The Struggle for

Success

Abram G. Gomez

Mr. Heyne

Period 5

April 14, 2004

Table of Contents

Theme Composition

………………………………....................................................Pg. 1

So Far Away, by Abram Gomez

………………………………..................................Pg. 2

Analysis

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g. 3

Lives Complications, by Abram Gomez

……………………………….....................Pg. 4

Analysis

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g. 5

Where There Is a Will, by Tupac Shakur

………………………………..................Pg. 6

Analysis

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g. 7

The Rose That Grew From Concrete by Tupac Shakur

……………………………Pg. 8

Analysis

……………………………….......................................................................Pg

. 9

If I Fail, by Tupac Shakur

………………………………..........................................Pg. 10

Analysis

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11

Success, by Ralph Waldo Emerson

………………………………...........................Pg. 12

Analysis

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13

Don’t Quit, by Edgar A. Guest

………………………………..................................Pg. 14

Analysis

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15

Success is counted sweetest, by Emily Dickinson

……….......................................Pg. 16

Analysis

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17

Eldorado, by Edgar Allan Poe

…………...................................................................Pg. 18

Analysis

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19

Harlem, by Langston Hughes ...........

….....................................................................Pg. 20

Analysis

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21

The Journey, by Mary

Oliver…………….................................................................Pg. 22

Analysis

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23

Good Riddance (Time of your life), by Billy Joe Armstrong of Green

Day ...........Pg. 24

Analysis

………………………………......................................................................Pg.

25

Bibliography Page

………………………………......................................................Pg. 26

Theme Composition

There were many topics that I’ve written poems about that I

could have chose, such as anger, loneliness and sadness among other

negative things. However, I wanted to pick a topic that would help

myself as well as others. The struggle for success, that we all go

through and experience in our daily lives, is the topic that I’ve chose.

Everyone has goals or dreams that they want to accomplish to succeed

in life, and we all ensounter similar obstacles whether they be others,

you yourself, emotional distress, opposition or disappointment. I also

think that we all need a little motivation, therefore I would like most of

these poems to motivate the readers as well as myself.

So Far Awayby Abram Gomez

Success, so sweet yet so far away So inconceivably accomplished anywayWhen all I see is the struggle of today

And the constant pressure of traditional ways

They say, “It’s a road, not a destination”So since this road is all but an

achievement Somebody must have showed me the

wrong wayBut it must be obstacles that I have

encounteredSo this ongoing path -fueled by motivationChosen once again, Success is so far away

Analysis for: So Far Away

In this poem the main emphasis seemed to be more on the struggle than the success, which is why my theme statement for this poem was “Success is so far away.” There still, however, is some motivation that can be extracted from this. I wrote this free verse knowing that success, for me, is promised but it’s just so far down the road. What I really want the reader to do is look past the struggle of today and realize you need to fight through it and see the success of tomorrow, no matter how far away it is.

The poetic device I chose to use was alliteration with the repetition of the “s” sound. I basically built this around the first line to let everything else fall into place and also to end the poem with the same sounding pattern - Success is so far away. This device works well because it is common in free verse poems and creates a simple sound in this poem.

Life’s Complicationsby Abram Gomez

My life is complicated like a game of chessIt’s hard 2 answers the question, what got me in this mess?

I pray every night for God to help me in my lifeTo help me see things more clearly through my eyes

But no matter how much I pray All my problems don’t go away

So I think to myself, how’d life get like this? Could it be my parents, myself, or just punishment for my

sins?

Now I know I must go on and be strong4 if I don’t I will just be a casualty of lives arms

So next time I have to go through those hard, heavy durations

I’ll know it’s just a problem I have to conquer in lives complications

Analysis for: Lives Complications

In “Lives Complications” I wanted to emphasize my theme statement which was, “Whatever obstacles you encounter, you rise above them to succeed in life.”Even mistakes that you make shouldn’t hinder you from reaching your goals. So don’t let this world get you down, just keep praying, keep striving and you’ll realize that no problem lasts forever.

This was the first poem I ever wrote, so when I wrote it I used the only device I knew how to use -rhyme. The rhyme scheme I used is actually an end rhyme because the words at the end of each two lines rhyme. The device was simple and effective for me to get my point across.

“Where There Is A Will…”by Tupac Shakur

Where there is a willThere is a way2 search and discover A better day

Where a positive heart Is all you need 2 rise beyond And succeed

Where young minds grow And respect each other Based on their deeds And not by their color

When times R dim Say as I say“Where there is a willThere is a way!”

Analysis for: Where There Is a Will…

The authors theme statement in this poem was what the poem is built around and is also the valued judgment of the poem, “Where there is a will there is always a way.” In relation to my topic, the poet tells us that all we need to succeed is a positive willing heart. The

author suggests a will to change to improve society and succeed not only individually but also as a whole.

