Poetry has been known to capture not only people’s feelings, but also certain events, social issues, concerns, et cetera. In an insightful conversation for Lehigh University, Trinidadian American poet Lauren K. Alleyne reads her works, talks about the specific context behind them and depicts her experiences. In the following statement, I will depict my thoughts on Lauren’s poems and my opinions on poetry in general.
Before reading her every poem, the woman provides a brief explanation to clarify certain moments that may be unknown to the listener. She explores various topics, such as police brutality and how it affects Black Americans, immigration, racism and tributes to the victims of hate crimes (Itslehigh, 2021). As an immigrant, Lauren provides the listener with two viewpoints: the American perspective and that of her home country.
During the reading and brief questionnaire, Alleyne has given me an interesting approach to depicting sensitive topics. She emphasizes the importance of not using serious issues and heartbreaking tragedies for personal benefit, even if you happen to belong to the community affected by them (Itslehigh, 2021). Lauren’s way of presenting her emotions, her sense of compassion and commiseration may be a rather interesting aspect for aspiring poets.
Lauren’s works have given me the opportunity to see how poetry can be used to review and raise awareness of concerning issues and events. This is a striking contrast to the field’s reputation as being solely tied to one’s feelings and emotions. Her art shows that there is more to such literary works than just neutral topics. Thus, poetry can be used to confront certain problems that people may lack the courage to discuss and resolve.
In conclusion, poetry has a more diverse spectrum of topics than one might assume. Lauren K. Alleyne’s poems provide a bridge between the Trinidadian and American perspectives. Her poems also raise awareness of issues that affect her community, commiserating with the people affected by it. Alleyne’s works are an example of how poetry can be used to not only capture one’s feelings, but also how it provides a documentation of concerning issues.
Reference
Itslehigh. (2021,). A reading and conversation with Lauren K. Alleyne. [Video] Youtube.