Miss Yu English 12

The poem "Reach Out and Touch" demonstrates the problem of racism agaist blackpeople especially in North America. The speaker is a very kind person, and since the poet is a woman I assume that the speaker is a woman too. On the bus, while an innocent kid is wondering about her skin colour and hairs, and trying to touch her, the mother just stopped the kid by "slapping hands away/hush-up of your questions/and wondering out loud." This is the typical appearance of prejudice agianst black people. The kid knows nothing about racism, but how their parents react to blackpeople will definetely influence these innocent kids. What is the point to be racialist? Nobody knows, but that's how kids who know nothing are planted the seed of racism in thier minds.


The speaker is upset just like the tone is. Her honesty and sincereness did not recover the un-biased opinions and equality. The worse thing is that even an innocent child is afraid of her, the door of friendship is sealed. However, the tone isn't pure pointing down. " I should have sat beside you/snuggled my big warm self up closen/held you while your mama juggled parcels./then you would know it's o.k." It suggests that the speaker will keep working on let people know about them. All the discrimination and racism come from the lack of understanding and knowing balckpeople and black culture. Actually, I think the speaker speaks out Maxine Tynes' idea of elimiating racism by introducong black culture to more people. Because people don't know, they do ings like "witch hunting." The poet understands the need to express their history in the form of writing. "Borrowed Beauty" is one of her collections of work that showcase the struggles of black Canadian women.



Although there is no strong emotional description in this poem, I can still feel the mood contains frustration and disppointment. Despite the platform of equality and freedom, the racism is one thing that North Americans have to think about.
Blackpeople are no barbarians, the speaker turns and smile for the kid, but the kid is already lost
in the silence and fear that motherlove wraps him in. And this kid is just one of thousands of kids like him. They have no value at such a young age, and the only people they rely upon are their dear parents. However, their parents sut up the model of being racialist, that has badly impact on their children.

This poem talks about how people learn to live, or I can say it talks about the controversial topic of growing up.
There is no doubt that the some experience that older generations possess is worth us to learn. After learning from their experience, teenagers can have a more round view of things. However, in stanza 1, the poet seems to negate the positice side of the experience that otheres taught him. According to the poet, if one keeps listening to others, he/she will verver learn a thing. I don't think so, it is all a matter of where we draw the line. It is important to evaluate whether others' experience is suitable for you or not. Otherwise, we would either be arrogant or unconfident.

The second stanza suggests that people will learn how to live their life by going through all the experiences in person. I cannot agree more with that. he best way to learn something is to do it. Time after time, we learn by ourselves and we will never forget.

 
       The theme is full of inspiration and wisdom that teaches people how to be prepared for the future. During the path toward future, difficulties are like sharp stones that may hurt your feet (line 5).  Accordingly, the thickest pair of socks symbolizes the preparation (line 1). The speaker is like a wise teacher  who is teaching people how to be prepared. The future is unforeseen, people always need to keep an indomitable mood, and never give up their dreams. In brief, the theme is wise and inspiring that teaches all readers the less that can only be successfully explored when people are prepared.