Thursday, August 29, 2013
2: What I've Learned
Aja Monet, in her poem "What I've Learned," shares with her audience a great deal about herself using incredibly vivid language and selected moments from her past. Which line did you find to be most powerful? Why? What do you think this line says about the author and her experience? Feel free to share other thoughts about the poem and Monet's overall message.
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The line that stood out the most to me was " I know we all get lonely. I know loneliness creates longing and longing can be confused with love. And love doesn't exist. Not like that". I chose this line because there's truth to what she's saying, people often find a cure to the loneliness they feel through love and other things that's no cure for that. Love really doesn't have a meaning. But it exist.
ReplyDeleteThis line stood out to me to. The meaning was really deep, I believe that because of this quote people when look in the mirror and start figuring out that its not true love isn't the cure for loneliness its finding yourself and figuring out what makes you happy.
DeleteI love this quote as well but, I do feel you when she says that it doesn't exist...I think shes being a little cynical.
DeleteThis is also one my favorite lines of the poem. I agree with the idea. Plus it flows so beautifully with the poem.
Delete"I know loneliness creates longing and longing can be confused with love. This stood out to me because, its so true people are so lonely nowadays they feel like when they are lonely its because they don't have someone to love them or they feel that's what there missing when in reality it could be something totally different. This is why this line stood out to me.
ReplyDeleteI agree, many times people thinks they with the right person or doing right decisions but after all they still the same person with no one around them. Sometimes people don't know whats right or wrong.
DeleteI think it could just be the person, maybe some unresolved issues they never really had closure with. Its important to figure it out due to the fact people use love as an excuse to why their not happy. To make it seem like loneliness is leading them to find love making them believe that's what their missing and how its the cure. When in reality 99% of the time it's not.
DeleteThis is very true because I can relate to this on a lot of occasions, the loneliness can take a toll on you.
DeleteA line that stuck out to me is "Only killings can bring us together".This line stuck out to me because to some people that is the only time they'll be worried about you but before the person was killed that didn't care for you at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree this line stood out to me as well. When killing or death comes about in life, and funerals as a result that's the only time families really come together.
DeleteI also liked this statement. I think that is very true because most times people only unite when someone dies. This is something that happens with family,friends, and your entire community.
DeleteI agree this line is very strong because that's how many of people act today as the only way to be united is by someone having to die.
DeleteThis is definitely true because most people don't really care for others until one of them is dead
DeleteI agree with this line because when death come along family just get together for one day and then no contact later on until the next death.
DeleteI agree because the line itself is very true. We don't really car about anyone else until a tragic death occurs.
DeleteI really like the statement when she said. "i know cocaine is a hell of a drug." Then she started to talk about her fathers old smile and how he misses his teeth. Which most likely me during his time doing drugs he lost his teeth.
ReplyDeleteI agree about this quote too, how it shows about people in the blocks be smoking and using cocaine a lot even to family members.
DeleteThe line that really stands out to me is "I know how to be broken and put together again." the reason I think this line stands out to me is because in life most people struggle at first, but if they keep working hard it will pay off in long run.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though this line just describes people who are lonely or depressed but, it doesn't make it worst it helps you know that life isn't so bad because you're not alone.
DeleteI agree with what you are saying,you always cant just give up on things because if you do,you can feel empty on what you want to pursue,you just have to brush off the things that get in your way
DeleteI agree with you because the line shows that she persevered through the years, all the way to her adulthood.
DeleteThis line stands out to me also because she feel she been broken down so many time that she can fix herself with no problem.But,what if she get so broke down she can't fix herself what will she do then?will she try to depend on someone to help her?
DeleteI like how she say I know yesterday is the day before tomorrow because people don't think about the next day.
ReplyDeleteI agree because allot of teens focus on today and not tomorrow
Delete" I know loneliness creates longing and longing can be confused with love. And love doesn't exist. Not like that. Patience is believing in the wait." - Aja Monet
ReplyDelete* I think this stood out to me because I could feel the hurt and somewhat anguish in her voice that she had been through something deep to make her feel so deeply about this quote. I also felt as though I could relate to this since I have often felt the same way.
"I know if I jump off a building, I will not fly. i know a person who tried." This line stood out to me because of the melancholy thought behind it. The idea of someone trying to fly by jumping off a building gives me the thought of suicide. Even though its a simple line its inspiring.
ReplyDeletewhy do you think bro?
DeleteThis line stood out to me as well,interesting how a simple line can have an extremely deep meaning.
DeleteAbout what bro?
Delete"My dad still smells like alcohol since 20 years ago". Its stand out to me because many people do wrong things and after all that time passed many people still remember your mistakes.
ReplyDeleteThis line is deep I understand what you mean, I think you can do a lot of wrong but what you did in the past still remains, even when you try doing better people are still stuck on the past.
