But
largely, c’mon — you and I both know — real live American poetry is
absent from our public schools. The teaching of poetry languishes, and
that region of youthful neurological terrain capable of being ignited and
aria’d only by poetry is largely dark, unpopulated, and silent, like a
classroom whose door is unopened, whose shades are drawn.
This
is more than a shame, for poetry is our common treasure-house, and we need its
aliveness, its respect for the subconscious, its willingness to entertain
ambiguity; we need its plaintive truth-telling about the human condition and
its imaginative exhibitions of linguistic freedom, which confront the general
culture’s more grotesque manipulations.
We need the emotional training sessions poetry conducts us through. We need its previews of coming attractions:
heartbreak, survival, failure, endurance, understanding, more heartbreak.
The
first part of the fix is very simple: the list of poems taught in our schools
needs to be updated. We must make a new
and living catalogue accessible to teachers as well as students. The old
chestnuts — “The Road Not Taken,” “I heard a fly buzz when I died,” “Do
not go gentle into that good night” — great, worthy poems all — must
be removed and replaced by poems that are not chestnuts. This refreshing of canonical content and tone
will vitalize teachers and students everywhere, and just may revive our sense
of the currency and relevance of poetry.
Accomplish that, and we can renew the conversation, the teaching,
everything. . .
If
anthologies were structured to represent the way that most of us actually
learn, they would begin in the present and “progress” into the past. I read Lawrence Ferlinghetti before I read D.
H. Lawrence before I read Thomas Wyatt.
Once the literate appetite is whetted, it will keep turning to new
tastes. A reader who first falls in love
with Billy Collins or Mary Oliver is likely then to drift into an anthology
that includes Emily Dickinson and Thomas Hardy. . .
In
the spirit of boosterism, I have selected twenty works I believe worthy of
inclusion in this curriculum — works I believe could empower us with a common
vocabulary of stories, values, points of reference. The brief explications and
justifications I offer below for nine of these poems are not meant to foreclose
the interpretive possibilities that are part of a good poem’s life force.
Rather, I hope they will point to areas worthy of cultivation in that
mysterious inner space, the American mind.
~Tony Hoagland, Poet
Okay, Tony. I
accept your challenge. The thing is, I
don’t care for your list of poems, so I’ve chosen my own. Class, here are twenty (plus one) poems to
whet your appetites, and to entice you into the joys of poetry.
~ Jim MacArthur, Teacher
 |
| Click to enlarge. |
Okay, here's what to do with the poetry packet. Two things.
1.
Interact with the poems as you read them. Have a conversation with the
poet. (See an example to the right as I read two poems by Marie Howe
-- two-time poet at the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival in Farmington.)
If you're not sure how to read a poem -- no seriously, it's different
from other reading, go here.
The completed, annotated set of poems must be turned in no later than September 2, 2016.
The completed, annotated set of poems must be turned in no later than September 2, 2016.
(3. If you need a copy of the Poem Packet, go to my THS webpage.)
By the way, I encourage all of you to drop by the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival this summer. (If you're under eighteen, it's free!) Juan Felipe Herrera, the current Poet Laureate of the United States, will be reading on August 7. Other Poet Laureates who have read there include Ted Kooser, Robert Pinsky, Billy Collins, Philip Levine, and Natasha Trethewey. (Natasha has been here twice -- once as a young unknown and then later in her first reading as Poet Laureate.) Many of the poets in your packet are Sunken Garden alumni. There's food and drink, live music, then a poetry reading -- all in a beautiful setting on a lovely summer evening. One can hardly get more civilized that that.
Josh Northrup says: Out of all these poems my favorite is the first one. Not the people labeled number one but the very first on by Bill Collins called "Introduction to Poetry," as this holds the most truth to me and for everyone else. Most of us always try to figure out the exact meaning of a poem when we should really be just trying to enjoy it for what it is and let our imagination come up with all we need to know.
ReplyDeleteEmma Piaseczynski says (in response to Josh):
ReplyDeleteThe first poem, “Introduction to Poetry” by Bill Collins, also got me thinking. I interpreted the poem as if Collins was trying to say that society views poetry in the wrong light. Throughout school i've noticed that whenever we read poems, the sole purpose is to overanalyze every little thing. Yes, I understand the importance of elements in poetry, yet we totally skip over the emotions that poetry can bring. If we actually enjoyed the poems we read, and took the time to feel what the author tries to portray, then we might actually get something important out of the piece. Instead of “torturing a confession” out of the poem, we should explore and experience the meaning.
Then she adds: Eric Ormsby's "Rain in Childhood" is rich with sensory details and description. He made sure to attend to each sense, making it so the reader feels apart of what he/she is reading.The topic of the poem is something that most readers can relate to, and I felt he did a nice job of bringing in feelings of nostalgia. After reading it, it was kind of funny to think of how such an ordinary day can really capture the essence of a time in your life.
I agree with the views of "Rain in Childhood." My favorite line in his poem is when he calls the children "a flotilla of little ducks" because what else could really capture that age of cuteness and innocence? The whole poem encompasses a memory almost every child knows and at some point that memory changes into the end of an era, or "the end of childhood, where rememberance stands."
DeleteChelsea, I loved your point about the end of an era. I think this was a very important way to look at our lives. I remember someone describing our lives as a story book and each chapter represents a different part of us. I think this is important to realize that even though a chapter of our life is ending and it is the "'end of childhood,'" our lives still move forward. We can always read back into our past chapters of life and remember our innocence where we were like baby ducklings following our mother.
Delete"Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins reminded me of this feeling that I get whenever someone asks me to define words like "the" which is used all the time in writing and conversations but if you asked me what it meant I'd have a hard time defining it. Poetry is similar. When asked to read a poem, something about a certain piece can resonate with you, but when asked "What is the author trying to say?" or "What does the poem mean?" you're at a loss for words, but still, something inside you just knows and understands. Collins says we should "hold a poem up to the light" and find a meaning there rather than search obsessively, "torturing a confession out of it," and I have to agree. Sometimes we already understand the meaning of the poem, so we should enjoy it rather than try to confine it to a neat, little definition.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you Alex. Whenever I read a poem that I feel like I can relate to, it is hard for me to look past the part that resonates with me to "torture the confession out of it". I like to read it to enjoy it, not to over analyze the poem, which is all we seem to do in English classes in school.
DeleteI really like how you said that, especially the finding your own meaning vs. searching obsessively for The Meaning. In line 10 of the poem, I underlined "surface"--I thought this was noteworthy because Collins doesn't say to dive into the poem or explore the depths of the poem in a submarine, he says to waterski across the surface. I think this is a great analogy.
DeleteIn Lisa Mueller's "Why We Tell Stories", I love the lines "Because the story of our life becomes our life/ Because each of us tells the same story but tells it differently". I really like these lines because they resonate with me a lot. I've always thought of everyone's life as a story, as if they are writing it as they go along. I like how no one really knows when their story will come to its end. And that is why everyone should write their story as if it could end anytime without any notice, meaning everyone should live their life to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this one as well. I saw the whole poem as the stages of our lives. The first section was our beginning, our birth, and then it moves on to living in the real world, and learning to survive, and finally, as our story is written, we leave it to the next generation, as in death, to continue. I agree with you to living life to the fullest, because how else are we to make an absolutely exciting story to share in the end?
DeleteAllison Salina says:
DeleteI agree that this poem is incredibly insightful and simply beautiful. It seems to be honest without being aggressively assertive and interesting without being complex. By reading the poem I seemed to have finally understood something that I had been looking over for many years; like it somehow made life make more sense. It explained the world that we have built for ourselves, stemming from childhood and then ultimately making us who we are forever. It showed us that we are capable of constructing our own beauty and it revealed that everyone has a different perspective that makes our own lives unique. It emphasizes how the world is constantly being built upon and that we all are influences in each other’s stories while simultaneously creating our own. The poem helps to identify the idea of humans being united in that we all have a small hand in creating the world and the stories inside of it. To me this poem was raw and honest and took a convoluted idea and made it perfectly to tell its own magnificent story.
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DeleteMy favorite lines of "Why We Tell Stories" by Lisel Mueller were at the end of the poem. "'and though we listen only/ haphazardly, with one ear,/ we will begin our story/ with the word and'". When told a story as a child of a magical fantasy, we have our eyes wide open and listen intently, but as we grow older this fascination fades. We realize that "The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows, it's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are, but it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it,'" (Rocky Balboa). Lisel shows this fading imagination and fascination for those stories told to us and makes us think. She makes us realize that our life is a story and we can make it unfold any way we want.
DeleteMichelle, I really liked how you said that no one knows how their story will end. This is so true because we never know what is in store for us the next day to come. I think this poem was spread out in a way that we could slowly realize this. The short lines made it easy for us to question and reflect upon the poem and our own lives. The line that was caught in my mind was, "'and learned to speak,'" because it was a short line secluded from everything else. this line in particular made me realize exactly what Michelle said about our lives being unpredictable.
DeleteIn Naomi Shihab Nye's poem, "Famous", I really liked the last stanza of the poem; "I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous, or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular, but because it never forgot what it could do." i enjoyed reading this poem because it spoke to me. In my opinion, that last stanza said that we should never forget that we can do anything we put our mind to. I like how Nye used different things/objects/people to describe how they were "famous". I liked how she didn't want to be famous for any particular thing, but for what she could possibly do in her life. I know I'm probably over analyzing, but that's what I've taken from the poem.
ReplyDeleteI loved how "famous" was a newer way of saying "connected to" or " known" or simply being. The details were minimal but it created this individual scene for each stanza that brought around a sense of home and familiarity. My favorite line was "the bent photograph is famous to the one who carries it and is not at all famous to the one who is pictured" because it's exactly as we all are. I took it to mean that we all hold different things important to us that may be insignificant to others. I completely agree with your take on the last line, Michelle, with how we should never forget what we can do. If we find our purpose, then we give it all we can.
DeleteI agree with Chelsea that "Famous" is a very positive way to look at how people are known throughout their lives. I also noticed the idea of simplicity in living because of the lines, "'famous as the one who smiled back.'" This really made me notice that anyone can be famous. As an individual it is how you see yourself rated and how you see others. As humans we created this word 'famous' and we choose how to use it. I feel that the idea of everyone being famous in one way if it is simple or complex is very special. This poem made me reconsider the idea of famous and that Obama isn't the only person out there who we can consider famous and it may just be our next door neighbors who are special to us.
DeleteEmma P. says:
ReplyDelete-“Photograph from September 11” had a really good message to bring to everyone. We look at these awe worthy pictures of the aftermath of 9/11 and the photos of people jumping, but we forget that each person there is an individual. Obviously I was too young to remember the day myself, but everyone who i’ve asked says the anxious anticipation felt when watching the footage for the first time will stick with them forever. Even still, every year when I look at photos they never get any easier to see. I thought this poem gave people an insight on the feelings of what it must be like to jump. This line “There’s enough time/ for hair to come loose, / for keys and coins/ to fall from pockets.” really made me think. These people had time to back out, but they felt there was no other way. I can even imagine what that must be like. The last stanza kind of confused me, I wasn't sure what the meaning behind it was. I’m thinking not to let the victim's memory fade? Anyone have any ideas?
-”Anyways” I think is my favorite poem of the selection. I felt like it spoke to me regarding things going on in today's world. With the terrorist attacks and the recent shooting in Dallas, the world seems cold at the moment. I felt like one thing that Suzanne Cleary wanted to get at is that life is a mix of bad and good, but people naturally are hopeful and make the best out of things. For an example, I interpreted the lines “My people live in the third rainiest city in the country, but we pack our picnic baskets as the sky darkens” as people go on anyways and no matter the circumstances. Also I found it interesting that Suzanne chose to end the poem with “regardless” instead of anyways.
- So I was reading Clifton's poem and I read it a few times and each time I got a few different possible meanings out of it. Im curious to hear what everyone else got from it. The initial meaning i got from reading it the first time is to introduce awareness of the day-to-day hardships of being a woman. She wants men to at least try and understand how strong woman are to deal with these things and yet still do everything they need to. She is looking for equality. A lot of men think women have it easy and this is not the case.
The second time i read it, i looked into the words and it comes off a bit harsh. Being a woman who wants equality is totally understandable, but she comes off like she wishes pain and embarrassment on males. When she states,“i wish them one week early and wearing a white skirt. i wish them one week late”.These are your sons, who you love, so why would you want this for them?Between the two outlooks, i felt like the true meaning was to teach sons what a woman endures so they can respect and appreciate all they do.
I liked your interpretation of "Anyways" with the good and the bad. I focused more on the unspoken words behind the word "anyways" because of the lines stating, "It is anyways, plural, because the word must be large enough to hold all of our reasons". All of the reasons people have for the things they do, the things they feel, the things they say, that can't be expressed in words. As Suzanne Cleary wrote, "Anyways is our way of saying there is more than one reason, and there is that which is beyond reason, what which cannot be said". I also found the way she ended the poem with "regardless" interesting. It is definitely one of my favorites out of the packet.
DeleteI agree with both Emma and Tyler on their interpretations to the poem "Anyways". I agree that the things we say and do can’t always be explained, it’s just how we were raised or what we have always known. Another interpretation I had of this poem was that sometimes you don’t even realize some things that you do can be different from others. As an individual you get so used to things your way and how you learned them. As a result of this you don’t realize it might not be correct or the same as to what others may be used to. The part of the poem that really showed this idea for me was “”Anyway! Way, not ways.” Corner of napkin to corner of lip, he wanted. I kept him waiting. I knew he was right, but I kept him waiting anyways”. I really like this quote because the speaker of the poem is beginning to look at things in a different perspective and this allows the poem to develop a deeper meaning and get the reader to think a little more. As for the last word being “regardless”, how I interpreted it was the author changes the word to what she truly thinks of the word “anyways” and how she uses it. Also I feel using “regardless” instead of “anyways”, it gives a more definitive response.
DeleteEmma, in response to your question about the ending of "Photograph from September 11", I think that the author chose this ending to leave a lasting impression on the reader. The poem seemed to want the reader to feel as though they were at this horrific event, so this added to the suspense. I also agree with the idea that this ending is used to not let the victim's memory fade. I connected your idea to last year when AP English wrote about why monuments were made. And there were several answers, but the most important being to preserve the lives of people lost.
