PPC 2 Paris (Poems of Days 0-1)

Warmest Welcomes My Auspicious Audience,

I have found the greatest joys, perils and emotions are best captured in the silence of a page. These lines, without mouth or vocal, speak the loudest volumes within the chasms of the mind. They echo our own voice within the words of another. This is why I have had, maintained and will always nurture a fondness for poetry.

As I venture alongside my 24 peers, I desire to present tributes to the moments I experienced through the form dear to mon cœur (my heart).

Poetry is deeper than rhyme schemes and flowery language. Reading the works of William Shakespeare, Victor Hugo, Langston Hughes and many more is the act of seeing what is not there. The lines inscribed to pages are a guide. They let the reader navigate the experience of the poet and, in turn, create a new experience from their point of view. Here are my experiences leading up to landing in Marseille!

Day 0: T-Thirty Minutes

Poem Explanation:

This poem was written 30 minutes before midnight the night before I would depart from Dulles airport. Hence the name "T-Thirty minutes."

Fashion has been a growing passion for me. It is one of the truest expressions of the self. I began this entry with a brief description of my attire. Jordan sneakers, affectionately called 'Jays,' are known for their association to the owner of the brand, Michael Jordan. The monicker "His Airness" was a tribute to Jordan's unique ability to take flight when attempting dunks. In similar fashion, my Jordan sneakers would cling to my feet as I whisked away far distances on this venture to my goal.

"TK's" was a reference to my chapter's Theta Kappa hat. As a member of the Theta Kappa Chater of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., I always carry the proud image along with me.

I often regained my rest on flights. My flight from Dulles to Paris was no different. I dreamt above the lofty clouds and bore witness to the stars. The line "Raven Evermore" was a play off the poem "Nevermore" by Edgar Allen Poe. Similar to the raven in the poem, my yearning for France and the journey to begin had incessantly knocked at the door of my mind. However, the "N" was removed from "Nevermore" with my visitor being one of blessing rather than of grim tidings. This line found duality as I am a fan of the Baltimore Ravens as I will be for "evermore." I continued in the following line to lean deeper into disappearance accompanying the appearance of the raven. In this case, it was uneasiness replaced with peace.

The second to last pairing of lines is a tribute to Lebron. I would have been remiss in failing to acknowledge the TRUE greatest basketball player of all time as he returns to the Olympics.

Day 1: 4:44

Poem Explanation:

Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Charles James IV, the fourth generation of Omega men in my family. There is truth in it to say that the number 4 is quite dear to me. I had found many signs of the number on this day in spite of the chaos arising around me. My red suitcase weighed exactly 44.4 lbs. We had called the airline four times, twice the day before and twice the day of, to ensure my spot on my flight amidst the international outage. This outage caused many flight delays and cancellations across the world. I prayed as I saw the various messages in the GroupMe of my colleagues' issues with airlines. I had written this poem to dispel fears from my mind.

In the downtime prior to the flight, my father was watching the updates about the presidential race on the news. Shortly after, he provided me with additional funds to prepare me for my trip.

The fourth line is an ode to "What Did I Miss" from Hamilton. Similar to Jefferson's situation, I would soon be an American off to explore studies in France.

I felt it necessary to attribute my first entries to Lebron. To align the closing of the poem with my prayer, I asserted the struggles of life in contest with God in the form of Lebron's infamous block in the 2016 NBA Finals. In spite of things appearing impossible and troubles inevitable at times, he is relentless.