Tuesday, May 13, 2014

poem research

word definitions:
limned- depict or describe in paintings or words
cataracts-
debris- scattered fragments, usually from something destroyed
flagellant- people who whip themselves for religious or sexual purposes
whittled-carved from wood, reduced in size.

Author info:
Chris Abani is from Afikpo, Nigeria and was writing about from a very young age. he published his first book while he was still a teenager. his government thought his book was a plan to over throw the government and threw him in jail. after he was released he argued for the overthrow of the government and was jailed again. during this time in jail he went through months of solitary confinement, and other forms of torture. he eventually escaped Nigeria and moved to England and then later moved to the united states, his writing influenced by his traumatic experiences of his life.

Poem Analysis info:
at the begining of the poem the speaker picks up the phone but only hears static. the speaker wishes for their loved ones but know they're not there. when they trace the leaf, they're tracing memories. the distance of the memories seems clouded but still hasn't forgotten good times.
they know they have to move on in the third paragraph in order to get better, but there is still sorrow.
and in the last paragraph they have to learn to cope with death. and that lfe after death improves each day.




Works cited:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Abani
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/chris-abani
http://chrisabani.com/about-chris/

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