I'm asking many questions about the same poem "On the Pulse of Morning" because I have no thought on what it means stanza by stanza. Can someone explain it to me?
I also don't understand this part:
Take it into the palms of your hands.
Mold it into the shape of your most
Private need. Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
To what does "it" refer?
I know the poem refers to that humans can look toward a future of peace and get away from a past of sorrow, etc. But, What the poem means exactly, know how to interprete exactly stanza by stanza to know the exact meaning of it"the poem itself" I just don't know
Look at the lines just before --
Give birth again
To the dream.
Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands.
"It" refers to the dream.
Oh now I understand this part of the poem! Thanks Ms. Sue
You're welcome, Acasia.
Certainly! "On the Pulse of Morning" is a poem written by Maya Angelou and was recited at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993. It speaks to the themes of unity, hope, and the responsibility we have in shaping the future.
Regarding the specific lines you mentioned:
"Take it into the palms of your hands. Mold it into the shape of your most private need. Sculpt it into the image of your most public self."
In these lines, Angelou uses metaphors to encourage individuals to take control of their lives and make a positive impact on the world. "It" refers to the possibilities and opportunities that life presents to us.
"Take it into the palms of your hands" suggests the act of embracing these possibilities, holding them carefully and with intention.
"Mold it into the shape of your most private need" implies that we should shape our lives and choices in a way that aligns with our personal values, desires, and aspirations. It's about recognizing our inner desires and pursuing them.
"Sculpt it into the image of your most public self" means transforming those private desires and needs into actions and behaviors that reflect our best selves. It's about realizing our potential and being our truest, most authentic selves in the world.
Overall, these lines are a call to self-empowerment and self-expression, urging individuals to take charge of their lives, shaping them according to their own aspirations and making a positive impact on the world around them.