writing as a poet was heavily influenced by writers like Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni, Alice Walker and Slam poets such as Black Thought and the Later Poets. These writers write and speak about the struggles and uniqueness of black culture. Their individual experiences and political positions as well as the influences of other artists are evident in their work. For example, in Giovanni's poem "Revolutionary Music", she quotes some lyrics from Sam Cooke and James Brown to illustrate her personal views on racism and the equal rights movements. Hughes, in his article titled “Message to the President,” skillfully incorporates the political events of his time into his poem, using them to sardonically express his views on the racial inequalities occurring in his time. Black Thought and the Last Poets uses jazz and urban hip hop and their idea of blackness to convey their message. When writing my individual poems, I find it difficult not to incorporate the style of the writers mentioned. I became aware of black culture and struggled through the words of these writers. Their ideas have no choice but to be reflected in my own writing. I wrote an article called “Books, Not Bombs” that came about around the time troops were being sent to Iraq to fight a war that I didn't think was necessary. Students from my high school and city schools walked out of class to protest in front of town hall; however, we were told we would be suspended by the manager if we left. I felt like the administration was silencing our voices by threatening us with suspension. In this poem, I used a line from a local pop song by the band OutKast: "They're dropping bombs on Baghdad, but what about the bombs exploding here, right now..." This usage imitates the Giovanni and Hughes' incorporation of musical lyrics from the period to make the piece accessible to the intended audience. I was also influenced by the political and social climate that was hotly debated at the time (the war). My particular social influence reflects Robert P. Yagelski's essay "Who's Afraid of Subjectivity." In his essay, he used Donald Murray's experience writing and rewriting his article, which reflected his war years and the political controversy of his time. “… who gave the impetus to the writing of the poem and helped shape the very content of the poem..