Twenty Selected Poems
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
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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 August 31, 2018.
The completed, annotated set of poems must be turned in no later than August 31, 2018.
(3. If you need a copy of the Poem Packet, email me, and I'll send you the file.
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!) Tracy Smith, the current Poet Laureate of the United States, will be reading on July 11. 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.
How to Respond to These Poems
ReplyDeletePay attention to the first poem: “Introduction”. That’s how you should approach these poems. Don’t worry so much about alliteration and metaphor (unless you’re into alliteration and metaphor).
Look for meaning. Look for message. What’s going on in your head as you read these? Please, don’t “beat a confession out of it”. (I know, I know – in many ways, that’s what you’ve been taught to do. But not now).
And get ready. Because that’s not only how I want to approach these poems, but British Lit in general when we tackle it this year.
Hey, everybody! Hope I am doing this whole blogging thing right...
ReplyDeleteAs I read through the poem "1964" from the packet, I noticed irony in the fact that the young children learn more about the world when they play "hooky" vs. actually going to school.
After what they witnessed by the levee, the children realized that their schooling had sheltered them from reality. Do you guys think school shelters us from what is really happening in the world? I personally think that there is too much censorship at school and certain things are left out of the curriculum just because they make people uncomfortable to talk about.
I am interested to hear your thoughts!
-Arden Ricciardone
Kenna Hurtuk says:
DeleteHi, Arden! I also thought it was ironic that the kids learned more when they were outside of school. I thought it seemed like the school was sheltering them but also trying to fit them into the world in a structured, methodical way, since the poem talked about seeing the world through shadows and prisms. I agree that it doesn’t make sense to try to protect students by structuring their thoughts, since they will eventually be exposed to the real world, which is not concretely structured and changes constantly.
I think our school does a good job of giving us access to tough topics, especially in literature, since we’ve gotten to read books like Huckleberry Finn that have been banned from some schools in the past. However, I agree that we don’t have much of a dialogue in school about the darker aspects of the world or current events. It would be helpful to be able to use school as a safe space to become informed about more serious topics and learn how to respond to them.
-Kenna Hurtuk
Hi Arden and Kenna! I agree with you both on the irony aspect in that poem. I hadn't realized my first time reading it that they had learned more about the world when they played "hooky". I found it very interesting that the two children were so young and already comprehending the bad sides of the world and other people.
DeleteI agree with Kenna, in the fact that the school presents us with tough topics. There is only so much that the school can expose us to and talk to us about. There are evils in this world that some of us cannot explain or even fathom. I know that we are all 16 and 17 years old, but we really haven't experienced a lot of evil compared to another generation, such as our grandparents. The school, I believe, does not do a good job at presenting us with some of the world's current issues. I agree that it would be helpful to have an outlet at school to be able to talk about these issues. I am aware that not everybody has somebody to talk to regarding these issues, and I know that school would be good for that.
-Olivia Brancati
I agree with what you guys are saying. I found the topic of school sheltering students really interesting and this poem stuck out to me. When the poem said that school made students lose “the memory of light” I contrasted it with when the children playing hooky experienced “a sunlight they had never imagined before”. It made me think about how being “safe” from the outside world can also be a bad thing. The kids playing hooky experienced both the best and the worst emotions in the real world. In school, they didn’t experience either emotion. The safety school provided was just bland and unrealistic and they weren’t actually living. On a bigger picture it just shows how you can’t have the good things in life without the bad.
Delete-Caitlin Breslin
DeleteHello everyone! I think the irony was a prominent part of the poem, as well. It mentions how “school would shape our eyes,” which encourages the idea that the education system is filtering what we learn. This made me think about evolution. This was seen as a scandalous topic and many schools refrained from teaching it. Even now, many topics are avoided because of how controversial they are or if there are conflicting opinions about it.
DeleteThe kids playing “hooky” encourages the idea that experiencing the real world is more fulfilling. The school is not teaching them about the realities of life. The poems last line says that the kids “learned the secret of why some people fulfill their own wishes to die.” Although this is a gruesome thought, it is a part of our world. The school was refraining from teaching them all of the tough topics, which will make them unprepared for what the future holds.
Schools are trying to incorporate more tough topics now, but learning from experience allows you to be more prepared when the next obstacle of life comes your way. The irony in this poem causes the reader to think about what they have experienced in both school and in the real world without us realizing it. It was an interesting way to make us reflect.
