Analyzing Maya Angelou's Poem 'On The Pulse Of Morning'
merica’s Future
“A Rock, A River, A Tree / Hosts to species long since departed, / Marked the mastodon.” (Lines 1-3). Maya Angelou wrote the inaugural poem “On the Pulse of Morning” for Bill Clinton’s new presidency term in 1993. In her poem she starts with the acknowledging that the rocks, rivers, and trees each have seen many generations come and go. The author starts with the rock in her poem, by announcing that humankind can stand on its back but not find protection within its shadows. Therefore, causing the human race to face their future with integrity. Secondly, the river, which sings a beautiful song that calls all humans to the riverside of the river. Announcing that the human race must come to the riverside to make peace with one another and the water will sing of unity and peace. Lastly, the tree, that as well continues the song
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The tree reminds the human race that each one is a descendant of their ancestors that once traveled and passed them. The structure of her poem is written as a blank verse. A blank verse being a poem with no rhyme however does have iambic pentameter. There is no rhyme scheme throughout her poem. The author also uses personification; in which she gives nonliving objects human characteristics. Furthermore, Maya Angelou personifies these three objects to demonstrate the ignorance, greed, and need of unity of today’s day and time in American.
Maya Angelou explains that the America people stand in their own shadow of ignorance with one another. “Any broad alarm of their hastening doom / Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages.” (Lines 7-8) meaning that all three objects stand the test of time that other species have not worked together, even before the human race and their ignorance toward one other. The author states the ignorance when she says “You, created only a little lower than / The angels crouched too long in
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