Poetry has long served as a formidable instrument in the defense of democracy, offering a medium through which individuals can critique autocratic regimes and advocate for democratic ideals. The poem "A Fever-Cooked Dream" (from the book These Black and Blue Red Zone Days) exemplifies this tradition, employing vivid imagery and metaphor to highlight the perils of autocracy and the erosion of democratic values. This essay explores how the poem serves as a powerful defense of democracy, aligns with UNESCO's 2025 World Poetry Day theme of "Poetry as a Bridge for Peace and Inclusion," and fits within a literary tradition of political critique alongside works by both historical and contemporary poets. A Fever-Cooked Dream In "A Fever-Cooked Dream," the poet portrays a dystopian reality where "illusion and delusion fuel each other," likening the environment to "blood-drunk zombies and vampires gorging on lonely corpses’ frozen screams." This stark imagery conveys a society consumed by deceit and oppression, where truth is obscured, and autocratic forces prevail. The reference to "oligarchs fatally addicted to injections of powdered ice and coins clogging their veins" critiques the insatiable greed and moral decay of those in power, suggesting a leadership more invested in wealth and control than the welfare of the populace. The poem further explores the confusion between genuine emotion and fabricated sentiment: "Hard most nights to tell love from hate. To separate the sincere heat of human skin: from the convincing taste of deep-fake tears, from the artificial grin of a hacked heart." This passage reflects the manipulation of reality characteristic of autocratic regimes, where authentic human connections are undermined by pervasive propaganda and deceit. The "artificial grin of a hacked heart" symbolizes the distortion of truth, leading to a populace unable to discern reality from fabrication. In the concluding stanza, the poet describes a world where "truth is a dictator draped in see-through chaos," and laughter becomes a painful act. The imagery of "colors burn[ing] like winter in a fever-cooked dream" evokes a sense of disorientation and despair, highlighting the destructive impact of autocracy on both individual perception and societal cohesion. Alignment with UNESCO's 2025 |
| |
| |
Cultural Context and Literary Tradition
Aberjhani, in his 2007 Goodreads review of Cesaire’s book, aptly describes Return to My Native Land as a product of literary fusion, drawing upon the Negritude movement, the Harlem Renaissance, and French surrealism. This amalgamation infuses Cesaire's work with rich cultural and political nuances, addressing racism, class oppression, and the human condition. The following excerpt provide a small example from Return to My Native Land:
In this inert town, this sorry crowd under the sun, taking part in nothing which expresses, asserts, frees itself in the broad daylight of its own land. Nor in Empress Joséphine of the French dreaming high, high above negridom. Nor in the liberator rigidified in its liberation of whitened stone. Nor in the conquistador. Nor in this contempt, nor in this freedom, nor in this boldness.
At the brink of dawn, this inert city and its far beyond of leprosies, of consumption, of famines, of fears crouching in the ravines of fears, hoisted in the trees of fears, burrowed in the ground, of fears adrift in the sky, of fears piled up and its fumaroles of anguish.
At the brink of dawn, the morne, forgotten, forgetful of blowing up.
At the brink of dawn, the morne with its nervous and docile hoof – its malarial blood puts the sun to rout with its overheated pulses.
At the brink of dawn, the repressed fire of the morne, like a sob gagged on the verge of bloodthirsty outburst, searching for an evasive and unconscious ignition. (Césaire, Aimé. Notebook of a Return to My Native Land: 4. Bloodaxe contemporary French poets, pp. 103-104. Bloodaxe Books. Kindle Edition.)
As for Aberjhani’s Return to Savannah, inspired by Cesaire's work, the poem carries forward the legacy previously noted. It does this by weaving together elements of African-American experience, Southern history, and personal reflection. Both works can be situated within the tradition of protest poetry, which seeks to challenge systems of oppression and assert the dignity of marginalized communities. Additionally, they contribute to the broader tradition of lyric poetry, using language and imagery to evoke emotional and philosophical truths. The lines that follow are from Return to Savannah:
Legends tell the tourists
that spectres roam this city
but I’ve no need of tales
to explain
the red-eyed shadows
hopping like squirrels
through the greenless branches
of my immediate apprehension.
I remember when they died.
Stand amazed, now,
watching them haunt
reflections of their former lives.
The tourists hear one story
but let me tell you another:
like the one about WillieMae
who had 14 children, 9 they say
still living, just like she is
a blackwoman working split shifts
at what used to be the old
Desoto Hilton Hotel.
14 children, 9 still living
spanking, feeding, loving her brood
in-between preparing pastries
for people who’d rather not know.
