What is my Arkansas poem about?
The poet is so concern about the environmental degradation and is compared with past/old crimes in Arkansas. The poet might to say that before the American Civil war the condition was unsatisfactory. This might be a reason that the American civil war could bring peace.
What does the reference to Red Earth mean in stanza one?
The red earth, whether stained with the blood of the past or a place where life cannot be sustained, continues to paint the picture of an unending struggle toward the future for the new and growing “poplar tree.”
When was my Arkansas by Maya Angelou written?
Her most famous work was written in 1969, “ I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” talks about her early life in St. Louis and Stamps, Arkansas with her brother and grandmother.
What are the old crimes Angelou refers to?
The “old hates” and “old crimes” are referring to those against African-Americans in the days of slavery.
Why are Maya and Bailey being sent away?
Background & Characters Perhaps it’s because they have been equally rejected by their parents. After a divorce, Maya (three years old) and Bailey (four years old) are sent to a racist Southern town, Stamps, Arkansas, to live with their father’s mother, Momma.
What does but still like dust I’ll rise mean?
“But still, like dust, I’ll rise” (simile)—As in the air simile, the speaker will rise above the pain her oppressors try to inflict, just as dust rises in the air.
What is Maya Angelou message to the world?
Maya Angelou taught a message of being the best person you can be – that means chasing your dreams and believing in your one true vision. Do it with compassion, with kindness, and with insight. Go forth and let your solitary fantasy transform as many realities for the better.
Why does a caged bird sing meaning?
Angelou uses the metaphor of a bird struggling to escape its cage, described in Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem, as a prominent symbol throughout her series of autobiographies. Like elements within a prison narrative, the caged bird represents Angelou’s confinement resulting from racism and oppression.
Why was Bertha Flowers important to Maya?
It takes the human voice to infuse them with the shades of deeper meaning.” By introducing Maya to the power of the spoken word, Mrs. Flowers provides one of the first links for us between young Maya the character and the Maya we know as a famous author and poet.