Alice+Dunbar-Nelson



Alice Dunbar- Nelson was born on July 19, 1875 in Louisiana. Alice had a mixed black parent and a white parent. Alice could pass as white but she considered herself as one of color. Alice loved books and was talented with a piano and a cello. Although Alice succeeded in all these extra cirriculum activities, Alice had a passion for writing. She felt as though she was born to write! In the Harlem Renaissance, not only was Alice a black performer but she was also a black woman. She had two challenges, her art through acting, music and writing made Alice one to remember. She created history and was one of the great poets during the Harlem Renaissance. One of the great poem that was created by Alice was is known by "Three thoughts."

"For nature has her sorrows and her joys, As all the piled-up mountains and low vales will silently attest-- and hang thy head in dire confusion, for having dared to moan at thine own miseries when god and nature suffer silently." -- Alice Dunbar-Nelson "Three thoughts"

__Analysis__
Alice describes nature as a person. She then describes God and what nature and God have in common. It explains that you should not complain about your life. God and nature are both creators and they have suffered more than we all have. Neither of them complain about what has happened to them; instead, they look at what will come next. The future is the positive in life and what has already past can have a negative affect on your outlook on life.

When Alice says "for having dared to moan at thine own miseries when god and nature suffer silently." this means that you should be ashamed of your self when your think of yourself before others. Alice was a very caring woman and this poem expresses what she feels. Alice writes about her actions and emotion. Alice may have sinned and she knows God is ashamed of her. She knows why he would be ashamed of her which makes her repentance mean something to God.

This poem means to be true to yourself and the creator. Put others first before yourself and you will be blessed. Alice herself would rather just help and care for others with out needing a blessing. Helping others blesses her enough just because it makes her happy. Alice was a great person and a great role model to look up to. She not only stood up for herself but she suffered in silence just like God and nature, an example in the poem "Three Thoughts."

**__Works Cited:__**
====__"Women of Color Women of Word -- African American Female Playwrights - Alice Dunbar-Nelson."__ //Home - School of Communication and Information - Rutgers University//. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. [].==== Jenkins, Hazel, and Dr. John. "Alice Dunbar-Nelson." //Alice Dunbar-Nelson//. Hazel Jenkins, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. <community.tncc.edu/faculty/longt

"Alice Ruth Dunbar-Nelson." //Alice Ruth Dunbar-Nelson//. Dejaelaine, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. [|www.dejaelaine.com/dunbar-nelson.php].