Jessica+Hinton

"//Poetry is the doorway to the soul//"
 * //Ode To Janet Jackson //**

//There’s nothing that you can’t do. // //Selling out stadiums around the world // //Snatching the souls from the audience // //As they scream, and holler // //in their seats. // //Strutting across the stage to the beat // //Posing, and staring into their eyes // //Sending love to everyone. // //You sing, and write about // //what goes on in your life // //Relating to each and every fan // //around the world. // //Snatching up awards as if they // //were only meant for you // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You’re a singer-songwriter, actress, // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">dancer, record producer, icon, legend, // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and author. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now... tell me again what you can’t do? //


 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sonnet: "With You" //**

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Who better than to spend each day with you. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You have accepted me for who I am. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You make me feel so refreshed and renewed. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And you treat me like I’m your precious gem. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">They say a good man is hard to find. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Over time you have shown me who you are. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But I know that you are one of a kind. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You embody a perfect superstar. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The love we share seems too good to be true. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We are constantly speaking on the phone. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Without you I don’t know what I would do. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I never want you to leave me alone. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If we spend everyday together. // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We’ll be in love always and forever. //


 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Raised By Family //**

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was raised by // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chicken eating // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Vegetable steaming // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pasta making // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cake, pie, and cookie baking // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Type of Chefs. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some hips shaking // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Line dancing // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Camel walking // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hands clapping // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Feet taping // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kind of Dancers. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some hands on waist // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Arms Crossed // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Think about what you’re doing” // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stern look // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sorta Disciplinarians. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some basketball shooting // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Track running // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Football tossing // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Soccer Kicking // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Baseball hitting // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tennis playing // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Type of Athletes. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some Church going // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Amen” // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Prayer saying // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thankful for the blessings // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sort of Worshipers. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some dress wearing // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Shopaholics // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Oh, that’s cute” // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Heel, sandal, sneaker and boot donning // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kind of Divas. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Piano playing // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Drum pounding // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Voice belting // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Plié practicing // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Type of Entertainers. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">WAS // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">RAISED // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">BY // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">FAMILY //


 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“The Last Time” //**

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The last time I // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">saw you // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I looked you in your eyes,and smiled // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But, I was breaking down inside. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The last time I // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">laughed with you // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was doubled over // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And my cheeks were in pain. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The last time I // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">hugged you // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I held on so tight // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Never wanting to let you go. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The last time I // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">saw you // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I said "see ya later", and smiled // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But, I was breaking down inside. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The last time I // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">thought of you // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I cried myself to sleep // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Missing each moment we shared together. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now every time I // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">think about you // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I know you are smiling down on me // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Knowing that we'll be together again. //

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">I personally feel that each of my poems dealt with love. It wasn’t really something I did intentionally, but just something that came about. The only poem that I used rhyming in was my sonnet. In every other poem, there was a little rhyme here and there, but not throughout the poem. I used a lot of line breaks and a use of rhythm and flow in each poem I wrote. I believe that it's necessary that my poems had a flow to them. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> The inspiration for my ode came from me listening to music, and talking to my friend. I was thinking about the concert I was going to go to, and I was getting excited, so I felt that writing an ode to someone I feel is a stunning performer would be nice. I felt that it was necessary to include “You sing, and write about what goes on in your life”, because it’s something that Janet Jackson has stated in numerous interviews about her albums. There are only 2 lines that rhyme in the poem, just because I didn’t think that the whole thing needed to rhyme. The inspiration for my “Raised By” poem was just thinking about how I grew up. I feel that family time is an important aspect of my life, so it was pretty easy writing my ideas down. I really like the stanza about “Type of Entertainers”, because it displays how we are as individuals. I felt that it was harder organizing them, and arranging them in a way that would be interesting to the reader. The inspiration for my sonnet came from listening to the group Boyz II Men, and Brian McKnight. I had my iTunes on shuffle, and 2 of their songs played back to back, and the message in those songs kind of resonated with me for the rest of the night. The inspiration for my poem “The Last Time” came about when I was thinking about my uncle. He passed away 2 years ago, and it’s something that still upsets me when I think about it. I looked at a picture, and the ideas started to form lines and stanzas on my paper. In this poem I didn’t use a rhyme scheme. Each stanza begins with “The last time I…” and the last line of each stanza includes 6 words.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Poems By: **Ntozake Shange**
 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Sorry" //**

