KerNEL STAck With The Facts

"History only repeats itself for those who do not know their history" -- Saul Williams

KerNEL STAcK  With the Facts: Response to Lyrics of Lowly Life by Paul Laurence Dunbar

October 18, 2008

The poetry in Lyrics of Lowly Life covers topics that everyone will encounter in their life.  These poems touched me in a way that allowed me to “feel” what Dunbar was writing about.  I think that his intent in writing these poems was to produce works that stand the test of time.  The titles that I previously mention have aspects of life that we encounter.  Most writers stray away from such topics because of the vastly different experiences each individual can have in life.  Dunbar was a master of observing the small things and creating a poetic picture that motivates us in our daily lives.

The poem Life has a line that says, “A minute to smile and an hour to weep in” (Lyrics of Lowly Life, pg. 11).  Proof of the endurance of Dunbar’s poetry comes in the form of a rap song from 1993 by the Southern rapper Scarface.  He had a song called, “You only get a minute to pray and a second to die”.  The words are not exact but both poetical references point to “Life” and the trials and tribulations that we encounter on a daily basis.  Dunbar’s line is a reference to the fact that we will experience ups and downs.  No one is immune from the trials of life.  Scarface wrote from the perspective of the streets but was also able to capture the essence of life and the specific trials you encounter by living a particular lifestyle.  Dunbar goes on to say, “A pint of joy to a peck of trouble” (Lyrics of Lowly Life, pg. 11).  I find this to mean that everyone will find that the bad days outweigh the good days.  This is a common theme within the African American community that has been passed down through generations.  This shows how Dunbar was able to capture the essence of the unique experiences of the African American.  I also feel he is trying to convey a sense of enjoyment in everything that life has to offer.  We must take the bitter experiences along with the sweet because everything is not always rosy.  If we endure we can have a long life that we can enjoy and pass our knowledge on to future generations.

 

A Penny Saved Is a Penny Earned -- Ben Franklin

"Be frugal in your daily life for then you will never want."

"I'm use' to recessions and hard times.  You just got to hunker down, continue to save, spend wisely, and deal with it."

KeRNel STAck

"Everyone should keep a journal because the written word is therapeutic"

KERnEl Stack