Part of Speech: Verb

Definition:  Measure the focusing characteristics of (an eye) or of the eyes of (someone)

Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Found in “Discovering Colors in Prison” by Nancy Miller Gomez, “ The colors we keep caged, a stubborn brightness / refracted off betrayal, and hate” Line 20-21

The definition of refracted helped me understand the meaning of the sentence in the poem. Refraction is the bending of light or sound as it passes through something like a wall (sound) or a window (light). But I didn’t knew refracted had another meaning of the word and now it made more sense rereading with the definition.

Refracted

Part of Speech: Verb

Definition:  Measure the focusing characteristics of (an eye) or of the eyes of (someone) 

Source: Oxford Dictionary

Found in Line 20-21 of Discovering Colors in Prison by Nancy Miller Gomez : “ The colors we keep caged, a stubborn brightness / refracted off betrayal, and hate”

The definition of the word refracted helped me understand what was being said in lines 20 and 21. My interpretation was that these people were being stereotyped.

Opus

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: An artistic work, especially one on a large scale

Source: Oxford Ductuonaries

Found in: ”Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath, stanza 23: “I am your opus / I am your valuable, / The pure gold baby

The definition of the word opus helps me understand this stanza a little bit better. However, I am not sure that she is referencing her self to the composition of music or to her being a piece of art. I Would like to say that she is referencing herself to a piece of art saying that’s the reason as to why she is so valuable.

Gaped

Part of speech: Verb

Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Definition: To gaze stupidly or in open-mouthed surprise or wonder

Found in Line 6-8of Franny Choi,”Field Trip to the Museum of Human History” – “From the canyon? we shuffled in the dim light// and gaped at the secrets buried in clay, reborn as warning signs:”

The definition of the word gaped helped me understand what was being said in lines 6-8. In my opinion, I believed they were shocked with their findings.

Gook

Part of Speech: noun

Definition: any sticky, greasy, or slimy substance

Source: Collins Dictionary

Found in Choi Jeong Min by Franny Choi, line 5

I chose to look up this word to help both my classmates and myself to understand the poem better

Part of Speech- Noun

Definition: another way or term for hamerkop; a brown African marshbird related to the storks, which has a crest that looks like a backward projection of the head, and constructs an enormous nest.

Source: Dictionary.com

Found in Choi Jeong Min by Franny Choi

This particular word had me confuse while reading the poem because, at first I though it was referring to the striking part of an hammer, then i thought of hammerhead shark. So I had to look it up to see exactly which meaning of the word fits best for what the poet was trying to say.  I figure hammerhead or hamerkop was just a metaphor for who ever was calling her name, since an hamerkop has a long bird beak.

Part of Speech- Noun

Source: Dictionary.com

Definition:  the act or process of reclaiming

Found in spoken word poem Hair by Elizabeth Acevedo

The definition of the word reclamation, helped me get a clearer more understanding of that specific sentence in the poem.  Acevedo’s message is don’t try to fix something that isn’t broken. She speaking to everyone whether u are Latina, black or what ever race, don’t ever listen to what someone else has to say and that you don’t have to change anything about yourself or appearance.

Cadence

Part of Speech: noun

Definition: a rhythmic sequence or flow of sounds in language

Source: Merriam Webster Dictionary

Found In: “Not a Mile” by Andrew Grace line 22

I looked up the word Cadence because of curiosity of its meaning. knowing its definition helped the poem be more understanding to me

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cadence

Trusses

Part Of Speech: Verb

Definition: to secure tightly, to bind.

Source: Merriam Webster Dictionary

Found in: “hair” by Elizabeth Acevedo

Trusses

Part Of Speech: Noun

Definition: an assemblage of members (such as beams) forming a rigid framework

Source: Merriam Webster Dictionary

Found in: “hair” by Elizabeth Acevedo

I chose this word because it can be used in two different contexts.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trusses