled often throughout Alabama to interview the victims of segregation. 

Are you going to stand up ?

No

Well, I’m going to have you arrested

You may do that.

Parks was at the head of the March where she belonged, Side by Side with Ralph Abernathy and Martin Luther King JR.

It’s over, Ralph

We won. 

What this means at least to me, is to not give up. Even if things don’t seem like they’ll change, they will. It’ll take time, patience, and sanity to be able to see that change though,  and when that change finally comes, it’ll feel like a brand new part of the world has opened up for you, and you’ll finally be able to embrace that change that you’ve been hoping for and waiting for.

The deeper meaning of this poem is that different events happen in innocent black people's lives and they are determined to make a change about their rights. Some innocent black people are killed or ether in prison for wrongful accusations. In bad conditions, people talk and accuse of them doing bad things and tell the police to arrest them without even knowing what's happening in that person's life. Innocent people who have goals are gonna achieve them and are determined to be somebody, someday.

Lived by the streets,

Learned by the streets,

Loved by the streets,

Hated by the streets,

And, many of us have married by the streets;

The cluster of phobia into my maturity,

That is why I do not respect the gun in your pocket today.

This explains basically 50 Cent’s life with the streets he lived on. He was taught, raised, loved by them but also had problems and hate with them. He grew up somewhere dangerous at the time and it helped him get through with life and where he is now, while he also used his phobias to overcome them themselves (maturing, etc.). 50 Cent shows a great story of no matter how low you are there is always an uprise somewhere no matter how difficult it is to achieve.

The meaning of my poem talks about how change can be a big part of anyone’s life it also talks about expectations in life.