The Rose That Grew from Concrete: Poetry as a Bridge to Connection, Advocacy, and Healing

Hypnotizing and enlightening the act of writing poetry is very sensational but it would not typically be the best seller of literature and normally people label it too complicated or disinteresting to read. The act of writing poetry is an art form that demands respect through its precision of incorporating a message through the beauty of words in a distinct order. Writing poetry goes as deep as to be a connection to life and the world, it serves as a medium to advocate a cause, a catalyst for creating inspiration and hope, and a tool to help cope with conflicting emotions.

Writing poetry goes as deep as to be a connection to life and the world because there is an undeniable truth within the words true to the experiences of interacting with a variety life forms. It creates a spiritual sense of reverence towards existence. In poetry different words come together and interact through the rhythm they create and gives meaning to the syntax they coexist within. This is very much true to how the human race interacts with the world and one another. We are all in sync with the rhythm we create with our different vibrations interacting in a harmonious or chaotic state that ultimately creates purpose for our existence. In the Introduction of The Lost Woods the main character develops a deeper connection with hunting through his experiences with his father through bonding efforts, Native American rituals, and personal mysterious experiences with nature.

The main character has epiphany when he made his first kill while hunting saying, "I had connected to something deep inside me that had no name, a connection that only blood could allow” (1). What this character experienced while hunting is the same experience writing poetry can bring out from within an individual who seeks to connect with their inner truth. The character goes as far to say that, "...It allows for a connection to the collective memory embedded in our DNA” (1). Poetry is embedded in our DNA and the quintessence of our souls. It deserves to be acknowledged because it is important to connect to all of our individual truths.

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Writing poetry serves as a medium to advocate a cause by bring issues of the government or social injustices to be acknowledge. Behind every great movement in history poetry has always been there. The Civil Rights era brought us Maya Angelou who wrote Still I Rise and Langston Hughes who wrote Harlem which in both poems addressed the racial tension in America and the idealism of what it means to achieve the American dream. During World War II Japanese Internment Camps gave us Dwight Okita's In Response to Executive Order 9066 which addressed the unfair treatment of Japanese Americans post-bombing of Pearl Harbor. These are only a few events poetry influenced a social change in society.

Slam poetry is a perfect example of poetry pushing for a change. Slam Poetry is normally a competition to creatively express political or social issues, or hard to discuss topics through poetry. It is a very engaging way to get on your "soap-box" and tell your listeners what is really going on in society. In Poetry Slams: The Ultimate Democracy of Art by Scott Woods he says, "Slams are the embodiment of the idea that art belongs to the people and not the institutions or fashion-makers" (2). Writing poetry about truth is liberating and your voice, your ideals, your cause is acknowledge and is just as valid.

Writing poetry is a catalyst for creating inspiration and hope when there is no direction and the world seems to be moving idly. When there is time for a fire to be ignited people look towards encouraging words to lift their spirits. Music is one of the most common mediums for poetry, and most people do not realize it. One of the most iconic poet and musician worldwide that has inspired millions of artist is none other than Tupac Shakur. After his death all his poems that he had written from 1989 to 1991 was publish in the volume The Rose That Grew from Concrete. Without a doubt Tupac's music connects the world with the struggles of being an African American and disadvantaged in the American Society.

He spoke truth that people did not realize or did not want to see in phrases that can be interpreted in many ways. In the poem The Rose That Grew from Concrete it says "Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature's law is wrong it learned to walk without having feet. Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else ever cared" the concrete can represent the government and other disadvantages anyone can face, and the rose symbolizes the individual or a group overcoming the odds by still dreaming and hoping to be more than a circumstance. When people are looking for direction whether religious or not the Bible can be a great source.

The poetic books of the Bible consist of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Songs of Solomon. One of the most encouraging scriptures from these poetic books of the Bible is "Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved." (New king James, Psalms 55:22). The Bible is one the most influential pieces of literature worldwide, and people from different backgrounds have respect for inspiration the Bible provides for the reader. People who are emotionally moved when reading the Bible or listening to music are being move through the writing of poetry.

Writing poetry can be a tool to help cope with conflicting emotions because it is a positive outlet to creatively express one's thoughts and gain a better understanding of the issues that can weigh so heavily on one's heart and mind. It's the sensation of tapping into one's inner truth and letting your mind find the right words, allowing it flow through your hand and watch it come alive onto paper. It's a fluid notion that pours itself from a deeper place. I can personally say that poetry was the last thing I thought would save me from myself. I was brutally bullied, just ultimately being degraded about things I cannot change about myself. I had to endure the abuse from society standards of beauty, my parents' insecurities and expectations, and the harshest abuse came from myself being unhappy about myself. All my life with these odds against me it was easier for me to hate myself in a world that already hates me rather than to love myself in a world that will give me every reason not to.

When I came across this poet named Shane Koyzcan and was moved by his poem To This Day I felt less alone. He touched me when he wrote "And if you can't see anything beautiful about yourself, Get a better mirror, Look a little closer, Stare a little longer, Because there's something inside you, That made you keep trying, Despite everyone who told you to quit, You built a cast around your broken heart, And signed it yourself, You signed it 'They were wrong"" He expressed everything I felt in ways I could never say. After that I felt like my story needed to be told. Writing poetry is a positive and creative outlet that I feel safe enough to share with anyone willing to listen. I truly believe that writing poetry is one of the best activities anyone can do when feeling the weight of the world in their spine and conflicting thoughts in their minds.

Ultimately, writing poetry can be the bridge that connects us together with each other and the world, advocate a cause, inspire and create hope, and be an option to someone trying to find positive ways to cope. Poetry plays such an important role in our lives that it goes unacknowledged at times. The act of writing poetry is an experience that can shape your mind in a transcending way. Everyone might not be engaged in the idea of writing or reading poetry but when an individual is enlightened on the concept that poetry is all around us and it's within us, we all have to acknowledge that our existence is poetry and poetry is grace, beauty, truth, and rhythm.

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