-Kaelyn Perkins
Hi everyone! I also found this irony compelling, as it directly relates to our lives as students. I thought that the line that Kaelyn referenced about school shaping our eyes was interesting, as Silex believes that school essentially teaches students to try to break apart and categorize beauty instead of enjoying it. This reminded me of Billy Collins' poem "Introduction to Poetry," which speaks to the belief that students have been indoctrinated into the ideology that poetry must be dissected and understood. Collins believes that students should instead attempt to feel the emotion present in the poetry. This similarity between the two poems reminds me as a student to appreciate poetry rather than trying to "torture a confession out of it" (Collins 1).
Delete-Meghan Myles
Hi guys! I thought that you guys brought up a great discussion about how it relates to our lives as students. When reading the poem I thought that as well but also thought that Edgar was also trying to describe how as children grow they are seen as optimists by the outside world and it is only when they experience pain, either mental of physical, it opens their eyes to the part of the world which so many try to avoid. This got me to think about how each occurrence in a life is truly so important even though it may not seem like it at the time. Yet, when looking back on the life that we have lived so far and thinking about what shaped us into the people we are today its the little moments, the moments that happen unplanned that truly make us who we are.
Delete-Peighton Stirt
Hello all, I wholeheartedly agree with all your points, but the ones I wanted to focus on was what Arden and Caitlin Breslin had mentioned; the concept of school shielding the youth from the hardships and cruelty of the real world. My perspective of this is that children are always filled with curiosity, so it was justified that these kids would play hooky to explore life on their own. I can relate as when I was their age I always would strive to have individualistic realizations rather than someone, like a teacher, telling me all the things I am supposed to know. However, most of these things that I was taught at a young age were made "age-appropriate" and purely positive, which is why I can understand why the kids in this poem learned more from experiencing how unfair life truly is. In the end, they never got to have their one thing they looked forward to, the candy apples. This shows them that you can't take the easy way out (skipping school) as it will end up biting you in the end (punished at home).
DeleteHi everyone!
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading the poem "Anyways (For David)", I thought that the writer's logic behind the use of the word "anyways" vs "anyway" was extremely interesting. She claims, "It is anyways, plural, because the world must be large enough to hold all of our reasons. Anyways is our way of saying there is more than one reason..."
Often times there are so many reasons and factors that drive us to do something, despite the consequences. By using the plural of anyway, I think Clearly emphasizes there are so many more positive reasons to keep on going, rather than simply giving up or stopping the task at hand. In addition, I question Clearly's use of the word regardless at the end of the poem. I think using the word anyways would have been a strong finish to the poem, yet somewhat predictable. What do you all think of her use of the word?
Hey Allyse, I agree that the writer's use of the word "anyways" was very intriguing. Cleary does a good job using examples to prove the message she is trying to convey about how we find extended reasons for things we are passionate about. I noticed that the examples she begins with are very dark, where she talks about a widow and the Great Depression. The last example she uses with the beauty school student saying, "It'll grow back anyways" brings light to the fact that something went wrong and her mistake isn't going to last forever. Cleary proves that even though bad things happen, giving a reason for those bad things and moving on brings positivity to the situation.
DeleteCleary acknowledges that her husband is right when he corrects her, saying that the right way to say the word is "anyway". However, she continues to say "anyways" because she has an important reason for it. In this case, she is confident in her knowledge of the word, regardless of what other people say or think. This relates to the fact that if someone has a strong reason for something, their idea is not necessarily wrong, since people can have different perspectives on certain situations.
My favorite line is, "We fall in love knowing it may not last, but we fall." This line wraps up the poem's true meaning and shows that we tend to sacrifice for the things and people we are passionate about, even though we know it may not work out in the end. This line is also something that many people can relate to, which adds power to the overall meaning of the poem and concludes her message with an emotional ending.
Hi Isabelle and Allyse! I agree with Isabelle on the the significance of the line, "We fall in love knowing it may not last, but we fall" as people do tend to sacrifice everything for the people they are passionate about. Also, while this line is also something that most people relate to I think she also used it as a transition to bring out and emphasize her final word choice, "regardless". While the use of "Anyways" was used to indicate that people have multiple reasons for the actions in which they pursue, she ends it with regardless tying in the idea of fate, as sometimes despite all the prevailing circumstances, it will all work out in the end. That taking a chance despite the fear is worth it in the end, and I find that really beautiful.
Delete-Peighton Stirt
Hi Allyse, Isabelle, and Peighton!
DeleteThis poem intrigued me greatly, as I was very interested as to how the author could create such an amazing narrative based off of the difference of one letter in the spelling of a word. To add to what Allyse said, the author believed that people from her native land used the plural form to emphasize that there is more than one motivating factor to do something, and that some of these motivators are beyond reason. This shows the hard working and determined nature of people who immigrated to America, as she mentions "Slovaks, homesick for the Old Country..." She is describing how her people would persevere in their new land, and as Isabelle said, regardless of what other people think, Cleary is so stuck in her ways of saying anyways with the S. This shows her unbreakable connection to her homeland and its traditions.
