Poetry Response Essay Example for Free

Poetry Response Essay I really love this poem by Wendy Copes because of the message that it tells me. For some reason there are those people who wish to pull someone down. Sometimes it is because of jealousy, envy and pride. In reality, no matter how hard you try to be good and to appreciate everyone, you really cannot please anybody. There will always be those who are against you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The poem tells me that I should not let anyone interfere with what I am doing or to let anyone block my way to greater heights. That I should always do my best and show everyone what I can do, what I am able to do, my talents and abilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Everyone has his or her own goal in life and we must focus on that goal, not looking to anyone but on that goal alone. We should not get our attention off our goal and let someone mess with that. We should always remain focused in achieving that goal or else we may not be able to achieve it. It is true that no one can live alone and that we need others to be able to live and be happy. Still we should not let those who dislike us or envy us to be the reason for our failure, if we do so, we will certainly achieve nothing. Every time that an opportunity for us to be recognized is given grab it. We should not favor or look onto anyone who wants the same opportunity like us. Every opportunity is a stepping stone in achieving our goal, our desire, and our future. The world is a place wherein the strongest is given greater opportunity over the weak, the talented above those that are not, and the wise over the fools.   We should let our light shine, and our talents to be revealed in order to be acknowledged both by man and society. Also, the poem tells us that we should not be move or hindered by anyone. We should not be ashamed in showing our talents and as well as emotions. We must be true to ourselves and not compromising to anyone. If we are glad let it show in our own way. Dance or jump or shout if you want to. We should not let anyone to be reason for our sadness and downfall. Works Cited The British Council. No date. â€Å"Wendy Cope†. November 19, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth174

The Scarlet Letter - The Letter of a Thousand Words :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet Letter - The Letter of a Thousand Words    The Scarlet Letter deals with the theme of sin. Throughout history, people have committed all types of sins, and whether they are major or minor, people have been punished. However the severity of a punishment is very difficult to agree on. Some people feel that sinners should be deeply punished no matter how little the wrongdoing was. Others feel that a person's punishment should be based upon the severity of their crime. What many people overlook is the fact that in time, we all have committed sins. That is the case with the three main characters from the Scarlet Letter. Even though they were all different on the outside, inside they all shared a certain feeling of sin and guilt. So when I think of Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, I think heavily upon the feelings that they all shared together, which were sin and guilt.    This novel was brought about from one mistake that a young, beautiful woman made. Here she was sent over to Boston without her husband, and many years later still hasn't shown up. She doesn't know if he is alive or died at sea. In the meantime, she got acquainted with Reverend Dimmesdale. Between the two of them, Hester bears a child and that child is the living proof, and a constant reminder that Hester has committed a sin. So the townspeople made Hester wear the letter A on her chest and made her stand on a scaffold in front of the town to display her shame. So everywhere she went she had to carry that guilt with her. In the meantime Chillingworth shows up and demands to know whom the father of Pearl is. Hester will not tell him so he constantly batters her but Hester keeps her strength and refuses each time. Which isn't so easy because she has to face him everyday.    Dimmesdale is most likely the worst sinner of all. His sin was that he was Hester's partner, which was Pearls father. Since he was a coward, he didn't have the guts to admit it to the public. He didn't want to lose the public's trust and his popularity that he had from his congregation.

