Poetry Dedication Project by Keegan Wright

1. Dedication to my Dad
By Keegan Wright

2. To Dad
This is a little something for all that you
have done for me.
Thank you Dad!

3. The wave breaks And I'm carried into it. This is
hell, I know, Yet my father laughs, Chest-deep,
proving I'm wrong. We're safely rooted, Rocked
on his toes.
Nothing irked him more Than asking, "What is
there Beyond death?" His theory once was That
love greets you, And the loveless Don't know
what to say.
Descriptions of Heaven and Hell
by Mark Jarman

4. “Descriptions of Heaven and Hell” gives an interesting and unique perspective on what happens
to the human soul after death. The author, Mark Jarman, makes a powerful statement in very few
words. The words “Love greets you, and the loveless don’t know what to say” perfectly describes
the meeting between the soul and our maker at the end of this life. “Descriptions of Heaven and
Hell”, through its tone, structure, and conciseness, impacted me greatly, and I hope it will you as
well.
For this piece, Mark Jarman, is probably the speaker. He uses this structure to show the
wisdom of his father through his own past ignorance. Mark Jarman’s choice to use paraphrases
from his father help’s the poem to achieve its conciseness and impact. By using himself as the
speaker and using paraphrases from his father, Mark Jarman is able to give wisdom through the
poem, while keeping it in the present, the here and now.
“Descriptions of Heaven and Hell” shows the contrast between the two. To help the reader to
visualize this contrast, Mark Jarman creates a shift in the poem when switching the focus from
hell to heaven. This shift is not gentle, but a powerful jerk, in order for the reader to see the huge
contrast between the two subjects. While the first part of the poem is frightful, and filled with
action and despair, the second part takes a more thoughtful and reflective tone.
The insight from “Descriptions of Heaven and Hell” is very thought provoking, and reminds me
of the wisdom my father has shared with me. The piece masterfully delivers the wisdom it
carries. Through the speaker, and a unique shift in the poem, the reader is pulled into the
thoughts of the author, and shares in his knowledge. “Descriptions of Heaven and Hell” teaches a
lesson that my father taught me, one that I will never forget.
•

5. I
Beyond the years the answer lies, Beyond where brood the grieving
skies And Night drops tears. Where Faith rod-chastened smiles to rise
And doff its fears, And carping Sorrow pines and dies— Beyond the
years.
II
Beyond the years the prayer for rest Shall beat no more within the
breast; The darkness clears, And Morn perched on the mountain's
crest Her form uprears— The day that is to come is best, Beyond the
years.
III
Beyond the years the soul shall find That endless peace for which it
pined, For light appears, And to the eyes that still were blind With
blood and tears, Their sight shall come all unconfined Beyond the
years.
Beyond the Years
by Paul Laurence Dunbar

6. Sometimes life seems full of misery and despair. Sometimes it seems that there is no
way out, and the cycle of pain and suffering will continue. “Beyond the Years” shows
us that there is hope, an end to the cycle, beyond the years. Paul Laurence Dunbar
gives the reader hope that “the soul shall find that endless peace” when all is said and
done. “Beyond the Years” breathes encouragement through excellent structure and
tone, coupled with a joyful theme. “Beyond the Years” is a perfect down-in-the-dumps
poem, instructing the reader to take heart; there is hope, peace, and rest to come!
In “Beyond the Years” Dunbar takes on a persona of a man who has finished his
years. This man is giving a message to those of us still with years to be, that when all
our work is finished, there is rest. By taking on this persona, Dunbar is able to establish
the words of wisdom as truth. Instead of the poem being filled with a possible hope, it
instead gives the idea that someone has already seen the hope to be true.
To boost the effect of Dunbar’s persona’s tale of wisdom, he uses a technique to
bring out the most in every word. In each stanza, Dunbar compares a dark and
frightful subject or circumstance, with a completely opposite notion of light and
peace. This contrast achieves the goal of encouraging the reader, showing him or her
that no matter how bleak the outlook may be, there is a light on the horizon. In
addition to this, Dunbar also uses a building block technique, giving more
encouragement in each stanza, saving the most powerful for last.
When life gets you down, remember that “Beyond the years the answer lies.”
Through the wisdom of an old man, comparing dark to the hope of light, and stacking
encouragement upon encouragement, “Beyond the Years” uplifts the weary heart.
Dunbar encourages the reader in a pleasing way, making this poem an excellent piece
to enjoy at anytime, but especially when things look bleak. The hope described in this
poem gives me peace through my hard times, and I pray it does the same for you.