Casey Bowden
Hi, everyone!
ReplyDeleteThroughout the poem "What the Living Do", Marie Howe lists examples of instances in which she is unhappy and everything seems to just be going wrong (sort of like a really bad day that is happening over and over for her). For example, she writes of the kitchen sink being clogged, the grocery bag breaking, and spilling coffee.
In the sixth stanza, she changes her tone a bit, finally acknowledging that she, just like all other humans, is so discontent with life. She writes, "We want the spring to come and the winter to pass. We want whoever to call or not to call, a letter, a kiss-- we want more and then more of it", to show that people are never happy with what they have, they always seem to want more out of life.
I really like how Howe criticizes a human characteristic, but manages to avoid being hypocritical by demonstrating that she is guilty of it as well.
Do you guys think she is hypocritical at all? Also, do you notice this flaw in society? I sure do!
-Arden Ricciardone
Hi Arden,
DeleteI definitely agree that Howe is speaking critically about the lack of appreciation for life that seems to be so prevalent in everyone's lives. Her own lack of appreciation is especially evident in the fifth stanza where she writes, "This is it. Parking. Slamming the car door shut in the cold." The first sentence from this excerpt is telegraphic and blunt. Howe wastes no time with extra words and quickly conveys that she sees nothing more to life than its routine. The following sentences are merely fragments with subjects but no verbs, which seemed to me like a way for Howe to demonstrate that she gives no thought to these actions because they are so monotonous and not worth her time.
However, at the end of the poem, Howe points out a "cure" of some sorts for this human condition. She captures a solitary moment of seeing her reflection, and suddenly, she is more appreciative of her life than she has been for the entirety of the poem. In the last stanza, she includes another three-word sentence: "I am living." There are similarities between this sentence and the other telegraphic sentence I mentioned earlier, but the main thing that I noticed about them is their contrasting moods. "This is it" conveys a very bleak and dismal mood to the reader; on the other hand, "I am living" is much more optimistic and full of hope and opportunity. It is at this point that Howe seems to snap out of her emotionless routine and look at her life as something more than a series of uneventful days. For this reason, I do not think that Howe is hypocritical. Her poem leads readers through her own realization about life and her newfound appreciation for it.
I often notice that people do not typically cherish life as much as Howe does at the end of her poem, but this flaw is not unavoidable. Howe demonstrates that it takes a new perspective to gain a deeper appreciation for what life can offer.
Hi Madalyn and Arden!
DeleteI definitely agree with both of you on Howe making a point to write about the appreciation of life and the lack of others to recognize this. However, I also don't see this as her being hypocritical. My initial reaction was that maybe she is experiencing the death of a loved one. She starts the first line off addressing "Johnny" and ends the poem with "I remember you". Throughout the poem she addresses "you" a lot (maybe Johnny) and points out all of the things that haven't been done, like the clog in the sink.
Looking at the poem from that point of view, I think one aspect Howe is trying to emphasize is the fact that no matter what, life keeps moving. She still has to complete the minor tasks.
I also agree with both of you on the main message that the living should cherish life and all of the tedious things that come with it. When she starts the repetition of "we want", it shows how we always want something and don't necessarily slow down and admire life the way it is.
I think the possible passing of "Johnny" could have influenced Howe to appreciate these things.
-Monique Michaud
Hi Arden and Monique,
DeleteAfter reading the poem a few times, I thought that the poem captures the author's observations of life rather than her criticism. It shows the imperfections humans and their lives have, such as procrastinating fixing a sink or a bag breaking and all of your groceries falling out. And at the end, where I had first interpreted her criticism, I read it again as her stating her observations as a matter-of-factly, and her confessing she is the same as many other humans who take everyday for granted.
I thought it was an accurate and relatable poem in which we can see the author develop into someone more aware of the little things around them. I thought it was refreshing to see someone realize that everyone has obstacles in life, and that it's just part of living, hence the phrase, "This is what the living do".
-Olivia Cayward
Hi ladies,
DeleteThis poem was one of my favorites mainly because everyone can relate to the imperfections of life. I agree with Madalyn when she says that Howe views life as a routine, which gives a negative side to the poem. This makes Howe pessimistic because if she pictures life as a routine, then there is nothing to look forward to, which makes life in general seem very boring.
I can definitely see the flaw that Howe is trying to point out in society. She does explain how people are never happy with what they have and how they are constantly wanting more. We don't fully appreciate what life has to offer, which decreases our interest in life. The examples that she uses ties together her whole idea that life is chaotic, but it is reality and we just have to live with it. The overall message that I took out of this poem is to admire all of life's the ups and downs and to reflect on the times I enjoy, rather than thinking of the worst and expecting more out everything.