Sumo Wrestling

Sumo wrestling is one of the oldest forms of martial arts in Japan, and it is still a major sport that is popular with both men and women there. In ancient times, sumo contests were held only in the courtyards of Shinto shrines as a religious ritual performed for the gods to encourage them to grant a good harvest. Ritual is, therefore, an important part of the sport. Before each match, contestants sprinkle salt on the ring and rinse their mouths in a ritual purification. Nowadays, sumo wrestling contests are held in gymnasiums, Convention centers and Stadiums. At first glance, sumo wrestling seems to be a strange sport with big, fat wrestlers wearing diaper-like aprons, shoving each other inside a tiny ring. Contrary to its appearance, sumo wrestling is a sport that requires not only strength, but also speed and agility, which heavy-set people usually do not possess. The wrestlers try to push each other out of the ring or down on the floor. Before actual physical contact, the wrestlers will stare at each other for minutes to break the concentration of the Opponent. The fight usually lasts for only a few seconds but sometimes it can go on for two to three minutes. The objective of a sumo bout, however, is not to injure the Opponent, but to simply eject the other man from the arena, or cause some part of the body other than his feet – or even a fingertip – to touch the floor. In fact, if some blood spots the floor of the ring during a match, the bout has to stop until every trace of blood has been meticulouslv removed. The size of the wrestler is also important. The heavier the wrestler, the lower his center of gravity, and thus the harder to toss him out of the ring. In order to put on weight and build up body mass, sumo wrestlers eat a large amount of food including a high-protein stew, and they go to bed right after eating. The heaviest sumo wrestler on record was 225 kilograms. Despite their large size and heavy weight, sumo wrestlers are well-trained athletes. They live in special sumo stables, following extremely strict rules and besides having their physical workouts, they have to complete other necessary chores. The wrestlers practise a lifestyle that is completely dedicated to the sport. To them, sumo is not only a sport; it is a whole way of life. This positive dedication has encouraged the Japanese to adopt them as role modeis. Hierarchy is a central aspect of sumo wrestling. Rankings depend on winning records. A sumo wrestler's ranking depends solely on the number of matches he wins during official tournaments. The more matches a wrestler wins, the quicker he can move up the rankings. Once a wrestler moves up to the top rank, he is not supposed to lose at all. He is expected to retire if he is unable to maintain his winning record. In fact, if a grand champion's losses outnumber his wins during the course of these tournaments, he will fall from the top ranks and will be expected to retire like the rest. Today's professional sumo wrestling has its roots in the Edo period. The wrestlers during this period were mainly samurais who needed an alternative form of income. Even the wrestling ring can be traced back to the 16th Century Edo period. In earlier times, the fighting space was simply the area given to the wrestlers by spectators. In the 16th Century, an important warlord named Oda Nobunaga introduced the ring in a tournament he organized. It is a platform 4. 5 meters in diameter and 16. 26 Square meters in area made of clay mixed with sand set on top of rice straw bales. Despite sumo wrestling's archaic rituals and traditions, the sport continues to draw new fans and growing international interest. Hundreds of sumo wrestlers of various nationalities compete to earn comfortable livelihoods, participating in ma tches not only in Japan, but in Europe, North America and Britain. Grand Champions attain celebrity Status and enjoy the intense adoration of dedicated fans. Present day sumo wrestlers consist of anybody who is interested in the sport and professional wrestlers come from all walks of life. Nevertheless, as a sport, sumo is not without controversy. It has been criticised as discriminatory since participants are limited to men only. There is a rule which prevents women from being sumo wrestlers and another which prohibits them from entering the wrestling ring altogether. These barriers exist because the Japanese believe women's presence in the ring will violate its purity. Sumo wrestling, being a religion-originated sport in which traditions are strictly observed, is unlikely to undergo drastic changes in the near future. It will probably be a long time before one can see a female sumo wrestler.

