Alexcis & Johnarius

Mrs. Field

LNG 322

27 April 2011

Poetry

Robert Browing, a well known poet, was born in Chamberwell, England. His birth date is on the

7th of May, 1812. He was the son of Robert Browining and Sarah Anne Wiedemann. His father,

Robert Browing, was employed as a bank clerk and his mother as a Congregationalist.

Browning had always been a smart person. He really showed his intelligenece when he

produced his first verse at the age of six. Rober Browning was a book lover, he took advantage

of the family library. He expanded his mind and imagination with books. When he was ten, he

was sent to Peckam School, where he remained for four years. He was raised as a Algican,

Browning was not accepted into big universities in Oxford. In 1828, he decided to go to London

University for a year.

Robert does poetry for a living. This fact was established in 1833, when his first

published poem, “A fragment of a confession”, was read by many people. He has written many

poems such as “Paracelsus” and “Bells & Pomegranates”. He has had an award named after him,

called, “SanFrancisco Browning Society Award”, it’s given to college students that create

poems.
 Browning lived during the renaissance period, which as effected Robert and his poems

greatly. The renaissance has taken place during the 14th-17th centuries. The renaissance can be

considered a cultural movement. It was a time where a lot of things started to improve but it also

came with down falls as in oppression, poverty, and diseases.

Robert Browning was said to be very opaque in his writing. Some of his writing takes

thinking about. Most poems are irony. Browning uses much unneeded punctuation as in ellipsis

and commas. Robert had his own style of writing and he defiantly takes advantages of the poetic

devices.

Browning was born in 1812 in Camberwell, a middle-class suburb across the Thames

from the main part of nineteenth-century London. Browning was reading and writing at the age

of five. He was sent to a local dame school, but was asked to leave after a short time. He was

superior to the other students.

From age fourteen to sixteen, the aspiring poet was educated at home. He attended

London University for about one year. His sudden departure in 1829 perhaps indicates a firm

decision to turn his attention to poetry as a vocation.

At the age of twelve he wrote a volume of Byronic verse entitled “Incondite.” In 1832, he

composed his first major published work, Pauline.

Shelley signed him on and he immersed himself in the Shelley canon. He also looked up

to his cousin James Silverthorne. He wrote more about Christianity.

 Starting at the age of five he was a bright and intelligent child. He was not accepted into

some schools because he was more advanced than other students. His parents were also great

supporters.

He tends to write long, but interesting poems. His poems are about feelings and about

what happens in life. He makes the reader think about what he or she is reading.

On January 25, 1981, Alicia Keys was born to a white mother, Terri Augello and to a

black dad, Craig Cook. Keys grew up in hell’s kitchen, New York city. Also known as 42nd

street, where prostitutes, pimps and drug dealers were found. Alicia says it was hard growing up

in a predominately black neighborhood and her being biracial. Hells kitchen is known for it’s

restaurants and riots.

Alicia Keys graduated high school two years earlier than usual. She also was

valedictorian. Keys later attended professional performance arts school in Manhattan, there she

majored in voice. She also attended the University of Columbia, but only for four weeks, school

and studio sessions were too much for her.

In 2002 Alicia Keys was nominated for six Grammys and left the Grammy awards with

five, which included ,Best new song, Song of the year, and Best female R&B vocal

performance . In 2005 she was awarded winning composer. Keys has released a book called

“Tears for water,” which contains her song lyrics and poems next to her deepest and most

personal thoughts. Alicia Keys’s song “Fallin” was number one on the charts for 6 weeks. Soon

after that her song “A womans worth” was in the top ten. On September 11th, 2001, she

performed on “America: a tribute to heroes.” Over 90 million people viewed this and raised

money for victims of terrorist attacks.

 Alicia says she is influenced by a classical composer, wolf gang Mozart, Led Zeppelin, a

rock group, soul singer, Nina Simone and rapper, notorious B.I.G. Alicia has influenced many

people , the people who have been attack by terrorist, people with aids, Uganda, Europe and the

young women around the world. Alicia wishes to reduce poverty amongst people but especially

amongst children. She has performed at many tsunami and hurricane relief benefits also. She

speaks on aids and says, “this disease is more than a humanitarian catastrophe; it is a moral crisis

that is beginning to destroy whole countries…. ”

Keys discovered that she had a deep love for music at the age of four. She composed her

first song playing the piano at the age of eleven. Alicia was signed at just fifteen years old. All

of the above was accomplished by hard work and determination. Alicia says that growing up in a

neighborhood like hers and being raised by a single mother, who struggled to do for Alicia

because she was just a paralegal and actress in a big city called New York. Keys not only wanted

better for her and her mother, she also dreamed of helping others.

