CHOICES By Nikki Giovanni
if i can't do
what i want to do
then my job is to not
do what i don't want
to do
it's not the same thing
but it's the best i can
do
if i can't have
what i want . . . then
my job is to want
what i've got
and be satisfied
that at least there
is something more to want
since i can't go
where i need
to go . . . then i must . . . go
where the signs point
through always understanding
parallel movement
isn't lateral
when i can't express
what i really feel
i practice feeling
what i can express
and none of it is equal
i know
but that's why mankind
alone among the animals
learns to cry
Respond to the above poem. What are your thoughts? How does the poem speak to you? (Key Word: CHOICES)Use lines from the poem to support your thoughts.
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When I finished reading this poem my thoughts were to be grateful for what you have and make the best of it. Not everyone is as fortunate as yourself or I, someone always will have it harder. Also, where ever life takes you just follow that road. Yes you might have plans but sometimes it just doesn't come out like you want it so just go with the flow."Its not the same thing but its the best I can do", these 3 stanzas caught my attention and basically is the main idea of the poem. It might not be how you want it but just take it, move on and make the best of it.
ReplyDelete"if i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want". There are going to be times when we can't get what we want, we need to learn to value what we have and appreciate what we do have. Some people decide to want too much which may lead them into problems. The choices you make today determine what your future is.
ReplyDeletePeople are not always going to be thankful for what they already in life. As soon as they conquer one task,the find something else to get into. They make decisions based on how they feel, not on if it is a good choice or not."If i can't do what i want to do, then my job is to not do what i don't want to do." Most people are going to do what the want to do, no matter if its good or bad. People make choices every single day.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of people that have a lot of wants and desire it so much that they rather have the new item than keep what they already have. As I see it, yes those items are beautiful, but why waste money on a desired item when you have something that has last you for a very long time and is still useful to you 'till this day. I would rather choose to spend like money on something i actually need then to buy something new that i want, which most likely will ware out sooner then what i already had.
ReplyDeleteTHIS POEM MADE ME REALIZE BE THANKFUL ON WHAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE IS DREAMING TO HAVE THE LIFE YOU LIVING. SOME ROADS MIGHT BE ROUGH BUT YOU HAVE KEEP GOING THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON AND A BETTER OUTCOME MIGHT COME OUT ON THE ROAD YOU TOOK "it's not the same thing
ReplyDeletebut it's the best i can
do"
if i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want. I think it is good to appreciate what you have but sometimes you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone to get what you really want in life. If there's "something more to want" go and get it, choosing to sit around and appreciate what you have is only limiting your success.
ReplyDelete"If i can't do what i want to do then my job is to not do what i don't want to do." In life there are many choices and there is always a choice. No one can be forced to do something they don't want. Even if our choice is not available, we choose not to be involved in something we can't do.
ReplyDeleteGreat comments everyone!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen i finished reading this poem its understanding why someone would want to write it. "Since i can't go where i need to go then i must go where the signs point". Life itself is Hard and many people do not appreciate what life brings, Although one might want to aim at a different pathway maybe they should just follow the road thats infront of them who knows what goods can come out to be if you just let it happen. Because at the End Everything happens for a reason.
ReplyDelete"If i cant have what i want... then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want". people always look at materialistic things they want, but cant have. They spend there valuable time dreaming of things they wish they had. People need to stop wasting there time and appreciate what they do have in life.
ReplyDeleteAt first, I didn't really understand the message. I got help from my sister but her point of view was so weird and about something else..I was like..girl bye. Anyways. I finally understood to my view and it meant to not settle for less and keep trying for what you want. Even when not doing what you want, but not doing something you don't want to do. Sometimes situations are tuff, but you need to be grateful for what you have. Be very happy that you've got that something over nothing at all, and have needs better then greed. But sometimes I need guidance, even if it's not exactly what or where I wanted to go. People can guide me to somewhere but it's somewhere better then no where. Sometimes "when I can't express what I really feel,I practice feeling what I can express" -- exactly those words say what I feel at times. I think what I want to do,say, or express but can't. So I stick to having a meare thought of it, which is not what I wanted, but satisfies for the moment. So that's why I cry and learn to be self-aware of me and my choices.