DeleteThis first poem, "Introduction to Poetry" is, to me, when you first start to read a poem or any piece of literature and you let your mind go completely blank. In my opinion, that's the only way you can truly listen to what the author has to say. This poem is about that moment, when your mind is blank and open and ready to be melded by the words on the page and search for a connection.
ReplyDeleteWhen Collins writes to "drop a mouse in the poem and let it probe around," I see the mouse as maybe that little voice in our head that pushes us in a new direction, voicing ideas that later come back and make us really try to connect and feel.
This poem is about the moment when anything can happen, anything can be felt and learned if only left to endless interpretation. But instead, we end up drilling it in one direction, endless reviews, and we are left with emotional ruins.
Somehow, something so brief has endless things to say.
The mouse was an interesting metaphor. I related it to a mouse in a maze. It may try two things depending on its goal, try to run out or look around and look for understanding. It shows the two contrasting types of people as they read poems. Some people try to understand, they look for the "light switch". The other kind of people read as quickly as possible just to get through the poem, they don't understand because they simply "probe their way out".
DeleteI definitely agree with Amy that the mouse portrayed a very interesting message. Poetry is open to all types of interpretation and people see many different things when looking at the same piece. This reminds me of Rorschach Inkblot Tests because these tests invite people to look at the same inkblot "splatter" and see what they can get out of it. People see many different images when looking at the same piece. One person may see a butterfly while the other may see a boat. Poetry can connect with people and make them feel several different types of emotion. Collins does a good job in describing the idea that poetry has different meanings to individuals and that it has so much to offer, but we can't force ideas out of it.
DeleteThere is just something about reading a poem that has the voice of a child or someone young that resonates with me. "1984" was, to me, the loss of innocence as the author came to see the blindingly harsh realism of the world around him. Lines such as "lift their dreams up to keep the river from drowning them"/ "like we would always cry by ourselves" made me ache, but it also made me think of a different life than the one I lead.
ReplyDeleteThe last line, "we learned the secret of why some people fulfill their own wishes to die" actually made me stop. I then went back and read the last stanza again. That line is like a weight on my heart, and for that poem to affect me like that made me wonder how others felt reading it. Did it resonate with others that this was through the eyes of someone who is in second grade? Or was it seen as just another poem of a rude awakening from the blissful slumber of childhood?
This poem, "1964", also stuck with me. I was very surprised that this poem was so negative on school and seeing it as something that makes our vision narrower rather than wider. When I talk to kids around this age about school, the general response is that they love it. I have never heard this negative spin on school from a child because at this age most kids are ready to learn in any way they can.This way of looking at certain parts of life is actually very sad and makes me wonder why such a young child could think this way. This poem was a mix of emotions for me.
DeleteI completely agree with Chelsea and Hayley’s opinions on the poem. I found it so interesting how Edgar Silex could put such happy emotions and optimism in one line and then such unhappiness in another. For example, Silex describes, “big fat delicious candy apples” in one line, but then talks about suicide (“we learned the secret of why some people fulfill their own wishes to die”) in another. I was struck by the ending line and couldn’t believe the emotions in this poem. It had such a disappointing message to it. Silex makes the point that once you grow up, you realize the world isn’t such a great place. Like Chelsea said, it describes the loss of innocence and childhood happiness.
DeleteThe other interesting aspect that you both mentioned was the age of the child. It is heart wrenching that Silex chose to write it as a second grader, however the point of the poem wouldn’t nearly be the same if it came from someone older. If it was from the point of view of a tenth grader, it would still be sad, but it would be more realistic. The fact that the boy was so young really made the realization worse and drew emphasis to how harsh someone’s point of view could be at such a young age. Second graders are usually so oblivious to the bad things that go on around them and almost never view the world like this. In this poem however, it was crucial that the message comes from a young child and not an adult. Overall, the poem was a sad portrayal on growing up too early.
The title of poem 10, "Hymn to a Broken Marriage", immediately drew me in. The author is in a heartfelt conversation with his old lover. It really pulled me in, and made me curious why a woman would leave such a romantic, poetic man. He goes on in the poem to discuss just this. He says that patience and innocence are "strange characteristics in such an age as our own", then goes on to discuss how she had to "shake off the addiction of romantic love". Neither of them are children, yet she possesses patience and innocence which is a rarity in their age group. I interpreted this couple line segment as his way of explaining the brokenness. I believe she grew out of the marriage. She was old enough for certain virtues to be odd, but young enough to still be growing emotionally. The line that states, "And seek, instead, the herbal remedy of a sane affection", confused me. Was it she fell in love with another person who is less wild in love? Or is it some other desire she fell victim to?
ReplyDeleteI think the most important line, towards the end, is "Even you require to shake off the addiction of romantic love," which I take to mean that sometimes romantic love such as he adoringly gives becomes too much, too overwhelming. And as such with addictions like those, she tries to find some sort of salvation, "the herbal remedy of a sane affection". I think he means that she wants a love where everyday is different. If everyday is a fairytale, of endless love and adoration, then everyday is essentially the same, and nothing is romantic anymore. She fell in love with the author for his romance, but fell in love with another for the moderation in which he showed it.
DeleteAmy, I felt the same way by just reading the title. It was such a beautiful way to describe a broken marriage, it made me want to read the poem right away. It was refreshing to see that it wasn’t a poem tearing her apart, stating everything she did wrong and how angry he felt about their failed marriage. He is saying everything in a way that is gentle and kind. I found it refreshing that he is saying he would marry her again if he could. It seems that she is the one who was not as interested in keeping their marriage alive as he. The line “for, even you-in spite of your patience and your innocence…even you require to shake off the addiction of romantic love”. Like Amy said, I think she grew out of the marriage. The author sounds like a hopeless romantic, and to him, the spark was still there. But for her on the other hand, she does “seek, instead, the herbal remedy of sane affection”. It almost seems like she was ready to settle down and let their marriage just be simple, not something that required a constant feeling of romance. My favorite part of the poem is the final line. “A sane man could not espouse a more intimate friend than you” is such a beautiful way to end their story. I think it ties into his feeling throughout the story that despite their broken marriage, he stills loves her and thinks so highly of her still. I felt sad yet happy for the author after finishing it. Sad because he no longer has this woman in his life, but happy that he has the heart to pour his soul out through the poem.
DeleteI felt Durcan encaptured the common feelings of two ex-lovers in a broken marriage. Durcan's version of a "broken marriage" is one that ended all too quickly as an object shatter in the span of a second. This is obviously how the narrator feels as s/he is unwilling to let the marriage go as s/he wants to remarry Nessa. The narrator explains how their lover lost passion for their marriage as he says "shake off the addiction of romantic love". Often that is what leads to failed relationships is partners feeling they don't have love or time for one another any more. However, the narrator does not feel this way and wants to rekindle any type of relationship with Nessa.
DeleteI think everyone, especially guys, should read through Lucille Clifton's "wishes for sons". It really encompasses the discomforts women go through that men don't seem to realize. There are pieces of this poem that have a vengeful tone to them, and some that are more about humiliation and the rest is just saddened by the lack of sympathy men seem to employ to women. I hear bitterness in what Lucille writes as much as I agree and wish that they would know what we go through. All the "i wish them"'s and moments of awkwardness I think resonates with every girl, and I'm glad others will read it and stop to think it out.
ReplyDeleteIn the first poem, “Introduction to poetry” Collins is trying to explain to the reader that poetry is a delicate thing that requires patience and one’s ability to use their imagination. This is because the vast majority of poems don’t have a clear meaning. The reader must find their own interpretation and come up with their own meaning while trying to avoid over-analyzing. Many people want to know the EXACT meaning of the poem and by doing this they’re losing the ability to use their imagination and find their own interpretation.
ReplyDeleteI agree, that poem made me realize, before starting the rest of the packet, that there's meant to be some ambiguity to poetry and that helps set it apart from other types of writing. "Introduction to Poetry" reminded me that there wasn't a set meaning and that I wouldn't enjoy the poetry if I was constantly over analyzing it.
DeleteThe most intriguing thing that I found in the poem “Hymn to a Broken Marriage” was when Durcan said
ReplyDelete“Even you require to shake off the addiction of romantic love
And seek, instead, the herbal remedy of a sane affection
In which are mixed in profuse and fair proportion"
I think this section stood out the most to me because when I took AP Psychology last year we did a short study on love, lust and affection. After taking that course it was brought to my attention that affection is: a gentle feeling of fondness or liking, and love is: an intense feeling of deep affection. Ultimately one is just a stronger version of another and the author is saying how Nessa needs to find a balance between love and affection.
"Rain In Childhood" is an ideal poem for those of us who enjoy analyzing diction. It was the most apparent literary device the author used, and it fed into his imagery and tone. The diction helped to show the contrast between the first two stanzas and the last stanza. The first two stanzas used very basic diction such as "dark" and "dimmed", though it did have a few higher level words laced in so the poem didn't have such a stark contrast between the stanzas. However as the children on the bus realize they're growing older, Ormsby increases his level of vocabulary to enhance the maturation. He discusses the, "embrittled clouds", the "concussive ricochets", and the "instantaneous traceries". It was genius of the author to develop his diction as the children themselves develop and mature.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the author's diction was very important to how this poem was portrayed. I can also see the connection between the children growing up as well as the diction getting more advanced as the poem moved forward. This poem reminds me of a children's book trying to fit a complex idea into something a child will understand. Most of the time this is a very difficult task for the author, so some parts of a story are left in 'adult language'. I feel this way with this poem because words like 'fizz' a child can understand, but not words such as 'instantaneous'. This means that once the child is older they can look back on these books and can find this hidden meaning of words they had not known before. This poem made me realize the past has hidden secrets that we can only learn as we age.
DeleteIn the poem "1964", the syntax was able to change the tone of the piece very quickly. The poem starts with common words like "hooky" and then moves to having strange spaces between words like "big fat delicious candy apples". The tone of this part seems carefree, but when the spaces are used the reader has to stop and wonder what is to come next. The diction used changed the tone of the poem from two kids having fun and skipping school to two kids who have realized that the world is a manipulative place. Words like "sweet", "reddish", and "die" were the strongest I noticed. This poem sucked me into seeing the joyful kids out of school, but quickly flipped me around to see that people can only live in innocence for so long.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the writing style in "Mrs. Krikorian". I think the fist line, "'She saved me'" was like a hook sentence at the beginning of a work of prose. The author was able to capture the life of a boy who was into trouble on his own, but with guidance by people like Mrs. Krikorian, he could find a new way of living. I think a part of getting into the boy's character was strongly shown with the absence of quotation marks such as "'she said/ I've heard about you.'" I also like how you can sense a change in the boy from the start of the poem where he thought about his teacher to the end where he realizes that he owes thanks to many people.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed this writing style, Haley. I liked how the line “She saved me” was placed before all other information regarding who the “she” was. This line stood out, which emphasizes to the reader how strongly the author feels about what the teacher did for her. I also liked how he used words like “devil” and Lucifer” to describe her previous life verses using words like “angel” to describe Mrs. Krikorian. By using words that show such a stark contrast, as there is between Heaven and Hell, it furthers the reader’s understanding of how significantly this teacher improved her life.
Delete"Rain in Childhood" reminded me of my past. I can remember looking out the bus windows and even drawing with my finger on the whole surface. It also connects to the idea that I have been noticing that life has gone by so fast and I realize that now looking for colleges is reality and soon I will be at one of my choices. The line, "'Our past already at such distances!'" really made me think about this. This poem captured childhood and the years beyond through a simple day of school.
ReplyDeleteAllison S. says:
ReplyDeleteI believe that ‘Hymn to a Broken Marriage’ encompassed all that love is. The poem took the reader on an intimate journey of a man’s appreciation and adoration with a woman. The narrator was looking back on all that they have accomplished in their relationship and instead of being angry or bitter that the love of his life left him, he had nothing but gratitude and understanding for her. The author stated that,
“For, even you – in spite of your patience and your innocence
(strange characteristics in such an age as our own)-
Even you require to shake off the addiction of romantic love
And seek, instead, the herbal remedy of sane affection”.
The man makes it known that to him, there is no other woman like Nessa. He finds her to be unique, a diamond in the rough, and idolizes her not only for her physical attributes but for her internal youth and beauty. He was so deeply in love with Nessa that he would do anything for her-even let her go if it was in her best interest. He proved to be incredibly mature and respectable in that he truly wanted this girl to be happy, even if his heart had to break in order for hers to thrive, and that is what true love is.
Like Alli, I also thought that “Hymn to a Broken Marriage” was a beautiful piece. I thought it was touching how even though the marriage failed, he does not regret it, as his relationship continues to mean so much to him. I loved the lines where it said, “…the herbal remedy of a sane affection/ In which are mixed in profuse and affair proportion/ Loverliness, brotherliness, fatherliness; A sane man could not espouse a more intimate friend than you.” I found the use catalogue of the things she provided him in their marriage, which was love, friendship, and fatherhood, further made sense to the reader as to why he doesn’t regret the marriage, as he would not have gained all these things without her.
DeleteHello Poetry Lovers!
ReplyDeleteThis Sunday, August 7, Juan Felipe Herrera, the current Poet Laureate of the United States ("USA! USA!") will be reading at the Sunken Garden in Farmington. Herrera will read at 7:15, but there will be events going on all day.
More information here.
Billy Collins' "Introduction to Poetry" did its job perfectly, as this piece improved my understanding of every work that followed. The task of reading and annotating a packet of twenty poems was significantly lightened by Collins as he reminded me to just have fun. After reading this, I found that there was no need to "torture a confession out of it" now that I could "waterski across the surface of a poem".
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ReplyDeleteIn the poem "1964", Edgar Gabriel Silex talks about the day that he came to the realization that school takes the wonder from the world. He feels that the loss of "that sunlight" that "created this world" is responsible for why some people feel so miserable. The message feels similar to that of "When I Heard the Learned Astronomer" in that the world is better off not being understood and just should be absorbed in its entirety.
ReplyDeleteThe poem "wishes for sons" is a poem that uses the repitition "I wish", something that usually denotes something positive, to wish that men had a menstrual cycle. It tells multiple anecdotes about potential difficulties. It seems like a kind of bizarre poem becaus it seems to be making a straw man argument to get rid of a perceived "arrogance" of man. It sort of acts like men chose to not have periods at the expense of women. It would be an alright poem if it just tried to get men to understand, but it comes across much more aggressive than just a "Here's what's going on".
