How do the images in a poem impact us?

When I went to look up the web version of the poem Poetry should ride the bus .I found another blog about this poem.  Check out the blog: http://christinenichols.blogspot.com/2011/06/poetry-should-ride-bus.html

In Christine Nicholos' blog she says much of what I felt when reading the poem.  It was as if Forman used “the tone of her culture to convey strong images and a rich history. “Poetry should ride the bus" gave me a window into a life I am not a part of, sat me down, and made me feel at home.” However, I could connect with Forman’s culture. “Poetry should dress in fine plum linen suits/ n not be so educated that it don’t stop in/ every now n then to sit on the porch” (9-11). I was taught that you should always “remember where you came from.” This image from the poem like many could be a real life scenario.

 

 

In my family we were always taught how to make a way out of no way. When the food was almost out for the month a bag of potatoes filled us up until mama clocked out of work and made it to the grocery store. Mama had two jobs day and night shift. Potato's were good for baked potato with sour cream or mashed potatoes, but we were young. Fries were so much more convenient. Food was the least of our worries. We had bigger problems! Every toy wasn’t to be played with in the house. Mama had rules. No bouncing balls! No throwing balls! No balls in the house! So, guess what we did! Once again, we made it enough! We used socks to play football when we couldn’t go outside to play.

The image of my older cousin a college football player! One who has played football all his life starting with socks? The image of him surprising my family by coming back home just to play Monopoly, Sorry or Taboo comes to mind. When he’s drafted to the NFL we know that he will never become too college educated for our family.