Poetry can
be enjoyable to read, but can also be practical when we read poetry about
events from the past. Although other textual evidence from past events can
provide us with the facts of past events and in many cases can convey how
people felt, poetry has a unique way of conveying the personal feelings and
emotions an individual possessed.
O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman
This whole poem is an extended metaphor about the death of
Abraham Lincoln. Calling Lincoln his captain shows the love and respect Walt
Whitman had for the President. Whitman begins each stanza by addressing Lincoln
in this way, which really drives home this feeling. The imagery in the poem shows
the loss that Whitman felt at Lincoln’s death and brings this historical event
to life.
Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
This poem is from the perspective of a person who has
suffered from racially charged oppression. The speaker addresses the reader
directly which makes each statement more effective and makes the reader
contemplate on the poem more. Although the speaker has faced suffering, the repetition
of “I rise” shows an insistent strength which is inspiring. This poem emboldens
and brings people together with a similar background.