(Aberjhani, I Made My Boy Out of Poetry, p. 30, Washington Publications, 1998)
Critical Race Theory and Black Lives Matter
Human Values and Universal Truths
Literary Traditions and Contemporary Significance
The significance of studying these works during National Poetry Month, Education Week, or Black History Month lies in their ability to foster critical thinking, cultural awareness, and empathy among students. By engaging with themes of identity, justice, and resilience, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of the human experience and the enduring legacy of racial injustice. Furthermore, these works serve as catalysts for meaningful discussions about the intersections of race, class, and power in modern society.
Contemporary Poets Following Similar Literary Traditions
- CLAUDIA RANKINE: Known for her collection "Citizen: An American Lyric," Rankine's work addresses themes of race, identity, and belonging in contemporary America. Like Cesaire, she delves into the complexities of racial identity and colonial history, offering powerful reflections on the Black experience.
- WARSAN SHIRE: Shire's poetry often explores themes of displacement, migration, and cultural identity, echoing Cesaire's exploration of his Caribbean heritage and the impact of colonialism. Her work, such as "Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth," captures the struggle for belonging and the search for roots in a globalized world.
- OCEAN VUONG: Vuong's poetry, as seen in his collection "Night Sky with Exit Wounds," delves into personal and collective trauma, often exploring themes of war, exile, and intergenerational memory. Like Aberjhani, he grapples with the complexities of identity and history, weaving together personal narrative with broader socio-political reflections.
- JERICHO BROWN: Brown's poetry, particularly in his collection "The Tradition," explores themes of race, sexuality, and history in America. Much like Aberjhani's "Return to Savannah," Brown's work confronts the legacy of slavery and the ongoing struggle for racial justice, offering a nuanced exploration of African American identity and heritage.
Lesson Plan: Teaching Césaire and Aberjhani Simultaneously
1. Pre-Reading Activity:
- Introduce students to the historical and cultural contexts of Negritude, the Harlem Renaissance, and French surrealism.
- Discuss the significance of poetry as a medium for social and political commentary.
- Divide students into small groups and assign each group either Cesaire’s poem or Aberjhani’s poem.
- Ask students to analyze the themes, imagery, and literary techniques employed by the respective authors.
- Facilitate discussions on the historical and philosophical implications of the poems.
- Bring the groups together to compare and contrast Cesaire’s and Aberjhani’s works.
- Encourage students to identify common themes, motifs, and stylistic elements.
- Discuss how each poem reflects the cultural and historical contexts of its respective author.
- Lead a class discussion on the contemporary relevance of Cesaire’s and Aberjhani’s works in the context of Black Studies and social justice movements.
- Encourage students to reflect on how the poems contribute to their understanding of identity, history, and human experience.
- Invite students to create their own poems inspired by the themes and styles of Cesaire and Aberjhani.
- Research and present on other contemporary poets whose works align with the literary traditions explored in the lesson.
In Conclusion
By ChatGPT Op-Ed Contributor 4114
Special to AI Literary Chat Salon 2024
Moreover, according to the Geneva Academy: “Our Rule of Law in Armed Conflict Online Portal (RULAC) classifies all situations of armed violence that amount to an armed conflict under international humanitarian law. Today, it monitors more than 110 armed conflicts and provides information about parties, the latest developments, and applicable international law. Some of these conflicts make the headlines, others do not. Some of them started recently, while others have lasted for more than 50 years.”
In the face of such turmoil, is it possible that poetry might serve as a powerful tool for both preventing and navigating through the abyss of war? We will delve into two thought-provoking poems, "October 2023" and "The History Lesson" (text in section further down) to analyze how poetry can contribute to dialogues surrounding military conflicts; and, subsequently, we will identify several additional classic poems from the past and by more contemporary poets that are comparable in their ability to shed light on the complexities of war.
THE ESSENCE OF POETRY
POEM: OCTOBER 2023
to an unquantifiable degree.
Feeding off toxic madness,
which then excretes chaos
completely indifferent
to the slaughtered rhymes and
screaming reasons of human beings.
In "October 2023," author-poet-artist Aberjhani confronts the grotesque nature of war. The poem highlights war as a manifestation of madness and chaos, feeding on the suffering of humanity. The imagery of "toxic madness" and "slaughtered rhymes" speaks to the senseless destruction that war begets. The poem's tone is one of condemnation and despair, reflecting a plea for a different path, one that avoids the horrors of war.
POEM: THE HISTORY LESSON -
RESILIENCE OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT
the back yard. Prophecies and
rumors of prophecies all came true.
A despot bound for hell
took the long way to a very bad day.
