There are instances in the history of the world where the wishes of the people seem ignored and can only be expressed through art. The leaders of resistance movements choose poetry because of its appeal and its ability to conceal the message to avoid attracting the wrath of oppressors. Certain poets of resistance have risen to the occasion and provided the perfect verses to pass the message.
Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri and is famous for being a columnist and a social activist. He is a notable figure in the Harlem Renaissance when he was based in New York City. He has over 15 poetry anthologies to his name. His famous poem is I Look at the World. In the poem, he depicts the life of blacks as restricted and fenced. He uses the poem to rally them to rise and create the life and world they have always dreamt about.
Women resistance poets are led by the famous voice of a performer, author and memoirist Maya Angelou. She was from Missouri as well and is among the most decorated social justice activists with over 50 honorary degrees. Caged Bird is a verse that narrates the differences in the lives of free and oppressed people. The verse captures the life of a caged bird that only sings and another that is free to pursue its dreams. The imagery used in this poem is so powerful, sending the message home in a memorable version.
Denise Levertov uses her bullet pen to criticize the war in Vietnam. In her words, this is an injustice against masses with no gain or winner. She is known for using different artistic writing forms to pass her protest message. Among them are news casts, diary entries and conversations. They are formatted in form of a conversation between two individuals. In Making Peace she calls upon people to pause and reflect on peace and what it means.
Claude McKay was born in Jamaica in 1889 and lived during the Harlem Renaissance. His ideology was largely communist though he claimed not to have been an official member of any such group. He was an accomplished author of poetry, fiction and non-fiction works. One of his most celebrated poems is IF We Must Die where he advocates for death but a noble death where one fights. He terms it as shameful to allow the enemy to celebrate your anguish.
Birmingham Alabama is the birth place of Margret Walker who having been born in 1915 went on to rise to prominence because of her participation in the African American Literary movement based in Chicago. For My People is a verse addressing comfortable slaves suffering under ungrateful masters. Her message is for them to rise and push for change in their situation.
If there is a clear and simplistic protest poet, it is Hirshfield Jane. The poet and essayist was a pioneer graduate from Princeton University where she was part of the first class that had female students. Among her famous works is Let Them Not Say, a verse warning evil doers that they are being watched and their acts are known to the public.
Though protest poetry was not meant to change the world directly, it awoke in people the consciousness of being oppressed. The oppressors also realized that the masses were watching. This was the fuel that oppressed people needed to instigate change.
Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri and is famous for being a columnist and a social activist. He is a notable figure in the Harlem Renaissance when he was based in New York City. He has over 15 poetry anthologies to his name. His famous poem is I Look at the World. In the poem, he depicts the life of blacks as restricted and fenced. He uses the poem to rally them to rise and create the life and world they have always dreamt about.
Women resistance poets are led by the famous voice of a performer, author and memoirist Maya Angelou. She was from Missouri as well and is among the most decorated social justice activists with over 50 honorary degrees. Caged Bird is a verse that narrates the differences in the lives of free and oppressed people. The verse captures the life of a caged bird that only sings and another that is free to pursue its dreams. The imagery used in this poem is so powerful, sending the message home in a memorable version.
Denise Levertov uses her bullet pen to criticize the war in Vietnam. In her words, this is an injustice against masses with no gain or winner. She is known for using different artistic writing forms to pass her protest message. Among them are news casts, diary entries and conversations. They are formatted in form of a conversation between two individuals. In Making Peace she calls upon people to pause and reflect on peace and what it means.
Claude McKay was born in Jamaica in 1889 and lived during the Harlem Renaissance. His ideology was largely communist though he claimed not to have been an official member of any such group. He was an accomplished author of poetry, fiction and non-fiction works. One of his most celebrated poems is IF We Must Die where he advocates for death but a noble death where one fights. He terms it as shameful to allow the enemy to celebrate your anguish.
Birmingham Alabama is the birth place of Margret Walker who having been born in 1915 went on to rise to prominence because of her participation in the African American Literary movement based in Chicago. For My People is a verse addressing comfortable slaves suffering under ungrateful masters. Her message is for them to rise and push for change in their situation.
If there is a clear and simplistic protest poet, it is Hirshfield Jane. The poet and essayist was a pioneer graduate from Princeton University where she was part of the first class that had female students. Among her famous works is Let Them Not Say, a verse warning evil doers that they are being watched and their acts are known to the public.
Though protest poetry was not meant to change the world directly, it awoke in people the consciousness of being oppressed. The oppressors also realized that the masses were watching. This was the fuel that oppressed people needed to instigate change.
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