Poem Portfolio
Neetra C.
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1) American Pledge:
As news of another shooting in a school, a mosque, a grocery store comes out every day, it becomes harder to ignore the fact: Gun Violence has become uniquely an American problem. In no other country do mass shootings occur as often as it does here. In "American Pledge" I weave in American symbols, such as the bald eagle, roses, and even the flag into the narrative of a school shooting. At the end of the poem, I question children pledging allegiance to a flag which does nothing to protect them.
2) The Dandelion:
Much simpler and lighter than the previous poem, "The Dandelion" draws attention to the beauty of an often overlooked and under-appreciated flower that relies only on itself to grow. The dandelion is a symbol for certain groups of people. In life, people who are neglected and uncared for grow from these experiences. Their struggle is what makes them strong and independent. Not conforming to social expectation is also a source of power for people. You can only be free when you live how you want to, and not how someone else expects you to. The sunny little flower encapsulates these ideals perfectly, and I wanted to bring out its beauty and strength in my poem.
3) When I Was Her:
This is the most personal out of the three poems. "When I Was Her" reflects the feeling of wanting to be older and more mature. As a six year old, being a teenager seemed so freeing. I would have more trust and have the freedom to do so many more things by myself. Now, as a teenager, I realize that being a child came with freedoms of it's own. Much like "The Dandelion," I was free of expectations and never felt the need to please others. I also easily accepted every hurdle that came my way, instead of letting little things bring me down. In "When I Was Her" I express my regret at wanting to grow up so quickly.
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Creativity lets me tackle topics in a more emotional way than how they are portrayed online. The news tells me all I need to know about today's disasters, but it is art that helps me connect to the victims.
On a lighter note, my creativity helps me bring out the beauty in the everyday things.
CONTENT WARNING: This artwork contains or explores content that touches on any of the following topics: abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, verbal); aspects of psychology and mental health and contains depictions of self-harm, substance abuse, eating disorders, or suicide; swears or curses; hurtful or hateful language; discrimination (race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation); aspects of pregnancy; blood, violence, assault, kidnapping, trauma, or dying. Please read or view with care.