Hi everyone! I also thought it was interesting in the way that she brought in all the imperfections of life to show that even though there may be bumps in the road, life is a routine and it will continue no matter what. I also thought it was interesting as many of you also have said, because she brings up the point that we become so consumed with the basic everyday problems, these small negatives that feel like a burden that was thrown at us, that we tend to miss out on all the great things that life has to offer. In society everything moves so fast that so many times we tend to overlook the things that we do have and appreciate what we have. I know personally that I tend to overlook those things as everyday problems arise, and I think its important as Howe states to realize that no matter what happens or has happened or will happen that we are still living and in some way or another we are all blessed.
DeleteHello everyone,
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading this poetry packet, one of the poems that I enjoyed the most was "Famous" by Naomi Shihab Nye. What made it stand out to me was Nye's use of the word "famous" and the way she seemed to make her own definition for it. I was curious to see if there was actually a lesser known definition for "famous" that would make more sense for its context here, and according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "famous" can mean "widely known" or "honored for achievement."
"Widely known" does not seem to fit the use of "famous" in this poem. To me, this definition feels more like a way to describe a celebrity. "Widely known" means a very different thing than "well known," and I believe that Nye was conveying a feeling of deep understanding rather than surface recognition.
This leaves us with "honored for achievement." This definition seems much more suited to the poem at first glance, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt like this definition did not fit either. In the fourth stanza, Nye writes, "The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek." Did the tear really achieve anything?
The closest I could get to finding Nye's definition for the word "famous" was in the last stanza. Here, she writes, "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." She seems to define "famous" in the same way one would define "reliable," but that does not seem to be true in every stanza or with every example she gives.
Did any of you come up with a definition of "famous" that suits this poem? Do you think one of the previous definitions fit it the best? Or is it a word that needs to be interpreted differently every time Nye uses it?
Hi Madalyn,
DeleteAs I was reading this poem I also found it interesting how Nye chose to use the word "famous". Initially, in the first line she writes "The river is famous to the fish." My first thought was that the use of the word wasn't the typical meaning that we all know. After all, fish need the river to survive.
However, as I looked more closely at Nye's other examples, my interpretation of the word shifted slightly. Particularly the line "The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds." Obviously the cat isn't as important to the birds as the river is to the fish, so what could it mean? The cat has the ability to hunt the birds, drastically impacting their life as the river does to the fish.
Going back to your conclusion in the buttonhole example, I think she uses the word famous to describe things in life that seem little but are important. The fish don't think about needing the river just as the birds don't think about the impact the cat could have on them, but nevertheless both these things are extremely important to them.
All in all, I think Nye uses the word famous to show that even if some minor things in life are overlooked, they could be famous, or important, to someone or something. Everything has importance.
-Monique Michaud
Hi Madalyn and Monique,
DeleteI also noticed the odd way "famous" was used. I had to read it a few times, but after I thought it still fit the definition of "well known". The line, "The river is famous to the fish" and "The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek", were two examples I found. In these lines, I interpreted the meaning being that the river is well known to the fish, because that's where they live. Just like how when you cry, tears fall down your cheeks, before falling to the ground, so you could say that every time you cry, the tears are well known to the cheeks because that is where they fall. I didn't think this definition worked with the last stanza, but for the rest of the poem, I understood the word as meaning "well known".
-Olivia Cayward
Hi everyone,
DeleteWhile reading this poem I also noticed the shift in meaning of the word. I, too, think that the "well known" definition fits many of the examples. I also think that Nye intentionally flipped the word "famous" on its head. Perhaps she didn't want it to fit a dictionary definition; she wanted readers to sit for a moment and stare at her words and wonder what she meant by them.
Instead of looking up a definition, I decided to try synonyms and antonyms of "famous." Many of the synonyms, as you can probably guess, included important, influential, and well-known. Many of them gave an image of the limelight or of a notable accomplishment. When I looked at the list of antonyms, I found words like ineffective and inferior, but I also found words such as common, normal, typical, and regular. The latter list created an image of everyday life, little things that we take for granted.
While these words may not fit in place of the word "famous" in the poem, they are not far off from its meaning. I found it interesting that Nye managed to write a poem where she redefined a word and encompassed both parts of the original meaning of the word and elements of the direct opposite of the word. By making s rethink the meaning of a word we thought we knew, Nye also made us rethink the role of the little things in everyday life.