7. Only a Dad
by Edgar Guest
Only a dad with a tired face,
Coming home from the daily race,
Bringing little of gold or fame,
To show how well he has played the game,
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice
To see him come and to hear his voice.
Only a dad with a brood of four,
One of ten million men or more.
Plodding along in the daily strife,
Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,
With never a whimper of pain or hate,
For the sake of those who at home await.
Only a dad, neither rich nor proud,
Merely one of the surging crowd
Toiling, striving from day to day,
Facing whatever may come his way,
Silent, whenever the harsh condemn,
And bearing it all for the love of them.
Only a dad but he gives his all
To smooth the way for his children small,
Doing, with courage stern and grim,
The deeds that his father did for him.
This is the line that for him I pen:
Only a dad, but the best of men.

8. • Sometimes we take our fathers for granted. Sometimes we forget all of the work
they do for us, both at their jobs and in our lives. In “Only a Dad” Edgar Guest gives
an ode to fathers everywhere, thanking them for all that they do. Fathers may be
“only a dad” but they are “the best of men.” No matter what his occupation, a
father is the most important of all men. Through voice and masterful
organization, Edgar Guest thanks not only his dad, but fathers everywhere for their
sacrifice.
• In “Only a Dad” Edgar Guest is the speaker, but he is not praising his father
alone, but the works of every father. By using himself as the speaker, Guest keeps
the poem intimate, yet through broad statements, universal as well. By making the
poem between himself and his father, Guest enhances the power of the poem, but
because he does not use terms specific to his father’s occupation or actions, he
gives the poem meaning to every son or daughter who reads it.
• Edgar Guest organizes “Only a Dad” in a unique way that builds from being
enjoyable to powerful. Guest begins the poem by showing the work that every
father does outside of the home, honoring the ordinary father who is “One of ten
million men or more.” Guest then moves the poem inward, to what fathers
sacrifice at home. Even after a long day of stress, a father finds the motivation to
bear it “all for the love of them,” his children.
• Even when we don’t acknowledge all that our fathers do for us, they keep doing
it anyway. Edgar Guest honors every father with “Only a Dad.” He reminds us of
the love they give us, even when they are the ones deserving to receive the love.
Through an intimate speaker and progressing organization, Guest accomplishes a
powerful piece of appreciation for fathers everywhere. I hope that after reading
this, that none of take our fathers for granted anymore.

9. Little lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who
made thee, Gave thee life, and bid thee feed By the
stream and o'er the mead; Gave thee clothing of
delight, Softest clothing, woolly, bright; Gave thee
such a tender voice, Making all the vales rejoice?
Little lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who
made thee? Little lamb, I'll tell thee; Little lamb, I'll
tell thee: He is called by thy name, For He calls
Himself a Lamb. He is meek, and He is mild, He
became a little child. I a child, and thou a lamb, We
are called by His name. Little lamb, God bless thee!
Little lamb, God bless thee!
The Lamb
by William Blake

10. •
Who made me? Why am I made like I am? “The Lamb” Reminds us to ask these questions, and reminds
us of a greater power than ourselves. William Blake through the imagery of a lamb, tells of Jesus, who is
called the perfect lamb. “The Lamb” is a piece filled with faith, thought provoking, and entertaining all
at the same time. By speaking to the symbol of Jesus about Jesus, William Blake creates a sense of irony
that intrigues the reader. Through this irony, structure, and organization, William Blake creates a faith
inspired work, that is a pleasure to read, reaching not only those strong in the faith, but new Christians
and even non believers.
“The Lamb” is constructed in a two -phased format. The first phase, the thought provoking phase,
asks the age old question, why am I here? How was something so complex as a lambs bodily system
formed? Immediately after letting this question set in, the speaker gives the answer, in an ironic and
entertaining way. William Blake compares the lamb, to Jesus, giving depth to the poem.
William Blake’s organization gives the poem its melodic flow that makes it so enjoyable. Blake uses
couplets throughout the entire poem, giving rhyme to each segment of the piece, making it flow. He
also uses couplets to add emphasis, helping key words to sink into the reader’s mind. While couplets
everywhere may seem like it would make a poem choppy, Blake masterfully employs the technique,
using it to create rhythm.
Who made me, why am I here? “The Lamb” gives peace to a heart asking these questions, in an
enjoyable and rhythmic way. Blake’s two phase plan first provokes thought, possibly unpleasant
thought, and next gives a pleasant and pleasing answer. Blake’s expert use of couplets gives the poem
its sing-song characteristics, bringing it to life. “The Lamb” is an enjoyable and entertaining poem
praising the perfect lamb.
Who Made Me?