ReplyDeleteI agree with Will, this poem challenged me. It challenged me so much I had to get a second opioion on what the author was even saying. It frustrated me from a female perspective on how this topic was carried out. I do not think that saying that she wishes for them to have to go through what it's like to have period is the right way to describe what it's like. I don't think that it's a good idea to even be enflicting that kind of negativity. As Will said, it's not like they chose this.
DeletePart of me thinks that what the author was trying to get at was a message of female suppression, in saying “let them think they have accepted arrogance in the universe”. However, if this was the message the author was trying to go for, she failed to do this. The poem became more about taking pity on the natural struggles that women go through in life, rather than focusing on social issues which can actually be dealt with.
DeleteLisel Mueller's "Why We Tell Stories" is an entertaining and pure exploration of human nature. Without prejudice, Mueller presents amusing truths, such as "grandfathers need to convince us what happened happened because of them". This simple description of an inherent human feature works humanity a neverending story, which is exactly Mueller's intention. This is seen in the complete lack of periods in the piece. By doing this, Mueller is symbolically stating that everything is a continuance of the story of life, everything including this poem.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden, the first and second stanzas were my favorite. The author says how this boys father gets up early every morning after a long and hard day of work, even on a Sunday when he doesn't have to and warms up all of the rooms so that when the family wakes up, they can be nice and warm. However, he says in the last line of the first stanza "No one ever thanks him". After reading this part it makes me re think all the things my parents have sacrificed for me so that I can wake up to a warm house or have warm breakfast on the table when I first wake up and all the times I have no thanked them as well. This poem opened my eyes to the things that most teenagers and even younger children take for granted every single day.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar experience when reading "Those Winter Sundays." The poem had sort of a sorrowful tone though it told of selfless love because the father's actions were underappreciated. I instantly began to reflect on my own life and whether or not I had thanked my parents for doing simple things like making meals or taking care of me when I don't feel well. The ending two lines, "What did I know, what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices" left me thinking rather than just wrapping up the piece.
DeleteI can relate to the feelings Michaela and Alli both felt during and after reading this poem. I feel the poem is about the son reflecting back on what his father has done for him. It can be seen that he really appreciates his father's efforts and hard work. The son also shows that he respects and looks up to his father. The son recognizes that he didn't thank his father as much as he feels he should've. This made me question whether or not I do the same for my parents. They do so much for my family and I really value them. The part of the poem I liked the most was the part that said "then with cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekday weather made banked fires blaze". I thought this showed the hard work and unconditional love he put into his family to make sure they were taken care of.
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DeleteI think that "Those Winter Sundays" was written in a way to connect with readers as you guys have described. I think in particular this effect was created through the strong imagery. The first few lines automatically created the scene in our minds and created a sad mood. "'Sundays too my father got up early and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold.'" Also the diction such as "slowly" and "chronic angers" reached out in the poem. 'Slowly' made me feel sorry for the father who wasn't thanked and yet the child still didn’t make an attempt to help their father. And the word, 'chronic' also had the similar effect on me. Also, most of the lines were long and continuous which gave the reader a look into the father and child's point of view without stopping. All of these element made this work easier to connect to and think about.
DeleteJane Kenyon's poem "Main Street: Tilton, New Hampshire" expressed what many of us may subconsciously notice as we go out in public to malls, restaurants, or simply driving down the highway: that every person you see just happened to be there at the same exact time, even though time is actually imprecise. The last stanza was my favorite, "Through time and space we came to Main Street--three days before Labor Day, 1984, 4:47 in the afternoon; and then that moment passed, displaced by others equally equivocal." If someone's day had been altered in any other way, you would not be seeing them at the exact moment you are. For example, the narrator could have gone into the store with him. The little girl’s rubber flip-flop could have broken while she and her mother walked to the store. The man and woman in the blue pick-up could have chosen a different bank. None of them would have been on Main Street at the same time if any of these other scenarios happened and I find that fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI also found that very interesting. All of the scenarios that occurred were commonplace, but Jane Kenyon made a point to address them. I think it was very important that she did so because this showed that every moment in our lives matter. The narrator can't see the importance of these events as they go by, but when a reader reviews this poem, they can have a whole new perspective on it. People nowadays seem to just let things slide by and not realize that things like these intricate greetings have a purpose. No matter where you are, even if it is in a commonplace like Main street, who you meet and what you experience makes you who you are.
DeleteFrom another viewpoint, I thought that Kenyon was addressing how our lives are personal, intimate, and important to only ourselves, while to an onlooker like the narrator, we're just another person. In the beginning, Kenyon writes that "he went into the small old-fashioned grocery for a wedge of cheddar", as an example of how she understands her own life, with the mother and child couple and the truck couple acting as examples of Kenyon trying to understand other people. This was because Kenyon only addressed those four characters by mother, child, man, and woman, while extensively describing actions and surroundings: "blue pick-up, noisy with some kind of home-made wooden scaffolding in the bed, pulled to the curb". This seems intentional to draw attention to the fact that Kenyon doesn't know anything about the actual people, but only what she can see; she doesn't have any personal understanding of them, even as they leave and new people go by: "and then that moment passed, displaced by others equally equivocal".
DeleteWhen reading Billy Collin's "Introduction To Poetry", I enjoyed the visualizations he employed. By saying that we should "walk inside the poem's room and feel the walls for a light switch", it created the image of a person feeling trapped and overwhelmed by a poem. The final solution is the person "finding the light" and thus their own meaning and enjoyment of a poem. In that same light, the idea of "holding [a poem] up to the light like a color slide accurately implies that each reader can see the poem from different angles and find new evoked emotionsand meanings.
ReplyDeleteI also really enjoyed the visual aspect of this poem. I felt that the author used several different ideas to talk about the analysis of poetry. I also liked the lines, "'I ask them to take a poem/ and hold it up to the light/ like a color slide.'" This reminded me of a detective in a movie looking at a dollar bill to make sure it was real. This made me realize that while the author was asking people to look at poems carefully, he didn't propose that they directly analyze it. I feel that he wanted them to just read the poem and let their mind use this information in any way it decides. Although it seems like a direct analysis of a poem is necessary, not everything in life is clean-cut and poetry is the same way. Poetry needs to be challenging to understand because this is one aspect of why poetry is so intriguing.
DeleteThe poem "Mrs. Krikorian" really grasped my attention from the very beginning in which it began with "She saved me." From then on, I was hooked and I became wrapped up in the story. The message I got out of it really spoke of how one person can change someone's entire life. It was inspirational to see how one lady's mindset and kindness could save a struggling child. It was by far my favorite poem and I loved that it was realistic but intertwined with hope.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Michaela, the beginning of the poem took my mind to so many different places. I was not reallty sure where the poem was going take me at first, it gave it a sort of mysterious feel which made me want to read on. I really did like how he gave this women so much credit for helping him, when she easily could have brushed him off and ignored him. It really shows the true character of this women, and inspired me.
DeleteWhile reading "Rain in Childhood," I began to feel like I was right there with the students in the middle of the storm. The vivid details and unique comparisons pulled me into the scene. I liked the part that said "That steamy, tar-damp smell of morning rain, its secret smokiness upon our mouths, surprised us with some sorrow of nostalgia." It was so unique how the scent of rain that hangs in the air even after a storm was described and really pinpointed, rather than the usual visual descriptions of weather.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem "Hymn to a Broken Marriage" it was set up as almost a love letter to Nessa declaring that despite their failed marriage, he would do it all again and still appreciates her. However, when reading it, I saw it as almost the thoughts of the ex husband over this confusing whirlwind of a broken off love. It switches from love to logic and back again as he tries to digest everything. It was very interesting and unique to read a whole other side of a divorce in which one spouse has no regrets whatsoever of the time spent and love given to his ex.
ReplyDeleteI felt that "Hymn to Broken Marriage" was developed in a way to connect to the reader emotionally and create questions along the way. The first question I had was the reason why the poem was called a hymn when it started out like a letter with "'Dear Nessa,'". Then as I read the poem over again I realized that the once married man is spreading his emotions across this piece and is saying that he isn't sane. I realized this when the writer suggested to "'seek instead, the herbal remedy of a sane affection.'" This poem seemed to be the man's way of saying that his "wife" will forever be his love and it was a way of trying to free himself of all of the crazy emotions and thoughts in his head through a hard time such as a divorce.
ReplyDeleteI found the poem "Mrs. Krikorian" by Sharon Olds interesting due to its subtle admiration of America. Despite the piece being an Armenian one, Olds still manages to praise American icons such as Able Lincoln, Helen Keller, and Amelia Earhart. This is done by showing how they were viewed as positive figures even in this foreign nation. "After spank, and breast, I'd move on to Abe Lincoln and Helen Keller, safe in their goodness till the bell, thanks to Mrs. Krikorian, amiable giantess with the kind eyes." It is shown here that these icons are seen as beacons of "goodness".
ReplyDeleteI saw that too Ethan. What I also got from this poem was that the subtle mentions of some of America's greats was that in the writers perspective Mrs. Krikorian also served as this beacon of "goodness". The writer refers to her as an "amiable giantess" and a "wide-hipped angel" which shows that she admires her like the American icons mentioned throughout the poem.
DeleteYeah, that was interesting, paralleling the classical America heros with the author's personal hero. Ties into how big we view our heros, even when we are sometimes in constant contact with them, in this case everyday.
DeleteI really enjoyed the poem "Why We Tell Stories" because it challeneged me in trying to find the meaning. I reread this poem numerous times and ripped every sentence apart of find the meaning. I may still not grasp the intnetion of the author, but I did get a lot out of the poem. I love the visualization of the poem and how it ties to the message of story telling. Story telling is something that is visual even when its not ment to be. There will always be different stories in your life that make you you. Stories that might have hurt you but made you into a bigger and better person. I really did appreciate this poem and it made me appreciate the stories that i will remember even when I am older.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Katherine on "Why We Tell Stories". I also read this poem many times trying to pick apart every line and their hidden meanings conveyed by Foster. However, by not being able to fully grasp the poem, it left room for interpretation and reading between the lines. I believe that that’s what poetry is all about, being able to understand the concept the author was trying to get across, but also being able to translate the poem into something that reflects back onto ourselves.
DeleteJacob Wasserstein says:
ReplyDelete"Across the selection of poems, I personally enjoyed many of them, but I also found a small amount to be boring, pointless, laughably nonsensical, or just plain stupid. My two personal favorites are "Thanksgiving" and "Undertaker", although I find the message of "Thanksgiving" to be a bit more relevant to the average person. It speaks volumes of how the holiday of Thanksgiving (and others) have had their messages twisted and corrupted. In "Thanksgiving", the mother of the household is named "Mother" to show her strict and cold nature towards her family and the author, and her extreme focus on food shows how she has lost sight of why Thanksgiving is important. The father is named "Daddy", a childish name that reflects immaturity in his character. Daddy is only concerned with telling war stories and bragging about his military prowess to the author. All the while this is going on, mentions of the cemetery in their backyard are sprinkled in by the author to show how Mother and Daddy have both lost sight of what Thanksgiving's significance really is. It's not to cook grand meals, such as Mother believes, nor is it to brag about your past military experiences, such as Daddy believes. Rather, it is to be grateful for all that you have and to celebrate each other's company, lest someone else ends up in the cemetery in an untimely manner."
And Jacob also says:
ReplyDelete"While many of the poems were thoughtful and contained relevant messages for our society today, I personally found some to be distasteful, irrelevant, or irrational. One of my least favorite poems in the entire packet was "Anyways". This poem centers on that single word, "anyways", and uses it to launch into a rant on how "Anyways is our way of saying there is more than one reason, and there is that which is beyond reason, that which cannot be said." I understand that we, as humans, persevere in our activities against all odds or reason, and if the poet wanted to discuss this and this alone, then I would've gladly read and enjoyed the poem. However, the focus on semantics and trying to tie it into the poet's message is what bothers me. It feels very forced and unnatural; nobody would even notice the difference in conversation between "anyway" and "anyways". If the poet is attempting to use a dialogue to segue into some greater theme about human nature, then at least make it believable and interesting dialogue. The poet's irrational objection to her lover's use of "anyway" is ridiculous. There are so many better ways to discuss the idea of the persistent nature of the human spirit than that."
Olivia Finnegan says:
ReplyDeleteI totally agree how the first poem is very representative of how all of us have experienced close reading of poems in the past. The poem saying "I want them to waterski across the surface of a poem waving at the author's name on the shore" definitely made me think about how the reader should carefully look at how the author affects a poem. Their background should be considered when reading a poem.
When reading the Undertaker, my first impression was that it was violent and excessive. However, after rereading the poem, I understood the author's choice to use such vivid and graphic descriptions. If the author had used euphemisms or sugar coated the poem, it would have lost all it's meaning. By using the diction and straight forward style of writing, it makes the reader realize that this is reality. The part of the poem that spoke to me was the description of the undertaker repairing the body. When the author says, "I reach into collapsed cavities to rescue a tongue, an ear", it shows how the author has become used to experiences like this. By using such technical terms to describe a young boy's body shows that the job has taken a toll on him. You can tell from the tone of the poem that the author hates the job but realizes it is a necessary evil.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poem I read throughout the entire packet is definitely “Why we tell stories” I liked reading the poem because the meaning isn’t right in front of you, you have to read it multiple times to really appreciate the story. Each line has a deeper meaning than what is right in front of you. I really started to understand the meaning of the poem in part two. The line “and because we were poor, we made up a tale about a treasure mountain that would open only for us”. It makes me think that these people are telling stories to compensate for what is missing in their own lives. A few lines later the author says “and because we were always defeated we invented impossible riddles only we could solve”. I believe this is another example of how they are sort of filling a gap to make up for what is missing. The stories mean a lot more than entertaining someone. I think the poem is filled with strong imagery that can almost push you away from trying to understand the meaning if you take things too literally. I like these types of poems better than when one is recalling a single event. Having a broad subject leaves, you to interpret the meaning yourself, rather than the author spelling it out for you.