A feather-throated songboy screamed
madness from atop his platinum-plated cross.
But the temple of your presence?
It never shook once.
Biblical atrocities stormed chaos
from New York to Bagdad to Freetown.
The sun and moon of your face refused
to hide behind Armageddon.
Wisdom gushed like diamonds from your brow:
“Knowledge planted in truth grows in truth.
Strength born of peace loses nothing to hate.”
How many fears came between us?
Earthquakes, diseases, wars where hell
rained smoldering pus
from skies made of winged death.
Horror tore this world asunder.
While inside the bleeding smoke
and beyond the shredded weeping flesh
we memorized tales of infinite good.
(from ELEMENTAL, the Power of Illuminated Love)
From a sociological perspective as well, "The History Lesson" reflects the adaptability of societies and individuals in the face of war. Societies can emerge from conflict with a renewed sense of purpose, strength, and unity. The philosophical aspect resides in the notion that inner peace and wisdom can transcend external chaos, underscoring the power of the human spirit to find meaning and goodness even in the most trying circumstances.
COMPARABLE POEMS FROM CLASSIC LITERATURE
"The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1854): This poem, written in response to the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War, highlights the blind obedience and sacrifice of soldiers in the face of war. It can be compared to "October 2023" as it explores the devastating consequences of war while emphasizing the importance of critical thought in decision-making.
"Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen (1920): This World War I poem reveals the horrors of warfare and the disillusionment experienced by soldiers on the front lines. It serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and can be compared to "The History Lesson" for its focus on the human experience in the midst of conflict.
COMPARABLE CONTEMPORARY POEMS
"In the Event of My Demise" by Tupac Shakur (1991): Tupac Shakur's poem delves into the themes of mortality, social injustice, and personal transformation. It speaks to the pressing issues of violence and inequality in urban America, offering a contemporary perspective on the impact of conflict on society.
"The End and the Beginning" by Wisława Szymborska (1993): This poem by Nobel laureate Wisława Szymborska reflects on the aftermath of war and the cycle of destruction and reconstruction. It invites readers to consider the enduring resilience of human societies in the face of devastation.
In Poetic Conclusion
ChatBack Op-Ed Contributor 3308
Special to AI Literary Chat Salon Launch 2023
Articles in AI Literary Chat Salon are written in partnership with chat bots to achieve a wide spectrum of balanced objective input and authentic human considerations. All feedback related to posts welcomed.
Archives
May 2025
March 2025
February 2025
August 2024
June 2024
April 2024
February 2024
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
Categories
All
1925 Survey Graphic Magazine
2023 Headlines
2023 Top Stories
2024 Headlines
2024 Top Headlines
2024 U.S. Presidential Election
2025
2025 Top Headlines
20th Anniversary
20th Century Literature
20th Century Poets
21st Century Artists
21st Century Authors
21st Century Influencers
21st Century Innovations
21st Century Photographers
21st Century Poets
21st Century Presidents
21st Century Thinkers
Aberjhani On The Age Of AI
Aberjhani On The AI Revolution
Aberjhani's AI Literary Chat Salon
Ada Limon
Advanced Placement African American Studies
Advanced Placement African-American Studies
African American Authors
African-American Authors
African-American Expats
African American Legacies
African-American Legacies
African American Men
African-American Men
African Americans
African American Studies
African-American Studies
African-American Women
African Traditions
African Voices Magazine
Age Of AI
A.I.
AI
AI And Author Poet Aberjhani
AI And Author-Poet Aberjhani
AI And Creative Artists
AI And Cultural Arts
AI And Cultural Bias
AI And Ethics
AI And Human Accountability
AI And Literature
AI Artists
AI Authors
AI Century
AI Discussions
AI Editorials
AI Governance
AI In The Classroom
AI In The Modern World
AI Lit Chat Salon Contributor
AI Lit Chat Salon Host
AI Lit-Chat Salon Host
AI Literary Chat Salon
Aimé Césaire
Aimé Césaire
AI Op Eds
AI Op-eds
AI Revolution
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Alfred North Whitehead
Allen Ginsberg
American History
American Literature
American Politics
American Presidents
And People Of Color)
Angela Kinamore
Angel Art
Angel Art By Aberjhani
Angelicus
Angel Of Hope’s Persistent Flight
Angel Poems
Angels
Anti-war Poetry
Aretha Franklin
Aristotle
Ars Poetica And Other Poems
Art By Aberjhani
Artist Author Aberjhani
Artist-Author Aberjhani
Artistic Beauty
Artist-poet Kahlil Gibran
Artist-poet William Blake
Art Of Spiritual Surrealism
Art Reviews
Audre Lorde
August 2023
Author Alex Haley
Author Artist Aberjhani
Author-Artist Aberjhani
Author--artist-documentarian
Authoritarian
Authoritarianism
Author James Baldwin
Author Poet Aberjhani
Author-Poet Aberjhani
Autobiography Of Malcolm X
Autocracy
Autocracy And Poetry
Autocracy In America
Autocratic Attempt
Autocratic Breakthrough
Autocratic Consolidation
Autocratic Transformation
Barack H. Obama
Best Books Of 2023
Best Poetry Of 2023
Billionaires
BIPOC (Black
BIPOC Savannah
BIPOC Savannah Author Aberjhani
Black Manhood
Black People In The U.S.
