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'Man' by Dyphrent is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week

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The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Man’ by Dyprhent. It’s a poem with a powerful beat, and begins: “Man / Man like stone / Man like mountain / Man like blood and bone …” In her Q&A interview Dyphrent says that she began writing poetry because of “the dance of the words”. Her favourite poem is ‘Who Learns My Lessons Complete’ by Walt Whitman, which she read at her mother’s funeral. She has been writing poetry "for as long as I have been able to write". 

 

What got you into writing poetry?

You know, I can’t remember the first poem that I ever heard or read, but I believe what got me into it was the dance of the words. They can go anywhere and do anything, unlike in prose, and I found that to be beautiful.

 

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing poetry for as long as I have been able to write, so about four or five years old. They were disjointed and immature at first, but, I kept at it.

 

Do you go to any open mic nights?

I have in the past, but I am just beginning to get back into my poetry, so I have plans on going to some in the very near future.

 

What’s your favourite poem/poet?

I have a lot of favourite poets, but my favourite poem is ‘Who Learns My Lesson Complete’ by Walt Whitman. It is a very quiet yet powerful poem. I actually read it at my mother’s funeral.

 

You’re cast away on a desert island.  What’s your luxury?

Well, you didn’t say just one, so my Bible, some chocolate, and sunshine.

 

 

MAN

by Dyphrent 

 

Man
Man like stone
Man like mountain
Man like blood and bone
Man
Man like weather
      cold and slate gray
Man like steel
     sharp and double-edged both ways
Man
Man like hard
Man like beast 
Man like charred
Man 
Man like rough
Man like still
Man like tough
Man with heat like noon
Man with voice
      deep barrel chest boom
Man 
Man like God made
Man like on face to Jesus
Man like man saved

 

 

 

 

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Comments

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Cynthia Buell Thomas

Tue 21st Mar 2017 12:05

A very interesting work, like a chant with drums or clapping, and dancing, the subject 'song' being thrown from singer to singer to insert their ideas as they can or wish, thinking on the spur of the moment. Thoughts sometimes seem elaborated by the next person, or dropped entirely for a new idea. Any effort to rhyme is highly respected.

Perhaps that is why the word 'man' seems to embrace both a 'male person' and the idea of 'mankind'. This is a really complex understanding perhaps not grasped by 'all the singers', and they can contribute only what they 'know'.

My thoughts have come from this perceived spontaneity.

<Deleted User> (13762)

Tue 21st Mar 2017 08:52

I see this poem as having been written by a very liberated woman who is not afraid to write down her feelings towards either her 'man' or her ideal of a 'man' and what is wrong with that? Us male poets waffle on endlessly about the beauty of 'woman' but when a woman celebrates her vision of 'man' in this way she should not be unjustly berated but celebrated.

this is a bold poem with strong sentiments, it looks you straight in the eye without compromise. I don't know the writer's cultural background but it has the beat of tribal Africa mixed with the deep south songs of the cotton plantation slave. It's not often we get such a poem as this here on WoL.

well done Dyphrent.
Colin.

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ken eaton-dykes

Mon 20th Mar 2017 17:55

Maybe a more liberated woman would have added some less complementary adjectives to that list of undeserved flattery describing "Man"

Or was "Man" mistakenly intended as a generality for the wonder that is Mankind ???

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Julian (Admin)

Mon 20th Mar 2017 15:14

as you have all commented, a good beat to it. Ken, your comment as enigmatic as the poem, which I suppose was your intention?

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Laura Taylor

Mon 20th Mar 2017 09:24

I think Ken must have forgotten to type some actual words into the comment box rather than just a mysterious question mark.

Great poem this - it has a fab deep beat to it that I would love to hear performed.

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Martin Elder

Sun 19th Mar 2017 18:26

I like the way you describe in you Q and A dancing with words. This is totally what this does. A magnificent poem.
Well done.

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Stu Buck

Sun 19th Mar 2017 16:07

a good choice this week. i was a fan when i first read it and subsequent rereadings have got better and better. a booming heart and a questioning beat. great poetry.

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ken eaton-dykes

Sun 19th Mar 2017 11:11

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