And 2Morrow
Harlem
-Tupac
- Langston Hughes
Today is filled with anger
fueled with hidden hate
scared of being outcast
afraid of common fate
Today is built on tragedies
which no one wants 2 face
nightmares 2 humanities
and morally disgraced
Tonight is filled with rage
violence in the air
children bred with ruthlessness
because no one at home cares
Tonight I lay my head down
but the pressure never stops
knawing at my sanity
content when I am dropped
But 2morrow I can change
a chance 2 build a new
Built on spirit intent of Heart
and ideals
based on truth
and tomorrow I wake with second wind
and strong because of pride
2 know I fought with all my heart 2 keep my
dream alive
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over –
Like a syrupy sweet?
The Rose that Grew from Concrete
-Tupac
Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature’s law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping it’s dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared
QUESTIONS
1. How does “And 2Morrow” follow a logical
order?
2. What is the anger upon which Tupac’s todays
are founded?
3. What dreams does he have for tomorrow? He
is not sure his dreams will be fulfilled, but he
is proud of something; what is he proud of?
4. What metaphor/symbol exists in “The
Rose…”?
5. How has the rose survived against the odds?
What does this metaphorically represent?
Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
QUESTIONS
1. personal question – Can dreams be unselfish
or are they personally driven? Explain by
using an example.
2. What does Hughes mean by “dreams
deffered” in the first stanza?
3. What kind of images/symbols are used to
represent an unfulfilled dream? Do you think
these images/symbols accurately represent
what the author is trying to say? Why or why
not?
4. Why is the final stanza bolded and italicized?
5. What is the tone of the poem? (tone:
meaning, feeling, spirit that the words in the
poem create)
6. What dreams have you held that you have
been forced to let go of?