This poem uses excellent rhyme in the second and fourth line of each stanza. The poem begins with and ends with the thematic statement and everything in between supports it. The author uses a device that was simple but could also lead you to see things his way to motivate you to succeed. The simple rhyme in this poem also represents the simple formula for success.

The Rose That Grew From Concreteby Tupac Shakur

Did u hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?Proving nature’s law wrong it learned to walk without having feetFunny it seems but by keeping its dreams it learned to

breathe fresh airLong live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else even cared!

Analysis for: The Rose That Grew From Concrete

Tupac’s theme statement for this poem is “People surrounded by trouble and failure can still live and succeed.” This is almost an exact reflection of the struggle for success. People who come from broken homes, troubled youth, failed pasts or any other tough backgrounds in general still have much hope to succeed and make something beautiful of their life.

Tupac uses personification to catch you attention to his subject.

If you know about Tupac’s past you would probably think this poem represents his life. Though this is probably true, this poem can also represent whoever the reader is. Therefore, Tupac also uses personification to motivate the reader.

If I Failby Tupac Shakur

If in my quest 2 achieve my goalsI stumble or crumble and lose my soulThose who knew me would easily co-sign

There was never a life as hard as mineNo father -no money -no chance and no guideI only follow my voice inside If it guides me wrong and I do not winI’ll learn from mistakes and try 2 achieve again

Analysis for: If I Fail

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” That is the theme statement of this poem but this poem also reminds us to learn from our failures and mistakes. If you ask anybody who became a real success in life, they will probably tell you that they’ve failed just as much as they’ve succeeded if not more. Don’t ever let a mistake or failure hinder you from achieving your goals.

In my final choice of Tupacs‘s poetry, Tupac uses slant rhyme that is also end rhyme in this poem. Each two lines of this poem form

couplets. Tupac used this so that every first line has a clear connection that concludes each first line. He does this until he reaches his final conclusion in the last line of the poem.

Successby Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty,

To find the best in others,

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

Analysis for: Success

In Emerson’s poem of Success, the theme statement is “To succeed is to be happy and make a difference in the world.” This is one of the few poems I have chosen that really define what success is or at least what Emerson thought it was. The only struggle in this poem is the betrayal of false friends in life; this is something everyone must endure sometime in life. Whatever you go through in life, you must remember to look on the bright side and be positive in order to succeed.

Repetition is use in this poem of the first word in each line. The repetition in this free verse is used to define what success really means. The author wanted to leave the reader thinking, “To be like that,” is to really succeed, and also leave the reader agreeing with him after every line.

Don’t Quitby Edgar A. Guest

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,when the road your trotting seems all uphill,when the funds are low and the depts are high,and you want to smile but you have to sigh,when care is pressing you down a bit - rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns.As every one of us sometimes learns.And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out.Don’t give up though the pace seems slow - you may succeed with another blow.

Often, the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and

faltering man;often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor’s cup;and he learned too late when the night came down,how close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out - the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,and when you never can tell how close you are, it may be near when it seems afar;so stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit -it’s when things seem worst,you must not quit.

Analysis for: Don’t Quit

In “Don’t Quit,” the emphasized theme is, “When things seem worst, you must not quit.” You can’t be a success if you decide to quit along the way. This poem reminds me of something my coach has always said, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” There will always be tough times along the way but you must fight through the rain and the pain in order to succeed.

In this poem the device chosen by the author was rhyme, but there is no official rhyme thou out the poem. There is end rhyme, internal rhyme and slant rhyme. The author uses these different rhymes to give us different scenarios and situations of how tough life can get at times.

Success is counted sweetestby Emily Dickinson

Success is counted sweetest By those who near succeedTo comprehend a nectar Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple Host Who took the Flag todayCan tell the definition So clear of Victory

As he defeated-dying-On whose forbidden earThe distant trains of triumphBurst agonizing and clear!

Analysis for: Success is counted sweetest

Emily Dickinson’s theme statement in this famous poem is “Those who never succeed value success the most.” This poem deals with Dickinson’s feelings about success and her struggles with the world. It is within the mindset of having to always encounter failure but truly wish to succeed as others do. It is the feeling of disappointment when we’re struggling to succeed but can’t seem to accomplish our goals. This is the common mental obstacle that gets us all.

Imagery is just one devices used in this poem. It is used to create the images of success from both sides of the battle. Images of victory come to mind that the purple Host cannot see but in the final stanza the failure finally sees everything more clearly.

Eldoradoby Edgar Allan Poe

Gaily bedight, A gallant knight,In sunshine and in shadow,Had journeyed long, Singing a song,In search of Eldorado.

But as he grew old-This knight so bold-And o’er his heart a shadowFell as he foundNo spot on the groundThat looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength Failed him at length,He met a pilgrim shadow-“Shadow,” said he, “Where can it be-This land of Eldorado?”

