A Look At Maya Angelou's On the Pulse of Morning

<body text="blue" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#FF800"> <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"><h1></h1> <p><center><H1>Analysis of 'On the Pulse of Morning' by Maya Angelou </H1></center> <a href="pulse.htm#poem">The poem can be read below from this link.</a><p> <h4>Angelou has been figured a national celebrity since the reading of her poem, ' On the Pulse of Morning', at President Clinton's inaugural in 1993. Maya's writings have a way of embracing people and successfully state her thoughts and emotions. "Pulse" is a call for hope and opporitunity part of our history. Maya Angelou's poem ' On the Pulse of Morning' relates to diversity, change over time, and equality. When analyzing her poem, we came across stanzas that relate to these topics. </h4> <p> Her poem has successfully portrayed a sense of diversity. Many lines in different stanzas are related to diversity. Stanza four and five, states, "The singing River,and the wise Rock. So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew, the African, the Native American, the Sioux, the Catholic, the Muslim, the French , the Greek, the Irish, the Rabbi, the Sheik, the Gay, the Straight, the Preacher, the privileged, the Homeless, the Teacher. They hear. They all hear the speaking of the tree." They are united by nature, but different due to their culture. In stanza six a lot about diversity has been acknowledged. The people who once helped Maya, do not anymore. It also says that we arrived from the Indians. <p> In the course of history, elements of society have changed. Examples through Maya's work are,"The dinosaur, who left dried tokens Of their sojourn here... Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages. But today, the Rock cries out to us, clearly, forcefully, Come, you may stand upon my Back and face your distant destiny." (stanza 1). The dinosaur, as you well know are now extinct. They have left their "dried tokens" or their fossils here when they were once here. They left them here for us to find. For the different groups to find. The dinosaurs were "lost in the dust..." and it was hard for people to find, but now over the years, the dinosaurs fossils have been found. Also the slave black African Americans have come from the ancient homeland of Africa. The slaves were once hear and now the United States passed a law that slavery was to be abolished. Over time people places and all things have changed, for both good and bad.<p> Equality, is an important concern in the world today. "Women, chidren, men, Take it into the palms of your hands..." (stanza 8) Our society can be a loving one with equality for men, women, blacks, and whites. Rich or poor we all have the same opportunities in our country. No matter when in history we all appear. People think that people that are not like them come from other planets, but we are all members of this planet. No matter how strange we appear to be to others. "History, despite its wrenching pain, Cannot be unlived, but if faced With courage, need not to be lived again."(stanza 7) We learn from the past. The discrimination should not happen again, nor the inequality.<p> Maya was successful in relating her poem to diversity, change over time, and equality. She was a very talented writer, and this poem clearly is a contribution to today's Civil Rights Movement.<p> Meghan A.<P> Toni J.<P> Kristin D.<P> <hr> <a name="poem"></a> <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p><h2></h2> <p>'On The Pulse Of Morning' : An Inaugural Poem by Maya Angelou</h2> <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <h4></h4> <p>A Rock, A River, A Tree <p>Hosts to species long since departed, <p>Marked the mastodon, <p>The dinosaur, who left dried tokens <p>Of Their sojourn here <p>On our planet floor, <p>Any broad alarm of their hastening doom <p>Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>But today, the Rock cries out to us, clearly, <p>forcefully, <p>Come, you may stand upon my <p>Back and face your distant destiny, <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>But seek no haven in my shadow, <p>I will give you no hiding place down here. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>You, created only a little lower than <p>The angels, have crouched too long in <p>The bruising darkness <p>Have lain too long <p>Facedown in ignorance, <p>Your mouths spilling words <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>Armed for slaughter. <p>The Rock cries out to us today, <p>You may stand upon me; <p>But do not hide your face. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>Across the wall of the world, <p>A River sings a beautiful song. It says, <p>Come, rest here by my side. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>Each of you, a bordered country, <p>Delicate and strangely made proud, <p>Yet thrusting perpetually under siege. <p>Your armed struggles for profit <p>Have left collars of waste upon <p>My shore, currents of debris upon my breast. <p>Yet today I call you to my riverside, <p>If you will study war no more. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>Come, clad in peace, <p>And I will sing the songs <p>The Creator gave to me when I and the <p>Tree and the Rock were one. <p>Before cynicism was a bloody sear across your brow <p>And when you yet knew you still knew nothing. <p>The River sang and sings on. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>There is a true yearning to respond to <p>The singing River and the wise Rock. <p>So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew <p>The African, the Native American, the Sioux <p>The Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek, <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheik, <p>The Gay, the Straight, the Preacher, <p>The privileged, the homeless, the Teacher. <p>They hear. They all hear <p>The speaking of the Tree. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>They hear the first and last of every Tree <p>Speak to humankind today. <p>Come to me, <p>Here beside the River. <p>Plant yourself beside the River. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>Each of you, descendant of some passed- <p>On traveler, has been paid for. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>You, who gave me my first name, you, <p>Pawnee, Apache, Seneca, you <p>Cherokee Nation, who rested with me, then <p>Forced on bloody feet, <p>Left me to the employment of <p>Other seekers -- desperate for gain, <p>Starving for gold. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>You, the Turk, the Arab, the Swede, <p>The German, the Eskimo, the Scot, <p>The Italian, the Hungarian, the Pole, <p>You the Ashanti, the Yoruba, the Kru, bought <p>Sold, stolen, arriving on a nightmare <p>Praying for a dream. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>Here, root yourselves beside me. <p>I am that Tree planted by the River, <p>Which will not be moved. <p>I, the Rock, I, the River, I, the Tree <p>I am yours -- your passages have been paid. <p>Lift up your faces, you have a piercing need <p>For this bright morning dawning for you. <p>History, despite its wrenching pain, <p>Cannot be unlived, but if faced <p>With courage, need not be lived again. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>Lift up your eyes <p>Upon this day breaking for you. <p>Give birth again <p>To the dream. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>Women, children, men, <p>Take it into the palms of your hands, <p>Mold it into the shape of your most <p>Private need. Sculpt it into <p>The image of your most public self. <p>Lift up your hearts <p>Each new hour holds new chances <p>For a new beginning. <p>Do not be wedded forever <p>To fear, yoked eternally <p>To brutishness. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>The horizon leans forward, <p>Offering you space <p>To place new steps of change <p>Here, on the pulse of this fine day <p>You may have the courage <p>To look up and out and upon me, <p>The Rock, the River, the Tree, you country. <p>No less to Midas than the mendicant. <p>No less to you now than the mastodon then. <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>Here on the pulse of this new day <p>You may have the grace to look up and out <p>And into your sister's eyes, <p>And into your brother's face, <p>Your country, <p>And say simply <p>Very simply <p>With hope -- <p>Good morning. </h4> <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <br wp="br1"><br wp="br2"> <p>January 20, 1993 </h4> </body>