Lewis+Alexander


 * Adam King's Lewis Alexander Project was originally on this page, but it was moved to 5th period.

=BY: Carla Swensen= Period 4

=__Lewis Alexander (July 4, — 1945) Biography__=

Lewis Alexander, a famous writer at the height of the Harlem Renaissance played an important role in the lives of not only the local African-Americans, but the surrounding white. Alexander was part of the unification that was created to form the Harlem Renaissance. His talents, as well as the skills of his fellow companions and friends, helped shape a new culture and style that would forever be placed in history as the 'Harlem Renaissance.'

==

Lewis Alexander was born in Washington, D.C. on July 4, 1900. He always had had a knack for writing as was said to have been very intelligent by his fellow peers and teachers. He was educated in the public schools of Washington and later attended Howard University as well as Pennsylvania University (The Black Renaissance in Washington, Lewis Alexander homepage). He began writing poetry about his city and life at the age of 17 with his first Japanese poems, which were first published in //The Opportunity// magazine, a famous African-American magazine at the time.He soon became one of the most famous 'young writers' of the time period, which was unique in that most of the Renaissance came from older men and women. Being so young greatly made Alexander a role model for the youthful, rising generation. Alexander died at an early age in 1945. Ironically, though he had made such a strong impact on the community and the Harlem Renaissance, it was not discovered that he had died until a month later. (The Black Renaissance in Washington, Lewis Alexander homepage).

Alexander played an important role in the Harlem Renaissance in that he was very aware what was going on. This was important because he explained and expressed to the public what the 'real scenario' was through his poetry. Alexander used his skills in writing to awaken those on what was going on. His beliefs and ideas were also combine with others such as Langston Hughes, who also wanted to awaken the public to a new revival. Lewis Alexander’s works were published in a number of magazines of the day, including the //Messenger//, //Opportunity//, as well as a special number of //Palms//, a poetry journal from Mexico! Alexander's poetry was not only influential to the black and white communities at the time, but was influential to all minority groups at the time such as the Hispanics. Coincidentally, we find people from Latino American trying to find their way into 'the American society' in other parts of New York--through the works of Lewis Alexander. He was one of the poets featured in the single issue of //Fire!!//, one of the influential magazines at the time. One of the two poems contributed by Alexander to that single issue of //Fire!!// is “Little Cinderella,” one of his most famous poems written about poverty and a prostitute. At first, the poem was regarded as edgy/risky, but the purpose of //Fire!!// was to answer the questions no one dared ask.

One of the most famous poems that Alexander wrote during the height of the Harlem Renaissance, was 'Negro Woman', a poem about how Harlem and life relates to that of an older African American woman (Alexander 2).

=**__POEM CHOSEN:__**=

**NEGRO WOMAN** **-Lewis Alexander**

The sky hangs heavy tonight Like the hair of a Negro woman. The scars of the moon are curved Like the wrinkles on the brow of A Negro woman. The stars twinkle tonight Like the glaze in a Negro woman’s eyes, Drinking the tears set flowing by an aging hurt Gnawing at her heart. The earth trembles tonight Like the quiver of a Negro woman’s eye-lids cupping tears.

=__Analyze:__=

====//**First Impressions:**// This poem reminds me a lot of the poem 'The Negro Speaks of RIvers' by Langston Hughes because it has the same rhythm and uses the same analogies to a specific person. My first impression of this poem was compassion over this woman who is sobbing over pain. The first question that popped into my head when I read this poem was, 'Why is she crying?' and 'What has caused her to feel this way?'====

====//**Biography--Alexander?:**// Lewis Alexander was a prominent person in the Harlem Renaissance in that he wrote about issues that were rarely discussed because of their content. Alexander was known as one of the more famous poets at the time because of the strong stance he took against white discrimination and judging against unorthodox practices. He was very affective in that he was very young at the time of his success, which was of great influence to the rising generation. His poems were influenced by how he felt or what he saw, but amazingly, what he wanted others to feel or see.====

====//**Annotation & Structure:**// Its very interesting how similes are used in every sentence. The entire poem is comparing aspects found in nature and comparing them to an elderly African-American woman. Its interesting too how the poem does not follow a rhyming scheme, but has a very steady flow and beat to it. The poem moves at a slower pace because of the meter and the tone which is used. The poem is very deep. The interesting key phrases that set the mood and allow the reader to comprehend what is happening are, "The sky hangs heavy tonight," and "...Drinking the tears set flowing by an aging hurt." These phrases give us a real aspect of what the woman is saying and what Alexander is trying to say. Its also interesting to see that stanzas are cut off to emphasize the words 'gnawing' and 'tears'--two very emotional words.====