“Over the mountains

Of the moon, Down the valley of the shadow,Ride, boldly ride,”The shadow replied, -“If you seek for Eldorado!”Analysis for: Eldorado

In Edgar Allan Poe’s poem of Eldorado the thematic statement is this, “The road to success is not for the faint of heart.” Weariness along the road is just another obstacle in the struggle for success. The success we truly desire is not to be taken as New Year’s resolutions, the path is intense but not impossible.

Edgar Allan Poe uses the same sequence of repletion of shadow and Eldorado. This repletion not only gives the poem a main idea but also an understanding. The poem may not have worked if there wasn’t a clear connection from the setting to the conclusion, such as this repetition.

Harlemby Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?Or fester like a sore-And then run?Does it stink like rotten meat?Or crust and sugar over-like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Analysis for: Harlem

In Langston Hughes’ famous poem, “Harlem,” the thought is provoked that “If you don’t work today to make your dreams happen, they may not be there tomorrow.” If you just expect for your dreams to come true one day or expect to become a success someday, it won’t happen. You must continually work to accomplish the success you desire.

Hughes uses excellent similes in this poem to tell what happens to a dream deferred. In fact, the entire poem is a group of similes put after a question. Hughes uses this device to create metaphorical images and comparisons in order to get the readers attention and make the reader consider his own dreams.

The Journeyby Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began,though the voices around you kept shoutingtheir bad advice-though the whole housebegan to trembleand you felt the old tugat your ankles.“Mend my life!”each voice cried.But you didn’t stop.You knew what you had to do,though the wind priedwith its stiff fingersat the very foundations-though their melancholywas terrible.It was already lateenough, and a wild night,and the road full of fallenbranches and stones.But little by little,as you left their voices behind,the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds,and there was a new voice, which you slowlyrecognized as your own,that kept you companyas you strode deeper and deeperinto the world,determined to do the only thing you could do-determined to savethe only life you could save.

Analysis for: The Journey

The thematic statement for, “The Journey,” says this, “When you find out what you have to do, do what you need to do in life and don’t let anybody stop you.” The Journey is similar to the path to success in that when you set your goals, only your determination will really help you succeed. This poem is mainly about determination and

determination is essential for success.

Symbolism is used through out this poem of a difficult journey. It is used mainly to describe how the world tries to get you to do things you don’t need to do rather than do what is necessary for yourself. The author wanted to make the journey as real as it could sound and the symbolism in this poem does just that.

Good Riddance (Time of your life)written and performed by Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go. So make the best of this test, and don't ask

why. It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right. I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind. Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time. Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial. For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right. I hope you had the time of your life.

Analysis for: Good Riddance (Time of your life)

In this famous song by Green Day, the author is reminiscing and writing from experience to the listeners, his main point is this, “Make the most of your life and make the best of what it is, and in turn, life will reward you.” To me this song is about remembering life’s struggle

but not regretting it because in the end the struggle breeds success. When you accomplish a goal and appreciate your memories you will realize the struggle was worth it all along.

This was written in poetic form with not only its rhyme and its pattern but more to me with its imagery of metaphors. For example, a fork stuck in the road represents a turning point in our life. This imagery describes how life is unpredictable with its twists and turns and also life’s memories that remind you that it was worth it all the while.

Bibliography PageIn alphabetical order

1. Armstrong, Billy Joe Nimrod (album), Good Riddance, 1998

2. Dickinson, EmilyWilliams, Oscar, et. al. ed., Major American Poets, Success is counted sweetest, New American Library, Inc.1301 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019, 1962

3. Emerson, Ralph WaldoArmstrong, Brian, et. al. ed., Selected Poems, Success, Henry Holt and company, Inc., 115 West 18th St., New York, New York, 10011, 1979

4. Gomez, Abram, not yet published

5. Gomez, Abram, not yet published

6. Guest, Edgar A.Randolph, Arthur, et. al. ed., Motivational Poems For Young People, Scribner Poetry Inc., 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, 2002

7. Hughes, LangstonRosenberg, Liz, Earth Shattering Poems, Henry Holt and company Inc., 115 West 18th St., New York, New York, 10011, 1998

8. Oliver, Mary Sime, Richard et. al. ed., Elements of Literature, Holt Rinehart and Winston, 1120 South Capital of Texas Highway, Austin, Texas 78746-6487, 2000

9. Poe, Edgar Allan Williams, Oscar, et. al. ed., Major American Poets, Eldorado, New American Library, Inc.1301 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019, 1962

10. Shakur, TupacSmith Allan, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, Where There is a Will, Double Day Publishing Inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, New York, 10036, 2001

11. Shakur, TupacSmith Allan, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, Double Day Publishing Inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, New York, 10036, 2001

12. Shakur, TupacSmith Allan, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, If I Fail, Double Day Publishing Inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, New York, 10036, 2001