3 Poems by 3 Poets July 26

On Time Tanka- June Jordan

https://poets.org/poem/time-tanka

This poem by 20th century activist, poet and teacher June Jordan was written using the old traditional Japenese form the Tanka. Traditionally a Tanka is a single stanza poem, consider it the cousin of the Haiku. Take the Haiku’s syllable structure of 5-7-5 and add two more lines, 7 syllables each. Jordan’s poem uses this structure but then delivers 7 stanzas using this form. Traditionally Japanese poetry is filled with nature imagery, peace and revelations of enlightenment. Jordan’s poem is filled with rage for those who persecute her for her race, while expressing pride in being black. The juxtaposition between form and subject matter wrestles against one another which reflects the conflict she is experiencing.

the difference between a bad poet and a good one is luck- Charles Bukowski

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/49577/the-difference-between-a-bad-poet-and-a-good-one-is-luck

Bukowski is known for his signature free flowing conversational style of poetry; he was a working blue collar man who was always strapped for cash. Most of his work reflects his own struggles, his words are poetic without being over complicated. There’s no spending ten minutes to interpret one line, or questioning what business a drunk unicorn has got being in a poem about grief; they’re autobiographical inspired stories with relatable characters. They’re stories about his life, the people in it, the world he experienced and when you close your eyes you can picture yourself in that world, like wearing VR goggles. This poem is a great example of that.

Are You The New Person, Drawn Toward Me?- Walt Whitman

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50394/are-you-the-new-person-drawn-toward-me

“Are you the New Person Drawn Towards Me?” has a simplistic message on the surface; it’s a warning for the new person who finds themselves drawn towards the narrator; listing the kind of attributes they may believe the narrator has, but suggests that everything may not actually be all that it seems on the outside. Could this also be the same for the poem as a whole? Is there a hidden meaning beneath the surface? The poem is thought provoking without being over complicated, it leaves the reader with questions unanswered and gives them the freedom to use their imagination. Some of the questions that came to me while reading this; are as follows; Who is the narrator? Who is the new person? Does the use of the word new mean the narrator has had several people drawn towards them previously? What does the narrator mean by drawn? Does it mean as a sexual partner, a friendship, intellectually drawn, obsessed? Is the narrator arrogant as a result or is he low in self esteem, not seeing himself worthy of any attention? Is this intended as a polite rejection or simply listing things the new person needs to be aware of with a continue at your own peril message? Could Whitman be making a comment on society?

I love poems that spark a debate, even if it’s with yourself. This poem of Whitman’s is relatively unknown to those who aren’t into poetry and maybe even underrated by Whitman fans. But I personally think it’s worth a mention here.