====//**Speaker and Tone:**// Alexander's purpose in this poem is to give an insightful view at the pain that our elders have felt because of their past. Though we do not know why the woman in the poem feels so much sadness, it is evident that something from her past stirs up tears, even though she is old with age. Alexander gives us the saddened tone that this delicate woman is crying because of another. The tone set for this poem is of grief and is meant to stir up some sort of emotion from the reader, whether it be compassion or pity for the woman. One may find that Alexander meant to anger some for the heartbreak that was caused to the frail woman in this poem. We see that in the time period that a new awakening took place among minority groups because they were tired of the segregation and discrimination. Alexander's purpose in this poem may give us insight on the motivation and desire for change that is needed. Though the poem is about the old woman, Alexander's purpose was to make aware to the public that change was needed as soon as possible.====

====//**Denotative Meaning:**// In a literal sense, this poem is describing how an African-American woman looks and her physical appearances in her old age. The poem literally tells us that she is sad and is crying because of some sort of heartbreak. Take for example the key words of 'glaze', 'drinking', 'aging', 'hurt', and 'trembles.' In a dictionary one may find that the word glaze is used to describe a medium that covers something else such as in art or baking. The obvious 'drinking' means to take in some sort of liquid for thirst. In the next stanza Alexander uses the phrase, 'an aging hurt.' This set of words is unique in that it would mean 'aches and pains that come with getting old and aging'--which would make perfect sense since the woman is old, but is there a deeper meaning?====

====**//Connotative Meanings & 'Negro Woman' symbolizm://** This poem uses a lot of connotative meaning in that every phrase and stanza is not what it means. The first couple of stanzas in the poem talk about how nature compares to the woman with the use of similes. The curve of the moon along with the wrinkling of the brow suggest that the woman is older and has a lot on her mind. Afterwards, the twinkling of the stars are referred to the glaze in the woman's eyes. At first, it appears that the woman just has a 'glazed look' because of her old age, but the word 'glaze' could be used to describe how she is thinking of the past or of something important--reflective. The phrase that stands out the most to me is 'Drinking the tears set forth by an aging hurt'. This stanza is very symbolic in that she is not suffering or aching because she is in elderly, but rather because her emotional heartbreak has not ceased for a long period of time. Her pain is aging because it has been so long, and so she 'drinks' from the sadness that comes with that eternal pain. This is very insightful and strikes a lot of emotion into the poem in that this woman who has lived a long life still cries over the troubles of the world and her past. To add on to further connotative meaning, Alexander uses the phrase, 'like the earth trembles tonight', as if the violence and troubles of the world are happening right at this moment. It almost appears foreshadowing like the obstacles and trials of life will always be among us--leaving the woman's tearing eyes 'trembling'.==== ====//**Poetic/Literary Devices:**// There are many literary devices that are used in this poem from similes to metaphors.To describe the woman's physical appearance in comparison with nature, Alexander uses many similes, such as, 'The scars of the moon are curved, Like the wrinkles on the brow of a Negro Woman.' Yet as the poem progresses, we start to see personification in certain verbs such as 'drink' and 'tremble'--to describe the actions and current events of the world and the past. As the end of the poem draws near, Alexander uses the metaphor, 'earth trembles tonight', indicating that there is sadness and grief over the entire atmosphere in this old woman's life. This metaphor can mean that those who have suffered more because they have lived longer are still saddened with their past, and it is necessary that that changes for the rising generations. Last of all, the word 'tears' is emphasized to indicate that a breaking point and sadness has come through for those who are grieved.====

__//**Putting it all together:**//__
====When concluding the main ideas and purposes behind Alexander's 'Negro Woman', it is found that Alexander is trying to wake up the younger generation by telling them that their elders have suffered for them, and that they cant allow that to happen again. The imagery and pain that is caused by reading this poem emphasizes whats going on and that people are suffering because of the action's of other human beings. The Theme of this poem is to change because we can not let our elders and ancestors live in vain. This was an important theme in the Harlem Renaissance because the act of bringing others loved ones into the situation lit a fire in the hearts of Harlem.==== ====Another important theme that this poem has to reflect the Harlem Renaissance was to inform the people of the pain that was caused by discrimination and cruelty towards other people. This was important solely because of the situation in the United States at that time. At that time, African-Americans were seen as lower class and were not given the same mutual and civil rights that white people were given at the time. Not only were rights limited, but cruelty and discrimination was a huge issue among the two cultural groups. Informing the white public of the sorrow and anger that was caused by this allowed the Harlem Renaissance to carry some weight and include all those who wanted change. Both these themes were important because it created the Harlem Renaissance movement. The new culture wave was created by people who worked together and let their voices be heard because of the emotion and investment that they had to their rights. Alexander portrays these themes in his poem as a way of gearing up and preparing the coming generation for the task at hand--which is now known as the Harlem Renaissance.====

=Works Cited= Martin, George-McKinley. __Lewis Grandison Alexander.__ 20 June 2003. 13 April 2011 .

PoemsAbout.com. __Poems By Poet Lewis Grandison Alexander.__ 2011. 12 April 2011 .