Going to Meet the Man

James Baldwin really has open my eyes to racism of the South during his writting days. No doubt I have lived in Mississippi my whole life, however, I have never heard of the racism that he potrays in "Going to Meet the Man". His writtings and the use of racist words were very offensive to me. However, it was then that I realized this man was writting in common day when the things he talked about, the things he spoke of was socially accepted.

My first assignment, after becoming a State Trooper, was in the Mississippi Delta. Home to some of the most violent acts of racism in Mississippi's dark history. I met a few men that probably particitpated in some of the hate crimes. I met a few men, who still to this day believes a black man is so much less than a white man. I have met men that used racial slurrs as everyday language and I met men that protested the civil rights of blacks. However after meeting all those men, none seem to have the hatred that Baldwin describes in his work.

As mentioned before, I am also a State Troooer. Baldwin seems to describe the law in those days as doing whatever they wanted to blacks, including the black women. If his writtings were this popular, it makes you wander if "everyone wasn't doing it?" Was there a problem in our society. Whites often referred to the blacks as uneducated, "monkeys" as he writes. Does it not seem the whites, during the day, was just as uneducated and also acted like animals? As far as I know, only an animal will treat a mate with such disrespect to their life.

What is really a sicken idea is the main character is actually turned on by hate and by being a racist! The little boy that was taken to a modern day "murder" of a black man was brainwashed from the get go. It makes you wander just how far a society would be willing to go if we all lived in such a closed-minded society! The Nazis were the best at brainwashing. They had a whole country believeing a man, their men, were superior to the human race!

I honestly believe a man will act on or half way adhere to the things that he is brought up in as "normal". For example, a man that drinks a beer around his family is telling them it is okay to drink. You take a child that is from a non-drinking home and they are very un-comfortable around someone drinking beer. This, of course, is when they are a child. So with saying that, a man could really be led to believe that what they are doing is right if they had been taught that their whole life.

It seems we are evolving faster than ever with race relations. However, it is up to each and everyone to teach our children we are equal. For each parent that fails to do so, fails to move our state forward.

rrh

The Fish

After reading the assign lessons, it seemed to me the one poem that caught my attention the most, the one poem that I could relate too was "The Fish" by Elizabeth Bishop.

Bishop's description of the old "wise" fish, went a lot deeper than just describing an old fish that had fought for many years, fought off his death, fought off a man's trophy, and was finally won by Bishop.

You could nearly compare her writings with those of our elderly family. It seems almost impossible for a man to go a lifetime and never feel defeat. Sure there are those that may go longer distance than others, but one day a stronger man, a faster man, a smarter man will climb into life's ring and knock them off.

Bishop description of this fish is one that has broken lines several times before. In its prime, no fishing line would be able to capture it. Now the fish is has grown old, its mind still very active, yet its muscles not as strong and it finds itself landed for the first time.

Bishop was merciful in releasing the fish. She painted the picture to me of one that is admiring the wisdom of the fish. She respects the wisdom and therefore releases the fish.

Could Bishop be teaching us a lesson in life? How do we treat our elders? Those that once were un-beaten in talent, at the top of their game. Now all they have is memories that are rarely visited by the next generation. We should remember those, respect those that have paved the pathway in sports, fought and died for freedom, built the education system, and governed our country through the years with great wisdom. We need to honor those, spare them, and let them rest in peace instead of putting them in the frying pan.

A Street Car Named Desire

As I read this play, I could tell immediately the author, Tennessee Williams, had some very strange characters in his writings. The more I read, the more I realized, unfortunately, this is reality in most homes.

The drunken behavior of Stanley, the trap (as it seems) of Stella, the weird thoughts of Blanche, and your finally introduced to a man that seems normal and he is the only one you can't help but to feel sorry for Mitch.

I worked as a deputy sheriff for 4 years before joining the ranks of the State Troopers. As sad as it was, I saw first hand some women whose living conditions were the same as that of Stella. They were so in love with their man that it didn't bother them to be beat, to be treated like property and to be disrespected.

These women would go through some horrible abuse, call 911 and then come begging for you to drop the charges! I definitely see where Tennessee Williams gets this character from. I remember taken battered women and going through the troubles of finding them a safe house, a hot meal, and helping them get off their feet. Sadly, you would learn within days they are back home in a living hell, simply because they "love him!"

Blanche on the other hand deserves exactly what she got. She needed some kind of mental help. I began to be confused with her truths and her lies! What a sad condition a person is in when you can't tell the truth from lies. No doubt she did not deserve to be raped (if you will), she had told so many lies, no one believed her. A lady that is not even creditable to her own self and can not testify on her on behalf because she has told lies for so long.

