Title: Close Reading (draft #1)
Harold Barter III
In poetry, each word used by the poet leads the reader deeper into the work and
helps them understand it better. "Poem About My Rights" by June Jordan and Walt
Whitman's "Reflection on Democracy" both say deep things about the human condition,
freedom, and identity. The point of this essay is to read and think about some lines from
these works very carefully, focusing on how the poets use language and poetic
elements to get their points across.
Whitman wrote democracy, "They have the air of people who have never known what
it's like to be in front of superiors. Their smooth speech and love of music are sure signs
of manly tenderness and native elegance of soul."
Whitman's writings may have describe a democratic society where everyone is
treated equally and the social structures that are based on rank are broken down. Being
equal is a key part of democracy, and the phrase "never knew how it felt to stand in the
presence of superiors" brings this up. I believe Whitman's choice of the
expressions "air" & "fluency of speech" and "delight in music," which are signs of
freedom and expression, are helped by this sense of equality. This quote about music
and its link to "manly empathy and native elegance of soul" emphasizes how good and
beautiful people are when they are not limited by society. Whitman uses language to
praise the freeing and fairing power of democracy, implying that it makes life more real,
expressive, and soulful.
June Jordan's "Poem About My Rights":
"I'm not wrong; my name is not Wrong." "My name is my own my own my own, and I
can tell you who set this up. But I can also tell you that from now on, my simple, daily,
and nightly self-determination may very well cost you your life."
June Jordan's lines are full of the power of standing up for yourself and fighting
against systemic injustices. Repeating "my own" seems as a defiant claim to selfidentity that rejects definitions and rules from outside sources. "Wrong is not my name"
is direct language that challenges the story that oppressors tell about her and asserts
her right to define herself. The transition from naming the problem to announcing
resistance "from now on my resistance my simple and daily and nightly self
determination" seems to shows that her fight against oppression is ongoing. Jordan's
warning that this resistance "may very well cost you your life" shows how important this
fight for freedom and identity is. This makes the poem a strong statement of
independence and a call to action.
Freedom, identity, and democracy are all things that both Whitman and Jordan
write about, but from different but complementary points of view. In Whitman's idea of a
democratic society, everyone is equal and each person has inherent worth. In Jordan's
writing, on the other hand, the fierce declaration of self-ownership and resistance
against oppression shows how each person has to fight for their rights in such a society.
Together, these lines remind us that the fight for justice and equality is still going on,
which makes us think about where we fit in these situations. The beautiful way Whitman
and Jordan use language not only makes us imagine a world where everyone is valued
and recognized, but it also invites us to help make that world happen. Their poetry,
which is based on democratic and personal rights ideas, makes us think about what we
can do to support these ideas.