Claude McKay
Although she feeds me bread of bitterness,
And sinks into my throat her tiger's tooth,
Stealing my breath of life, I will confess
I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!
Her vigor flows like tides into my blood,
Giving me strength erect against her hate.
Her bigness sweeps my being like a flood.
Yet as a rebel fronts a king in state,
I stand within her walls with not a shred
Of terror, malice, not a word of jeer.
Darkly I gaze into the days ahead,
And see her might and granite wonders there,
Beneath the touch of Time's unerring hand,
Like priceless treasures sinking in the sand.
What does this poem mean to you?
Respond to line 4, "I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!" Do you relate to this comment? How?
27 comments:
Jaime Ortigoza
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This poem speaks nothing but truth. "America is a devil in a dress"_Lupe Fiasco. I definetly relate to many things said in the poem; America is a cultured hell that tests my youth. So many cultures, goin to war against each other, even in there own cultures we fight. And for what? Most likely money, or something that will so called "improve" our lives. This poem really shows how messed up, and how spoiled we are
This poem means little to me. I don't like literature much so I dont care much for it. Line 4 relates to me a little bit beacause the world around you is always testing your youth and making you do bigger and better things.
In response to line 4 "I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!" I can say that I can relate to this quote because America is all about tests,especially the youth of this country. There are all sorts of barriers put upon us every single day of our lives. We are told that if we do not listen to our elders and "do the right thing" we will become nothing in life; but what exactly is "the right thing"?
I honestly like breaking all these rules that are set upon me. This is because I do not like the feeling of always being told, "No, you cant do this", "No, you cant do that" what is the meaning of life if you cannot find it out for yourself. That is what life is about, mistakes. Especially the mistakes made in your youth.
I think that the author of the poem
"America" wanted to show us what he believed America is all about to him.
I find this poem very intresting, I am able to relate to this poem.
I think the author is trying to let the people know how America treats him and how he doesn't like it.
I do not relate to this poem at all because since i live in this country everything has gone well for me!!!
-David Chavez
Love and Hate is the main thing in this poem. Deep stuff though. I feel the same about America myself. I hate its guts and being but I'm going to have to love it since I'm here. My family didnt come here by choice at all, suffered 300 years or so, and still don't have equal rights. What am i suppose to love? Also women still dont have the equal rights nor do homosexuals and other races and its the a shame that the statue of liberty is the land of the free and welcomes all. But why is it there when we people arent free we are still captive from alot in america, yet i'm suppose to be proud of this lady called america. Yes, i'm an american and living but i'm not proud of house this lady called america grew up and became who she is today.
Ray ya kno me
To me the poems means that even though this country has made people live through a lot of hardship they still love this country and would not want to leave it. I kind of relate to this poem becuase at times I do hate this country a lot, but I know that women in other places of the world have less right then I do.
I think the meaning of the poem is about how America is such a open and accepting area. It sounds good but it isnt that great but its compared to the rest of the world its pretty nice. I think it relates to me because i dont like it because i think it tests me too much.
the overall message of the poem is of the love-hate relationship that the poet has with this country. It also shows how this country has both good and evil qualities. now regarding line 4, the poet's message seems to be like an addiction to something. Regarding how I relate to it, it is a love-hate relationship for me as well because there are people and aspects that I don't like much, but there are also aspects of America that are also good.
This poem was very touching even though i didnt quite understand what it was exactly saying i kind of had an idea.
To me it felt like it was talking about life itself and how it feel's like its sweet but really its bitter.
IN MY OPINION, I THINK POEM EXPRESSED THE AUTHORS FEELINGS TOWARDS CULTURAL DIFFERENCES WITH AMERICA AND THE OTHER CULTURES. THE AUTHOR HAD NEGATIVE AND SOME POSITIVE FEELINGS. AMERICAN CULTURED MAKES HER WEAK BUT LATER ON STRONG. ACCORDING TO MY UNDERSTANDING
c.asuncion
"I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!"
Reading this line makes me think of how this author is trying to explain how his love for his country is a love and hate relationship. It seems that america brings the author down but he can't get enough of it. This poem i can relate because i have the same feeling towards my country. It does bring me down on whats going on with the world but yet its my home and i still love it.
To me this poem means how diverse and large America is as it can be a really big place to someone that is new to America. I can relate to this comment as its so diverse with religion and ethnicity that you can easily be almost any religion you want to practice. Also there are so many different cultures in America that have different traditions and practices. some of these cultures may even be at war or hate each other so it can cause a lot of tension between people.
P.S. Sorry for my grammar mistakes if any, but whatever I'm only human.
Jonathan Louie
This poem relates to me because personally, i have a love-hate relationship with this country. i love it because is my home, and is been so good to me. But i hate it because of its injustice,and prejudice that it has to the Latino people.I think every minority can relate to this poem, because many have this love-hate relationship with America.
"I love this culture hell that tests my youth!"
- I relate to this poem because is talking about the youth. And how the culture of this country changes our youth by the way they treat us. America tests our limits.
this poem doesn't mean a whole lot to me but it does mean more than the majority of other poems. It puts the love hate relationship that i can relate to into words. I can't really relate to the fourth line because i dont think America is that much of a cultured hell and i dont exactly see how it tests my youth
logan N
I think alot of people relate to this because when people of other nationality try to find work or something we are left out or put down. Even though people say everything and everyone is fair but their not. That is what i think what this poem means.
Not to sound negative, but this poem doesnt mean a lot to me. There are things about America that i disagree with, but i dont hold America responsible for effecting me personally. I understand that America is given personification and is looked at metaphorically in this peom, but i dont relate to America like Claude does.
I do, in fact, relate to the last couple of lines in the peom. I feel that he's describing how you look into the future for something better than what you have. Also, in my interpretation of the last couple lines, i feel that the priceless treasure's refers to moments that you've lost in the present because your too busy thinking of the future.
I dont believe that America and/or this cultured hell is testing my youth. I believe that i am testing my youth, not America. America is just a country.
i think this poems message is about a love hate relationship.
i can relate to that peom because at the end of 8th grade my had to move to washington because living in the bay wasn't going to well for me. when i first moved i hated it so much but i knew that it was good for me because i was doing really well and getting good grades.
The message of the poem talks about hatred over america.I can relate to this poem because america it suppose to be the land of the free but there's nothing free about,we tend to discriminate against one another and because of someone's ethnic group
BEFORE I GET INTO THE MEANING OF THE QUESTION, IN RESPONSE TO THE POEM, THERE SEEMS TO BE A PAINFUL STRUGGLE. I AM JUST NOT SO SURE IF IT WAS REALLY COMPLAINING ABOUT AN ECONOMIC ISSUE. THE WRITER SEEM TO BE LEADING US TO A SUGGESTION OF A DECISIVE MOMENT,WITH A LITTLE SUSPENSE, "Stealing my breath of life, I will confess
I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!
" ON THE LINE FOLLOWING THAT, THE EXPERIENCE MAY SIGNIFY A YOUNG MAN'S RITE OF PASSAGE. THERE SEEM TO BE SEXUAL CONOTATION THAT SOME HOW MAY DRAW A HINT OF FANTASY.BUT FOR ME THE MEANING OF THE POEM MAY ALSO REFLECT A VERY DIVERSE BUT CREATIVE THOUGHTS THAT MAY ALSO BE TOUCHING A COMMON EXPERIENCE THATS NICELY WRITTEN AS A POETIC ARTISTRY.
"I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!" THE WAY I CAN RELATE TO AUTHOR'S MIND, IS THAT HIS LIFE IS FULL OF DIFFICULTIES AND CHALLENGES.
C.ASUNCION
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