Black Poetry Day
Black Voices
Black Women In Music
Book Reviews
Books
Books By Aberjhani
Books By Sandra L. West
Books By Savannah Authors
Books By Stanley J. White
Books By Women
Books Chapters
Books Covers
Bridges
Bright Skylark Literary Productions
British Authors
Buchi Emecheta
Buddhism
Canadian Authors
Canadian Literature
Carl Jung
Celebrating Books
Celebrating Literature
Celebrating The Harlem Renaissance
Chatbot
ChatGPt
ChatGPT Commentaries
ChatGPT Guest Contributors
Chat Salon
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chinua Achebe
Choice Academic Title Award Winners
Christian Traditions
Classic Books
Classic Poetry
Claudia Rankine
Clement Alexander Price
Color Red
Community Engagement
Comparative Literary Analyses
Compassion
Conceptual Art By Aberjhani
Conrad Aiken
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Contemporary African Writers
Contemporary Art
Contemporary Artists
Contemporary Authors
Contemporary Poetry
Contemporary Women's Literature
Copyrights And AI
Correcting Disinformation
Correcting Misinformation
Courage
COVID-19 Pandemic
Creative AI
Creative Projects
Creative Resistence
Creatives
Creativity
Critical Race Theory
Critical Thinking
Cubism
Cultural Arts
Cultural Bias
Cultural Heritage
Cultural Icons
Cultural Identity
DEI Diversity Equity Inclusion
Democracy
Democratic Spirit
Digital Art For Sale
Digital Dialogues
Digital Transformation
Disinformation
Displacement
Diversity
Doctors And Nurses
Documentarians
DOGE
Domestic Politics
Doris Lessing
Dreams Of The Immortal City Savannah
Duino Elegies
Dulce Et Decorum Est By Wilfred Owen
Dystopia
EBooks By Aberjhani
Economic Piracy
Edited By Aberjhani
-Ed On AI
Education
Education Week
Elegy
Empowerment
Encyclopedia Of The Harlem Renaissance
Encyclopedists
Erica Jong
Essential Workers
Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge
Existentialist Philosophy
Existentialist Thinkers
Fact-checking
Farenheit 451
Feminism
Flannery O'Connor
Folklore
Forced Human Migration
Free To Read
French Martinique
Geneva Academy
George Orwell
Georgia Department Of Transportation
Georgia Port Authority
Geurrilla Decontexualization
Global Solidarity
Gospel Music
Great Britain
Haiku
Hamas-Israel War
Hannah Arendt
Harlem New York City
Harlem Renaissance Artist Aaron Douglas
Healers
Heritage
Historical Context
Historical Moments
Human Artist Aberjhani
Human Artists
Human Condition
Humanity
Human Rights
Ideological Divides
Ideologies
Ideology
Image Slideshow
Inclusiveness
In Defense Of Democracy
Indigenous
Influential Books
Infrared Photography
Infrastructure Projects
Inspiration
Inspiring
Institutional Racism
Intergenerational Memory
International Authors
International Humanitarian Law
International Law
International Photographers
International Poets
International Politics
Iris Formey-Dawson
Islam
Israel At War
Israel-Gaza Conflict
Israel Hamas War
Israel-Hamas War
Italo Calvino
Ja A. Jahannes
James Baldwin Centennial
January Sixers
Jazz
Jean Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jericho Brown
Jerome Meadows
John Berendt
Joshua Clover
Joy Harjo
Karen E. Johnson
Karuna
Lagos
Language
Leadership
Leadership Theory
Legacy Poetry
Legendary Authors
Legends Of Literature
Lesson Plans
Lesson Plans For Teaching Poetry
Literary Activism
Literary Analysis
Literary Anthology
Literary Biographies
Literary Contexts
Literary Correspondence
Literary Criticism
Literary Critique
Literary Essay
Literary Genres
Literary Interpretation
Literary Legacies
Literary Legends
Literary Philosophy
Literary Quotations
Literary Reviews
Literary Salon