-Kalina Bonofiglio
Hi everyone,
DeleteThis poem was very interesting to me as well. The way the narrator seems to portray famous people people or things seems to be different from the generalized look that it's given. When most people think of the word "famous" they usually associate it with glamour and complete praise, while the author seems to glean a different meaning from it. The way she describes famous does not hold the regular glamorous connotation that most have, and instead focuses on the subtle yet immeasurable things that one can do for another that, while not meaning a ton to the giver, means the most to receiver. This can be seen when she says "I want to be famous to shuffling men... famous as the one who smiled back." This gives a sense of how something so small can end up having a big impact on someone's day.
-Liam Files
DeleteI think that the poem "Introduction to Poetry" was the perfect way to open this packet of poems. Let's face it, I'm sure many of us (including me) went into this assignment with the idea of digging for deep, profound meanings that would spark a lot of conversation in this blog. But, the sixth stanza really made me think, as it says, "But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with rope and torture a confession out of it." This really changed my perspective of this assignment. We often search around for meaning until we get something that is loosely tied or doesn't make sense in the poem anymore. I think this acts as a reminder to read the poems, and let the meaning of the poems speak to people in different ways. To me, this is a more light hearted way of reading poetry, and ultimately makes it more enjoyable than trying to come up with an intense meaning.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably why poetry is becoming so popular in many generations of readers: It can speak to the reader and can be very individualized. It is all in how you interpret it, and I think this blog gives us the opportunity to share our own interpretations with each other, and really step into each other's minds while reading.
Hi Allyse,
DeleteI definitely agree with you on that. I often fail to enjoy a poem because I think so hard about the “meaning” of it. “Introduction to Poetry” made me stop and reflect on everything I have done before in the process of analyzing poetry. I realized most of the time all I did was “tie the poem to a chair with a rope/and torture a confession out of it.” I think the placement of “Introduction to Poetry” is perfect because it helps us dive into the rest of the packet with a clear head. Poems are overflowing with emotions so we should let those emotions speak to us individually, and each absorb something out of it. We shouldn’t “...begin beating it with a hose/to find out what it really means.” Poems are open to interpretation and it is crucial that we don't forget that.
-Beryl Chen
Hi Allyse and Beryl. I agree, most people tend to read the poem, look for what it is trying to say, and then they are done. The poem “Introduction to Poetry” made me realize that poetry should make you think and that there is not just one right interpretation. When you are feeling the walls in a dark room looking for a light switch, you are really searching and feeling the surface, and this is what we should do with poetry.
DeleteI admit, too, that I have tortured a confession out of a poem and beat it with a hose. I probably would have done the same to the other poems in this packet it if wasn’t for the “Introduction to Poetry” poem. It wasn’t a complicated poem and it made it easier to ease into the other ones. Overall, it did make me think and change me perspective on poetry.
-Kaelyn Perkins
I agree with all three of you! I was very hesitant about writing blog posts because I didn’t want my interpretation to be different compared to others or “wrong”, but after reading this first poem I realized that seeing it differently is the point. In the first stanza, Collins says, “take a poem and hold it up to the light like a color slide”. Everyone sees color differently, just like how everyone can interpret the words differently. This definitely made me a bit more relived to provide my opinion about the poems because, like Allyse said, the blog gives us the opportunity to share our interpretations of each poem.
DeleteI also liked how this poem connected to the following poem “Why We Tell Stories” by Lisel Mueller. Mueller said, “because each of us tells the same story but tells it differently.” I think this can also apply to how we analyze poems. We are all reading the same poem yet dissect it and interpret it differently.
I can also admit, like the three of you, that I’ve found myself “torturing a confession” out of a poem to find a deeper meaning. I feel that we all have been taught to dig and dig to search for a deeper meaning, trying to find something huge and enlightening, yet we find ourselves blind to the simplicity that the poem truly provides.
-Teagan Connelly
This poem also made me reconsider the way I’ve been interpreting poetry! When I gain ideas from a particular metaphor or symbol, I tend to criticize my own understanding of it because I worry that it might not reflect the original intention of the author. However, I think poetry is really about resounding with the reader on an individual level, and even if the writer’s interpretation doesn’t reflect mine, it is still extremely compelling that poetry can provoke thought on a broader spectrum than any other medium of writing.
Delete-Kenna Hurtuk
Hi Everyone,
DeleteI loved "Introduction to Poetry." It really reflected my own thoughts about poems-how I read them compared to how English teachers try and make us read them. I've always been a pretty literal person, and I like to read poems for the story they tell, not for the Deep, Analytical, Thematic messages they "describe" between the lines. This poem let me realize that the way I read poems is okay, and that I wasn't the only person tired of teachers making us look for the hidden meanings behind every line of a poem. Sometimes, an extra detail is just added flair, not some secret that the author was hoping we'd find after our tenth reading of the poem. "Introduction to Poetry" was great because it showed how it's okay to read a poem just to enjoy it, and read it because it sounds interesting, not because they are being forced to find the hidden meanings in Every. Single. Phrase. This poem was nice to read, and felt like something a lot of people could relate to.