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">one thing i don't need // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">is any more apologies // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i got sorry greetin me at my front door // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">you can keep yrs // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i don't know what to do wit em // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">they dont open doors // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">or bring the sun back // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">they dont make me happy // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">or get a mornin paper // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">didnt nobody stop usin my tears to wash cars // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">cuz a sorry //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i am simply tired // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">of collectin // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i didnt know // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i was so important to you // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i'm gonna haveta throw some away // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i cant get to the clothes in my closet // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">for alla the sorries // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i'm gonna tack a sign to my door // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">leave a message by the phone // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'if you called // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">to say yr sorry // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">call somebody // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">else // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i dont use em anymore' // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i let sorry/ didnt meanta/ & how cd i know abt that // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">take a walk down a dark & musty street in brooklyn // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i'm gonna do exactly what i want to // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">& i wont be sorry for none of it // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">letta sorry soothe yr soul/ i'm gonna soothe mine //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">you were always inconsistent // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">doin somethin & then bein sorry // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">beatin my heart to death // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">talkin bout you sorry // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">well // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i will not call // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i'm not goin to be nice // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i will raise my voice // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">& scream & holler // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">& break things & race the engine // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">& tell all yr secrets bout yrself to yr face // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">& i will list in detail everyone of my wonderful lovers // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">& their ways // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i will play oliver lake // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">loud // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">& i wont be sorry for none of it //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i loved you on purpose // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i was open on purpose // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i still crave vulnerability & close talk // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">& i'm not even sorry bout you bein sorry // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">you can carry all the guilt & grime ya wanna // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">just dont give it to me // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i cant use another sorry // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">next time // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">you should admit // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">you're mean/ low-down/ triflin/ & no count straight out // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">steada bein sorry alla the time // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">enjoy bein yrself. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Close Reading #1**: “Sorry”, by Ntozake Shange, is a poem that is part of a play titled “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf” written in 1975. The poems in the play deal with love, rape, abortion and other issues that women face. The poem is written without any correct punctuation or grammar. There is also no rhyme scheme used. One quote that stands out, would be “you're mean/ low-down/ triflin/ & no count straight out”. This really represents how enraged, and annoyed she was with her partner. The first words of each line start with "i", “&”, and "you". The word “sorry” is also repeated throughout the poem. //


 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"I Live in Music" //**

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i live in music // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">is this where you live? // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i live here in music // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i live on c# street // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">my friend lives on b-flat avenue // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">do you live here in music // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">sound // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">falls round me like rain on other folks // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">saxophones wet my face // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">cold as winter in st. louis // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">hot like peppers i rub on my lips // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">thinkin they waz lilies // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i got 15 trumpets where other women got hips // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">& a upright bass for both sides of my heart // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i walk round in a piano like somebody // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">else be walkin on the earth // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i live in music // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">live in it // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">wash in it // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">i cd even smell it // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">wear sound on my fingers // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">sound falls so fulla music // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">ya cd make a river where yr arm is & // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">hold yrself // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">hold yrself in a music. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Close Reading #2**: “I Live in Music” talks about many aspects of music, and how it is a part of her life. The poem specifically addresses “where you live” in music. The first words of a few of the lines start with “i”, and the word “music” is repeated throughout the poem. There is no use of correct grammar or punctuation in the poem, and does not follow a rhyme scheme. Towards the middle of the poem, the length of the lines begin to get longer. One quote, that embodies how much she “lives” in music, would be “i got 15 trumpets where other women got hips & a upright bass for both sides of my heart”. It shows you how much music has become one with her, because it’s become part of her body. Her hips are now trumpets, and her heart is an upright bass, all because she lives in music. After reading, it leaves the reader with a sense of satisfaction, and appreciation for the music they enjoy, and the effect that music has on their life //


 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"People of Watts" //**

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">where we come from, sometimes, beauty // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">floats around us like clouds // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the way leaves rustle in the breeze // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and cornbread and barbecue swing out the backdoor // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and tease all our senses as the sun goes down. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">dreams and memories rest by fences // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Texas accents rev up like our engines // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">customized sparkling powerful as the arms // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">that hold us tightly black n fragrant // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">reminding us that once we slept and loved // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">to the scents of magnolia and frangipani // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">once when we looked toward the skies // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we could see something as lovely as our children's // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">smiles white n glistenin' clear of fear or shame // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">young girls in braids as precious as gold // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">find out that sex is not just bein' touched // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">but in the swing of their hips the light fallin cross // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a softbrown cheek or the movement of a mere finger // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">to a lip many lips inviting kisses southern // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and hip as any one lanky brother in the heat // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">of a laid back sunday rich as a big mama still // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">in love with the idea of love how we play at lovin' // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">even riskin' all common sense cause we are as fantastical // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">as any chimera or magical flowers where breasts entice // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and disguise the racing pounding of our hearts // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">as the music that we are // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">hard core blues low bass voices crooning // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">straight outta Compton melodies so pretty // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">they nasty cruising the Harbor Freeway // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">blowin' kisses to strangers who won't be for long // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">singing ourselves to ourselves Mamie Khalid Sharita // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bessie Jock Tookie MaiMai Cosmic Man Mr. Man // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Keemah and all the rest seriously courtin' // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">rappin' a English we make up as we go along // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">turnin' nouns into verbs braids into crowns // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and always fetchin' dreams from a horizon // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">strewn with bones and flesh of those of us // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">who didn't make it whose smiles and deep // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">dark eyes help us to continue to see // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">there's so much life here. //

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Close Reading #3**: “People of Watts”, talks about what things go on in the town of Watts. In the poem she speaks about love, dreams, children, beauty, food, and many other things that would take place in a small town. The dreams and memories go unnoticed in her town, “dreams and memories rest by fences”. They sit on the side, as life goes on for everyone else. One quote, “young girls in braids as precious as gold”, specifically describes the innocence of the young girls in her town. There is no use of repetition, and correct punctuation and grammar isn’t used. There is also no rhyme scheme used. After reading this, the reader will be able to examine the “traits” of their neighborhood or city. //