11. from You Begin
by Margaret Atwood
You begin this way: this is your hand, this is your eye, that is a fish, blue
and flat on the paper, almost the shape of an eye. This is your
mouth, this is an O or a moon, whichever you like. This is yellow.
Outside the window is the rain, green because it is summer, and
beyond that the trees and then the world, which is round and has only
the colors of these nine crayons. This is the world, which is fuller and
more difficult to learn than I have said. You are right to smudge it that
way with the red and then the orange: the world burns. Once you have
learned these words you will learn that there are more words than you
can ever learn. The word hand floats above your hand like a small
cloud over a lake. The word hand anchors your hand to this table, your
hand is a warm stone I hold between two words. This is your
hand, these are my hands, this is the world, which is round but not flat
and has more colors than we can see. It begins, it has an end

12. Teaching Us About Learning
In “You Begin” Margaret Atwood takes a unique look into learning.
Atwood shows the redundancies in our learning journey. We are
taught certain things when we are little, and then told to broaden our
focus when we can handle it. Atwood keeps the reader entertained
and intrigued throughout the entire piece, through the speaker and
organization of the poem.
Margaret Atwood chose the speaker to be a teacher, a very logical
choice for a poem about teaching and learning. The interesting aspect
of this is that the teacher is teaching about teaching, and showing the
irony in it. This way the reader can imagine sitting in a
classroom, listening to this lesson on teaching. A very intriguing
technique, employed beautifully by Atwood, it gives the poem a
setting, and expands the impact of the piece.
A poem about learning is not something someone would expect to
be so entertaining. Atwood uses an organization pattern that
accomplishes just that. In the beginning of the poem, the speaker
states a fact that most everyone learns in his or her first few years of
life. Later in the poem, the speaker states a fact that most are taught
later in life that negates a “fact” learned as a child. This organization
method gives the poem its irony, and makes the poem what it is.
A poem about learning that is enjoyable? Margaret Atwood pulls
off this astonishing feat through her unique perspective of the subject.
She then delivers this perspective through her choice of speaker and
organization, making this poem the classic it has become.

13. The Devil’s Fear
The rooster crows, it’s time to wake
And say a prayer to the God who cares
This makes the devil cringe and shake
He knows that neither lies nor dares
Can separate one who loves from his Father
Oh how angry this does make him
And puts him in a tizzy, filled with anger and
bother
Now lets go on and take a swim
We don’t have to worry about that old devil
For our God is better than he
He is on a much higher level
And though He we cannot see
His love is more than enough for me

14. Uncommon Sense
I chose to include “The Devil’s Fear” because it is a reminder of a
lesson my father taught me when I was young. He taught me to
have uncommon sense. Yes, UNcommon sense. Common sense
tells us that we should be afraid of the devil and his wiles, but
the truth is quite the opposite. When we pray, and give our lives
to Jesus, the devil has to be afraid of us. “We are on the winning
team” he would say. God has already won the fight, we just have
to sit on the right side of the stadium.
I include a lot works about faith because it is such a driving
factor in my life, and I learned almost all of what I know about
faith from my father. From a young age, I was taught the basic
rules set forth in the bible, and expected to obey them. At the
time, some of them may have seemed silly or too strict, but now
I am thankful for each rule. Even simple rules such as “love
others as you love yourself” and “Judge not that ye be not
judged” have guided me through difficult decisions. The words
that my father taught me have seen me through joy, pain,
sorrow, loss, gain, hate, and love, for 19 years, and many more
to come. They are words that I will never forget.

15. Who am I?
Who am I?
I walk around on two feet
I am almost the same as everyone who does, will, and has
But something is different
I am not the same as anyone I meet
Nor are any two I pass
Am I a valiant man?
Do I always speak the truth?
Or am I a coward
Who flees from danger?
Am I brave like Ruth?
Do I always move forward?
And never look back in anger?
Who am I?
To try and answer would be folly
Only the sands of time can tell my story
And prove me strong or weak.
Angry or jolly
In shame or glory
Of who I am my life will speak
Who am I?
You’ll have to wait and see
‘Cause no one knows who I am, not even me

16. Who am I?
• Who am I? That is a question that I often ask myself, and the
answer is different at different stages in my life. This poem is
a reminder that actions speak louder than words. What you
say matters little, but what you do really defines you. For
example, if I boast of my bravery, but flee at the first sign of
trouble, am I really brave? Who am I then? This poem
reminds me to keep my promises, to do what I say, and speak
the truth. Because when all is said and done, I will be
remembered by my actions, not my words.
• I chose to include this poem because the principles behind
it are a huge part of my life. They are lessons taught by my
father, to show me how to live a good life. The words he
shared with me have saved me a lot of heartache, and I am
very grateful.

