Only The Strong Survive

Everyone in the world has problems: sex, drugs, suicide, affairs, and even power. This week every poet we read about had the same tensions in their lives. Their poems help express their feelings and the way they respond to their troubles. One of the poets we learned about was Dorothy Parker. Growing up was not easy because she was considering committing suicide, and her poem “Resume”, proves this statement.

Dorothy Parker

In the poem “Resume” Parker talks about the possibilities of trying to commits suicide, but in the end it’s too much work and effort to even try. In the poem she talks about razors, acid, guns, nooses, and even gas. “You might as well Live”, is what Parker ends her poem with, giving the reader something positive to leave with after saying several different options to ending ones life. Parker is known for her sarcasm in this poem, and in my opinion I agree with this statement. Her sarcasm doesn’t make you think about the negativity of suicide, but instead think about the title, “Resume”. What is a resume? Now that you have thought about that, read the poem again, that is what I love about the sarcasm in the poem, “Resume.” Her use of fulcrums in her poem, “The Lady’s Reward”, shows her optimistic point of view upon women. Her message in this poem is for women to be strong and powerful in this world of controlling men. Also, for women to not show their feelings, so the husky men don’t overpower them. Like Parker, Carl Sandburg uses strong spoken verses to offer a greater insight through the poem.

           

"Chicago Skyline"

Sandburg’s poem, “Chicago”, shows how sturdy the city is and how nobody can tell the people of Chicago what to do because they are hard workers and tough people. In the second stanza he talks about how poor Chicago is at the time, “painted women”, meaning prostitutes. People in Chicago at the time had no other options, but to be prostitutes. “And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: yes, it is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to kill again.”, in this sentence Sandburg is talking more about the negativities of Chicago, about the killings and crime and they don’t even go to jail and they walk free. Throughout the second stanza Sandburg make use of, anaphora, which is the repetition of words. Sandburg uses, “And they tell me”, to create a strong effect on the poem. Like Parker, Sandburg uses a fulcrum to change his perspective in the poem. After saying all of the negatives about Chicago, he goes on to talk about the positives. Saying how Chicago building, wealthy, and a “fierce of a dog.” Saying how strong and powerful this city is amongst others. All these poets use a certain style to portray their messages to their readers, and tell a story or message that will forever be known. Problems don’t always have to be in your way, you can take those negatives and turn them into positives.

Carl Sandburg