Animal Farm

Poetry Out Loud Performances.

Shawntay A. Henry recited the poem, "Frederick Douglass" by Robert E. Hayden. Shawntay did a very good job performing this poem with a powerful, and clear voice so I could hear and take in every word she said. She displays her body language perfectly, by not being over dramatic, yet dramatic at the right times. Although, Shawntay's voice and articulation was her supreme point. Her strong voice really helped me understand the entire meaning behind this poem.


I interpreted that this poem's purpose is the predict Frederick Douglasses' future praise. It states "this man shall be remembered". Also, instead of referring to Douglass directly, he labels him "this Douglass". This emphasizes the importance of Frederick, elevating him from the status of a single man to an idea or noun. Also, Hayden gives Douglass the ultimate title, comparing him to the earth itself. Hayden uses distinct word choice to detail Douglasses' legacy; "Lives" are "grown out of his life" and are "fleshing his dream". It seems to me as if Douglass's life is the soil that the lives of freed blacks will grow. In addition, this poem salutes freedom, while mentioning its drawbacks. Two words used to describe freedom are; "beautiful" and "needful", which shows that freedom is a great thing, although also has its cons.