They Went Home

 

Words....sometimes they don’t even sound real. Yet, these short little chunks of speech comprised of a few letters from the alphabet can have a large impact on the way a person feels, thinks, and even views others around them. Words can sting. Words can make one feel instant joy. But better yet, words can act as a shifting point in one's life that was needed to help inspire them and get them off their feet. I often find myself repeating a word over and over again and thinking, "What does this even mean? How is this actually apart of speech?"; if you say a word long enough, it begins to not even sound like itself! But no matter how interesting words may sound, when you break them apart down to their root the effects they can have are not only mind blowing but also memorable. Personally, words seem to have long lasting effects on me when it seems as if they're almost stated in a rhythmic motion with a little tune in the background. Almost like a song, but so much better. What could possibly be better than song, you might ask? A poem! Poetry seems to give words life in a way that puts some of the best lyrics to shame (especially modern day music......) and makes one analyze how they relate to the world around them. I can't lie, I don't exactly have very many poems memorized by heart (unless Dr. Seuss counts...?), however, the feeling of tranquility and light hearted reflection poetry makes me feel sent me out on a quest that led to me the poem, "They Went Home" by Maya Angelou. This poem goes a little something like this: "They went home and told their wives, that never once in all their lives, had they known a girl like me, but.....they went home. They said my house was licking clean, no word I spoke was ever mean, I had an air of mystery, but......they went home. My praises were on all men's lips, they liked my smile, my wit, my hips, they'd spend one night, or two or three. But....."; Ok, this poem definitely can be spoken in a little tune, which makes it so much more intriguing, but after reading over it a few times the true meaning of the words Maya Angelou had written down started to seep in. This poem appears to tell the story of a woman who is the desire of all men's eyes; wit, charm, and mystery seems to keep them coming back in hopes of discovering more about this beautiful being, however, they seem to always flee at the end of the day and leave her feeling confused. Maya Angelou's poem highlights the value of marriage in society; the woman being spoken of in this poem represents the mistress in some marital relationships. Though the cheaters themselves may truly find this new and exciting person to be someone who is full of life and kindness, at the end of the day these men refuse to break the bond that is known as marriage. Status in society appears to matter to people more and more as the days go on, and receiving the status of an adulterer is not what most people desire, hence, why the men in this poem continue to go back home back to their wives. “They Went Home” is a powerful piece of poetic literature, in my opinion, due to the fact that it almost attempts to shed light on the fact that marriage more than likely will persevere in the end that those who seek to find companionship in someone who is already unavailable end up receiving feelings of rejection and isolation as time goes on. To think that I was able to decipher a powerful message that is constantly attempting to steer society in a more wholesome direction all from this short, little, poem is crazy. Words….they really are more than simply letters from the alphabet; their little bullets of guidance that can make one question themselves and others around them. Ya feel me?