Tupac Shakur
June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996
By Jessica and Karley
Tupac’s Biography
•
•
Tupac was born on June 16th, 1971.
•
was an American Rapper and Actor
•
, originally from East Harlem, a section of Manhattan in New York.
•
His parents were Afeni Shakur (mother), and Billy Garland (father).
•
His entertainment Career started in the early 1900’s when he
debuted his rapping skills in the song “same song” in one of his
albums “Nothing But Trouble.
•
Charged with sexual assault, put in prison (1 ½ - 4 ½ years)
•
September 7th,1996, Shakur was shot in the chest, pelvis, and his
right hand and thigh in Las Vegas while he was standing out of the
sunroof.
Poems by Tupac
Sometimes when I'm alone
I cry,
Cause I am on my own.
The tears I cry are bitter and warm.
They flow with life but take no form
I cry because my heart is torn.
I find it difficult to carry on.
If I had an ear to confiding,
I would cry among my treasured friend,
But who do you know that stops that long,
To help another carry on.
The world moves fast and it would rather
pass by.
Then to stop and see what makes one cry,
So painful and sad.
And sometimes...
I cry
And no one cares about why.
-Tupac Shakur “I Cry”
Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in
the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it learned to walk without
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.
-The Rose that Grew From Concrete
Tupac Shakur
The power of a gun can kill
and the power of fire can burn
the power of wind can chill
and the power of a mind can learn
the power of anger can rage
inside until it tears u apart
but the power of a smile
especially yours can heal a frozen heart
-The Power of a Smile
Tupac Shakur
Take one's adversity
Learn from their misfortune
Learn from their pain
Believe in something
Believe in yourself
Turn adversity into ambition
Now blossom into wealth
-Ambition over Adversity
Tupac Shakur
How can there be peace?
How can I be in the depths of
solitude
When there are two inside of
me?
This duo in me causes the
perfect opportunity
To learn and live twice as fast
As those who accept
simplicity...
-A young heart with an old
soul
Tupac Shakur
Life through my bloodshot eyes
would scare a square 2 death
poverty,murder,violence
and never a moment 2 rest
Fun and games are few
but treasured like gold 2 me
cuz I realize that I must return
2 my spot in poverty
But mock my words when I say
my heart will not exist
unless my destiny comes through
and puts an end 2 all of this
-Life Through My Eyes..
Tupac Shakur
Poem Analysis
The Rose That Grew From Concrete
• The poem is talking about how a
persons life can mean a lot despite
his/her background.
•Literary devices: AABB rhyme scheme,
Personification (giving the rose human
qualities).
•Poems purpose: To tell people their life
means a lot, and that their environment
isn’t the judge of that.
I Cry
• The Poem means he feels like no one cares what he has to say or if
he’s alone
•Literary devices:
Imagery; “The tears I cry are bitter and warm.”,
Rhyme; “The tears I cry are bitter and warm. They flow with life but
take no form” ,
Rhyme ; “The world moves fast and it would rather pass by. Then
to stop and see what makes one cry,”
• Poems Purpose: Sometimes people cry because other people don’t
care or they’re alone.
Questions To Think about
I Cry:
• Can you or someone you know
relate to this poem?
• In your opinion, what does this
poem mean to you?
Bibliography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupac_Shakur#Early_life
http://www.csun.edu/~kcj39325/tupacpoem.html
http://literary-devices.com/
http://praquinio.edublogs.org/analysis/i-cry-analysis/