Ms. Marvel Artist Statement

Captain America was scolding/reprimanding Kamala so she was portrayed going from normal to small because she wanted going into her own shell for several reasons. She felt that by going into a cocoon,; she could disappear and not standout from her teenage friends or society from discrimination of her religion, culture, race and what’s happening to so many Muslims in this war of terrorism.

That is why I chose to write  a poem and touch on these issues but I was also a victim of bully, discrimination, racism and  I related to what she went through as a teenager and still as an adult.

If the people in this world do not change their attitudes, behaviors… This  world will still stay in division and will not progress. We need to start to learn on how to get along with each other and learn the meaning of RESPECT!!!!!!

Ms. Marvel

I am just a teen

Why are you being so mean

Wanna to take a stand

for you to only reprimand

So many people still judged by their race

For there never ought to be such a place

They feel superior and they differentiate

Against those who are different and discriminate

we suppose to live in a socialized democracy

Jim Crow laws will never let me free

they judge you by where you come from and the color

of your skin

for many equality and respect seems impossible to win

painting faces black, doing a song and dance only  leads to division and war

just to show how ignorant many people dedicate themselves  to these laws

those men who once whore hoods and robes

today wear shirts and ties I’m told

divide and conquer is their plan

kick us out of our homeland

people of color convinced that all is well

a chilling fact indeed

and my mind’s confusing as hell

they seek to kill, steal, and destroy

we can’t let them succeed

or they will use us as their toys

just like Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss

hell will be your eternal bliss

early Americans discovered had smaller, slender faces, and narrower skulls pay attention

Native Americans closely resembled the modern  people of Africa, Australia, and South Pacific I have to mention

without the Cherokees, Tainos, Pocahontas… many  would not exist

Christopher Columbus discovered America and so many lies there’s not enough space on this paper to list

we don’t walk around with useless chains

but much credit not given – unclaimed

he scars on our feet and hands still feel the same

oh what a crying shame

God I love you  – you refuse to  leave my side when I’ m spat at, beaten, humiliated, break down and cry

A world of hurt, hate and lies

a broken mind is terrible thing to face

when one’s world is crumbling all around I still have Faith

Don’t feel sorry for me, my pain is real

I’m not lying this how I feel

You point and laugh,  saying it can’t be true

It is for me, just not for you

my clothes, my hair

how I talk, the clothes I wear

cold as ice and black as night

it’s not our heart, ti’s your soul

killing me must be your goal

you’re getting close, no doubt, you know

creeping, lurking, you don’t have far to go

soon enough, you’ll reach the end

you’ll have my soul to tear apart from limb to limb

but you don’t know, you never ask

the look on my face, is giving me away

I wonder, what will you say

how long this will last

many rial  have come my way

but let me say

that Jesus has been there through it all

when words lashed and whips gashed

and made me fall

he rescues me and remind me that he’s the one

the  one that I can call

no matter how many fears

and when I think I’m alone here

I close my eyes and feel you get close; drawing near

America great

OR

America hate

red, white and blue

Not any different from the colors of me and you

just because my head is covered

it doesn’t mean I’m  a terrorist, a killer or a robber

it shows I follow my religion right

but still a soar for your sight

Of course I’m fine, why do you ask

Oh, don’t mind this, it’s just my mask

don’t think it hides the grief, it hides my gripe

I wear it to escape my LIFE

Anon(mous)

In order for me to analyze the play Anon(mous), I felt that I needed to orient myself more to better understand it and get a few questions answered, by doing so, I should read The Odyssey. In the playwrite interview Papatola, Dominic, P. “There’s No Place Like Home American Theatre. February 07, Namoi Iizuka said, “If you know The Odyssey, then your experience of the play will be enriched.

In Odyssey, an epic poem about a Greek hero, Odysseus hasn’t returned from a 10 year Trojan war; his wife, Penelope, is being pressured by a crowd and 108 suitors into marrying one of the suitors to place of the absent husband. There is a plot to murder Odysseus upon his return. Telemach, Odysseus’ son is urged to seek his father. Odysseus spent 7 years in captivity on Ogygia. Poseidon wrecks raft when Odysseus tries to escape. Odysseus reveals his identity to Princesss Nausicaa and reveals his name to Cyclops, Poseidon’s son. Poseidon cursed Odysseus to wander the sea for 10 years which he lost most of his crew and returned home with others. The witch-goddess, Circe turned half his men into swine and fed them cheese and wine. Odysseus encountered the spirit , Elpenor; unnoticed by others and summoned the spirit of the prophet Tiresias for advise on how to appease Poseidon upon his return. He met spirits of famous men and women. Anhilles told him about the land of the dead. On another voyage, Odysseus didn’t drown because he listened to the song, was to the mast and told the sailors not to untie him. Odysseus prayed. When Zeus punished them they suffered a shipwreck but Odysseus clung to a fig tree above Charybdis. Odysseus got stuck on an island of Ogygia as Calypso’s lover. He was  homesick, bored until she was ordered by Zeus to release him. He didn’t know how long it would take him to get  home and to his family so, with the help of Athena, he disguises himself as a beggar named Telemachus to escape an ambush of his wife’s suitors. He reunites with his father and reveals his identity to him. Disguised as a beggar, Odysseus, arrives at his palace and Penelope sees a resemblance between the beggar and presumed dead husband. Knowingly, she proposes to, at last, marry the suitor who wins the contest. With confidence, Odysseus is the only that can pull off the feat; she had no worries. Odysseus wins contest, kills the suitor, Antinous, leads the massacre of the suitors and finally reveals his identity to  Penelope and Ithaca is at Peace.

