Hi Delenny, I really liked your post! You were able to outline well the unique qualities of hip hop, like rhythm, rhyme and refrain. I agree that Rakim was a pioneer of the time with his creative delivery. Are there any other artists of today that uniquely speak to you? Great job!

Hi Gina, Great job outlining the major points of hip hop's origins and major components. I would agree with you that many people do not appreciate hip hop because they do not understand it. Do you think the artist's creativity can be overlooked because of the unconventional delivery? Or is there another underlying factor? Is there a piece in particular that speaks to you? Good work! Brooke

Hip hop has evolved from spoken poetic performers to become one of the most widely enjoyed music genres of today. However, it is not universally understood; partly due to the lack of appreciation and interpretation of its basic components. “The two main principles to keep in mind when listening to…

Hi Gina, Great job summing up the origins of the Blues form and spelling out the rhyming scheme! I'd agree with you that the poem "Oakland Blues" portrays life's struggles and hardships. The death of a loved one makes life miserable for the narrator, and the author's use of rhyme and rhythm emphasize the grief. Are there any other poetic devices used that define the piece? Overall good work! Brooke

Hi Makenna, I liked your interpretation of the poem Oakland Blues! I would agree that many tend to turn to alcohol in times of sorrow, and the references to vines, red, and 6 o'clock all suggest the narrator has been heavily drinking to cope. What are other ways that people cope with the loss of a loved one? Do some never really come to terms with the loss? Great job! Brooke

The blues is an American tradition rooted in musical performances and oral improvisation. The traditional lyrical stanza for the blues contains the rhyming scheme AAa. The first two lines either repeat exactly or almost exactly, while the last line rhymes with the first two. All three lines are written in…

Hi Tori, Great job summing up the sonnet's history and rhyming scheme. Your analysis clearly identifies the main characteristics of the form in a clear, concise manner. The quotes you used to describe the way he uses tone and syntax make interpreting the sonnet much simpler. When I first read the piece, I interpreted the aging aspet to be about a relationship, and the aging of a love. Could it have dual meanings? Overall great job!

Hi Alexnadra, I agree that the sonnet's various rhyming schemes allow the poet's creativity to flourish. The poem in particular that you chose to analyze does a great job of personifying the person with a torch to give her the means to provide for the poor. When I was reading Lazarus's piece, I interpreted it to be lady liberty welcoming immigrants to America. Do you think if the author used a form other than sonnet that the message would get across in the same way?

The sonnet form has origins from a multitude of backgrounds, taking new shape with each interpretation. However, its creation can be traced to Jacopo de Lentini of Sicily. He devised a fourteen line poem meant to be sung that combined one quatrain with the rhyming scheme abababab with another that…