I really enjoyed reading everyone’s interpretations about “Introduction to Poetry”. I find this comment thread rather ironic because we are interpreting instructions on how to interpret something, but it is also quiet fascinating.
DeleteI agree with what you were saying Maggie. The line, “I want to water ski across the surface of the poem” to me meant that Collins is encouraging people to take poems at face value. He wants us as readers to take a step back and realize that sometimes the author chooses a particular word because they enjoy it, or they feel that it makes sense in the poem not because it has some loosely symbolic or historic meaning. I know personally I would always try to distort and pick apart a poem in desperate search of a deeper meaning which in the process destroys the message the author was really trying to get across. This poem helped me realize that poetry isn’t a code you need to try to crack, it is a means of expressing ideas with carefully chosen words.
I found that the "Introduction to Poetry" poem added a lot of depth to the meaning of poetry, as all of you have mentioned. Every stanza was filled with a different experience that caused the reader to focus on the story his was telling in just a few simple words. The actions Collins described can be dangerous like putting your ear against a hive or violent like beating or tying the poem to a chair. They all speak to the power and variety of poems. He encourages readers to take that risk of looking deeper and closer to find out those meanings. I also found it interesting how Collins incorporated the senses into the poem. We see lines about listening against its hive, watching a mouse like it's in a puzzle, and touching the walls for the light switch. There are so many different ways to navigate a poem and he wants the reader to use all senses to really take it apart. Lastly, he personifies the poem as something able to be tortured. As many of you have commented on, this is a very relatable task for us readers. We look for ways to get the meaning out instead of really digging deeper. As Allyse said, this poem was a great way to start off and help us find a greater appreciation for poetry.
Delete-Jordan Bonadies
DeleteHi everyone,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all of the poems, “wishes for sons” really stood out to me. I love how Clifton uses the poem to promote appreciation for women. The title itself indicates that it is intended for boys/men. Throughout the poem, Lucille Clifton educates the “sons” on the hardships women endure. She starts off the poem with “i wish them cramps,” which is something only women experience. I initially found the mention of menstruation strange but as I continued reading the poem, I noticed that Clifton was listing the different struggles of being female, such as “i wish them one week early and wearing a white skirt” and “i wish them one week late.” Both are relatable to every woman out there but it is not something men are familiar with. The poem places emphasis on how men often have no genuine understanding of what it is like to be the opposite sex. Women are sometimes looked down upon for being weaker and less capable. Clifton uses the poem to deliver the message that women too, are strong, and face just as many difficulties as men.
What do you guys think the message of the poem is? Let me know if you agree or disagree and feel free to add anything I might have missed.
Sorry I left out the name. This is Beryl Chen
DeleteHi Beryl,
DeleteI really loved how you mentioned that the poem emphasizes the differences between men and women, and I found it interesting that by doing this, Clifton ended up reinforcing the idea of equality between them. One thing I would like to add is what I interpreted as a hidden call to action at the very end. In the last stanza, Clifton writes, "then bring them to gynecologists / not unlike themselves." Before this stanza, Clifton sets up the reader, even though it is implied that this reader is a "son" or a man, to view the world from a woman's perspective. She lists different problems that women face in their day-to-day life. However, this last stanza is different because Clifton has the reader experience a woman's perspective on men. It forces male readers to view their own actions in a new light.
It seems that Clifton has had many negative experiences with men and their arrogance. I do not believe that she is saying that all men are arrogant or even that only men are arrogant, but she is saying that problems arise when men do not realize the differences between themselves and women. Just because women do not deal with the same struggles men do does not mean that women do not deal with any struggles at all.
Although it is not stated outright, Clifton's call to action tells men that they should be monitoring themselves and recognizing that although they are different than women in some ways, they are still equal to women. Women deserve the same respect that, according to Clifton, men seem to receive much more easily.
Hello Beryl and Madalyn,
DeleteMadalyn I completely agree that Clifton is trying to get the point across about how men receive respect more easily than women do, as well as the point that they may believe they are superior. While Clifton writes this poem as a singular first-person point of view, when she says "i," she is vouching for women as a whole rather than a single woman. Even though not all women may have these same ideas or thoughts about wishing men to experience what they have to, she feels the majority of women have felt men should have to go through what women do. That pertains to Beryl's point about Clifton starting off with the menstruation and then listing the aspects of being a women want men reading the poem to realize what women have to go through. Overall, I agree with both of your overlying points of how Clifton, in addition to most women, want me to have to experience life of the opposite sex, and to also appreciate and respect women more than they currently do.