ReplyDeleteWhat I got from this poem, is simple be grateful for life and that your breathing everyday. Don't complain you how can't always have what you want but rather be grateful for what you have. And if there is something you really want, then make the choices to go after it."It's not the same thing
ReplyDeletebut it's the best i can do", this to make tells me just take what you have and make the best out of it.
I love it JCarreon6... ROTFL @ "I was like... girl bye." Very well said post. I like how you wrote exactly what the poem meant for you. "When I can't express what I really feel,I practice feeling what I can express" was an important part of the poem for me as well. Sometimes we are in situations where we have absolutely no control, but we have to make some adjustments. This is very true when it is hard to express exactly what we are feeling but we want someone to "feel" us. We have to learn how to practice feeling so that we can fully express ourselves. Great, great post!!!
ReplyDeleteThumbs up at MRamos6!
ReplyDeleteThe following poem helps me understand life and appreciate what I have in life. " . . . then
ReplyDeletemy job is to want what i've got and be satisfied
that at least there", makes me reflect where I'm standing at this point in life and to look back and see everything that I've accomplished so far. I think this poem speaks out what life really is and that the choices we make shapes up our "destiny".
These are some really awesome posts... I am very elated you guys :)
ReplyDeleteThe quote "if i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want " is true in many ways. We will always want other things that we cant have. You really have to value what you do have. Sure you may not have those expensive shoes or the latest cell phone that barely came out, but what you have other people may not have it. You have to be happy with what you do have and stop worrying about what other people have that you don't.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this poem I was immediately drawn towards the third stanza "if i can't have
ReplyDeletewhat i want . . . then
my job is to want
what i've got
and be satisfied"
Being satisfied. Something that seems to be at times difficult nowadays. Nevertheless, have to learn to appreciate what we have. This entire poem led me to think of one word and that is humbleness. Being a humble person and recognizing that what you already have is enough; should you need more it will come. The last few stanzas were a bit confusing. I was able to determine that these "signs in life" are people who are trying to guide you. And then "parallel movement" shows how we can and will face some sort of obstacle that allows us to feel feelings that can't always be expressed.
"If i can't do what i want to do then my job is to not do what i don't want to do" This statement gives me alot of thought because we all want to do what we want to do.But if we know its bad then why do it.I had this experience doing what I want to do when I knew it was the wrong thing to do, and I had to pay my price.At the end of the the its all about the choice we made good or bad the choice is ours.
ReplyDeleteThis poem relates to all of us because when you're just thinkig about what you want and dont consider the fact of the valueable things you already have you think negative about yourself. When you want to go somewhere but need to go now, you have to consider that you cant always have everything you want all the time. You cant just dream about getting things, you have to do something to get what you want.
ReplyDeleteVery very insightful AGalvez5 :)
ReplyDeleteTo VEphraim5 - I believe the reason we end up making the wrong choices sometimes is because even though we cant do what we want to do, we end of doing just that because we do our job of not doing what we dont want to do. Many times that leads us right back into doing the "thing" we cant do...I know it sounds confusing but think about it...LOL!
ReplyDeleteThe quote "You Get.What You Settle For" reminds me of this. As saying even though you cant have the best you shouldnt settle for anything less. You should always strive for the best.
ReplyDelete"If i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want," This Stanza really stood out to me because if i cherish what i alrady got then what i get after that is something i would cherish even more and more. So in reality if i want something i just have to work up and reach it like if it were like a goal that i really wanted.
ReplyDeleteAs i read the poem from above i thought to my self "this is very enlightening",because for starters some people might find it to be words up until they think about it closely.If someones mind is set to the point where they give enough thought, but get more feed back they will start to understand the meaning of this poem. As we all are human beings we make the choices of our lives, wether we are in a bad or good mood our choices reflect who we are, and make of us what our life turns out to be.
ReplyDeleteThe poem meaning to me is that we must prioritize or choices and not stress over the bigger things that we can not reach, JUST YET. We must work first work with what we already have, like what was said in the third stanza,
ReplyDelete"if i can't have
what i want . . . then
my job is to want
what i've got
and be satisfied
that at least there
is something more to want".