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DeleteI can agree Kelly! I really enjoyed the beginning as well because it says that we use our voices to tell stories of our past lives and experiences; we can no longer know the feeling of having roots, wings, or gills, so we try to give ourselves what we once had: "and because we awakened and learned to speak". Not only do we tell stories to compensate, as you said, but we tell them to make us look good: "grandfathers need to convince us what happened happened because of them". Ironically, Mueller contemplates that we don't even want to listen to each others' stories,even the true ones about another's life, because their "story" will be better than anyone else's: "and though we listen only haphazardly with one ear, we will begin our story with the word and". The author even begins their poem's stanzas with mostly the word "and", as if to add on and elaborate on what anyone else has said.
DeleteI was thinking the same thing with the "compensation" part! (Side note: I feel like one of the recurring themes in the summer reading is compensation--or, more accurately, overcompensation--and how it is one of the most HUMAN habits there is.) I noticed that throughout the poem, the shortcomings of humans are highlighted: we aren't rooted to the earth, we can't fly, we can't stay underwater for long, we're poor, we're defeated, we don't know why we're alive, we're not regular, we feel the need to be important--to have Done and Affected, to Do and Affect--and we don't always pay attention. However, Mueller shows these negative traits in a positive way by saying that what makes us human is what makes us good storytellers.
Delete“Undertaker” by Patricia Smith is a standout poem to me because of its powerful imagery. The way the author words it puts strong images in your head, some that you do not want to see. It leads you to sympathize with the narrator, the mother, and the person who has died. The amount of detail put into this poem isn’t vague where it leaves the reader guessing, nor does it over explain and add gory details. I especially like how they focus on how hard the job is for the man. When the narrator says “So I swallow hard, turn the photo face down and talk numbers instead”. The narrator seems to have to withdraw from the situation to not get emotionally invested in the people he takes care of. The sort of job he has can weigh heavily on a person well outside of work so when he wants to talk numbers, it is for a deeper reason. I also like that the author breaks down that wall of portraying someone who has died as an angel. There is always a false image that someone who has died had done no wrong when they passed, especially if they are a child. So when the author says “but I have explored the jagged gaps of the boy’s body” I think the jagged gaps represent faults that occurred in their lifetime; something that makes them not as innocent as their mother believes.
ReplyDeleteKelly, I agree that after someone dies people seem to fantasize the lives of the dead. They wish these fantasies to be true, so they speak about them since the dead can't say anything of their real past. In the "Undertaker", the author did a really good job trying to not choose a side, but explaining all sides of the mortician, mother, and even the children. The mortician did seem to think that the boy wasn't as innocent as he seemed and felt that he probably said, "'Fuck you, man' before the bullets lifted him/ off his feet.'" I think that you described the gaps very well and they may also represent the idea that we all loose our innocence after childhood.
DeleteThe poem "At the Smithville Methodist Church" uses simplicity language, short sentences, and rhetorical questions to show the point of view of a new generation that has different views from their parents. It is evident that the author wrote this poem using pent up anger and frustration that he could never express as a child. By asking a question like "Could we say Jesus doesn't love you?", it is him expressing a thought he probably thought a million times at church. He makes it a rhetorical question to show that he never got an answer as a child. The short sentences and simple language are provocative and make the reader think of the author's point of view as a child trying to figure out the world. Another interesting piece of the poem is the use of the arts and crafts as a symbol for the parents' way of passing on their beliefs. Because kids love arts and crafts, it is used to teach them about religion without them actually thinking about what they are learning.
ReplyDeleteOverall, the poem was very thought provoking about how we teach religion to our youth.
It was also fascinating how Dunn seems still angry about religious faith even as an adult. Dunn holds himself back from shutting down his child's interest in church: "There was nothing to do but drive, ride it out, sing along in silence". His defeated tone in this sentence was supported by his other phrases: "You can't say to your child 'Evolution loves you'...'We sent her back without a word'...'you can't teach disbelief". In this way, especially with that last phrase, Dunn seems angry that his child "buys into" religion while he tried to challenge it. It's also important to note that Dunn must be doing what he thinks is best for his child; he does not possess faith, so correctly to him his child should not foster a growing faith. Regardless of any views on religion, Dunn chooses to be kind and let his child be independent.
DeleteWhen reading Edgar Gabriel Silex's "1964" I made a weird connection to a rhyme that I heard when I was younger. After the section
ReplyDelete"we ate our lunch
for BREAKFAST spent out 50 cents of milk money
at senoras Torre's Candy store
she was making big fat delicious candy apples
like shiny RED crystal balls we could have looked into
and seen our REDDISH FUTURE"
I put the words breakfast, red, and reddish future in caps because these are the keys that made me think of the rhyme “Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning”
Did anyone else notice this or make the same connection?
Julia Freeman says:
ReplyDeleteOf all the poems, my favorite was 1964 (For Bert) by Edgar Gabriel Silex. The message I got from this poem is that the only way to really experience the world for what it is to go out and experience it yourself. A lot of children are sheltered all their lives from the cruelties of the world, and although this is often to protect them from things they may not be ready for, it prevents them from being able to grow and thrive in the world they live in. The two kids in this poem decided to play hooky, and ended up seeing a side of the world they had never been exposed to before. They were taken home by the police and then beat by their grandparents for skipping class. The emotion in that stanza was incredible, and it really proved how little knowledge children have about the world around them. My favorite line of the poem is “that day when we touched the ache of the world we learned the secret of why some people fulfill their own wishes to die”. The day they realized what the world really was, was the day that they learned more than they ever had before. There are just some things you can’t learn in school. Rather than seeing the world as it is, we see it as we are told it is, which is what this poem is trying to say. It is important for people to experience the world themselves and not just rely on the image of the world that is presented to them by the people around them.
I think starting the poem packet with the poem Introduction to Poetry is a good precursor for what we were to encounter while reading through the next twenty poems. The author is encouraging readers to dig deeper into what is being put in front of them. “…and hold it up to the light like a color slide, or press an ear against its hive” is an excellent use of metaphor to relay the message it is trying to get across. The ending of the poem with the line “but all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with rope and torture a confession out of it” is something that can be related to high school students. I know that when I first had to annotate poetry it was something I saw as a bore, and tried too hard to force a meaning out of it, and search to find what the author’s message was. But I think here Collins is saying that the meaning of a poem is really up to the reader to decide. A poem can be interpreted in many different ways and the sooner you find that out, the more enjoyable reading poetry becomes.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden the words: cold, cracked, ached, labor, splintering, breaking, angers, indifferently, austere, and lonely are all words used to show the tough and bitter feelings the author has experienced as a child. The last line of the play really showcases the author’s understanding that his father really did love him. The last line reads,” of love’s austere and lonely offices” and for me the word austere really showcased what the author means. Austere means straight to the point, simple, and stern; the author now understands that his father really did love and care for him, it was shown more through his actions on Sundays.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was reading "Hymn to a Broken Marriage" by Paul Durcan, I began to question the nature of my parents' divorce. Did they both regret the marriage, just one or the other, or neither? Would they have done it all over again if they knew where they would end up? Did they share the same outlook as Durcan? He appears to have been so madly in love that he was blind to the toxicity of the relationship. He then relates love to an addiction, adding a negative annotation to it, grouping it to alcoholism and drug addiction. Meanwhile, affection, in his eyes, is sane but love is not. I find this interesting because I personally find affection to be just as toxic because it leads to the thirst of love, of wanting, and can lead to a person to do anything to get it. They are both important experiences in early and later years, as they can push you to do more, add a strive to become greater, or simply provide someone with the will to continue on. In Durcan's words, people will continue to feel these emotions again, and again, and again, and again.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the poem "Famous" by Nami Shihab Nye, I found the line "The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek", to have to most impact. It stands alone near the middle, softly, but making a strong statement. It is so simple but very relatable. Everyone cries, sometimes in streams, sometimes shedding just one lonely tear. Still, this poem sums up the connection that they share in such a simple way. They're not always together, but there is a brief time when they are. Such a fragile relationship only needed to be summed up in a soft, simple, lonely line, and that is exactly what Nye accomplished.
ReplyDeleteI agree that something so simple needed to be explained. People need to know that in everything they do they aren't alone. Depression seems to be a very common symptom of teens and older when they feel they are alone. This poem by Nye seems to have opened up this idea to show people that everyone is important. I think the lines, "'The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds,'" proves that even if you feel you haven't contributed anything to the world, you are important and famous to everyone. "Famous" seemed to be a very motivational piece to bring people out of misery.
DeleteThe final poem of our packet, “Testament” By Hayden Carruth was a poem I really enjoyed reading. I loved the way Carruth used comparisons that I was able to comprehend. He used deep meanings throughout the poem, but also used straightforward wording which I think was what really sold the poem for me. The way he starts off describing the hourglass filled with sand drew me in. From there he talked about how our lives drift downwards, as does the sand, and the began to focus on love. More towards the second half of the play he threw a lot of questions into the text, which was another thing I found I liked because it allowed my mind to come up with the answer. As the poem came to an end, Carruth came full circle and referred to the hourglass, “when the last grain of sand falls with its whisper, its inconsequence, on the mountain of my love below”, which as he explained, now has all the sand in the bottom.
ReplyDeleteLeah, I agree that the poem was greatly formulated. I liked how the poem was easy to understand. The diction made imagery easy especially with the hourglass. When I think of the hourglass, I to the Wizard of Oz movie and how our lives continue to move quickly no matter how hard we try to slow them down. I think the hourglass mentioned in the poem made me realize that I wasn't the only one who thought about love being so important to life. I really liked the ending about love too. Love seemed to surmount everything in the end of the poem which really got me hooked.
DeleteIn “Hymn to a Broken Marriage” by Paul Durcan, I found that I didn’t get the feeling that I was reading a poem, it felt like a letter, since the first two words “Dear Nessa”. I felt badly for the husband writing to his ex wife, he clearly still thinks so fondly of her, but unfortunately he knows his time with Nessa is over. After reading this poem, I wonder if the husband wasn’t the good person he seems to be in his writing. Maybe he didn’t realize what he had until she was gone? Although this poem was short and sweet, the depth and meaning in it is something the reader can only dig towards, it isn’t something that is written somewhere in the poem for you.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the poem "Wishes for Son" by Lucille Clifton because it added some light hearted relief amongst poems of heavier topics. It's a poem that almost every girl can relate to. You can not only feel the actual pain but also can share the thought process. With the shorter thoughts and phrases, you can sense the urgency and agony in her voice; she is not messing around. Clifton broke up her pattern by adding a longer thought in the middle of the shorter ones. In the stanza, she discusses allowing the sons to experience just a bit of the struggle, emphasizing her wishes. I enjoyed the fact that not only could I relate to this piece but also the fact that it gave my mind a nice break. After reading many poems at once, it provided a nice breather and something to pull me back into the assignment.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I read the first line of "Undertaker" by Patricia Smith, I was hooked. I was interested in exactly what point of view the piece was about to be told from; a doctor, a police officer, or a mortician. Whose story were they telling? It was a tale of loss, of love not ready to be forgotten, of hope for the future, and sadly of repetition. The contrasting images of before and now can almost break your heart, as before they were full of life but now they are simply a cold body, reduced to almost nothing. The most chilling lines opened and closed the poem. The line "Another homeboy coming home", left me with a lasting impression. The pain never stops. There's always another shooting, another stabbing, another incident. The pain always keeps coming, the loss and heartache just overflowing the hearts and minds of so many helpless families doing their best for their child's final moments on this earth. No more mothers should need another miracle.
ReplyDeleteThe "Undertaker" by Patricia Smith definitely pulled me in to continue reading too. I wish the point of view of the author was revealed at the end because I was hoping to find that out also. What I found so interesting about the author is her view on the boys she had to work on. The author commented on how "he most likely hissed 'Fuck you, man' before the bullets lifted him off his feet". I found it weird how the author would use the word "hissed" because the connotation associated with that word is evil and like a snake. But I feel like the author did this to portray that the boys were not always "good boys" like the mothers painted them out to be. The line that stood out to me the most was "I pray it's my wife, a bill collector, a wrong number". The author's praying another client is not calling because then he knows another child has lost his life.
DeleteI agree that the "Undertaker" caught my attention from the start. I think the author did a great job describing the work of the mortician and this point of view. Comments like, "'I know the look'" and "'The building blocks of my business'" really stuck with me. I felt that these ideas really showed that the mortician struggled knowing that his work was to repeat everyday. He was always going to have someone else coming in and asking for a new casket. I think that the mortician got frustrated when stating, "'The woman needs to wither, finally, and move on.'" He had to work without emotion and this showed how hard this was for him and the stress he goes through.
DeleteOne of the poems that stood out to me was "At the Smithville Methodist Church" by Stephen Dunn. The way the poem stood out to me was it reminded me of a trend we tend to see in society today and the role of parents. Usually in families, values and beliefs are passed down from the parents too their children. What makes this story different from the expected, to me, is that the child does not have the same views as her parents. What I find so beautiful about this piece is that even though the parents have a different opinion of the matter, compared to their daughter, they still let her do what she believes and what she feels is right. I feel the support of my parents is so important and that really grabbed me with this poem. With the support they had for their daughter even though they had different beliefs, I found that to be so strong.
ReplyDeleteI found the poem "The Mercy" by Philip Levine quite interesting because it tells the journey of a family. This really encouraged me to continue reading to discover how their journey carried out. I loved how the author told the incident of the mother seeing an orange for the first time, because it really helped to put the poem's setting into place. It also helped me to realize how so many people around the world have not gotten the experience that I am so lucky to have. I loved the overall dynamic of the poem because the author was able to talk about the orange in the beginning of the poem then wrap up with the orange with a different context in the ending.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ashley that "The Mercy" had a very interesting overall story and that the orange was mentioned in both the beginning and the end was cool. This poem really put our lives into a different perspective seeing that we have a lot more than others have. This poem secretly put this theme into it not directly, but carefully. People today always want more than they have and to experience more, but poems like this help us to realize that we are living a great life no matter how we live it. I also agree that this poem was a good way to connect to families who have went through life changing events together just as this family has. This journey was shown very well throughout the entire poem.