Alicia often sang with the piano and piano only. Her music is considered R&B. Her voice

could be distinguished from anyones! Keys’s poems and songs were her most prized possessions

and she was willing to share them with anyone who was listening, hoping to send a positive

message to hearts and souls all around. That’s just what she did.

On January 25, 1981, Alicia was born to a white mom, Terri Augello, and a black dad,

Craig Cook. She grew up in New York City’s infamous Hell’s Kitchen. Life was tough for Keys,

her mother struggled to make a living as a paralegal and actress. They lived in a tiny one-

bedroom apartment. At an early age, she learned to play classical music. Alicia entered the

professional Performance Arts School in Manhattan, majoring in voice.

 Alicia signed with Columbia Records because they included a baby rand piano in the

contract; she was just fifth-teen. In addition to signing with Columbia, Keys also graduated from

high school two years early. She was accepted at Columbia University, but only lasted four

weeks, because it was too much for her to handle.

Alicia was quickly signed to J Records in June of 2001. “Songs in a Minor,” was released

and it debuted at number one. Her single, “Fallin,” was number one on the charts for six weeks

as radio rotation.

Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Biggie Smalls, and Jay-z have influenced Alicia’s music

and her career.

She grew up in a terrible place, so she knew music was her only way out. She practiced

everyday and became better and better. Her mom kept pushing her to play the best she can.

Robert Browning wrote a poem called ”Prologue to dramatic idylls.” He has a special

style. This poem has a lot of dashes, and only one transition word. I sense a playful attitude when

I read this poem but it send a serious message.

Browning uses imagery in “Prologue To Dramatic Idyls.” I think this poem is sending an

subliminal message, saying doctors A and B are trying to fix on the sick man’s should instead of

his body, when his sprit didn’t need fixing.

Robert makes it easier for the reader this poem because he is original and unique. He’s

also playful. Robert has a certain rhythm that he follows in this poem, that also helps the reader

to enjoy his poem. When he writes in a playful attitude people tend to feel comfortable and

welcomed into his poem as if u knew him personally.

 Browning has a deeper meaning than what meets the eye. You have to really think about

what he is trying to say. I think Robert is saying if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it! Doctors A and B

are snooping in places they don’t have any business.

Long story short, this poem is saying that people shouldn’t try to fix other people,

especially when they don’t need fixing. People who try to fix someone else is really just taking

the attention off of them selves so the wont have to focus on there own flaws. People should

analyze themselves before they try to even thing about trying to fix someone else. It’s not their

job any ways.

Alicia keys wrote a song called “Streets of New York,” featuring Nas and Rakim. Alicia

sings and Rakim and Nas rap. They use a lot of similes and metaphorical context. They are

rapping and singing about the struggle people survive. They know from experience.

“it’s like a jungle out here,” is a simile, New York could never be a jungle but instead of

being literal Alicia is making a deep statement. Implying that New York is scary, rough, and

wild, every thing a jungle is. This song also uses repetition in its chorus, I believe its to get their

point across.

Alicia makes her poem easier to vibe to because she put her heart in it and then puts it to

music notes, which makes it way more enjoyable. The song “streets of New York” could get

boring because two other people on the track with her to keep the song entertaining.

When Ailica says “… New York oh state of mind… New York oh state of crime…. New

York oh big dreams….. New York oh big schemes” means through every good thing people can

find the bad. These lyrics tell me its hard to make it in New York.
 Keys says “every hood in every state don’t have no reasons cause relieve is hard to find.”

This means that most people raised in the hood stay in the hood because they don’t strive for

better because they are not given a purpose.

Alicia Keys wrote this song because this is how she feels and she knows people like

Rakim and Nas can relate to the pain or struggle they experienced. Believe it or not, this song

may have gotten people through hard times.

Work Sited

Infotrac: Discovering Collection.

“Keys, Alicia (1981- ).” UXL Biographies. Online.

Ed. Detroit: UXL, 2004. Discovering Collection. Gale.

Columbia County Board of Education. 22 Apr. 2011.

Web.

Infotrac: News Makers.

Henderson, Ashyia N. “Keys, Alicia (1981- ).

“News makers. Ed. Laura Avery. Detroit: Thomson

Gale, 2006. Discovering Collection. Web. 24 Apr.

2011.

Book Source.
Terrel, Brown. Hip-Hop: Alicia Keys.

Mason Crest Publishers INC;

Malaysia, 2007. Print.

Book Source.

Gillooly, Eileen. Poetry for Young People:

Robert Browning. Sterling Publishing:

New York, 2001. Print.