We should all really be content with the things we already have in life, other than always wanting more and more.
I really like the poem, I especially liked the part that says, “When I can't express what I really feel, I practice feeling, what I can express.” This quote is true in so many ways. It also depends on where you are, though. If you are at a public area then its appropriate to keep your emotions and personal opinions to yourself.
ReplyDelete"if i can't do what i want to do then my job is to not do what i don't want to do" the speker appear to have a decision to make (confused). There will be times that we can not do what we want to do so then we have to do some thing we do not want. This happens when we are trying to make decisions, options, problems, and conflics.
ReplyDelete"if i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what I've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want". this poem is saying to me that there are many selfish people that are not satisfied with what they have and that we should be grateful for what we
ReplyDeleteit actually talks about choices when you don't really have the choices you believe you should have...it has to do with dealing with the fact that the only real choices you may have are between things that you didn't really want in the first place...because your "real" choice is not available to you.
ReplyDeleteThe quote in the poem “If I can't have what I want . . . then my job is to want what I've got and am satisfied that at least there is something more to want". Our generation today can relate to this quote because we always feel like we need more than what we already have. We don't think about what others have to struggle to get or sacrifice in order to get what they want or need. Were not appreciative of what we have offered to us. We don’t value the things that people have to work hard for.
ReplyDelete"If i can't do what i want to do then my job is to not do what i don't want to do." Us people are to conservative and never try to go through that other door to look for what awaits them. Just because those earrings you wanted or coolgreys you wanted didnt come to your hands,you still have something somebody else doesn't have. Like it says, "Choices". This is what our life is on either the good or bad choices but thats just how it is. Never be upset with what u make, be happy for whats the next option you have.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the poem I began to notice that she is telling us that we have to accept what is beyong our conrol.
ReplyDeleteThere are things in life that we all want and don't always get so we have to be satisfied with what we already have.
We can't change what is beyong our control but we can change the things we have in conrol. The loss of a significant someone is something we cannot control, but we can control our feelings and actions towards the loss.
"When I cant express
what I really feel
I practice feeling
what I can express
and none of it is equal
I know
but that's why mankind
alone among the animals
learns to cry."
This poem motivates me to be appreciative of what i have, because there are some people out there who would die to be in my spot. It lets us know that joy wouldnt feel so good if it wasnt for pain.And life will point us in a direction we dont really want to go but a good outcome will develop if you just dont try and control gods hand over your life.
ReplyDeleteThe stanza that stands out to me the most is , "if i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want". To me I see it as, to be grateful for what you have, because not everyone has chosen the same choices as you. To not complain, when there are others who are in far worse situations that yours. Also,"if i can't do what i want to do then my job is to not do what i don't want to do",reminds me of choosing the right choices in order to do the job you want to do. Work and strive for that goal.
ReplyDeletethe quote "If i can't do what i want to do then my job is to not do what i don't want to do." shows that alot of people arent grateful for what they have when instead they should appreciate what they do have and value it instead of complaing about it. im sure that all of us dream about things we wish we had when we should just appreciate our lives and wat we do have .
ReplyDelete"if i can't have what i want..then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want." After reading this my thoughts were to appreciate what i have in life. Just be happy with what life gives you because there might be other people in this world that might not have what we have.And sure we're are going to have alot of Wants & Needs in life but sometimes we might not get what we want. Just by working hard and saving, at the end we can and might just get that one thing we really want..
ReplyDeleteThe part that catches my attention the most is where it says...
ReplyDeleteIf I can't have what I want...then my job is to want what I've got & be satisfied...
To me this says God never gives you more than you can handle, he knows your full potential & he just wanting on you to go above & beyond to achieve it. Basiccally he's not going to enlarge your territory until your thankful/grateful for the things you already have.!
#Amen :)
This poem relates to me, i am thankful for what i have, and received. I enjoy everything i have and never to take for granted. "It's not the same thing, but its the best i can do" this statement makes me realize, yeah i might not have all the money in the world, but i'm satisfied for what i have, and i believe people are blessed in many other ways. Not everybody has a fairytale.