- Stephen Sutton
Hello all,
DeleteI agree that this poem definitely brings out the struggles women have to endure with menstruation. What I found interesting is that Clifton repeatedly uses "I" to contribute a condescending tone towards men and brings out men's ignorance towards menstruation. Each phrase is followed by repeated instances women have to go through regarding cramps, and this comes across as humorous in a way because the author knows that men don't really have an idea on what this is. "I" can be seen as a singular person's struggles, but also could be interpreted as a whole gender's struggle, so this could be left up to interpretation.
Overall, Clifton wants to bring awareness to the fact that women have unknown problems and men should be able to sympathize with this uncontrollable aspect of their lives. The struggles women endure should not go unnoticed.
-James Heaney
Hello guys,
DeleteI do agree with the fact that Clifton has obviously gone through experiences with men that have created a bias in what they can perceive and understand. However, I think the author went about it all wrong. As a man, it is obviously very difficult to understand anything that a women may go through during menstruation as I have never gone through it myself. This may create a somewhat humorous tone to the male audience as we have no idea what any of the experiences actually feel like. If she wanted to attack the problem of equality between men and women, I believe she should have gone with a more straightforward, understandable approach. Instead she took the approach that may take the serious purpose out of the poem. Despite all this, I do think the poem is very well written to bring about things that females struggle with, where men do not and how men should respect those struggles.
Hi all,
DeleteI do agree with you all on the purpose and message of this poem, yet there are a few things I would like to add. I do believe that in this poem, the author is trying to get across the fact that women do go through a lot of pain, even if it is for one week a month. I do not think that the author is trying to bias against men and say that they're less strong than women are. Pretty much, I think that the author is trying to portray that women and men are equally strong considering that they go through different types an sources of pain.
Hi everyone,
ReplyDeleteI like how “Undertaker” is written in the perspective of the undertaker himself. It provides insight into the unpleasant aspects of the occupation. Details of the corpses are revealed through gruesome imagery: “Now he is flaps of cheek, slivers of jawbone, a surprised eye, assorted teeth, bloody tufts of napped hair.” The mortician’s discomfort is expressed in the lines “So I swallow hard, turn the photo face down” and “...I try not to remember the stories.” He forces himself to not think about the boy’s living moments because emotions make his job difficult. He must remain cold and treat the corpses like objects in order to protect his own sanity.
Smith also sheds light on the cruelty of the funeral business and how it takes advantage of people’s suffering. The undertaker refers to the torn up body as “The building blocks of my business.” Without others losing loved ones, the mortician would not make any profit. It is a cruel concept.
The poem also reveals the unconditional love of parents. They use excuses such as “It was self-defense” and “He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time” to convince the undertaker of their innocence. In their minds, it is impossible for their children to be at fault. Their love blinds them from reality and they are desperate to pay whatever it takes to preserve that perfect image.
What are your thoughts on the poem? And do you agree that parents often idealize their children?
-Beryl Chen
Hi Beryl,
DeleteI agree that parents idealize their children.
Although parents idealize their children, the mother in "The Undertaker" almost forces herself to think of her child in the best way. Parents know that their children aren't perfect, but they hope that in the future, they will grow and learn from their mistakes. Unfortunately. The children the boy won't be able to grow up or learn from his mistakes. That is why the mother can't accept that her son was the cause of his own death. She doesn't want to think that his last action alive was a mistake. She would rather think of him as her perfect son. It is much easier to think of a person for all the great things they've done instead of their fatal error. Being a mother, she most likely thinks that her children are a reflection of her. If she was able to consider that her son was the problem, she possibly blame herself for raising him the wrong way.
I also wanted to agree with Beryl on how the Undertaker treats his patients like objects rather than people who were once alive. I personally would never be able to handle trying to "fix" someone who was dead. I think that once a person is dead, you can fix them, you can only inhance the way the way they look or disguise the way they died.
As the poem comes to a close, he says "we both jump as the phone rattles in its hook. I pray that it's my wife...but the wide, questioning silence on the other end is too familiar. Another mother needing a miracle." He clearly dislikes his job because it keeps him on edge and makes him uncomfortable. The way Smith wrote this poem really shows how uncomfortable the Undertaker is and how sickening the reality of his job is.
