don sing don sing author poet fourth volume poetry published published productive periods career written published volumes poetry point considers poet playwright best known seven especially know bird sings poetry successful began early writing career alternating publication autobiography volume poetry poems focus survival despite threatened freedom lost love defeated dreams half love poems emphasize inevitable loss love bird refers autobiography contained volume background don sing fourth volume poetry studied began writing poetry young age rape age recounted autobiography know bird sings dealt trauma reciting great works literature including poetry helped bring self imposed publication don sing occurred productive periods career written songs composed movie scores written articles short stories scripts documentaries poetry produced plays named visiting professor colleges universities given multitude awards period including thirty honorary degrees colleges universities world years marriage husband divorced returned southern united_states accepted lifetime american studies north_carolina taught variety subjects reflected interests including philosophy ethics theology science theater writing considered playwright poet editor challenged write best known readers identify poet second like critics consider important poetry critic agrees states books best sellers poetry received little critical attention bloom believes poetry interesting bloom calls performances dynamic says moves vigorously reinforce rhythms lines tone words singing dancing stage presence predictable words phrases began early writing career alternating publication autobiography volume poetry time published published eventually going publish seven publisher placed poems collection poetry capitalize popularity following reading poem pulse morning president bill_clinton inauguration collection previous collections cool drink water fore fit rise shall moved published publisher placed poems smaller volume entitled themes according critic like previous poetry collections celebrates ability survive despite threatened freedom lost love defeated dreams states poems volume control confidence characteristic work general tone moves themes strength humor satire captures previous poetry loneliness lovers sacrifice slaves experienced defeat despair half poems focus love doomed relationships lie example speaker feels compelled use deception protect lover abandonment brief poem prelude parting speaker senses inevitable implicit end relationship especially lover draws away touch love poems volume focus deception title poem don sing describe inevitable loss love rest poems emphasize determination despite oppression black race deal cruel treatment slaves south poem family affairs uses german fairy tale framework painful origins slavery compare black white tensions critic calls wise deeply felt poem considers poem bird says inevitably brings audience circle autobiography powerful poem volume agrees calls central motif hypnotic chant cries sung states poems don sing imply long melodies sung heard hope strength overcome defeated dreams scholar agrees cites plagued journey example themes liberation found poetry poem calls beliefs limit human beings insists hope allows action forces engagement world reviews finds poetry lacking comparison prose states reader poetic language sing song school rhyme finds best poems ones structured like blues music calls poems lyrical seasoned feelings heart mind calls musical world literature today says light graceful poems lyrical emotional melancholy compares poems music especially music french singer states poems shining hurt like curving pierce hearts readers poems don sing contains poems dedicated son grandson johnson
Shaker, Why Don't You Sing?