We are things of dry hours and the involuntary plan,
Grayed in, and gray. "Dream" mate, a giddy sound, not strong
Like "rent", "feeding a wife", "satisfying a man".
But could a dream sent up through onion fumes
Its white and violet, fight with fried potatoes
And yesterday's garbage ripening in the hall,
Flutter, or sing an aria down these rooms,
Even if we were willing to let it in,
Had time to warm it, keep it very clean,
Anticipate a message, let it begin?
We wonder. But not well! not for a minute!
Since Number Five is out of the bathroom now,
We think of lukewarm water, hope to get in it.
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typing of this poem
From guest poetrylover (contact)
the second line of this poem should say "dream" makes a giddy sound, not strong/
MOD MESSAGE
Sorted -
Basics
From guest GregB (contact)
The poem describes in the phrase dream mate the ideal of young, when one thinks of soul mates and would sacrifice for love. This changes because it is not a strong, i.e., significant and pressing concern like "rent." The kitchenette building is, as another commentor has pointed out, a divided appartment. Each tenant may have a small kitchen, but they share the bathroom. When the occupant of appartment "number five" is observed or heard leaving the bathroom, those who've had a moment to wonder about the life beyond the "involutary plan" of below-living wages must forget the daydream and hurry to bathe before someone else gets in there (hoping that there's still some hot water in the waterheater's tank). Thus, the poem highlights the necessary conditions for imagination. -
Kitchenette Appartments
From guest ruth ann zwilling (contact)
I remember the first time I read Ms. Brooks poetry and how I could feel what she was saying---that was about 30 yrs. ago and I've never forgot her. Ruth -
Thanks to whoever put this up here!
I left a date, a good friend of mine, to her house last night. It's a quad. Every four rooms on the floor "shared a kitchenette" "and bathroom". Since there are only four, there is no number "5"!
I might understand why some would not understand
that deal, but as to why they would not understand onions and potatoes frying is beyond me!
Thanks again for this just super glimpse into the poet, and poetry of, Ms Brooks.
I'm not hardly as poor as when I woke up this morning!
John Johnson
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Spectacular! I absolutely love this piece!
Nurture that dream, wherever you can.
Yes.
Paul -
This has an institutional feel to it or else I don't understand why a kitchenette would be its own building - kind of like an old fashioned summer kitchen, but then there is the number 5, which sounds like a label for an inmate or at least the occupant of a room number. I love the onion fumes - "Its white and violet, fight with fried potatoes" This poem makes me wonder more about the life of Gwendolyn Brooks.
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need some answers
From guest Taylor (contact)
can some one please explain why creams cannot flourish and give examples of some of the obstacles that are in the way. PLEASE -
loved the vignette form between branching
"Kitchenette Building"is scattered from just being scared despite not settled in joy perhaps. Interesting discoveries are then juxtapose to what makes it poignant like :
"But could a dream sent up through onion fumes
Its white and violet, fight with fried potatoes
And yesterday's garbage ripening in the hall,"
which shows of lives delves into day to day living fine if no improvement needed to not be forgotten it seems. on margins more major than what can be focused on after awhile.
It reminds me of when I carried something upstairs, single stepped it like when there's extra weight of clot in the vein of the matter, strong getting around that or to it really or someone to help health.
5:57 a flute was similar to muffled talk while a child sleeps and clippers left open are hardly a checkmark if forgot to give a lullaby.
~Carolyn
P.S. heard Gwendolyn Brooks on NPR historic review of interviews and I was interested to see some work of who appeared captivated by basics.
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From guest svb (contact)
How people understand her poems am,azes me. Are you high? Or just telepathic? -
Since Number Five is out of the Bathroom now
From guest Daisery (contact)
there are many things the Number Five could represent in this poem. It could be merely that there are five people living in this small appartment and she finally gets to go in, and hopefully the water is still a little warmer that frigidly cold. It could also mean that the person is named as a number, because all the meaning in life and names is stripped when there are no reachable dreams. Another meaning is a stretch, but hey, think about it anyways. The Number Five could mean "the why." In other words in the FIVE W'S "why" is the fifth one. SO... the "Why" of life, the "why" dream, the "why" live, the "why" try has emersed itself from the bathroom. -
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... the involuntary plan,...
The "the involuntary plan," refers to the real estate plans to exploit Black people who were moving into formally White neighborhoods and the break up of formally large, spacious single family apartments into shared, cramped, overcrowded spaces for higher profits.
...Grayed in, and gray.
Renters, especially poor renters, were not property owners. They were interlopers, tenuous occupiers, not permanent--simply "grayed in." and for these people, older--"gray."
..."Dream" mate, a giddy sound, not strong
Like "rent", "feeding a wife", "satisfying a man"...
Again, to only dream was ephermeral, flighty...giddy.
Rent...Feeding...satisfying are definitive and real. These are ongoing and life-sustaining needs which must be met.
...But could a dream sent up through onion fumes
Its white and violet, fight with fried potatoes...
In Chicago, one of the southern dishes Blacks made was to fry a combination of potatoes and onions. A tenuous dream was no match for the reality of trying to "stretch" a meal with no meat.
...And yesterday's garbage ripening in the hall...
Which once again points up the lack of maintenance by the realtors or slum landlords who owned the tiny room-apartments.
...Flutter, or sing an aria down these rooms...
A dream almost has no chance against the reality of the situation.
...Even if we were willing to let it in,
Had time to warm it, keep it very clean,
Anticipate a message, let it begin?...
Bespeaks of the levels of cynacism and hopelessness as well as lack of time when poor.
...We wonder. But not well! not for a minute!
Since Number Five is out of the bathroom now,...
The dream, the "what-ifs," and longing goes poof!, when the reality of sharing the bathroom and practical needs are inserted.
We think of lukewarm water, hope to get in it.
I was once Gwendolyn Brooks' daughter-in-law and longtime Chicagoan during the racial shifts and changes. I hope this assist you.
KRR -
the poem, in essence is about the wishful thinking of a poor family. In the first stanza, Brooks over shadows the wishful dreams of the family, with the Overbearing reality of commonness like "rent". She takes the next two stanzas to wonder if dreams could even penetrate the repetitiveness of daily life. and in the last, she has the thought of a dream interrupted, after the 5th member of the house is out of the tub, and it's her turn to get in next while the water was still warm.
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a "kitchenette Building" is like the "projects" - small one or tw bedroom apartments for poor families-mostly minorities (brooks is black)
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I have to explicate this poem for english class and i am totally lost.... this poem is so strange
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Kitchenette Building is about a poor family who is trying to make it through their life, thinking of better things, and holding onto their dreams to get through the day. the singing of the aria symbolizes the dreams of her better life, since that singing is one of the few great things that she has left. The onion fumes symoblize the reality of life, such as when they ask if dreams can get through the onion fumes, they are asking if they're dreams can become real.
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Kitchenette Building is about a people who are so busy just trying to get by in life that cannot fathom dreaming about a better life.
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I NEED MORE ON THE KITCHENETTE BUILDING. LIKE WHAT IS A KITCHENETTE BUILDING? WHAT WAS GWENDOLYN BROOKS REFERRING TOO?
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good
can you tell me more about the poem "Kitchenette Building" such as why it was written or when it was written -
Can someone please tell me what "kitchenette building" is about.
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