Literary Savannah
Literary Studies
Literary Symbolism
Literary Touchstone
Literary Traditions
Mainstream Media
Malcolm X 100
Malcolm X Artwork By Aberjhani
Malcolm X Centennial
Malcolm X Day
March Thomas
Marginalized Populations
Martin Heidegger
Mary C. Lewis
Masha Gessen
Midnight Flight Of The Poetry Angels
Miltary Campaigns
Misinformation
Musical Legacies
Music Education
Music Industry
National History Week
National Poetry Month
Negritude Movement
New Book Releases
New Paperback Releases
Nietzsche
Nigeria
Nigerian Literature
Nigerian Society
Nigerian Writers
Ocean Vuong
Octavia E. Butler
Octavio Paz
October 7 Attacks On Israel
Oligarchy
Orwellian
Pandemic Art
Pandemic Literature
Pandemic Poetry
Paul Ricoeur
PEN America
PEN International
Pesonalism
Philosopher Paul Ricoeur
Philosophical Concepts
Philosophy
Photography
Poem By Aimé Césaire
Poem In Your Pocket Day
Poems About Angels
Poems About Barack Obama
Poems By Aberjhani
Poems By Marc Thomas
Poems By Stanley J. White
Poet Duncan McNaughton
Poetics
Poetic Utterance
Poet Marc Thomas
Poet Mary Oliver
Poetry
Poetry And Autocracy
Poetry Books
Poetry Lesson Plan
Poets Against War
Poets And War
Poets Of War
Poet T.S. Eliot
Political Analysis
Political Critique
Political Oppression
Political Philosophy
Political Theory
Polysemy
Post Modernism Creatives
Post-modernism Creatives
President Of The United States
Presidents Day
Prolific Authors
Public Discourse
Purchase Art By Aberjhani
Quarantine
Queen Of Soul
Quotes About James Baldwin
Quotes By Aberjhani
Quotes By Malcolm X
Rainer Maria Rilke
Ray Bradbury
Read For Free
Red
Resilience
Return To My Native Land
Return To Savannah
Rhythm And Blues
Rosemary Daniell
Rotimi Ogunjobi
Rule Of Law In Armed Conflict
Savannah Artiststs
Savannah Authors
Savannah Georgia
Savannah-Georgia
Savannah River Bridge Art By Aberjhani
Savannah River Crossing Project
Savannah Tribune
Sedat Pakay
Self-education
September 2023
Short Stories
Sigmund Freud
Simone De Beauvoir
Social Justice
Social Media
Social Philosophy
Social Theory
Socio-economic Disenfranchisement
Sociology
Songs From The Black Skylark ZPed Music Player
Speaking Truth To Power
Spiritual Philosophies
Spiritual Traditions
Spiritual Values
Stanley J. White At The A.I. Literary Chat Salon
Study Guides
Surrealism
Surving Autocracy By Masha Gessen
Survival
Suzanne Jackson
Sylvia Plath
Taras Shevchenko's
Teaching African-American History
Teaching AI
Teaching Diversity
Teaching Literature
Teaching Modules
Teaching Plans
Teaching Poetry
Teaching Work By Aberjhani
Teaching Work By James Baldwin
Teaching Writing
Terrorism
The Parable Of The Sower
The Redbridge Review
There Upon A Bough Of Hope And Audacity
The River Of Winged Dreams
These Black And Blue Red Zone Days
The Waste Land By T.S. Eliot
Timothy Snyder
Toronto Writers
Tracy K. Smith
Travel Anthology
Tribute Poems
Tribute To Canada's Stanley J. White
Trilogy
Tupac Shakur
Ukrainian Poets
Unheimlich
United Nations
U.S. Constitutional Crisis
U.S. Department Of Education
U.S. Government
U.S. In The Middle East
U.S. President Donald Trump
U.S. Presidential Election
U.S. President Joe Biden
Valentines Day Love Letter
Virginia Woolf
Wallace Stevens
Walt Whitman
War And Peace
War In The Middle East
Warsan Shire
Washington DC
Weaponization
William Carlos Williams
William Faulkner-William Award
Wisława Szymborska
WOKE Authors
WOKE Principles
Wole Soyinka
Women Authors
Women In Education
Women In Music
Women Poets
Women's Sexuality
Women Writers
Women Writers In Savannah
Working With AI
World Literature
World Poetry Day
Writers And Artists
Yoko Tawada