17. Jesus
Oh precious Jesus, how I love my Jesus
Sitting on his throne above, away from sorrow and pain
He came to save us, and though we sin, he still loves us
He came to teach, he came to love, and he came to heal, though he had nothing to gain
Though I hurt him and disobey, he is patient with me
No matter what the cost, he was determined to save me through loss
And on that fateful day he did it, up for all do see
On that day so long ago, he gave his life up on that cross
But he is dead, for he is risen
And saved us all from our own prison
Oh Jesus I love thee
And I know that you love even me

18. A Greater Love
“Jesus” is a poem about love. Not what we typically think of
when we think about love, but the greatest love anyone has
ever shown. Jesus is that perfect and powerful love. The
greatest love a man can have is “to give his life for his
brother” but Jesus did what no man could ever do. Jesus died
for every man that has ever lived, that lives now, and that will
ever live. Jesus’ love is perpetual, and is greater than any
human can ever imagine.
I chose to include “Jesus” because it is one of the most
uplifting poem’s I have written. Whenever you are feeling
discouraged, frustrated, or depressed, just remember that
everything is all right, no matter what happens, Jesus loves
you and will see you through any trial.

19. How to Make a Man by Matthew
Wright
To make a man is not a simple task to do
You must start with a boy, and he will not always listen
He has to fall, and you must let him
Though it breaks your heart through
He has to be taught to help his mother, even in the kitchen
Let him do things on a whim
Even if you know it to be foolish
You must urge him to learn the love of God
To make his heart strong
And teach him work and toil
You mustn’t spare the rod
Teach him to fight for reasons right and not wrong
For this foundation no evil can foil
This boy will drive you mad
He will make you want to tear your hair out
But when this stage is met, you know you’re almost done
For soon he will make your heart glad
And ask your forgiveness for when he would shout
His inner struggle being won
Give the boy a chance to stand
And you will have yourself a man

20. Making a Man
“How to Make a Man by Matthew Wright” is a very short summary of
how my father raised me. He taught me everything I needed to
know, helped me with anything I struggled with, but knew when to let
me fail. This was the most important lesson, and I know it was harder
for him to have to teach it than for me to learn it. He always
encouraged trying new things, urging me to try anything I was
interested in, making me well rounded. I always encouraged him to
write a book on parenting, and in loo of him doing so, I wrote this
short poem.
Though not always at the time, I now appreciate every lesson my
father has taught me, especially the hard ones. The little bit of pain I
suffered then has saved me an unimaginable amount throughout my
life. The most important rule my father followed was to do everything
out of love, even when I was not very lovable. I do not know where I
would be without him, and I hope to be half the father he is.

21. Poem for Dad
Tall and strong
I’ve always looked up to dad
He taught me right when I was wrong
He cheers me up when I am sad
And plays me my favorite song
I didn’t always understand why he told me no
I would sit and think and stew
But It was always from his heart, I know
Teaching me the things he knew
He will always be there, in rain, sleet, and snow
So that my worries may be few
Now, not just in height I’ve grown
But in wisdom and strength as well
And now I truly know the love he’s shown
And I hope this apple hasn’t fell
To far from that tree, so noble, strong, and brown
Now I see him eye to eye
But I still look up to dad
In this I tell no lie
One day I hope to make my heart glad
And know when people look at me, they see my dad

22. Dad
“A Poem for Dad” was the easiest for me to choose to
include. A dad is the first man you learn to respect. You learn
almost everything you need to know about being a man from
him, and form an unbreakable bond with him. A father and
son share a unique kind of two-way love; one is filled with
respect and admiration, while the other way is composed of
caring, responsibility, and hope. This love is similar to the love
brothers share, but is even more powerful. A father means
the world to his son, just as a son means the world to a
father, and each will move mountains for the other in their
own time. I would not have made it very far without my
father.
As much as a father is to any son, my father means even
more to me. My father has always been, and always will be,
my best friend. We share a lot of the same interests, we do
everything together, and I can talk to him about anything. No
matter what the world throws at either of us, he’s always
there for me. Because of his undying love for me, and for my
whole family, I dedicate this project to the best father a son
could ask for

23. Sources Cited
• Descriptions of Heaven and Hell by Mark
Jarman - http://www.poets.org
• Beyond the Years by Paul Laurance Dunbar -
http://www.poets.org
• Only a Dad by Edgar Guest -
http://www.poets.org
• The Lamb by William Blake -
http://www.poets.org

24. Sources Cited
• You Begin by Margaret Atwood -
http://www.poets.org