The Chains That Bind Us

When first looking at this picture, I honestly saw no meaning.  In my eyes, it looked like nothing more than a person being held in chains, with some random dude lying on a hammock… but then I saw the smoke.  This revelation sparked an idea; one that I couldn't shake.  Seeing that thin wisp of smoke set in my head the thought of drugs. 

I now see it as this: that once seemingly pointless man is now setting the foundation for the entire picture.  He is an addict, unable to escape the binds of his habit.  The hands held within chains, I feel, represent this thought perfectly. 

In my opinion, the artist of this picture is trying to convey the message that we, being people, can be prisoners to our own addictions…our desires.  We can be held captive by ourselves.

"I Cry" -- Tupac Shakur

Sometimes when I'm alone 

I Cry, 

Cause I am on my own. 

The tears I cry are bitter and warm. 

They flow with life but take no form 

I Cry because my heart is torn. 

I find it difficult to carry on. 

If I had an ear to confide in, 

I would cry among my treasured friend, 

But who do you know that stops that long, 

To help another carry on. 

The world moves fast and it would rather pass by. 

Then to stop and see what makes one cry, 

So painful and sad. 

And sometimes... 

I Cry 

And no one cares about why.

Ultimately, I feel like this poem is about loneliness.  I think that Shakur is trying to convey how alone he is in the world and that if he only had a friend to confide in and be there for him, then no longer would he be lonely.  On a deeper level, I feel like the author is trying to show that not everyone in the world is going to be there for you... some people will pass you by without looking back for even a second.  The world moves too fast and people are too wrapped up in themselves to take the time to place interest in the lives of others.  Lines twelve and thirteen, "The world moves fast and it would rather pass by. Then to stop and see what makes one cry," embody this perfectly.

This poem is true to life... it tells a story that everyone can relate to.  It is inspirational.