POeT SHOTS is a monthly series published on the first Monday of the month. It features work by established writers followed by commentary and insight by The Mad Blogger, a mysterious figure who is in love with poetry and the power of the written word.
Image credit: Philip Dykhouse
The Rose that Grew from Concrete
by Tupac Shakur
Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it
learned to walk without having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.
On January 20th, at the presidential inauguration, we all saw the true power of poetry. It has the power to bring us together, to inspire us to be better than we were, and it can show us that, despite all the odds and adversity, we can be great. There has been a long tradition of poetry written to help people see their own worth and potential. One such poem is “The Rose that Grew From Concrete,” the title poem from Tupac Shakur’s post-humous collection of his poetry. In this poem we see Shakur’s belief that everyone is capable of making something of themselves.
The poem itself is delicately crafted, so much so that removing a single line or image would make the whole thing shatter. Without ever mentioning them, the poem addresses racism, poverty, and Shakur’s own personal struggles. In lines like, “[p]roving nature’s law is wrong,” and, “when no one else ever cared,” we see the oppression and inequality, but also indifference, a world that doesn’t care about Shakur because of who he is and where he is from. But ultimately, despite these odds, the rose, “learned to walk with out having feet,” and, never forgetting its dreams, “learned to breathe the fresh air.” The word never mentioned here is hope, but it is everywhere in this poem, the hope of a better future, and of rising above the limits society places on us.
Poems like this challenge us. They force us to look inward. As readers and lovers of poetry, it makes us question why we read it. But as writers, it forces us to ask ourselves, “why do we write?” Do we write merely for the validation that comes from being published? Do we write so that we can be critically praised and honored? Or do we write to change people’s lives? Do we write to help others see the beauty of hope around us, no matter how ugly the world gets? Words have power. Poetry has power. How do we intend to use it?
What does this poem say to you? How does it inspire you? Let us know in the comments.
The Mad Blogger is dedicated to showing that poetry is not some mystery. There are no right or wrong ways to read poetry; it is for everyone to read, understand and enjoy. The Mad Blogger is all of us and none of us. As long as people still believe in the power of the written word, The Mad Blogger will be there, providing insight, perspective, and (hopefully) inspiration.