Deletei understand what you said the past is past and keep go with your life
DeleteI agree with you because this line means a lot. Lots of people do mistakes and they wish that it can go away but people bring it up and it remains forever even though if there a different person.
DeleteA line I found to be powerful to me is "I know loneliness creates longing and longing can be confused with love".I found this powerful because she speaks of people who think they are in love but really their not.They just need somebody to fill in a space that they are missing in their life.So they say their in love but in reality they have really no feelings for them.
ReplyDeleteI can relate, I chose the same line. Many people put their own meaning to the word love, since there's no exact meaning for it. Love is a feeling, and people use love to hind those feeling sometimes, other times they use love as a way to express their confused feelings in a relationship. I know many teens like this. Looking for love in the wrong places. Have you ever experienced love? or know someone else who has? How do you define love?
DeleteI agree with your statement because if you have feelings for someone else and they don't like you its hard to accept that.
DeleteWhat line that stood out to me? I don't remember the line but the part when she was saying that her father was on drug without even saying "my father is on drugs" she just described it like when she said that his teeth is all messed up.
ReplyDeleteWhat I learned is that Aja see's things for what they are and that she understands them. This stood out to me is that many of see life as a place that anything can happen but that's not the case. We control what happens from what we eat, buy, cultured, or even the way we see our homes.
ReplyDeleteI disgree with your "we control what happens" statement pertaining to Aja's story. Many external factors beyond her control made her the person she is today.
Delete"Cocaine is a hell of a drug". This line shows how her childhood was always accompanied by substance abuse by her father. This line is not limited to cocaine abuse alone but also alcoholism exhibited in her household. Which consequently, made her a drinker as she grew into adulthood indicated by the following sentence: "I know it's been 2 years and he (father) still smells like a bottle of Heineken. The smell of alcohol makes me nauseous. I know I drink it anyway".
ReplyDeleteOne line that stood out to me was: "We all suffer and the basis of all human suffering is deception. I know we all get lonely. I know loneliness creates longing and longing can be confused with love." I believe this line was powerful because out of other things she discussed about, this topic is one that many people can relate to overall.
ReplyDeleteThe title itself is self explanatory but as you read its not just what she has learned This line says about the author that she's been through a lot and has seen a lot. What greatly stood out to me is that she mentioned that she knows that there are so many words for pain. I guess she's saying that pain has been experienced so many times that people made other words for it.
ReplyDeleteThe line that stands out to me was "Smiles change your face and whether laughter is forced or organically born it has the power to release chemicals that relieve stress". The reason I chose this line is because people just smile to hide of what's really going on inside. They rather just smile instead having a sad face and talking about what's actually wrong with them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. It's hard to find a genuine smile nowadays.
DeleteI agree with you because its hard to express your feelings.
DeleteI agree a lot of people decides to hide there emotions through a smile or laughter. This happens because people don't like to show there feeling and don't want to look weak.
DeleteI agree with what your saying because I also pick the same line. A smile can hide a hundred different feelings and emotions but most people never look at it that way. People look at a smile like the person is so happy and there life is perfect. But thats never the case..
Delete"We all suffer and the basis of all human suffering is deception", in my opinion, is a powerful line and stuck out to me the most. I can connect this to the events that happened in the past 12, from the school shootings, to the Boston bombing, and the 9/11 attack. It asks the question, "why is all of this happening?" because people are suffering from the impact of those events. The author must of suffered a lot as she grew up and asked the same question.
ReplyDeleteI know that good schools saved me. I think it show how i feel, when I was a kid from my year, I thought I wasn't safe in other schools.
ReplyDelete"I know its been 20 years and he still smell like Heineken." This line is powerful to me because she is telling her audience that her father was a heavy drinker even after 20 years the smell is still on him. This line says that the author did not have the greatest child hood growing up she did face some obstacles but over came them.
ReplyDeleteThe line that I found most powerful was "I know teachers help raise me". The reason I picked this line because teachers helped us to get on the right path and showing us how to be successful in school and out of school with the guidance there giving us. Being there in need of help.
ReplyDeleteThe line that stood out to me is "I know there are so many words for pain". This line stood out to me because pain hurts a lot and it's not the best feeling in the world.
ReplyDeleteI agree because its like "pain" is being shrouded with other phrases, but with the same meaning
DeleteThe line that seemed the most powerful to me is, "Smile changes your face"
ReplyDeleteReason why I believe that this is such a powerful line is because its a very true quote. No matter what you have been through in the past if it was good or bad happy or sad a smile can hide all the pain you ever went through in life. It can fool every one around you and make them think that your life is perfect but in reality you have so much pain and emotion inside of you that you're hiding. Not only can a smile change your face but it can change every one perspective on how they view you as a person. There's a lot more meaning to a smile that most people don't think about.
This line stands out to me because what aja monet say patience is believing in the wait, i think they meant by if u wait things would come to you
ReplyDelete