Interpreting Emotions and Perspectives through Poetry

Poetry can be descriptive into one’s own state of mind or point of view. Poetry describes situations, a person, a place or a thing. Poetry can interpret, create emotion, have hidden, indifferent, or symbolic meanings. Generally this is done in a rhythmic pattern. Poetry is part of literature and a form of language across cultures. Poetry can be dark and mysterious or evoke wonderment and love, it can also be used to explain the author’s frustration of a situation that cannot be changed. Like in Sherman Alexis poem “on an Amtrak from Boston to New York”. Sherman Alexie, a Native American, activist, and author used his poem as his point of view. In this poem the speaker’s state of mind depicts resentment, prejudice and muted aggressiveness. The speaker’s state of mind depicts resentment of

In addition, this is done with muted aggressiveness which is found throughout the poem. Alexie seems to feel caught between two worlds which is evident in most line of the poem. The writer seems to struggle with the fact he cannot change history or personal ideologies of the white Americans. The author writes how he respect elders regardless native or white so he remain silent when the women speaks about history (29-32). He also writes, I do not have a cruel enough heart to break her own by telling her there are five Walden ponds (13-14). This is never spoken only the writers thoughts of the women’s lack of knowledge of history. Finally, he goes on to say, I could have told her but he did not say anything (26). The poet keeps his opinions to himself, waiting for the next time, like all the Indians had done (33). His conclusion and last point of this poem states his aversion in the fact he is grouped with the White Americans, referring to them as the enemy (37). Which depicts the writer’s state of mind as muted aggression and what he would do the next time somebody thought I was one of their own.