DeleteWhile reading the poem "Anyways" by Suzanne Cleary, I was reminded a lot of my grandmother. She, too, has a word impediment which I'm always identified to her. She always says "Youse" instead of you. As in, "While youse get me a glass of water". However this impediment is not due to her ethnicity as English is her first and only language, is does represent a piece of her background as "anyways" represents Cleary's. My grandmother didn't receive an education past junior high. In eigth grade her mother had her drop out of school to take care of her home and watch over her ten other siblings. Now my grandmother was not against her skipping out on high school, however, it would keep her from getting a job with a constant paycheck. Since those teen years to the present, my grandmother still cleans houses to support her and my retired grandfather. As a kid, I used to mock her use of "youse" but now I see how much more it means. Like "anyways" it represents her struggles through her life. I understand now that, as she would say, "Youse don't know what I've been through".
ReplyDeleteI loved the poem, "What the Living Do" by Marie Howe. Howe perfectly summarized the behaviors and feelings of first world people. We struggle to keep up everyday commodities like the heat, dirty dishes and groceries. These hindrances in our lives make our lives feel imperfect and uncontrollable. I found the line, "We want the spring to come and the winter to pass," very true to its word. We make it through all our troubles in faith that better days will come. In the last two stanzas, Howe describes how the winter wind was freezing her face and body. However, she is grateful because i reminds that she is living and this is was living is about. These last two stanzas summarizes how people are simultaneously grateful and ungrateful for their struggles.
ReplyDeleteJeanna, I completely agree that "What the Living Do" does a perfect job at describing everyday difficulties and making our lives seem like they are unbearable. The ending lines, "'for my own blowing hair, chapped face, and unbuttoned coat that I'm speechless: / I am living. I remember you,'" really spoke to me. These lines made me realize that although everyone reaches a bump in the road, there is nothing you can't get through. Our lives aren't meant to be perfect. Our lives are meant to be learned from and are meant to be remembered as joyful times. I liked the mentioning of people loving and hating their struggles and this made me think that this poem and the words you used remind me of a song called 'Let Her Go.' This song says that you only miss things when they are gone. If we were to be without our struggles, there would be no challenges to face and our lives would be too simple.
DeleteI enjoyed "Looking Back in My Eighty-First Year" because of its honesty. The narrator describes how the pressure of society altered her life. Like most young women of this period, she married right after high school. This caused to give up her passions for art and literature and instead focus on her husband. She regrets never furthering her education in those subjects as well not following her other passion for travel and seeing the world. She explains though that she cannot fully blame it on the times because her husband would have waited for her to complete her youthful desires before marriage.The reason she did not chase after these dreams was because her passion was driven towards her love for husband. Although she regrets her decisions from her past, she most definitely doesn't regret her marriage. Her husband has been her rock and her forever love.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you explained "Looking Back in My Eighty-First Year". I agree that this honesty was a big deal in this poem. The author chose to write about this particular woman's feelings, but we know she isn't alone thinking this way. I also see the point that her husband meant so much to her. I especially saw this with the words, "' Sixty years my lover,/ he says he would have waited.'" This really struck me that this man and women were meant to be no matter what. I think it is really important to note that although she looked back and questioned her path, she knows she cannot change it and loves her husband.
DeleteIn the poem “Famous” by Naomi Shihab Nye, I liked how she focused more on the relationships between two physical objects. One of my favorite lines is, “The bent photograph is famous to the one who carries it and is not at all famous to the one who is pictured.” This line shows that the owner of the picture looks at it so frequently to the point that it’s worn out, but the one in the picture doesn’t even realize that he or she is so important to the owner.
ReplyDeleteIn the last two stanzas, she focuses on how she wants to be famous. In the second to last stanza, she says, “...famous as the one who smiled back.” By smiling at the men and children, she’s showing us that she wants to be remember as someone who was joyous and kind, and I think that’s something we should all aspire to do.
Jenny, I really like how you looked at the last two stanzas in particular. I feel like people nowadays think that being famous is a hard thing to do, but this poem proves it isn't. I also think that the idea of smiling to make you famous is a very inspiring line. A smile can make anyone's day brighter and adds to making the world a better place. I also like how you noticed that the owner of the photograph must've looked at it a lot. I felt like this was a new look into how to be famous also.
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ReplyDeleteWhat I found really interesting in the poem "Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins was the 2nd to last stanza where it says, "But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with a rope and torture a confession out of it", because I feel like many people who read poetry would rather have the meaning of the poem told to them rather than trying to figure it out themselves. What makes poetry so enjoyable is trying to figure out what the poem means to you through its tricky wording, but if every poem told you directly what it's meaning is, then it takes the fun away from reading poetry.
ReplyDeleteI found the poem "1964 (For Bert)" very interesting because it compares sunlight, which is usually considered with a positive connotation, with hardship and suffering. For example, in the last stanza the author writes that "we learned school was meant to keep us from seeing that sunlight created this world," he reiterates himself by saying when he did not go to school, "we touched the ache of this world." After reading the poem more closely, I noticed that the same comparison was also made in the third stanza. After saying that he and Bert sat "beneath a sunlight we had never imagined before," he goes on to describe the sight of people struggling to keep their dreams afloat. Considering this, by saying "school would shape our eyes into prisms that could split the brilliance," the author seems to mean that school promises a great future while ignoring hardships suffered in real life.
ReplyDeleteI loved the poem "Mrs. Krikorian" by Sharon Olds. It took the reader through a roller coaster of emotions and allowed the reader to be a part of a powerful story in such a few amount of words. The first line "She saved me" truly sets the tone for the kind of person Mrs. Krikorian was. The way that the author portrays Mrs. Krikorian as an "amiable giantess with the kind eyes" allows the reader to learn from the start the impact that this teacher had on the children's lives. The whole beginning of this poem contains the praising of the impact that the teacher had on the author's life. It tells the story of how she made a difference in her life. The second half of the poem spins around and exposes what happened to the amazing teacher. It goes on to talk about the heroic acts the teacher performed to save others but in the end no one was left to save her. This true spin in events threw the reader for a curve ball and is the reason I loved this poem. I never would have expected the ending based on the author's praising tone in the beginning.
ReplyDeleteThe part of "Those Winter Sundays" that stuck with me was that the father was so dedicated. He wasn't ever thanked for anything he did, yet he continued to do the same tasks everyday. Also, I thought it was special that usually Sundays are a day of rest for everyone, but not for this father. He still got up and did his work early in the morning. I think this was a very important piece of the poem that can't go unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteI found "wishes for sons" to be very hard to read. I didn't like the contents of the poem and I questioned why Lucille chose this subject. I think I may have taken it very literally, but it made me a little uncomfortable. I also feel that the setup of the poem was strange and and added to my dislike of the poem. It seemed to jump into the girl's perspective too fast. I couldn't tell from the title what the poem was going to be about, but in no way had I pictured this. This a different style of writing that I am not a fan of, sorry.
ReplyDeleteI completely agreed with Haley's feelings about the poem "Wishes for sons." This poem also made me uncomfortable while reading it. Lucille Clifton wrote about many of the hardships that only women have to deal with, while wishing these miseries onto men. In the last paragraph she says "let them think they have accepted arrogance in the universe, then bring them to gynecologists," this statement leads me to believe that she has run into many arrogant men who have sat on their high table and refused to acknowledge her pain. Now she wants to give them a "taste of their own medicine." As Haley says the title slightly misleads you, it implies hope and the poem wants to inflict pain.
DeleteI believe that the subject of this poem may be seen as touchy, I fully agree. Though I do believe that the true meaning for this poem is not to raise spite or revenge towards men. I truly believe that she wishes for her sons to actually have compassion and understanding of what a woman goes through. The first two stanzas acknowledges more of a teenage girls situation while the third stanza is addressing middle aged feminine woes. She knows her sons are going to deal with teenage girls while they are young and dating and as life goes on her sons will get married which leads into the more middle age troubles. I agree Will that the poem title implies hope, which in my perspective is what the poem is about, a mother's hope for he sons to be compassionate towards what women experience.
DeleteHolly, I like how you looked at this poem because it was less literal than what I thought. The idea that the mother wants her son to realize what women go through is important and it reminds me of the fight for Women's Rights and the want for women to be noticed. I can also see how you guys took the title to be hopeful because wishes implies that the mother wants what is best. Holly, my favorite part of your response was that the ideas went from younger to older feminine woes because I hadn't thought of the poem as being designed this way.
DeleteAmanda Forshey says:
ReplyDelete"Rain in Childhood" was one of my favorite poems in this entire packet. The descriptive language the author used is amazing, and it is also extremely relatable. Phrases like "being a body with other bodies" and "the steamy, tar-damp smell of rain" bring me right back to elementary school, and those rainy days that I loved. Eric Ormsby captured the sadness and the longing feelings that we feel not just now, but early in childhood. Kids are often smarter and have more emotional depth than adults believe, but Eric Ormsby understood the importance of moments like this.
I also loved "Anyways (For David)". This poem describes a huge element of my life, as almost everyone in my family says "anyways" instead of "anyway". I thought her use of indentation was incredibly interesting, as it makes the poem look almost lyrical or woven, leading your eye through a story. Her title makes me believe that this poem may have been a type of letter to the man mentioned with "grey-green eyes", telling him about what she believes. The poem emphasizes the importance of family, and holding on to tradition, something often lost in today's society.
I was immediately hooked to "Kafka:Lilacs" because of the unique description portrayed by Robert Cording. The first lines, "'Even yogurt diluted with water was too much/ For him,'" made me question what horrific thing might be happening to this man. The description such as "'A clock/ Replays the same hours and the sun/ Arrives right on schedule,'" also made me like this work. I liked how the description was very simple, but was to the point where it created a perfect image in our minds. The author chose specific details to add to the pathos appeal. Also, the other description that I liked was, "'Of lilacs rests, their odors given out like light.'" I feel that this was a very different way to describe the smell of the flowers. Overall, the description in this poem really made it easy to understand while reaching into a deeper level of emotions.
ReplyDeleteI feel like every dog owner feels like the narrator in "Atlantis". I have had similar scares with my dog that make me hold her tight to me when crossing the road just as the narrator describes, "'And there I was on my knees,/ both arms around his neck/ and nothing coming.'" We all want the best for our pets and always fear the worst. Our dogs are a part of our family and this is the same as other pets and we feel a deep connection with them. The description of the narrator talking about the doctor made me picture a family waiting outside a hospital room for a hurt family member. Their dog is like a human to them. Also, this is shown by the fact that the doctor was referred to as a doctor rather than a vet. This poem clearly showed the idea that humans are greatly attached to their pets and wish the best for them.
ReplyDeleteI was really moved by the poem "Those Winter Sundays." Many words in the poem created an image of a lot of hardship for both the father and the child. In the first stanza we see an image about how hard the father works and how its a thankless job " with cracked hands that ached from labor... no one ever thanked him." The poem was so important to me because despite everything it showed how a father will do anything to try to make there child's life the best they can. The last stanza addresses how his child seemed to not even appreciate what he did until later in life "What did I know of love's austere and lonely offices?"
ReplyDeleteThe poem "Hymn to a Broken Marriage" really caught my attention because it seemed like the classic tale of not knowing what you have until its gone. The poem, which seemed a lot more like a love letter, depicted a man wanting to go back in time and remarry "the one that got away." It is made very clear that he would do anything to have a do over but Nessa his ex-wife will have no part in it. He says "in spite of your patience and your innocence... you require to shake off the addiction of romantic love." By this line it draws me to conclude that she tried to make it work but her love for this man wasn't enough to keep her in the relationship that just wasn't working.
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DeleteWill, I agree that the man was looking back wanting to marry his one true love. I noticed that the poem started out with a "'cold March day of our wedding.'" This instantly told me that the marriage wasn't going to work out. The man was definitely looking to marry his one and only, but this wasn't their fate. This idea that fate wasn't in their favor to be together was when the poem stated, "'If you would have me which, of course, you would not.'" I can also agree that this relationship wasn't working as Will said. The man seems to be very emotional throughout the poem and all over the place which probably made it very hard for the woman to accept him.
DeleteI think Patricia Smith created a very emotional piece with the "Undertaker". Pathos seemed to be a main aspect of this work and shone throughout the entire piece. The diction was a huge part of this. Words like, 'flaps', 'slivers', and 'tufts' made gory images in my head. This piece was very hard to read due to the emotional content described. Death is a hard thing to think of and this piece clearly talked about death even with a little humor used by the author in "'Lips are never easy to recreate.'" This piece was emotionally challenging to read especially how the author chose to portray it. The lines were also neatly packed together like a work of prose, so the reader didn't get a chance to pause and think.
ReplyDeleteI was expecting "Photograph from September 11" to be more rushed and chaotic than the poem was. When I think of 9/11 all I can picture is screams, running, and blood. The author chose a quite different route. They described it lighter, but still with the harsh ideas in mind. Death wasn't shown directly and was shown in the lines where, "'The photograph halted them in life,/ and now keeps them/ above the earth toward the earth.'" The burning buildings and other aspects of 9/11 were left out of the picture. This poem was focused on preserving the lives of the innocent people who were killed on 9/11. This poem took me by surprise, but still made my heart sink.
ReplyDeleteI agree fully with what you're saying Hayley! I read this piece over a few times to fully take in the emotional aspect of it. What really struck me about this was the poet's ability to use contrasting imagery on how the boy once was to when the undertaker received his body. I noticed this when the writer said, "And the smirking, mildly mustachioed player in the crinkled snapshot looks nothing like the plastic bag of boy...". I also noticed the phrase, "In the picture, he is cocky and chiseled, clutching the world by the balls. I know the look. Now he is flaps of cheek, slivers of jawbone, a surprised eye,..." I believe this use of imagery really appeals to readers saying how quickly things can change for someone. I know personally when I was reading this just picturing this young man's body left me both horrified yet touched. The realization that life is precious seems really prominent throughout this work. Another thing that has struck me about this piece is the fact that when the word miracle is used I first thought of the "miracle of life" but this is not the miracle in which I am used to, but it's actually just the mere miracle to put this young man's face back together for his final goodbye at the wake.
ReplyDeleteSorry guys, I meant to reply to Hayley's post about the "Undertaker" but posted it as an individual post instead!
DeleteMy grandparents and other older generations of family have often told me about their "past lives" how they used to drive a nice car and live without worrying. They look back and wish this life didn't escape them. This is the thought that reached my mind when reading "Looking Back in My Eighty-First Year." This woman is thinking about her past seeing that she has aged so quickly and wonders, "'How did we get to be old ladies'". The woman in the poem also speaks about her life in the past and makes it seem so different than how she lives now. I think it is important to realize that as you age, you do change slightly, but your memories will still be with you and you have to take every moment in and make every day special. This is important because life goes by fast and we need to hold on and make the best of it.
