Questions over Maya Angelou's teaching

1. We talked about the title of Maya Angelou’s first autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. What did Angelou say is the reason a caged bird sings? What does that mean? Do you agree with or understand that idea?

The reason the caged bird sings, according to Maya, it’s not because they’re cheerful and happy. It’s because they want to escape and they’re screaming. They do this because they want to be free. I understand and agree with this.

3. Angelou says she doesn’t even like to talk about her bad dreams because talking about them “gives them too much power.” Do you think talking about bad dreams or bad news or other bad things (or feeding into “drama” at school or in life) gives those bad things more power? When have you known this to happen?   

I think in some circumstances it can. But also, not talking about them can also give them power. To explain this thinking, whenever there is gossip that is no one’s business, and you talk about it, of course it gives it power. However, if there is a bad thing on your mind that sincerely bothers you, obviously you need to discuss it with someone. Some things should not be shared, other things should not be held in.

4. Angelou and many others suggest that dreams “tell the truth” about us. Do you think dreams reveal things about us that we many not realize or that others don’t see? Can you recount a dream that revealed something about you that you were surprised, ashamed, terrified, etc. by?

It’s said that all the things we subconsciously feel, we dream about. I myself find that I dream about the things I want, often. Most every time I dream, it’s about something I long for. Whether it’s an ability, a person, or food. Sometimes I forget the magnitude of how I feel towards something until I have a dream about it. Or when I realize I’m thinking about it a lot. Whenever I confront those feelings and try to dispel them and it’s hard, I know that it’s more serious than I thought. So yes, I strongly believe dreams reveal things to us.

8. Angelou says, “There’s a world of difference between truth and fact.” What do you think she means by that? Do you think the same?

In my personal belief, every life is kind of like a world of it’s own. It means, you yourself cannot feel for the entire population, you can’t live through anyone else’s eyes but your own. Everything that is most important to you are the things in your life. So with that being said, two people can live completely different lives, and be in completely different worlds too. So let’s say for example, there are two people. Person A knows the truth about something, but decides to lie to Person B. Person A knows the truth, and lives in a world where the truth is known. However, Person B does not know this, and they live in a world where it’s fact.

     Suzie was a blue dog. By no means the color, but by her attitude. She was seventeen years old so she'd been through a lot. Through out the years she'd been a loyal dog to her owner Jenny Wilson. Jenny Wilson had been a friendly owner towards Suzie. However, Jenny had gone through a lot too, after some serious medical issues she was no longer able to do the things with Suzie that she'd once done. This left them both very sad about getting older.

     The two were currently living in the very green state of Oregon. They'd moved there after Jenny's husband passed away. Suzie didn't like it much there, it was wet all the time. Whenever she managed to drag herself outside all she could see were trees and vines and other foliage. The very sight made her sick. She missed the beaches, the sunshine and the color of her old home in California.

      But now, every morning was grey. She didn't understand how she'd gotten so old and tired so fast. Jenny too was sad about their old age. It wasn't fun watching everyone around you have fun when you can't. Jenny however was excited that her daughter would be coming to visit her. Hopefully that would bring some joy to Jenny and Suzie.

     Laura drove up in her red car on a strangely hot morning. In her hands she was carrying non other than a puppy. Jenny and Suzie instantly lit up at the sight. The next few days the four of them enjoyed each other's company. But, then it came time for Laura and Cupcake to leave back home. 

     Before getting in the car, she handed the yellow puppy to her mother. 

     "Why don't you keep her," she said.

     Suzie's heart leapt, "really?"

    "Yeah!"

    So then Cupcake was there to give some joy to Suzie and Jenny.

 

Color Poetry

     "Rose Glory"
Blooming in the rain
The red rose grows in the shade
The water gives life

     "Panama Rose"
The landscape is green
The morning is hot and sweet
The rose grows

     "Fuchsia Flock"
The bird flew from home
The air was icy and cold
She missed her family

"Earthly Gray"
Eternally standing
Aged from time
Rough in
Texture
Hard and
Young


Grand
Riveting
Amazing
Yearly










"Harvested"

The oranges were ripe.
And ready to pick
It was just about time
But the weather got sick

The winds began to blow
The vines began to rip
And to the storm
Were the oranges harvested.

"Sigh"

There wasn't a lot going through her head.
Her mind had been rattled too much.
So, she gave it a break as she walked out onto the white sand.
She looked out across the water.
And sighed.