ReplyDeleteGreat interpretation @ JYeefoon8... One of the best by far :)
ReplyDeleteMaking choices may or may not change someones' life. Reading this poem made me realize that we do do things we don't want to do and just because we can't do what we want to do. Like the poem said "if i can't do, what i want to do, then my job is to not, do what i don't want to do." But any-who we need to appreciate what we have and be satisfied with it because later in life, like Ms. E said, we're going to end up with the "thing" we can't do, and that's where most of us get stuck and actually make the bad choice in life.
ReplyDelete- Since I can't go where I need to go then I must go where the signs point.It is your choice to have the mind set of not thinking you can't go where you need to go, and having to go where the signs point. But if you open your eyes and realize you are your own decision maker and can make your own choices, than you should be able to live above that.
ReplyDeleteThis poem can relate to the issues one may face dealing with everyday issues. The phrase," If I can't have what i want... then my job is to want
ReplyDeletewhat i've got and be satisfied ". That quote sticks out to me, because sometimes in everyday life, one must have to come to the realization that all the things that you may want, or dream of having, you may not get. So one should be satisfied and grateful for the things that he or she already has. Life can be a bumpy road, with many twists and turns in it, but one should be grateful to go through the obstacles and overcome the boundaries.
While reading this make me think of people with low living habits. Sometimes they have to make choices they don't want to get what they do need.You always will have i mind to make good choices but different situations chooses for you.
ReplyDeleteAs stated in the first stanza, "if i can't do
ReplyDeletewhat i want to do then my job is to not do what i don't want to do" basically means that you are given a choice that you really don't want in the first place. Its like they're limiting your choices in life. As in the only choices are choices that will satisfy them and not you.
People arent always thankful for the things they already have,there always wanting more than what they can get. You have to be patient in getting the things you want and in time it will come to you. In the meantime just make do with what you have.
ReplyDelete"Since I can't go where I need to go...then I must go...where the signs point." Makes me think that there are alot of things that we can not do at times but we still have to be happy and grateful. Just because we are not able at that moment does not mean that we won't ever be, because there are many oppurtunities in life.
ReplyDeleteThe poem spoke to me about myself and doing something good in life and making good choices
ReplyDeleteIn life, most of the times we do not get what we want. But we should not be wasting our time expecting to get what other have, instead we should make our own choices and see what comes out of it. We should be living our lives how we choose to and not by how other do.
ReplyDeleteThis poem relates to people in general. People are known to have their limits, either of those limits are put by themselves or forced on themselves by other things, unless they work hard.
ReplyDeleteAnyone can over-achieve those limits. When we can't achieve them and they are blocked by a barrier, we get tired and like the poem said, "i practice feeling, what i can express" so we tend to cry when we fail.
“If I can't have
ReplyDeletewhat I want . . . then
my job is to want
what I’ve got
and be satisfied”
After I finish reading this I felt that I could really relate to it because I always feel like I need more than what I already have. I don’t really think about how my mom has struggled to get me what I have. And I know there are others who aren’t as grateful for what they have. We all just need to be satisfied and appreciate what others have done for us.
This poem made me realize that, I shouldn't always "go with the flow" I should follow my heart and true thoughts because "my job is to not do what I don't want to do". This poem speaks to me in a way that makes me understand that I should be happy with what I have and also to learn that things are not always going to go my way as said in the poem, "parallel movement isn't lateral".
ReplyDeleteMGarza05
After reading this quote I realized that you can't always get what you want and you should be greatful and thankful for what you have in life."if i can't have what i want... then my jod is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want." This infers that you should be happy for what you have and what you can get in life. So, be positive and show that you are thankful for what you have and will be given in your life.
ReplyDelete"If i cant do what i want to do, then is my job is not to do what i dont want to do".This shows that people aren't greatful. They don't value what they have. One important thing is that they should be able to value. I know alot of people would love to have the things I have and there are many who value the little things they have.
ReplyDeleteThis poem to me relates to me in the way that you can always have what you want no matter how bad you want it. "if i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want" to me this speaks out to me beacause it show that you can always be satisfied with what you already have even though at first it just may seem like nothing you may soon realize it much more.
