To After That again

I decided to talk about To After That again because we discussed it in class and some of the other students comments stood out. One was that this book is like Goldberg's book in the sense that they are both how to books. They both go through the writing process but in very different ways. Goldberg is more do this ad try this, while To After That was more this is the exact process I used for my writing. Another theme discussed in class was the theme of change; how she changes, how the people in her life change, and how her environment changes. All those factors impacted her writing in different ways and, what for it, changed it. Before this book I never really thought about what could effect your writing I didn't really believe that location mattered now I understand that it does. Throughout her book she always makes a reference to where she is at that moment and how she then took on the charactertics of that area. Also I realized that just because this person is a published writer doesn't mean you can't relate to that person. I felt like I related the most, when she was struggling to find her voice or when she felt blocked because I feel like that sometimes when I'm writing these stories for class. Because of this I feel that I can become a stronger writer and maybe expanse on what I already have.

To After That respond

The book entitled "To After That" is an interesting book that is pointless to me, no offense to anybody who enjoyed it. The book is about the author as she struggles to write an awsome book. "... I set out to write a book that when completed will weigh three pounds." She writes about the highs and the lows. How the people around her influenced her and how her environment affected her. She offen refers to the fact of where she is living and if it's her old place or a new place. When writing she uses pet names or the first letter of the persons name; such as Frog, Chubby, and R. She bounces around a lot and ping pongs around. She jumps throughout her life with no real pattern. She tries to find her voice and style for this book "After That" so she takes inspiration from other writers to try to find it. Also she uses inspiration from a movie that she enjoyed called "Carla and Aida." Because the writer of that movie is just like her a black lesbian woman, so she relates to her. She also seemed forgetful. In one entree  is says that she can't remember when she started writing the book if it was in 1998 or 1999. She leaves it at that only to come back few entrees later to stand that she found a journal entree from March 1999 referring to the book, so she must have started writing in 1998. The whole book is basially one big journal entree in style over a period of time. The only thing that I liked about this story was that the book started and ended with the same words, so if was like coming full circle. "" Let me see it," as strange as this sounds, was my first thought when I returned home this evening." She also uses spacing and breaks to make her points and when she is starting to write about a new item or moved on to another day. Overall I did not get this book and I did not enjoy it.

Blood Dazzler

   I am not a poetry reader; I don't understand it and I usually don't like it, but I was surprised to find out that I actually enjoyed reading the poetry book entitled "Blood Dazzler" by Patricia Smith. The book is a great read that contains highs and lows. This collection of poems tugged at my heart strings and when reading one poem in particular I actually wanted to cry and I did get a little misty eyed. The poem entitled Ethel's Sestina is about the women Ethel who died during Hurricane Katrina in her wheelchair, because they couldn't reach her to give her simple medical attention. The poem is from her point of view; you can not only feel her pain but also her son's. When she asks her son when the people are going to come he can only tell her to wait.
      "I ask my boy, and all he says is Wait. He wipes my brow with steam, says I should sleep....I believe him when he says help gon' come."
Help didn't arrive in time to help her and her son was forced to leave his mother there in her wheelchair, because she had passed away. The poem continues by describing how Ethel passes into the afterlife and how she calls out to her son; but its not his time to go, so then she is forced to leave him behind.
       " Nobody sees me running toward the sun. Lawd, they think I done gone and fell asleep. They don't hear Come. Come. Come. Come. Come. Come. Come.Ain't but one power make me leave my son."
Heartbreaking that this son and mother had to be separated by death because medical couldn't reach her. When I read this poem it pulled me in and put me right in the middle of the aftermath of the Hurricane. I had seen the news and read some stories, so I knew it was bad but I put it aside and just thought that it didn't happen to me. Sure I felt bad for the people but I never was really put into the shoes of the victim until these poems in Blood Dazzler. Good, Strong Emotion.
   On a lighter note I like how she goes and writes poems from other points of views, not just people but from Hurricanes. In the poem entitled What Betsy Has to Say, Hurricane Betsy gets to say a few words to Katrina.
         "No nuance. Got no whisper in you, do you girl? The idea was not to stomp it flat, 'trina, all you had to do was kiss the land..."
So the poem was about Betsty basically telling Katrina that she did it all wrong, Betsy told her what to do to leave her make and instead Katrina did the complete opposite and powered through like a man. I like how the author gives a voice to the Hurricanes, it makes for an interesting read.