Now, Knowing the the adaptation of  The Odyssey, I could relate to the play, Anon(mous) much better. This play I feel was not about refugees, some made it here and made a life for themselves but others like Anon, his mother, Nemasani, along with others, were trying to make it but all were traumatized by war while trying to escape to America. Once they survived the ordeal of breaking that barrier of entering into the US, they still have another war to fight. A war of mental illness like trauma, any negative life event like war, natural disaster, rape, loss of a  family, can generate as many symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (Freeman, Daniel. & Freeman, Jason. Anxiety: aVery Short Introduction. Oxford. 2012. p.105)

I came to this  conclusion by reading The Odyssey and  Anon(mous). In The Odyssey, there were many Gods, Goddesses, spirits, the Sirens-enchantresses who lure sailors to their deaths with their beautiful voices, so I came to the conclusion that Anon wasn’t suffering from Schizophrenia. He sounds more of an individual that was traumatized by the flashbacks, memories and sound of war. For example, when he was alone at night in part 2 and he’s talking where he from there was, he describes the  bombs, M16, the air smelling like death, the sounds of war…

One of the Post traumatic stress disorder symptom is Reliving Traumatic Event: This can take the form of nightmares or flashbacks, when the person feels that they are right back in the midst of the horror. Thoughts of the trauma constantly recur, no matter how doggedly the person tries to forget. Distressing memories can be sparked by the smallest things – perhaps a particular sound or smell, a place, or the look on someone’s face. (Freeman & Freeman. Anxiety: A  Very Short Introduction. Oxford. 2012. p. 104).

Not only did Anon suffered from these flashbacks and memory of war so did Nsareen, Ali  and Ritu, so, I feel that in this play most refugees suffered from trauma  and PTSD. Nemasami was suffering from sexual harrasment from Mr. Mackusnand not knowing whether her son was alive or dead. This also falls under the category of PTSD.

When Anon sees Naja, this could be a severe form of PTSD with Psychosis. This is the main reason why I went back and read the playwright which lead me read the epic poem, The Odyssey.

Since Anon missed his hometown, was on the search of his mother, didn’t feel comfortable i anyone’s home, saw a human being get killed and almost got killed himself, I feel all these were traumatic events which would definitely lead him to a life with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has three levels of symptoms:

  1. Mild Symptoms: anxiety, nightmares, avoidance of stressful events.
  2. Medium Symptoms: social withdrawing, depression, mild flashbacks of the stressor
  3. Severe Symptoms: psychosis, reliving the events,extreme physical exemptions   Robert, Catherine.  www.activebeat.com. The signs, symptoms and causes of PTSD. March 18

I found most interesting, that Ms. Naomi didn’t give Anon a name or much details like where his mother or himself  in the Odysseus, the main character, Odysseus, had several different names, a palace, hero, wife named Penelope, knew his father, and earned respect. Nemasani, which was called Penny was his mother. Penelope – Penny, too coincidental. There was killing in both.  The princess keeps him prisoner for a short term. Sounds like what Calista wanted? Cyclops said that Nobody blinded him. Nobody is one of Odysseus names and when the chorus sings in the Anon(mous) it is similar to  when the Sirens sing. The Odyssey gives you a the name of the war and a time frame. Also, you know they are Greeks, he’s married, get’s to go back home, get reunited with his wife and father.

Odysseus means “trouble” in Greek referring to both the giving and receiving of trouble. His trait is cunning intelligence – “metis”. He is described as “peer of Zeus” because his intelligence is manifested by use of disguise to alter his appearance. Also by his use of deceptive speech when he told Cyclops Polyphemus that his name was Nobody. Cyclops  Polyphemus yells Nobody is hurting me when other Cyclops asks why he’ screaming. Lastly, Odysseus shows arrogance and pride(hubris). http://www.gradesaver.com/theodyssey

Anon is somewhat similar to Odysseus because they both struggle to go back home. Anon finds his mother at the end. They both get into altercations, experience dealing with goddesses, shipwrecked, have the same name Nobody, use cunning intelligence and deceptive speech. They both have to deal to with situations with the opposite sex that they really don’t want to. Dealing with war, natural disaster, and getting out of dangerous situations I believe they both suffered from trauma.