The Middle Age African American Man - 1285 Words

Consider this scenario in America today - a middle-age African-American man is not eligible to vote. This man’s father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather shared the same misfortune during their lifetime. The original patriarch could not vote as a slave, his son was beaten by the Ku Klux Klan for trying to vote, the grandson was intimidated by the Ku Klux Klan for trying to vote, and the great-grandson was prohibited from voting by poll taxes and literacy tests. The middle-age African-American man cannot vote today due to being on probation for a felony conviction.1 This same man probably had an ineffective attorney to represent him when he was arrested, was offered a choice of a plea bargain as opposed to a stringent sentence, and was subsequently placed under the control of the criminal justice system either by a prison sentence, probation, or parole. Once released from the criminal justice system, the man may be stigmatized for the rest of his life and may return to prison.2 As the middle-age man tries to re-integrate himself into mainstream society, his felony status can negatively impact potential employment, housing, and government assistance. This same man’s treatment could be compared to man living in a southern state at the height of Jim Crow.3 Jim Crow was a practice enforced by laws in the United States (U.S.) enacted between 1874 – 1975 to keep black and white races apart. The goal of these laws was to create â€Å"separate butShow MoreRelatedWaiting To Exhale : Book Review : Waiting To Exhale1188 Words   |  5 PagesBook Review: Waiting to Exhale Waiting to Exhale is a wondrous, explicit representation of four middle-class African American females in the late twentieth century and their tumultuous relationships with men, relationships, and a number of both personal and professional problems that each of them endures. Though they each have problems of their own, they depend on each other’s compassion and care to get them through their trials and tribulations and their preoccupation with their relationships helpsRead MoreAfrican Americans Must Work to Achieve the American Dream Essay1438 Words   |  6 Pagesunfortunately this is not always true. The American dream is not necessarily to get rich quick, it is more along the lines of a hard worker having an opportunity to be financially stable and to live a pleasant life. The dream is that their sons and daughters will not have to suffer the same things that they did. Their children will be better off in the long run because of their hard work. Why hasnt the African American community been able to reach the American dream In America everyone is guaranteedRead MoreRace As A Social Construct1087 Words   |  5 PagesThe concept of race is an ancient construction through which a single society models all of mankind around the ideal man. This idealism evolved from prejudice and ignorance of another culture and the inability to view another human as equal. The establishment of race and racism can be seen from as early as the Middle Ages through the present. The social construction of racism and the feeling of superiority to people of other ethnicities, have been distinguishably present in European societies asRead MoreCapitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman1252 Words   |  5 Pagesmobility of African Americans following World War I and II despite the â€Å"temporary interruption† displayed by collectivist trends following 1945 (Friedman 11). African Americans, with newfound economic power, were able to curtail coercive political power held by whites. However, Friedman fails to properly address the chain of events which allowed for the establishment political freedom in the African American community. Despite economic freedom granted following emancipation, African Americans were unableRead MoreThe Movement Of The Negro World1407 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction In a decade’s time, Marcus Moziah Garvey entered United States, at the age of 28, and cultivated the American Negro through his oratory that is seen as the awaken of Black Nationalism. Garvey’s work does not end in America, he’s efforts were world-wide but not limited to Africa to Nova Scotia, and South America. It has been stated that Garvey raised more money and grew a membership than any other Negro organization to date. Coined as the Black Moses, Garvey’s stated â€Å"I know no nationalRead MoreRacial Issues Of Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1321 Words   |  6 PagesRacial issues were not only between African Americans and Whites, racial issues also arose with Asian and Americans heavily leading into the 1940s. Being an African American appeared to be the most difficult because racial tensions were so popular and known, while racial discrimination between Asians and Americans were not as common. The strict segregation and rules that were put in pl ace by the government were horrific and terrible, for example African Americans had to not only go to separate schoolsRead MoreThe American Dream Of African Americans1400 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is the American Dream? To many people across the globe, the United States of America appears to be a place where one can be proud of. America the land where dreams come true and there is always a chance for any person to succeed. People who are not from the United States have been painted a beautiful picture of what life in our country is like. Not only do they think that there is a special place in American Dream of African American soldiers after WWI American Dream of African American soldiersRead MoreEssay about Minorities1371 Words   |  6 Pagesgroups are African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Women. African Americans Low status jobs In 1997 African Americans were considered 12.5% of the U.S. population and 64.7% of their race participated in the labor force. African Americans were also considered for 21.6% of all guards, 21.5% of all service occupation, cleaning, and building. Also 30.8% of all health service occupation (Macionis 1998). Less Education A mere of 75% have graduated high school, and 38% of all African AmericansRead MorePoverty In A Raisin In The Sun1413 Words   |  6 Pageshardships of African-Americans attempting to emerge in society in the 1950’s. The play is staged in ways where the audience can grasp the trifles of an African-American family continuously experiencing setbacks whilst attempting to achieve their notion of the â€Å"American Dream†. To Walter Lee Younger, his idea of the â€Å"American Dream† is that anything is possible for those who have money. Unfortunately, there is a minor problem: Walter Lee Younger is a working-class African-American man who strugglesRead MoreThe Inequality Of Black Americans923 Words   |  4 Pagesto benefit from such a system,† (Dear White People). In the United States’ society, the oppression of black Americans is ingrained and rooted in history (â€Å"The Oppression†). With our country of immigrants, blacks were bought here by force and were kept as slaves for one-hundred fifty years (â€Å"The Oppression†). Granting that racism is a problem for many ethnicities, racism against black Americans is considered â€Å"justified† because racist ideologies borrowed from slavery, as well as the century old apartheid