ReplyDeleteThis poem spoke to me because to me its saying just because its not what we want we are lucky to have it. Also saying Choose are not always what we want but what it offered to us. We just need to be thankful for the things we have and just work hard for the things we want if they are ment to be out in due time they will cross our path maybe it not time for that to enter our life we need to be patient and make the right steps in life
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this poem it is saying be grateful for what you have. Not everyone gets the same opportunity another person gets. An example of this is in the line that says, if i can't have what i want then my job is to want what I've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want. People should not always want something too bad to the point that they forget what they are fortunate to have.
ReplyDeleteTo my understanding, this poem relates to the people who seem to be in struggle of where their lives are heading. In life, everything is not handed to you on a silver platter. You have to work with what you are given and make do with whatever obstacle is in your way. Whinning and complaining of what "could" be done is a waist of your time. If you want something done your way, you have to do it yourself. Furhter more, I feel this poem is what defines the sloths of teenagers today. We should appreciate the small things in life and be grateful and live to your full ability.
ReplyDelete"if i cant do what i want to do then my job is to not do what i dont want to do"
ReplyDeleteSometimes you have to go through things you dont want to do in order to get to the things that you want to do. Things that you dont want to do can lead you to where you need to go in order to do what you want to do.
For example: when i grow up i want to become a nurse. In order to become a nurse i have to do things that i dont want to do, like go to college for atleast four years and get a degree in nursing. This better me to become more obligated in fulfilling my destiny in nursing.
You make your own decisions on whether to do what you want or something else instead of what you hate, how you express your feelings, and to appreciate what you have.
ReplyDelete"since I cant go where I need to go...then I must...go where the signs point". This relates to many of us as people, sometimes we follow the wrong roads. Because when we cain't go where we desire we tend to just go where life seems to take us. We let life dominate our steps instead of us taking the lead. We seem to become immune to those signs by becoming their puppets.
ReplyDeleteIn particularly, this relates to me because my whole life I've let those "signs" point me the way. They've brought me to where I am today. Till this day I really don't know where I need to go. But when I'm certain about where I'm going those "signs" will no longer point me the way, I will show them my way.
"If i can't have what i want...then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied", is saying to be grateful for what we have in life because not everyone is fortunate to have what we have achieved.
ReplyDeleteI think most people are not satisfied with what they have, always wanting more. But there is still a few that still appreciate what life gives them. I might be wrong but I am just saying what I see. Doing your best and showing that you earned it and not giving is always a better feeling, "it's not the same thing but it's the best i can do".
ReplyDeleteGreat incorporation of that line @ NGonzalez5!
ReplyDeleteThis poem relates to me in so many ways. Everything about this poem is true and understandable. I always want what I cant have when I should be wanting what I can have just like the poem states,"if i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied..." I think what the poem is trying to say is do not be greedy, appreciate what you are given.
ReplyDeleteChoices are essentially what our lives are made up of. Some of us want more of what we don't have-which in part can serve as motivation to help us work towards the things that we really want. Others just don't take a minute to sit and ponder about the things they want-they don't ask anything out of life and conform to what which in return keeps them satisfied, never extremely happy; but never too bad either. I guess the critical question is: What can you be happy with, and what do you ask from yourself?
ReplyDeleteThis poem goes to show that even though you go through things you dont like or want to go through you have to be satisfied and greatful with what you have. Like the quote says:
ReplyDelete"If I cant have what I want.... Then my job is to want what ive got and be satisfied that atleast there is something more to want"
To be happy with what you have. When you cant have what you want then deal with what you have. Dont try to be someone your not. Just go with the flow.
ReplyDeleteWell what the poem is saying be happy for what you got cause some people dont have nothing and some people are no grateful for what they got
ReplyDeleteThis is a very inspiring poem because from what i understand its telling one that they should be satisfied with what they got. I also understand that their may be times when you want something that you don't have and you won't get, so one must be glad, grateful, and blessed to have what they have because one can at least say i want more when in other places their are people that don't have anything, like the arthur said "if i can't have what i want . . . then my job is to want what i've got and be satisfied that at least there is something more to want"
ReplyDelete