"Imitation of Life/HARLEM Hopscotch," video by Dianne Smith and "Harlem Hopscotch," poem by Maya Angelou
Author: Dianne Smith and Maya Angelou
1 additions to document , most recent 5 months ago
| When | Why |
|---|---|
| May-24-20 | Maya Angelou's Harlem Hopscotch: Official Music Video | Oprah Winfrey Network |
Imitation of Life/HARLEM Hopsctch from Dianne Smith on Vimeo.
Harlem Hopscotch is part of my Imitation of Life Series which I like to call digital storytelling. The work consists of a compilation of videos and images.
These images and videos are mostly what I have documented as I move through my beloved Harlem community. They are a string of day to day occurrences. They are simply a sum of my lived experiences, that together become very performative.
The videos and images are layered, in a sort of stop motion like way. The aesthetics of the work speaks to a place that is textured, unique, spirited, animated and diverse. With this series I show the dichotomy of the community how the old or nostalgic view of Harlem is ever present, while the new seeks to alter its landscape.
Often times walking up or down Lenox Avenue I feel as though I am gliding amongst the words of Langston, Zora, Maya and Baldwin. Or I am at the Red Rooster as the Deejay or live music vibrates across the space causing bodies to sway almost unconsciously or walking across 125th Street leaves you at times overly stimulated with repetitions of sound, textures, colors, and movements.
At any given moment I can walk out my apartment and encounter a gospel trio on the corner in front of the bodega in song praising the Lord as if they were in church on Sunday morning. There is no other place I could live were music playing aloud on the street during a sidewalk flea market results in a one man dance performance.
Harlem is a vibrant, frenetic community that’s not without its complications. It’s an ever changing community, however with all of its transitions there are things that remain. The pulse, energy, and life fuels my creative practice.
Harlem Hopscotch
by Maya Angelou
One foot down, then hop!
It's hot.
Good things for the ones that's got.
Another jump, now to the left.
Everybody for hisself.
In the air, now both feet down.
Since you black, don't stick around.
Food is gone, the rent is due,
Curse and cry and then jump two.
All the people out of work,
Hold for three, then twist and jerk.
Cross the line, they count you out.
That's what hopping's all about.
Both feet flat, the game is done.
They think I lost.
I think I won.
Maya Angelou, "Harlem Hopscotch" from Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie: Poems by Maya Angelou. Copyright © 1971 by Maya Angelou. Used by permission of Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. Source: The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou (Random House, Inc., 1994)
Added May 24, 2020 at 8:33pm
by Paul Allison
Title: Maya Angelou's Harlem Hopscotch: Official Music Video | Oprah Winfrey Network
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It has a meter which means that certain words have accents. That means that those words are emphasized.
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she goes to one place, and she goes to one place and doesnt work out, so she goes to another place and then that works out
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but then she tries to rhyme left with self, which can be argued that it is a rhyme but this is more of a slant rhyme.
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Was this the main thing for her to do when she was younger, like her favorite game? Did she do anything else besides this?
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since shes black she say that if your black dont stick around. i think this means that if your black you have to move on your own and try your best to pay your bills so you can stay at a place
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this means that shes playing the game in real life, and in real life she made it through one part of stage in life, and now she moving on to the next stage in life.
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She says" in the air both feet down" as in they are jumping and then she says “since you black don’t stick around. Food is gone rent is due” she seems like she start stalking about her life and how it’s a struggle
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the tone of the poem changes here. It went from talking about a game of hopscotch to talking about racism.
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The poem went from talking about things that she did as a kid to then talking about the problems that an adult might have to struggle through.
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They are all family until someone crosses the line.They all have each others back. Cool just for protection.
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What line would she be crossing. Is this figurative or literal. Also who would count you out
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so its a competition and she passed the land but, people say she lost
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is her saying “i think i won” after saying “they think i lost” supposed to display how even though people may think that she may be down, she may have the confidence to stay hopeful for herself
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maya ran so much you would think she was running a marathon.she even said " just give me some water before i die" in which she was out of breath
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General Document Comments 0
1. Topic is what people DO in the person’s favorite place. (play hopscotch)
2.
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