ReplyDeleteI am an extreme dog lover so while reading the poem "Atlantis" my heart seemed to twist while reading the words of a heartbroken dog owner. When he said, "...since the doctor wrote not even a real word but an acronym, a vacant four-letter cipher that draws meanings into itself, reconstitutes the world." The fact that the dogs diagnosis seems so cold to the owner and when he said that it "reconstitutes the world", I realized that my dog means everything to me and if something like this were to happen my world would change as well. Then towards the end of the poem when he describes the dog as "soul without speech, sheer, tireless faith, he is that-which-goes-forwards,...he is where we'll be hit first." When I first read that last line I though it solely meant that the dog would be first to be hit by a car because he was scouting in front of everyone else on the walk but then while reading it thoroughly I realized that this dog may be the families first loss and they will be hit emotionally by his loss. Then to close up this emotional poem the writer says, "I didn't know who I was trying to protect," which just really touched me. He was both trying to ward death off from his dog and protect himself of the impending blow of the dog's death. I know many of these poems had very touching stories to them but this one was the one that really hit home for me.
ReplyDeleteI think that "Testament" by Hayden Carruth was particularly interesting to me because of how it connected to the audience. Right away the poem seems to be a conversation between the author and the reader. The poem even states that, "'I'm sure everyone must/ see this emblem somewhere in the mind.'" I think this was a very unique approach for this poem. This is a different way to connect with the reader rather than just by using the appeal to pathos and I think it was used wisely in this case.
ReplyDelete"Thanksgiving" by Martin Espada really got me thinking. The lines, "'The wood stove coughed during her mother's prayer:/ Amen and the gravy boat bobbing over fresh linen'" sounded like a normal holiday gathering, however, this wasn't the case. I was completely taken aback by the idea that the grandfather had brought an actual cannon to the gathering. I had never though that this was would happen. Also, the family seemed to quarrel over things everyone might such as "'Daddy, eat the candied yams'", so I thought that the grandfather was joking about the whole cannon subject. This poem was definitely interesting and surprising to me.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found to be unique in the poem, "1964", was that there was a foreshadowing engrossed in it. The boys' change in mindset was foreshadowed. As children they could live freely, or so they thought, until they realized this was all in fantasy and that life does come to an end which is not always in the most satisfying ways. This foreshadowing change is shown when the candy apples are explained. "'like shiny red crystal balls we could have looked into and seen our reddish future.'" Their "'reddish future'" showed their negative mindset seeing that the world does have its downfalls. The poem wraps up this idea in saying, "' we learned the secret of why some people fulfill/ their own wishes to die.'"
ReplyDeleteI thought that the "Hymn to a Broken Marriage" had very choppy lines. I think the author's purpose of this was to show how deeply the man wanted to have this woman he was in love with. If he were speaking, I could see his words coming out in huge gasps and his eyes wide with hope. Only near the end of the poem I saw the man seemed to have calmed down and the flowing words of "'Loverliness, brotherliness, fatherliness,'" were written. Also, the repetition of the word 'you' showed that the man was trying to connect with Nessa. He wanted her to see his point of view although he knew he was struggling with this connection between the two of them.
ReplyDeleteI liked how in "What the Living Do" the point of view was based upon that of a normal person. I liked how the narrator went through ordinary ideas such as "'the crusty dishes have piled up waiting for the plumber I still haven't called." These ordinary complaints are often what everyone experiences and this really made me realize how simple these fixes are and made me question why people can't just try to change their bad habits. This poem really made me realize this simplicity and gave me motivation to try and fix things rather than let our lives remain the same and have certain problems go in circles.
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ReplyDeleteIn the "Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins, I liked how most stanzas began with "I". This made me feel that the author was speaking directly to the audience and that he had his own opinion on poetry. He was speaking his own thoughts and explaining how other people deal with poetry. "'But all they want to do / is tie the poem to a chair with a roe/ and torture a confession out of it.'" I found it very interesting that the author wrote this piece of poetry to say how to read poetry. This was an interesting spin on writing in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI found that "Why We Tell Stories" had very deep connections that were slipped under the surface of the poem. The lines, "'We sat by the fire in our caves,'" made me think of cavemen and the beginning of time. I think that this connection was important to this poem because it showed that storytelling has become such a wide-spread idea that without it part of our past would have been lost. I also think that the connection with "'floated open-eyed'" is important because I took this generally to mean that like learning to swim, we learn to live through the stories we are told. We try to live without making the same mistakes of those before us.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the diction in "Why We Tell Stories". In particular, I enjoyed the words, 'zithers', 'none of us' and 'enchant'. 'Zithers' was a very interesting word choice because it is a non-common musical instrument which I didn't know about until I looked up its definition. I thought that 'none of us' was an odd way to write. Usually I have seen words like, 'no one', but I haven't seen this written before. Both of these examples really caught my eye. Lastly, 'enchant' just made me feel that this poem was special.
ReplyDeleteAllison Salina says:
ReplyDelete1. I found the poem “Main Street: Tilton, New Hampshire” to be quite intriguing. I was especially fascinated by Jane Kenyon’s last few lines:
“Through time and space we came
to Main Street-three days before
Labor Day, 1984, 4:47 in the afternoon;
and then that moment passed, displaced
by others equally equivocal”.
The author tied in the idea of everyone experiencing the same day or even the same moment in billions of different ways and then at the blink of the eye that experience is over and tucked away in our memories. I appreciated the authors way of wrapping the story into a specific time, date and year-it helped to emphasize how time is punctual and clean, but what is actually going on in time is hectic. It made me more aware of the world being open to different interpretations and understanding that different perspectives see or experience the same thing in a different way. Overall, this poem was revealing and told the perfect story of how one moment in time could hold many different experiences.
I like your last point Allie about one moment in time with many different experiences. This poem was definitely able to capture this idea by describing the lives of many people at once. I think it is really interesting to think about people in other time zones and areas of the world. People often don't realize that we are living a different life than people across the world, and having many different experiences too. The line, "'then that moment passed, displaced/ by others equally equivocal,'" really proved this point!
DeleteAllison also says (of "Those Winter Sundays"):
ReplyDelete2.I loved how this poem created two different people. There was the younger more naïve child who only focused on the negative in what their father did and never taking a moment to acknowledge how much he loved them. “I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking, When the rooms were warm, he’d call, slowly I would rise and dress, fearing the chronic angers of that house”. Then there was the older, wiser and more mature adult who looked back on their childhood and finally appreciated all that their father had done for them. Who noted that “no one ever thanked him”. Like Alli Clark, it also opened my eyes to all that my parents have sacrificed for me and acknowledging that sometimes I forget to be grateful for that.
I agree that there were two people depicted in this poem. I think this was a really neat way to formulate this poem. I think everyone needs to take the time to realize what their family has done for them and try to help out to lessen the burden on their parents. It is scary to see how much we take for granted nowadays and I am happy that this poem opened up many people's eyes to reality. This poem was definitely very heart-felt.
DeleteAnd finally:
ReplyDelete3. “Photograph from September 11” was a very captivating poem. While reading I felt as though time had slowed down and I could feel and see all that was being described in the work. It helped to emphasize how that day had halted the US as a nation and for one day, the world seemed to stop spinning leaving the tragedy frozen in time. The author took an event that only lasted a few seconds and made it last forever. She showed how as they jumped, they were more than victims, but were real people. They were vulnerable, defenseless and had lost all control/composure. “Each is still complete, with a particular face and blood well hidden”. The attack took everything away from these individuals but during the fall they were still people.The fall, though short, must have felt like an eternity while they were thinking of all that they could until the world ended forever. Overall, the poem was incredibly insightful and showed me a new perspective of the event.
I think Mrs. Krikorian was a thought-provoking poem for me to read. First, when the words, "'a known criminal'" were used, I had no idea what was to come of this new teacher dealing with this troublesome kid. In no way had I pictured that he would be 'tamed' by going to the library. I think this was a very interesting environment choice made by the author. The lines, "'flash my pass/ and stroll over to the dictionary'" made me realize that this troublesome boy had reached a safe place where he wouldn't do any damage. This was heart-wrenching for me because it gave the boy another chance especially as a young boy to do things right.
ReplyDeleteJane Kenyon captured an amazing moment in “Main Street: Tilton, New Hampshire.” She was able to embody in words, how at one time; “4:47”, and in one place; “Main Street”, so many lives are being occupied and lived. The poem begins with her waiting in a car while ‘he’ went to the grocery store. While she is waiting, she observes that there is a mother walking a child down the street. She wonders what is in the bag they are carrying, an insignificant detail. Then she notices a woman dabbing her face with a tissue. I think the this poem resonates with me because it reminds me that there are billions of people on earth and every single person has their own life and struggles. I think Jane wanted the readers to realize how much is happening around us and how busy the world is. Her use of detail when mentioning things such as the wedge of cheddar, a bag of school clothes, rubber flip-flops, and the “home-made wooden scaffolding in the bed” which may seem insignificant to one, but may mean the world to another. Her last stanza is written beautifully right down to her last two words : “equally equivocal” meaning one talks equally of two different situations, of in this poem, of many different lives.
ReplyDeleteIn “Hymn to a Broken Marriage, repetition is used to convey the desire to relive or redo the marriage again, and again, and again. The author seems as if he is addicted to heartache even though he states they are both addicted to love. He acknowledges that the marriage is doomed and will most likely never be successful no matter how many times they wed, but he seems to continue being devoted to Nessa. Thematically, the poem does a great job recognizing how relationships fail because neither partner have the time to put in the effort. Durcan says that Nessa has the characteristics of being patient and innocent, which is rare for her age, meaning she wants someone more attentive than him. He says she seeks a relationship in which sane affection is “profuse and fair proportion”. As much as he wants the marriage to last, he cannot change Nessa’s feelings toward him, which he realizes repeatedly and finally says goodbye to an sad love affair.
ReplyDeleteLike Kenyon in “Main Street: Tilton, New Hampshire”, “Famous” by Naomi Shihab Nye reminded me that within every world, there are vasts amounts of other worlds and lifetimes in which we have our own Gods, heroes, celebrities, and necessities. A loud voice is the God to the silence. The river is Earth for fish. When the cats are sleeping, birds are the predator. A bent photograph is the world to someone. This poem reminds me that being well known to many people does not necessarily make you famous, you can pick someone's books up in the hallway and be famous for a lifetime to them. We can make ourselves famous with our personalities and talents. I admire Nye’s format because she separated the stanzas in a way that gives each object or thing something that is famous for them. In the last two stanzas, the repetition of “I want to be famous…” helps us, as readers to understand her purpose for writing the poem and that she hopes to accomplish being famous, or as important to someone as the river is to the fish.
ReplyDeleteI think to fully understand the power behind “Testament”, you should read it out loud. This poem describes life’s biggest challenge: to feel like you aren't wasting your time on earth. Hayden Carruth, quite blatantly states, the hourglass represents life. The grains drifting down are the days passing by. “Everyone must see this emblem somewhere in the mind” translates to everyone can see their life passing by at some point. In the middle of the poem he asks: “What will you do? How will you live?”. These questions are followed by him saying “You can't go back…”; this statement alluding to how you cannot put the sand in the hourglass back at the top without starting a completely new life. I think the idea behind this poem is we don't pay much attention to an hour glass until it's about to end. This much could be said about real life, by which we don't tend to comprehend and pay attention to our lives until we are fearful of running out of time. I think as far as style goes, Carruth made a wise decision in not breaking up the poem with stanzas because it give the poem more of a tangent feel and seems as if someone is ranting and not calmly delivering a poem.
ReplyDeleteTaylor, I agree that people seem to only think about things when it is too late. The man speaking about his will in the poem seems to be thinking rapidly which I think is shown by the many rhetorical questions. This poem seemed to use the hourglass as a main symbol and not hide it. I think this was a different approach by Carruth because sometimes when a symbol isn't hidden the poem may not be able to reach into the hearts of the reader, but in his case it worked out. He was able to connect to the reader using his specific style and making a sort of ranting poem.
DeleteI really enjoyed the poem “Why We Tell Stories.” In the first couple stanzas, I liked how the author united characteristics of people and nature together. The imagery created in those lines had a very calming and interesting effect. Especially when the author started the poem referring to people as trees, it reminds the reader that everything natural on this earth has a connection to each other. The author also goes on to talk about people telling stories as entertainment, and to seek comfort. I like the way this poem artistically described oral tradition in humans and it also celebrates individuality, saying “…each of us tells/ the same story/ but tells it differently/ and none of us tells it/ the same way twice.”
ReplyDeleteIn “Hymn to a Broken Marriage” I really feel for the narrator. Despite the struggle he and his ex wife faced, he is still devoted to their love. The repetition used in the first half of the poem really aids to prove the author’s point, that yes, he would still relive their marriage countless times even though he knew that it would end in turmoil. I sympathize with him because he is obviously the one that still cares, and would want to make things work, while the ex wife is just ready to move on without him. Durcan seems to still believe in “the addiction of romantic love,” while Nessa would rather feel “sane affection” for someone else. Durcan seems to be the hopeless romantic, while Nessa is more of a realist. When Durcan acknowledges Nessa’s patience and innocence, he implies that it is somewhat odd to him that she rejected their marriage while she possesses these traits.
ReplyDeleteI had the same reaction as Rachel did to this poem. I thought it was very insightful and powerful and ties into a lot of aspects of life. This man is obviously going through different stages of grieving. In the beginning of the poem he keeps saying how he wants her and keeps repeating the same line to show the emphasis of that. As the poem goes on he starts talking about her and all the characteristics that make her so great. And then at the end of the poem he talks about her moving on. He went from wanting her so badly to recognizing that she is moving on and he is falling behind. This poem makes me curious and sad. Why did their marriage die? But I do agree with the author about keeping the reason quiet. It's almost as if the man is saying that he simple cannot take care of his wife the way she wants anymore.
