Shake The Dust

The poem “Shake the Dust”, by Anis Mojgani, reflects on all of the various types of individuals in society. People have a certain perspective on society and everyone feels like they have to live up to that. The assumptions from people is the impossible. The expectations are perfection and for people to live their lives with no faults. Anis Mojgani validates that there is no such thing as perfection. He says three words that makes people look at life so differently, “Shake the Dust.” This poem enlightens people to love themselves and to cherish their life. As he conveys his poem with passion, his audience is given hope and happiness. Through the use of repetition and symbolism, Mojgani demonstrates that life is too short to let our thoughts and struggles manipulate our lives. …show more content…
He starts off with saying “This one is for the fat girls.” This makes the audience want to hear more. This statement is symbolizing the pressure girls receive from society. Heavier girls are usually looked down upon. The expectations from society are to be skinny and fit. He continues to name many different people pertaining to different situations. The schoolyard wimps, the bullies, and he continues to list many more different people throughout the poem. As the poem progresses, we realize that this poem connects everyone in some way. He mentions the “milk crate ball players”, symbolizing the people that don’t have a high income and have to play with milk crates instead of basketball hoops. He also mentions “the kid who is always late to class because he forgets the combination to his locker” (Mojgani). He talks about every predicament one can imagine so anyone could relate and connect to his poem. He goes from speaking about small issues to immense dilemmas, but always follows it with “Shake the