P. S. S. You will always be in my heart

Dearest mother I hope that when you receive this letter you are in the best of health             
Mom  this is usually how I start my letters to you but this time is not the case.
Dear mom now I know you are well and so am I
I talk to you every day but no response
So I write which I know you will see especially mom when I frame it and hang it next to your picture
Dear mom I remember during the school year most of the time I was with one aunt in Brownsville
Mom and all summer long in Coney Island with my other aunt
Mommie Dearest why out of 3 you always kept 2
Mother I was your ONLY DAUGHTER THEY WERE BOYS
Dear mom at age 11 you relocated to a town on Pennsylvania
Mom at the end of the summer you picked me up in Brooklyn
Mother You took me away from my family
Mom making me feel like an outcast
Mom a black sheep, exiled, and destituted
Dear mom I need you to talk you
Mom I don’t feel comfortable here
Mom I am having trouble
Mom having trouble making friends
Mother I don’t like this nook
Mommy please send me back to New York with my aunts and cousins
Mother you told me I had to graduate high school before I could transfer back to New York
Dear mom remember all the times I said I love you
Mommie dearest what was your response
If wasn’t silence mom
It was —- RESPECT —- Present yourself with poise and confidence — Interact with others— Make good solid choices —
Mom You told me — Conduct yourself honorably — Be responsible — Keep your morals — Have faith
Mommie dearest all this sounds so easy but at times the the stakes were much too high
Dear mom reminiscing of the morning when You ran in my room
Mommy waking me crying profusely
Mommy drenching my long black hair
Mom you grabbed me in your arms
Mommy didn’t want to let go because you had a vivid dream
Mom you told me that my ex-boyfriend was going to kill me
Mommy by God’s grace I escaped
Mom I was feeling ashamed, vulnerable, not wanting you to see my disfigured face
Mommy fearing for my life, I eluded to New York
Mommie dearest you shunned me
Mommie dearest for not wanting to go back to that hell hole town in Pennsylvania
Mommie dearest with you after almost being killed
Mom can’t you understand I was victimized
Dear mom fearfully feeling like I’m standing on a tight rope waiting to fall
Mom everyone watching, taking bets
Mother no one wanting to lose, ill-concealed I am a captive
Mother hostage of my vicious anger
Dear mom a facade of crying eyes now contorted with evil cruelty
mom the pain of holding too much inside
Dear mom the torture that chips away slowly at my heart
Mother Pent up, Always fighting, Feeling Crucified, My fiery soul
Mom missing in action mortally my purgatory was everyone’s hell
So as I stand and ponder mom
Thinking I have THE SOLUTION
Dear mom volcanically, trying to make everything disappear
Mom yet it stays complete and destroys me
Mommie fiercely I’m hurting inside
Mom I yell for liberation but you are not there to hear my pleas
Dear mom profoundly I feeling so lonely in such a big world
Mom don’t want to confront crisis reluctantly the decision has to be without restraint
Mother entrenched all I want is FREEDOM
Dear mom invitation to go through with what’s already being planned
Mommie undoing what has been done is impossible
Dear mother Termination
Dear mother who will feel afflicted but I’m too tired of feeling anything
Mom can’t you see?
Mom don’t you care?
Mom don’t you listen?
Mom are you afraid of what might follow once you start or
Mom would you rather not believe I’m in so much agony
Mother that all your wisdom and good advice must be in vain
Dear mother I feel like destruction is pulling me under
Mom kicking and mauling – fighting to stay above destruction but
Mom destruction won’t let go
Mommie it’s crippling me and raging me
mommie it’s an excruciating, tortuous path that forces and gnaws away at my happiness
Dear mom guiding to agonizing deep-rooted bitterness
Mommie please grab my hand and don’t let go
Mom pull me away from the destruction’s vice-like grip
Mom there is a thin line between me and the border of light and dark
Mommie where are you?
Mom don’t abandon me!
Mother I gave into the demons that – that I once held in my heart
Mom can’t – too late – help me from my weakness
So mom I slowly slip below the world of conscientious
Dear mother obscured by the possessors of that world
Mother I don’t want to fight anymore I’ve given into mayhem
Dear Mother the way I think, the way I feel, you always told me that you never understood
Dear Mother I impacted relationships, wasn’t able to achieve goals (even hindered)
Mommie dearest didn’t meet your standards most of the time
Mom I had many struggles to live my day-to-day life but
Mommie dearest what you failed to understand is that everyone is different
Mother affected differently, impacted differently in life
Mom not just the suffers- ME but
Mom those who you love – You
I LOVE YOU MOM
Dear mom what’s always important to remember and appreciate is that
Mommy I can get better and learn to successively achieve my goals
Dear mom I am beautiful, irreplaceable and unique
Mother I could make my own contribution to this world
Therefore my mother dear living a double life I could no more
Mom I stopped asking WHY
Dear mom now I try to forget as many reminders and reliving the past
Dear mom all the nightmares will not go away
Dear mom taking it one step at a time and day by day
Mom I will progress and live a better productive life
Dear mom writing and talking helps me so
Mommy I will talk and write to you more frequently
P.S. I LOVE YOU Mom
P.S.S. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEART MOMMY