Delete“What the Living Do” by Marie Howe is a poem that I think we can all relate to. Howe discusses the nuisances of everyday life in a couple of ways. She first complains that the kitchen sink has been clogged for days, and the dishes are piling up, and then the heat is on too high, and her bag of groceries fell in the street, and lastly, that she spilled coffee down her arm. She then says, “I’ve been thinking: This is what the living do.” Howe described all the little issues in life, and analyzes human nature through her realization that these little issues are just that: little. People tend to get too wrapped up in the miniscule setbacks of life, that we forget something… we’re experiencing the greatest thing that ever was- life itself! Life comes with good and bad, and in this poem, Howe realizes that the little problems in life aren’t as big a deal as she makes them. Her realization is evident when she says, “I’m gripped by a cherishing so deep… that I’m speechless: I’m living.”
ReplyDeleteI do not like the poem, “Looking Back in My Eighty-First Year.” Yes, it’s written well and has a positive message, and all that other cliché stuff, etc., but it’s all about regret. This woman, with her eighty one years of wisdom, is looking back on her life and naming all the things she wish she had done/ wish she hadn’t done. But it’s seriously all too easy to look back on your life and regret things. For example, the author discusses how she was planning on crossing the ocean on the Cunard White Star, but decided to stay with her lover. Why is she regretting that? In the moment, it’s exactly what she wanted. She says “Passion had locked us together.” Good! Feeling passion for another person is something to hold on to. She shouldn’t feel regretful for wanting to stay and build her relationship with that person. Imagine if she did go on the ship, she would feel regret for not staying with him, and she probably would’ve wished she didn’t miss out on that time she could’ve been with him. In my opinion, it’s just so easy to look back on your life and wonder how things could’ve turned out differently. I think instead, you should be proud of the things you have done and the things you have accomplished.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rachel that people are often too critical of themselves. We like to find the little faults in our appearance and what we have missed out on. This poem definitely is pessimistic right from the beginning. There was nothing the lady said that was positive about her past. She should be happy about what she has done and what she has seen because this is who she is. Kumin created a very negative piece by using this type of tone.
DeleteGreat Schmitz says:
ReplyDelete"Rain In Childhood" was my favorite of all the poems. Not only do I love thunderstorms, but I love reading about them! Eric Ormsby wrote about the observation of storms being childlike and innocent in nature, that there's a cloud of wonder and curiosity surrounding them. The lines, "knowing the pleasure of being a body with other bodies, we children a flotilla of little ducks, paddling together," groups children as little beans full of awe. The sense words, "tar-damp smell of morning rain" and "secret smokiness" make me feel as if I just walked outside after a rainstorm. My favorite line is, " we saw the lighting lace the school's facade with instantaneous traceries and hairline fires, like a road map glimpsed by flashlight in a car". This is such beautiful imagery I could cry. It perfectly describes the delicate balance with which lightning strikes the sky and quickly dissipates. Ormsby's diction and imagery was pleasurable to read.
I think the "The Mercy" was a tale of upsetting ironies. First, the ship was named "The Mercy", something that the immigrants would not receive upon arrival. Late 19th century into the early 20th century was a really bad time for foreigners coming into America. Racism was at the core of society and immigrants were treated without the courtesy of respect. No mercy was given. Philip Levine later writes, "Italian miners from Piemonte dig under towns in western Pennsylvania only to rediscover the same nightmare they left at home". This explains that no matter where you are, luck and fate will do what they please. Just because you took a leap of faith and sailed across an ocean does not mean you will be rewarded. Irony is often what the world is built on and it is exhibited here.
"What the Living Do" is about people in everyday life are not paying attention to the present, but only what's to come.This women is, "waiting for the plumber [she] still [hasn't] called". And she's hurrying and spilling coffee. As humans, we are always anxious to see what next and often lack the patience, and grace, to simply enjoy life. We are never satisfied with the now, we wait for things to pass and we want, "more and more". But Maria Howe closes her poem by expressing that sometimes, she'll stop and look around and realize that life is so dear, and people are meant to be remembered, those who live.
"Photograph from September 11" touched on something really monumental. Events like 9/11 stick with anyone involved and will bring to mind a certain picture. Like explained in the poem, the people or things in that picture are immortalized. They know nothing of what happened after and they are frozen in time to you. When I think of 9/11, I think of the picture of the twin towers burning and of the emergency vehicles flooding the ground below. Images like these are forever burned into your mind and carry such emotional weight.
In Mrs. Krikorian, I thought it was very interesting that near the end of the poem the boy was wondering about his teacher. The lines, “’When the Turks came across Armenia, who slid her into the belly of a quilt, who locked her in a chest, who mailed her to America?’’ show his inquisitiveness. I think these are very important lines because they show that although the boy doesn’t outright say that he was lucky to have Mrs. Krikorian as a teacher, he has benefited as a result of her. It is also interesting to note that these two people met for a reason just as people do in real life. This made me realize that some things aren’t just coincidences.
ReplyDelete“Rain In Childhood” really expanded my point of view. I had never thought of “’knowing the pleasure of being a body with other bodies.’” This aspect of being on a school bus had never come to mind. My only thought of being on the bus was full of nervousness. I used to be afraid that I wouldn’t have a seat on the bus or I would sit next to someone who really didn’t like me. Thinking about the bus as a pleasure experience with people all going to the same place with the same goal was very optimistic. I also really noticed how life passes by so quickly. The lines, “’Our past already at such distances!’” This poem really changed my perspective on school and life in general.
ReplyDeleteThe last lines of Mrs. Krikorian really left me in wonder. I think that Sharon Olds did a great job of using these suspenseful words to end her poem. The words, “’with the eerie comfort of what is neither good nor evil,’” really put a chill down my spine. While most poems leave the reader with an ending of happiness or other common emotions, this poem leaves the reader with a mix. I was absolutely left in awe after reading this poem. I didn’t know what was to come of this boy as he grew up. The poem was able to end while the boy’s life still circled inside the reader’s mind and made me create a happy ending for this character in my head.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite lines of "Rain in Childhood" are, "'like a road map glimpsed by flashlight in a car.'" This connection was made with the idea that our imaginations fade as we grow older. When these words were used, I realized that just like looking at a map, we seek out certain things in our lives. Also, the flashlight in a car idea made me realize that we need to use our imagination even as it seems to fade throughout life because even when we turn off the flashlight in the car, the map will still be on our maps if needed for guidance. We can use our imagination for anything and it isn't childish to do so.
ReplyDeleteIn Billy Collins' poem "Intoduction to Poetry" there was one word that really set the whole tone for the poem and even made me stop reading for a moment. When he said "I say drop a mouse into a poem and watch him probe his way out," my eye immediately caught the word probe and I began to really think about what it means. It doesn't simply mean leave or escape, it means to explore and examine something. I think that was the perfect word to fit into this poem, which is about enjoying a poem for more than its meaning.
ReplyDeleteOne line that caught my attention in "The Mercy" by Philip Levine was, "'She remembers trying to eat a banana/ without first peeling it.'" I think the last four words were put together in a thought-provoking way. They are an inversion, or in other words, a reversal of normal word order. Usually these words would be situated to say, 'without peeling it first.' I think this was purposeful because it showed that the foreign mother was trying to get used to her new life.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the lines, “’Italian miners from Piemonte dig/ under towns in western Pennsylvania/ only to rediscover the same nightmare they left at home,’” from “The Mercy” are very eye-opening. They connect to the idea that we learned last year while reading The Great Gatsby which dealt with the American Dream being false. I think this poem reached into this idea very subtly, but this definitely stood out to me as being important. Since this poem tells of the mother’s Ellis Island experience, I think that these lines showed that most immigrants wanted so much out of America, but didn’t find it when they got there.
ReplyDeleteI think the last lines of “The Mercy” are among my favorites. “’She learns that mercy is something you can eat/ again and again while juice spills over your chin, you can wipe it away with the back/ of your hands and you can never get enough.’” To fully understand these lines, I looked up the word, mercy. The definition was “kind or forgiving treatment of someone who could be treated harshly.” I think these lines were a theme to the poem showing that the immigrants were allowed to come into America and act like normal citizens. I believe that mercy is a way to have equality throughout the world, but some people can’t see this idea as being true.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem "At the Smithville Methodist Church" I like how the author adapted a more relatable view than simply taking one side or the other. The poem is about the author's child and how she is becoming more and more involved at the local church, which displeases the author due to his own beliefs. However the author/narrator does not choose to share his beliefs with his child because he does not believe she is hurting anyone and doesn't wish to take her happiness away. While this problem might not be relatable to everyone, at one time or another we've all felt that internal conflict of not being able to tell if one side is better than the other, caught between what we think and what we truly believe.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you analyzed this poem. The author didn't share their own beliefs, instead he chose to tell a story through this certain family that was depicted. I agree that many people do often choose to question things that have been part of their schedule for years and it is important for people to do what they believe to be correct. We are all here to inspire other people to do what we believe to be correct and this child in the poem is a part of the next generation to the world, so it is okay if things are changed from the past ideas.
DeleteI think that the lines, "'What did I know, what did I know/ of love's austere and lonely offices?'" are very dark and sad. These lines ended the poem in a very harsh way. The author didn't leave any harsh ideas or details out of "Those Winter Sundays" to prove a point that parents sacrifice a lot for their families. I think these last lines are meant to snap us back into shape and get us to notice that love shouldn't be a sad thing. Love should be spread throughout our lives and flourish through all we do to help one another.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite lines of a movie was, “’Don’t let somebody tell you that you can’t do something because they can’t do it themselves.” I think this connects to “At Smithville Methodist Church” because the parents seem to want their child to be an exact replica of them. The parents said, “’that we thought he was/ sufficiently dead, / that our children would think of him like Lincoln.’” This statement made me feel that the parents should let their child be embraced by a religion even if the family didn’t agree with this idea. I think that with a faith it makes our lives easier because we know we have a community of church-goers to lean on and we can pray for help. I think this family should renew their faith and not limit themselves to what they once thought.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Philip Levine’s style of writing in “The Mercy”. There were lots of connections to the title as well as to the mother’s story. The whole work seemed to flow in an orderly fashion. The end lines used the title to wrap up the story. Also, I liked the shift from the child telling the mother’s story to her looking up details on the whole idea of Ellis Island. “The Mercy” took several different meanings in the poem, the most literal being the boat the mother was on. The deepest was the one about treating others civil. I really liked how all of these ideas were put together in a long poem that never ceased to tell an important detail to make the whole story.
ReplyDeleteI think “At Smithville Methodist Church” was partly about a specific parenting style. The parents in this poem seemed to be contemplating if they were doing the best for their child just like any parent does. This reminds me of a complaint letter that could be written to a teacher with the parent saying that they didn’t know if their child was being taught the correct things. The parents seem to be very controlling of their child and how they deal with things. This is a specific parenting style that I picked out as being overprotective.
ReplyDelete“The Mercy” was the easiest for me to picture in my mind out of all the poems. I think there was so much detailed packed into the poem which added to the aspect of imagery. The lines, “’She prayed in Russian and Yiddish/ to find her family in New York,’” made me picture chaos when the boat had reached America. I can see families searching for one another hoping to regroup and restart their lives. I could see the mother whispering prayers under her breath and sweating under stress. This poem really made me feel the emotions of the mother and the details added to ethos for the author.
ReplyDeleteMy question about "wishes for sons" deals with the detail of "7-11". I was wondering if there was a particular reason for choosing this gas station. Was it to just be able to fit in with the amount of words in each line? Was it because it was a well known area? I know this is an odd question, but I was stuck on this for some reason. Partly because I know we used to have a 7-11 in Tolland. Also, I was surprised at this choice because the poem contains no numbers besides in this phrase.
ReplyDelete"Wishes for sons" seemed to be biased at least at the end of the poem. "'let them think they have accepted/ arrogance in the universe,/ then bring them to gynecologists/ not unlike themselves.'" These lines made it seem like the author assumed that all men are arrogant and feel superior. In many cases this can be the opposite. This stuck with me as being biased and added to my dislike of the poem.
ReplyDeleteOverall, my favorite poem would have to be "The Undertaker." Its a great parallel between the physical work undertakers do, reassembling a broken body and the construction of the life and memory of a teen, after killed in a street fight. The mother(s) ask her to "fix her son" to make him like the family saw him, a good boy, who never wanted any trouble, "who was getting out". But as she reconstructs the head (ech) the undertaker sees his swagger, his adolescent invincibility, and his middle finger in the face of death. The final twist, another one calling reflects the never ending line of death, of crime and the loss of another young man, in the wrong place at the wrong time.
ReplyDeleteFor me, this poem works more than the others is its straight forward style. Unlike some of the more abstract and vague pieces in the packet(they'll get their turn in the next post), it has both meaningful symbolism and a good story. I understand what is going on and I immediately grasp the correlation between image(memory) and image(from a physical, post-mortem pov). As a certain Pulitzer-winning writer once said: "Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?"
That is my preference in prose: substance over style, or at least more important. Abstract is... just not something I can really relate, connect to or even sometimes understand. If someone who does like abstract would say "Oh, you don't get it." well, yeah, I don't get it. I connect with a story, with a person I can understand, with a setting I can realize, and with symbols, and a message I can understand. Maybe I just like hand holding, but a poem loses me when it leaves you with nothing, other than abstract, way too open ended visuals. I know this may sound ignorant, but for me as a type of poem reader..person, I have difficulty finding, and then connecting or understanding the message.
DeleteThe poem that summed up this problem was, for me, "Atlantis, Part 1." There's a dream about a dog running ahead and getting hit by a car on some highway. There's something else about a doctor diagnosing the narrator...or his friend...or his dog(?) with a disease. The narrator says the doctor is a hack, basically going through the denial of the five stages of accepting death, but then it switches to the dog? Is the dog his soul? Why isn't Wally on the highway in his dreams at the end? Why is it, when the narrator tries to save the dog, no car appears? This poem had a few ideas I vaguely got, but it leaves it open ended: too open ended! I had no idea what was going on to a point of confusion. You might say "Yeah, but this is a poem, that tells an abstract story, just read deep into it. You don't need a cohesive end/beginning or explanation." No, that's not it, I want clarification. "Anyways", which I did like, tells a good story without a beginning or end, but that's because the symbolism and oral tradition-esque language gives you a good picture, and a message, a colloquialism you can understand. Atlantis just paints a box with a few lines inside of it, leaving the reader to make what they will out of it. That is simply just not poetry I enjoy or praise. If I were to compare to say, movies, Undertaker or Anyways is like Blade Runner; Beautiful scale, scope, but open ended enough for you to make your own interpretations, on top of a compelling, meaningful story. Atlantis, and others like it are an art house movie: beautiful imagery,but with a more or less "you decide" message and story. For me, it's all about the substance and if you have a beautiful, stylized bun but with no meat or vaguely any meat, its not gonna be a great lunch.