Stanley-- a loser! What kind of man beats on his pregnant wife, wakes up the neighborhood, and has an affair while is wife is giving birth to his first child? It seems these brutes always have the sweetest wives! You find the biggest abuser, drug abuser, spouse abuser, and cheater; then you will find a sweet little woman whom he calls wife. Why is this the trend? Makes you wander if the excitement is part of the relationship. This seemed to be what kept Stella around.

Finally, my poor buddy Mitch. Mitch is a man that is longing for a lady that will become his mate, his soul mate. He is ready to have a family, to settle down, to move on. While taking care of his mother, it seems these thoughts may have ran through his mind. Blanche led him to water, only to offer him the poison! A humble man that falls for such a fake lady. Just as a good woman falls for the terrible men, it seems the most humble, good men are those that have been taken and used by "crazy women." They come up with the biggest losers!

Tennessee Williams didn't have to think much about the characters he wanted to portray in his play. He, more than likely, just used common people. The examples are all around us in our communities.

The Man Who Was Almost a Man

This writing from Richard Wright had many lessons one could learn from. I could pick up on the theme of a disrespected black man being down all those years and now he thinks the way to respect and power was to own a gun. With a gun, a life can be taken, there is strength in a weapon. Yet the young man learns, to soon, a responsibility comes with a gun and that includes taken responsibility for your actions and the consequences of your actions.

It seemed just as the black man was rising his self-esteem, fate would have it-- a mistake makes him the laughing stock of town! Is this not the same in our culture today? You can have many stars of success hanging over your head, but folks only notice those stars the "fall!"

As I read the story, there were also a few object lessons that I thought about.

David, the young 17 yr old, would not be in this dilemma if he would have only listen to this mother. We hear it all the time--"mom knows best." Yet we still find our self in a culture where everyone goes against mom's advice and wonders what happened..

If David would have never bought the gun, he would be alright. If David would not have kept begging his mother after she refused, he would be alright. If David would have obeyed his mom in placing the gun in safe storage, he still would have the gun and the respect he was trying to earn.

How many times do we need to be reminded wisdom and age usually supersedes the advice we try to drum up for ourselves.

There have been many times in my life, I have looked back and said, "if I had only listened to my mom!" I never thought I would be saying that but now I have a family, I can see plainly what my mom was talking about when she would give advice.

Even know this story is from the early 1960's, it reminded me to well of the youth in our generation today. David wanted the gun, he wanted to be a man, yet he didn't want to take responsibility for his actions caused by being a "man." He also ended up running away from his problems.

Working in law enforcement, I see this day in and day out. Kids want to be grown up, yet when arrested for drinking and driving, they never want to claim responsibility for their stupidity. They run away and run to a lawyer, like they have done nothing wrong!

Dave took a two dollar investment and turned it into a $48 dollar loss! Why? Because he wanted to be a "Man" without waiting and gaining the wisdom of a "Man" that would have come over time.

Langston Hughes

Hughes writing really highlighted the racism of the South. Some of his poems seem to get very personal with the pictures he paints with his words. I wander if some of his troubles from the FBI wasn't due to the South's politics?

Hughes seems to be one that exposes the hard truth. It would do our country good if the news cast put the raw, hard, truth on tv. Topics such as the war on terror, the genocide in East Africa, and even the AIDS epidemic in our country.

In "I, Too", Hughes seem to captivate my attention and put me in the place of the young man that wants to sit at the table. He reaches your emotions and makes you think, hey what if this was me? Would I want to leave the room?

His writings opened my eyes and made me think about the horrible past of the South. Poems such as Mulatto, Song for a Dark Girl, and Silhouette, Hughes reminds me of the hangings and puts into perspective that these men in these poems were hanged for doing some of the same things that everyone does--falls in love. No doubt the "Southern Girl" played half the role in the relationship, yet she is always protected!

The poem Democracy really said what needed to be said. It don't matter how much you talk about equal rights, it don't matter what you in teed to do about it, until action is taken it does the oppressed man no good! We have to move forward with our fellow citizens and get along with all races.

As I was reading, I noticed Hughes brought up praying to a "white" Jesus. Jesus was not white nor black since he was Jew. He was more red. In those times if some of his followers would have had their way, the only race that would have a chance would be the Jew. So if Christ loved all races-- why can't we?

E. E. Cummings

E. E. Cummings's work was a little hard for me to understand. I would have to say his very unusual style of writing was very interesting and at times very amusing.



One poem in particular is "if there are any heavens my mother will (all by herself) have."



As I read this poem several thoughts come to my mind. Cummings must have had a wonderful mother. A mother that was always there for him, a mother that always loved him. He is very clear that if there is a heaven-- his mother will have one, or be there.

The Bible refers to Eve as the first mother and the Hebrew word mother refers to "one who bonds the family." Cummings's mother must have fit that definition for him to write about what she deserved--Heaven.



I am not to sure whether or not he believes in God because he wanders about the after life and yet he quotes one of the oldest hymns of the church "Lilies-of-the-Valleys". I wander if his mother was a devout Christian and took him to church where he was introduced to old songs, such as Amazing Grace, Lilly of the Valley, etc.



