http://books.google.com/books?id=e9tpFY2cmCAC&pg=PA68&lpg=PA68&dq=no+reservations+by+nikki+giovanni&source=bl&ots=r-sUTGLpQl&sig=8wiXfhviowRWKtQuCxPgFUUlE3w&hl=en&sa=X&ei=nkTqUISvOoPA9QTAuoDgCg&ved=0CGoQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=no%20reservations%20by%20nikki%20giovanni&f=false (page 68-69)
The poem No Reservations is one that takes time and patience to understand the message that is trying to be portrayed. The speaker begins this poem with stating that “there are no reservations for the revolution.” In this the reader can infer that there are no special seats given for war. There are to be no special placements, it is to be sudden and whoever shows up just shows up. The metaphor provided allows one to see the truth within not being prepared for what could happen when it comes to forms of rebellion. The audience in this poem seems to be everyone. The speaker is warning the audience that she is willing to make efforts to lead her people to victory. In stanza three she proceeds to say “strike now shoot..strike now fire…strike now run.” The effect of her ending the war cry with run is as if she knows that there will be some sort of consequences for the actions that they take. The speaker then concludes her poem with implying that during this metaphorical “war”, there will be no time for relaxing and calling a quits once it has started. A motif that I was able to take away from this poem is repetition where she begins and ends her poem with the same line as if to wish emphasis on the fact that only special seats will be given if black people fail. This implies that special seats or “reservations” provide a negative effect to the poem being that it is something that the speaker desires.
The poem No Reservations is one that takes time and patience to understand the message that is trying to be portrayed. The speaker begins this poem with stating that “there are no reservations for the revolution.” In this the reader can infer that there are no special seats given for war. There are to be no special placements, it is to be sudden and whoever shows up just shows up. The metaphor provided allows one to see the truth within not being prepared for what could happen when it comes to forms of rebellion. The audience in this poem seems to be everyone. The speaker is warning the audience that she is willing to make efforts to lead her people to victory. In stanza three she proceeds to say “strike now shoot..strike now fire…strike now run.” The effect of her ending the war cry with run is as if she knows that there will be some sort of consequences for the actions that they take. The speaker then concludes her poem with implying that during this metaphorical “war”, there will be no time for relaxing and calling a quits once it has started. A motif that I was able to take away from this poem is repetition where she begins and ends her poem with the same line as if to wish emphasis on the fact that only special seats will be given if black people fail. This implies that special seats or “reservations” provide a negative effect to the poem being that it is something that the speaker desires.
I like your analysis of the "strike now run" line. Giovanni does appear to demonstrate that there will be effects from participating in the revolution.
ReplyDeleteYou mention the "metaphorical 'war.'" What is the war a metaphor for?
What's the bigger message Giovanni is trying to communicate about participating in this "war"?
I am pig
ReplyDelete