I agree that "Atlantis" was hard to understand, but I think the purpose of this was to show that the narrator was having trouble coping with the accident. This is a different way of writing poetry, but it was effective in making the reader confused which is exactly how the narrator must have been feeling at this point. I picture the common cartoon image of birds flying around someone's head when they were just slapped. The narrator was in a daze and confused at how to move on from the accident.
DeleteI also found that "Undertaker" was very clearly written. Also, I liked how you stated that the correlation between memory and present existence was shown very well. The author was able to shift in and out of points of views throughout the poem and not miss important details. Memory was shown through the mortician thinking of how the boy probably died. And present existence was when the mother interacted with the mortician and the detail of the boy's body was described. I was impressed that the author was able to put all of these ideas into one poem and not get the audience confused.
Delete"Wishes for sons" seemed to be biased at least at the end of the poem. "'let them think they have accepted/ arrogance in the universe,/ then bring them to gynecologists/ not unlike themselves.'" These lines made it seem like the author assumed that all men are arrogant and feel superior. In many cases this can be the opposite. This stuck with me as being biased and added to my dislike of the poem.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the detail about the girl and her flip flop and the woman weeping in "Main Street: Tilton, New Hampshire". I think that this in a way made the poem more elaborate. To me it made me feel as though time was moving fast just as Main Street seems to be bustling with motion. The girl "'passed from sight'" and appeared in my mind as the "'woman weeping'". I connected them together because I felt like their presence was to show the advancement of the little girl growing up as the poem moved on.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite lines in "Thanksgiving" were, "'Still staring at the mashed potatoes, he began a soliloquy/ about the new Navy missiles fired across miles of ocean.'" These lines clearly painted a picture like I was watching a movie. I can see the grandfather starting to tell his story and the whole family huddled around him. Also, I think it was funny to point out that he was still looking at the mashed potatoes because I think family conversations at dinner always make me have lots of questions and comments to add to the conversation at any point.
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ReplyDeleteIn "Kafka: Lilacs", I liked the lines, "' In the sunlight, their vase of water sparkles/ Like a lake he swam in once with his father.'" These lines made me have deep sympathy for this suffering man. He too once lived a normal life and could eat and drink, but now he can't. He can think about past swims with his father, but can't go on them anymore. I think this is a very sad poem, but shows the importance of using every opportunity you have. I also liked these lines because they connected the lilacs to the man’s life.
ReplyDeleteI like how Jane Kenyon left “Main Street: Tilton, New Hampshire” open for interpretation. As in other poems, names were not included and certain details were left alone. One detail that made me think was, “’A man got out and entered the bank…’” This was very open to interpretation and I wondered if this man was just going in to get money out of his bank account or if he was committing a bank robbery. The “…” added to the ending made me suspicious too. Also our minds were left questioning if there was a woman weeping or just sitting in a cab.
ReplyDeleteI think the repetition of “wonderful story” was implanted in “At Smithville Methodist Church” because it told the point of view the parents had on faith. They were very uncertain about what was right and what was true. They seemed to question the need for their faith as well as try to let it slide when their child learned these new things. First they said, “’It had been so long since we believed.’” And later on they said, “’There was nothing to do but drive, ride it out, sing along in silence.’”
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ReplyDeleteI think that “Kafka: Lilacs” was in a very sad tone and since Cording chose to space the lines the way he did added to this. I think this spacing made the man's suffering seem to go on longer and make it seem as though his every last breath was being dragged out. The only part I found to be positive was that the man still was happy. Even with all his problems, he was able to laugh. "'Unable to swallow, he laughs/ At the proofs he has been working on.'" I think this detail was very interesting because it showed that the man was still hanging on when everything seemed to be against him. I think if this man had talked to the woman in "Looking Back at My Eighty-First Year", the woman wouldn't complain about her past problems.
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ReplyDeleteThe first time I read Wishes for Sons by Lucille Clifton I found the poem to be disturbing and just very different than any poem I’ve ever read. The fact that it basically wishes horrible humiliation when it says, “I wish them one week early and wearing a white skirt,” and that it wishes them excruciating pain when it says, “I wish them hot flashes and clots like you wouldn’t believe,” is almost evil. Then I re-read it and realized this poem is somewhat funny, if you take it a certain way. It’s basically saying that she wishes boys could experience the pain and suffering of being a girl. I personally would never wish that pain upon anyone, but I did find myself laughing when I re-read this poem a few times.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poem/the poem that made me think the most was At the Smithville Methodist Church by Stephen Dunn. To me, it sounded like the poem was describing parents who sent their daughter to a sort of camp where they thought she was going to do arts and crafts for a week, but instead she learned about Jesus. I found it interesting how concerned the parents seemed that their daughter was talking about religion and liking it so much. They seemed so against the fact that their daughter talked about Jesus, yet they kept on sending her to the camp because they knew how much she enjoyed it. That’s the part I liked so much about this poem. I liked that even though they didn’t agree with what their daughter was learning, they didn’t stop her because they knew their daughter’s happiness was more important than their beliefs. I couldn’t tell if something happened to “the parents” to make them against the teachings from the bible or if they just grew up not believing in Jesus and religion itself.
ReplyDeleteThe poem Looking Back in My Eighty-First Year by Maxine Kumin was the poem that I felt actually taught me a lesson. The author really sets a mood of regret. She uses the word “should” a lot, which is a word that shows she didn’t take the chances that she could have. She also questioned herself for example she says, “Why didn’t I go?” You can tell she had many situations in her life where she could have decided to take risks or opportunities, but didn’t and she still thinks about it. This opened my eyes and taught me that I should take chances when they are given to me because I’d rather take a shot and not like it rather than play it safe and regret it my whole life.
ReplyDeleteI am confused at the meaning of the word 'Kafka' in the poem "Kafka: Lilacs". The two definitions I found were, "relating to the writer Franz Kafka" or "marked by senseless, disoriented, or menacing complexity." I think the second definition fits for this poem, but I am not sure. The man's condition was very complex and he was disoriented since he couldn't function properly.
ReplyDeleteI am still considering several reasons why Mary Doty chose to put "' I. Faith,'" at the beginning of "Atlantis". Did she put it there to connect to the end of the poem? This idea seamed reasonable to me because when the narrator grabbed the dog, he questioned who he was trying to save. Maybe the poem is suggesting that if the boy has faith, he can be led through life and not be so afraid? Another idea I thought was that the poem continued since this was only part one and maybe faith connects with the second part and makes more sense?
ReplyDeleteMr. Mac says:
DeleteIt's part one of a longer poem. "Atlantis" is the whole, and "Faith" is the first section.
Also, I hope you're making all these entries because you love poetry. It's way beyond what you're required to do. (Yeah, I know. "Now he tells me!")
I liked how Robert Cording was able to sum up the poem in the end. “’Everything is far and near at once, remote/ As memory and yet present as these lilacs he takes/ His time to relish, grateful for the way they fill/ The room so completely with their rank sweetness.’” These lines pulled all aspects of the poem to a closure. The man was living his life the best he could with his situation and letting the lilacs spread their wonderful scent throughout the room to calm him. He remembers his past and isn’t afraid of the present. Cording did a very good job at giving a lasting thought to the reader. This lets the reader be left not knowing what is to happen next.
ReplyDeleteOne poem that stood out in my mind was “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden. The story and message the author was trying to get across was short and to the point, but left me thinking long after I read it. I think this poem’s message was about people who do things thanklessly, and the selflessness of being a parent. The father the poem is written about makes many sacrifices, but “no one ever thanked him”. The imagery in the poem of what the father is doing makes you sympathize him, and makes you want to help him and appreciate everything he does for them. “…then with cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekday weather made banked fires blaze” is such raw imagery it puts you with the father’s shoes. In the last stanza of the poem, I found it almost relatable to my family, and probably other families today as well. “speaking indifferently to him, who had driven out the cold…” is showing how parents do so many things for their children, and that children will sometimes forget that. I know there have been times in my life where I have not always showed my appreciation for what my parents do for me, but despite the lack of thankfulness, they continue to do it for us.
ReplyDeleteThe poem Famous by Naomi Shihab Nye really got to me on a personal level, I would rate this poem a 10/10. Throughout the poem there were many odd comparisons being made. One of my favorites was "the loud voice is famous to silence". At first my take away from this poem was that in order to be famous you have to stand out of the crowd. Then I started to dig into the meaning a little bit closer. The last lines "I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous, or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular, but because it never forgot what it could do" completely changed my mind. I do think that was the authors intention, because sometimes in life we get to caught up in sticking out or being 'seen'. When really you are being seen by being you, not because you did anything crazy or new.
ReplyDeleteMy other thoughts on this poem is to never forget your full potential, even if it is something simple. Sometimes the simplest things in life are the most rewarding, even if it dose t get you to be famous.
I think “Rain in Childhood” was my favorite poem in the packet. When I first began to read it I had immense nostalgia and couldn’t help but smile. It reminded me of how dark the bus would get in the winter morning and how everyone was crammed in the small, little seats. I vividly remember all the feelings that Ormsby describes in his poems even “the tar-damp smell of morning rain”. Thinking back that that is such a happy feeling for me. Another aspect I love, is how he writes the poem in past tense. He chose to write it as a happy memory versus in the moment. Personally, I found it easier to connect to like that. Lastly, I loved how the poem was about growing up and appreciating childhood. Ormsby reflects on a happy time in his life and cherishes that moment. I loved all the charming details he describes and really enjoyed reading this poem. It makes me realize how much I have grown up since first stepping on a school bus and feeling the same feelings that Ormsby describes.
ReplyDelete“Photograph from September 11” by Wislawa Szymborska is a short and simple poem, yet it’s so powerful. Out of all the tragic things that happened on September 11, the author chose to focus on the people jumping from the towers. I think this is because if you witness something like this, it’s stuck in your memory forever; you can’t unsee it.
ReplyDeleteWhen it says, “There’s enough time for hair to come loose, for keys and coins to fall from pockets,” it’s portraying that there is nothing that they can do to stop what is happening; they’re powerless.
Finally, in the second to last line of the poem, I just thought it was interesting that she used the word “flight” to describe what was happening.
The poem Thanksgiving by Martin Espada brought together two topics that really shouldn't go together, but make it all the more interesting. The poem was about a newly wed's first Thanksgiving, and how different their Thanksgiving are. The beginning of the poem starts to drop suttle hints about the navy by saying, "the gravy boat bobbing over fresh linen". The father started to play a major role in the connection of the two subjects and when people talk to him it's softly. They refer to him as "Daddy" and act as if they try to speak out against him he will become eruptive. Once he gets on the topic of his past experience with the Navy he doesn't go back. He literally brings out a cannon at the table and then loads it in front of everyone. As you read on into the poem racism starts to become a theme. "When I started dating her daughter, Mother called me a half-Black, but now she spooned candied yams on my plate". There is obviously an issue that is in this family about people who are not the same as them, but once they get to know this 'different person' they realize they are just the same as everyone else. They also have a Confederate flag license plate which can't be good in the husbands case. The author then beings to describe how different his Thanksgiving is, and how there are really no connections to this. As he goes out to the graveyard the father aims the cannon to the graveyard. "'This way, if I hit anybody, they're already dead'", which in my onion is a huge insult to the dead. It also shows how low of a standard for humanity this guys has, he fires the canon in a sacred place and doesn't care. I thought the final comment was interesting, "when the first drunken Pilgrim dragged out the cannon at the first Thanksgiving- that's when the Indians left". As soon as the violence and hatred was brought in , is when people started to leave.
ReplyDeleteI love the light symbolism in "The Mercy". In the beginning, the narrator mentions how his mother experienced new things because of the kindness of strangers. Being alone, she had to rely on this kindness. She received an orange, banana and red bandana; all light, warm colors to represent her hope and happiness for her future in America. Suddenly the scene changes to dark waters to transition her loss of hope as many people are dying around her. She feels alone in quarantine because she is the only one of her ethnicity there. She begins to realize these people are in the same position and she begins to trust them more. The poem then returns to the idea of the bright orange which represents her return to hope. The last line which referrs to actions of someone eating an orange is meant to summarize how people must accept the kindness of strangers to make it through harsh times. One must return kindness to cherish it fully.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading "Atlantis (Part I)," because after re-reading it several times to try to better understand what it means, I realized that the author intentionally left several details up for interpretation. What is clear is that the narrator loves his dog, who has unconditional faith in his owner. The narrator is also intensely afraid that his dog will die, causing repetitive nightmares, paranoia about the dog's health, and his frightened outburst as his dog stepped onto a road. Many details beyond this, despite being filled with emotion, are very vague and left for the reader to determine their meanings. For example, the "vacant four-letter cypher" written by the doctor was never fully explained. My first assumption would be that it is some sort of illness that his dog has, but if this were true then the fourth stanza on page 2 would make no sense because it is shown that the doctor sees no sign of illness in the dog. After considering the situation, I believe the most likely scenario is that, a few months before the poem takes place, the narrator actually had two dogs: Wally and Arden. The "doctor," who I would assume is the veterinarian, wrote this note regarding a terminal condition suffered by Wally. This would explain why in the narrator's dreams he is walking with Arden and Wally, but his actual walks are "always just me and Arden now." Wally's death would also explain the narrator's excessive precautions toward his dog's safety, because after losing one dog he is petrified of losing another. Aside from leaving the reader to interpret much of the meaning of the poem, I also noticed how the veterinarian is only referred to as "the doctor" and never with pronouns such as he or she, which almost gives him or her a sort of inhuman quality. The author might do this because "the doctor" treats the dogs simply because it is his or her job to do so, but there is no emotional connection between the doctor and the dogs like there is between the narrator and his dogs. Finally, my favorite line in the entire poem was the line that formed the entire last stanza, "I didn't know who I was trying to protect." Obviously, by defending Arden from the nonexistent oncoming traffic, he was trying to protect his dog. However, the poem's final line suggests that the narrator might have been more motivated by the intrinsic value of saving his dog, that he was actually trying to save himself from the devastation of losing another dog.
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