    Ted had just started dating Kathleen recently. Although the two had known each other for awhile, it was a whole new relationship that they had to get used to. Things had been weird for the first few days, they weren’t sure how to function with this new dynamic. Kathleen was often insecure over their relationship because Ted had been known to have had many girlfriends before her. She on the other hand, had no former experience with relationships.

This however did not stop them from being together. The way Ted saw it, Kathleen wasn’t like the other girls he’d been with before. Their relationship meant something to him and he wished he could find a way to make her understand that. But, being the teenage boy that he was, that notion was often put on the back burner.

Still, the two stayed together.

On a sunny day, rare in the frigidness of December, the two took this opportunity to go outside. There was a park in Ted’s neighborhood, a special park, that he’d been meaning to show to Kathleen.

To most people, it was just a regular park. To Ted, it’s where he’d learn to ride a bike, it’s where he hung out with his friends, it’s where he grew up. It seemed like a normal task to take her there, but he was nervous. He had been planning to kiss her there.

What Kathleen didn’t know is that even though she was often confused and nervous around him, it was nothing compared to how nervous she made him.

Whenever they held hands and their palms got sweaty, she always thought that was her sweat, but it was Ted’s. Every time they made direct eye contact, his face would blush.

These were signs that Kathleen wasn’t picking up on.

The two had only been dating four days, but to them it seemed like four years. That’s how long they’d known each other. It was a different connection with Kathleen. They had so much in common.

They both liked nachos with extra cheese with no olives, every other girl liked olives. The connection was real. He didn’t want to screw it up. So as he pulled her aside to sit down in the grass, he took a deep breath.

“Kathleen, I really like you,” he mumbled hesitantly. Awkwardly, he put his arm around her pulling her close.

“Oh,” she replied. Then she was taken aback. “I mean, yeah, I like you too!”

“Cool,” Ted said, looking away at the trees. His inner man told him to do it, he could feel it in his gut. This feeling was rising now.

Do it Ted, do it Ted.

It was a heaving, a certain feeling Ted started to think wasn’t his inner man.

    “Oh no,” Ted whispered, his face becoming pale. Then, before he could stop it, he hurled all over the ground in front of them. Initially the feeling he got was embarrassment, and shame. Then disappointment. She definitely wouldn’t kiss him now. For all he knew, she might break up with him.

    “Oh. . .” she gasped. “Oh my God!” Jerking away from him, she stood up as fast as she could to get away from the muck. “What is wrong with you? That’s so gross!”

    Ted didn’t know what to say, his face was completely red. He’d ruined something good, he felt like.

    Seeing the utter despair on his face, Kathleen sighed.

    “Ted, I like you but,” she started trying to find a way to fix this. “But, that was gross.”

    He looked down, his face only growing brighter red. “It’s just, I wanted you to know that I really like you and I just wanted our first kiss to be special, but I was nervous. You make me nervous.”

    “Oh, well yeah,” she said in reply. “It’s okay.”

    Ted looked around, what an understanding girl she was. Usually the park was filled with an abundance of flowers, but in December there were only torn up dandelions.

    He pulled one up from the ground beside him and cautiously handed it to her.

    “Here,” he said. “Even if there are no pretty things to be found, for you I’ll always find something.”

    Kathleen giggled, “you’re sweet.”

    A week later after they had broken up, Ted went back to the park to reminisce on their time together. He found another flower, he looked at it closely in his hand.

    “There’ll be other flowers,” he told himself.

I am. . .

a girl who was born in the greatest city on Earth and raised in the tan house on the corner of Western Ave. The same house with the enormous backyard that made the perfect place to imagine.

I am. . .

from drinking primarily Arnold Palmers and eating burnt hamburgers.

shaggy red carpets and wood paneling.

the old Fleetwood Mac CD my mother would play for us before she would drop my sister and I off at Cox North Daycare.

I am. . .

an owner to every dog my family ever had. Like Suzie the Black spotted English Setter who went deaf because my dad took her bird hunting so many times. Or our ancient pomeranian Asher, who continues to surprise us of how much he can take.

I am. . .

attached to all the moments that I spent with family members when all I wanted to do was go do something else, but in the end I was glad I spent time with them. All the boring fishing trips with my father. Or the one summer I spent at my aunt’s house. Every morning instead of hanging out with my cousins I would go watch the olympics with my sick grandmother.

I am. . .

sentimental towards every beautiful teenage moment I didn’t realize would be over so soon.

the youth that I still get the pleasure of experiencing.

appreciative of the fact that I’ve lived in a place with so many adventures to find, if you look.

I am. . .

a lover of all the people who have impacted my life. Even if a couple broke my heart here and there.

learning from the mistakes I’ve made.

happy to be.