He also goes on to use a beginning quote of the Bible when he says "This is my beloved", the same words God used to describe His son Christ when he fulfilled his role. "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased". Cummings only uses the first four words of the pharse to introduce a sense of royality-- his father and the whole garden bowing to his mother.



Again there seems to be so many similiarites to his quotes and scripiture from the Bible. The garden represents "Garden of Eden" or some refer to the garden as heaven. Also the bowing of his father and the whole garden would give you the same picture as the Bible gives about Christ-- every knee shall bow!



Cummings may have not been a religious man, but I do feel he read the Bible and used verses to blend into his poetry. I feel like he tries to be politically correct and not take a strong stance on the issue, yet he still acknowledges some facts about the after life.

The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter

When I first read this work of Ezra Pound I thought the husband had left her for good, then I get the picture he is off and working. This poem reminded me of my grandmother and listening to her talk about the realtionship she had with my grandfather.

This poem, of cours, comes from the early 1900s. It seemed like in our society women were very faithful to their husband and I noticed this lady refers to her husband as "Lord." I haven't heard that expression since reading in the Bible where Sarah refers to Abraham as Lord. The Bible also teaches that women should love their husbands as Sarah loved Abraham. I wander if Pound had read her Bible to use those words of if she is really picture what a strong marriage should be.

This young lady is no doubt in love and draws closer to her husband each and every day they are married. I also noticed he "dragged his feet" as if he was having a hard time leaving his wife. It was almost as if he was battleing to stay home or work to support his home.

Back to my grandmother and her days of young marriage. It seems to me back then men and women truely loved each other. They were faithful to each other and most of all the men worked and supported the home. Everything seemed to be in perfect harmony. What has happen to the realtionships in our country? If a man left for a few months at a time to work, now days, the home would be destroyed in just a few days. What a sad condition we are in--there is no committment in marriage the way Pound described it in River-Merchant's Wife.

The Dead Baby by William Carlos Williams

The Dead Baby is a poem that brought back memories for me. As you read the poem, you can sense what the parents must be going through. Even though they are facing a hard time in their life they are still worried about getting the house cleaned for guest that will be coming to share with them their grief.

This poem brought back memories of losing my first child. My wife and I were expecting our first child in 2004. On our anniversary of 2004, she began to have complications and we found out the following Monday that we had lost the baby. Even though the child was never born, there is a sense of a loss. A sense that a baby, your baby will never be born. A sense of wandering the all wandering question Why?

My wife went through a diffucult time during those days and Williams pens "the mother's eyes where she sits by the window, unconsoled--have purple bags under them.." This was such a picture of my wife. She was upset, seemed lost, and deprived of rest. On the other hand friends and family both were coming to see us so we still had to have the house somewhat cleaned.

Williams also mentions the baby was a "curosity". I will always wander was the baby a boy, a girl, blonde hair, brown hair, etc. Would they have grown up to be a star? Curosity often caught me for the next few months, however, curosity would soon be defeated when my wife gave birth to a healthy boy 15 months later! Parker Elijah Hall..

Poems by Carl Sandberg

Reading Carl Sandberg's poem leads one to think about the reality of life and the consequences of death. While I was reading "Grass", I began to think about all the green grass that covers a cemetary. There are countless bodies under the grass, yet none stand out more than the other. They are all concealed with the grass and covered to make each and everyone just the same as the next. There are no social classes, no race sections, no religion sections-- they are all covered the same.

I guess the way I feel about "Grass" is nothing matters in this life, so we better be focused on death. It is funny that we all come into this walk of life as a baby with nothing under our belt. Then we leave this walk of life with nothing under our belt. The old saying "I have never seen a Hearse pulling a U-haul" has somewhat the same meaning of "Grass". No matter who you think you are in this life and no matter how much you spend in this life-- you life will end like everyone else-- under grass!

Sandberg's poem "Halsted Street Car" also got my attention. It seems in our country we focus on the wealthy, those that have "made it." When was the last time we focused on the factory worker that keeps supplies on demand. The truck driver that brings things to us, or even the police officer that is up all hours of the night while we are home sleeping in a peaceful community. These are tired faces that many forget about.

Just speakin of forgetting, what about our military? Does anyone pencil their tired faces? No, usually we are bashing them, not supporting them, and only highlighting the 1% of them that are in trouble. Where have we gone in this country that we will send me to die for our flag and sign a bill into law that allows a person to burn the same flag with no consequences. Where have we gone when we send a man to do battle for his county against terrorist and then welcome a man that actively supports the same terroirst!

I feel it is time we all pulled out a pencil and sketched the true American, the working American, the average American, the one that carries their load so that our economy, our country, and our families can carry on day to day activities. Where is your pencil?