-Jenna Graham
Hi Jenna,
DeleteThose are very good points. I agree that the mothers were trying to shift the blame for their children’s deaths in order to make themselves feel more at ease. When discussing the costs, the undertaker calls it “the high price of miracles.” The mothers almost see the mortician as a God-like figure who can alter reality and repair everything. This is unrealistic, because the undertaker is not fixing anything. He carves eyelids from the forearm or inner thigh. This is doing more damage to the corpse, but it does not matter because the end result will “look” perfect. He paints over the corpse and adds glass eyes. These all contribute to the fact that the mortician is creating nothing more than an illusion for the mother. Everything he does simply hides the reality of her son’s state. It does not actually “fix” anything and he is no miracle worker.
I also agree that the ending lines “Another mother needing a miracle. Another homeboy coming home” reveal the undertaker’s discomfort with his job. It feels like a never ending cycle to him. He is tired of dealing with mother after mother, dead son after dead son. He also assumes that the situation is always the same and that the mothers will always make the same request. Nothing is ever different.
-Beryl Chen
Hi Jenna and Beryl, I found your comments really interesting and it’s a subject that I’ve never really thought too deeply about before. But some things that you were saying got me thinking about funerals and undertakers. It’s kind of a bizarre concept. We pay people to make dead people look alive again. For what purpose? Not for the dead person’s. Funerals, undertakers, and that entire business as a whole preys on people’s emotions. They literally just feed into people’s denial of death. But I guess that makes sense. It is a stage of grief, after all. It’s just strange for me to think about how people can put a price on that. And also just a strange practice in general.
Delete-Caitlin Breslin
Hi Caitlin, Jenna, and Beryl! I was thinking about how unbelievably strange and challenging it must be to work in mortuary services. I have a close family friend who works in that profession and it amazes me that he can stomach it. He always says that he feels his job is very important. Families put their loved ones in his hands and he is trusted to treat them respectfully and make them "whole" once more. Upon reading this poem, I immediately thought of when he told me that the hardest days are those in which he has to work on a young person. Being young himself, it was always so challenging for him to see that. So, if it is that hard for a mortician to see, I cannot comprehend how horrific it must be for a mother to experience. Like you guys said earlier, mothers see their children not as they are, but as they want them to be. It is so tragic that these young men get so caught up in their worlds that they forget about the people who love them. They feel "invincible",as the poem says, but forget that their families are not. In the process of trying to be the biggest and the baddest, they destroy the people who love them the most.
Delete-Kylie Boyle
Hi ladies! I too found this interesting as he was clearly disturbed by his own profession, but not because of what he was actually doing, but because these mothers were still living in the denial that their sons were the angels they wished them to be and thus would spend the money that they didn't have on making them look like the angels they believed they were. And while he wasn't disturbed with what he had to do he was disturbed with the actions that the boys had done in order to get into these terrible situations as they never thought about the repercussions that would take place in the lives of the ones they love. I also found this interesting as when we make decisions in our own lives we tend to only think about how it will affect ourselves and not those around us, and this poem truly brings to light how one small action on our parts can change the life of others in such drastic proportions. I also found it interesting how every time he talked about the image the mothers tried to hold onto he would italicize the line emphasizing the facade they built up to protect themselves from the truth. That their sons weren't perfect. I also found this to be interesting as for so many (as described in the poem) they thought they would be able to move on after their "angel image" was reconstructed, and yet every time the author described that in particular he said that he wished they would see their sons for who they were, break inside, and then move on. With this I immediately thought about when we were younger and our parents would ask if they should rip the band-aid off or let it soak and I thought it was so interesting how different minds think that people should handle pain in a specific way, when in reality there's no real way to get over a loss or pain to that extent. It could begin to fade over time, but it will always remain a part of you as it helps to shape you into the person that you are at the end of the day.
Delete-Peighton Stirt
Hello everyone! I believe that perhaps the most influential line of "Undertaker" is when the mothers exclaim, "Make him the way he was." However, it is clear that the mothers don't really understand the way that he "was." Part of the reason why the mortician calls his work a "miracle" is because he must recreate the boys as something more than what they actually were. When one dies, people only want to remember the good in a person, and that is what the mortician must exaggerate and emphasize. They must create a human being without flaws. Mothers love their children, but are often blind to reality. It is impossible for someone on the outside to create a child to look as bright and perfect as a mother envisions him. The accomplishment of this would truly be a "miracle," and that is what I think Patricia Smith may be referring to.
DeleteGavin Rublewski
Hi Gavin!
DeleteYour point made me remember another poem, by Edgar Lee Masters called, "Richard Bone". In this poem, the main character Richard Bone works as an epitaph and had to engrave exactly what people told him, however he often knew that what people wanted to put was rarely the truth. As the mortician has to recreate the boys as something better and more than they actually were, Bone has to also make people sound better after they have passed. What does it say about human nature that after someone dies, many find it necessary to look back and only see the best in that person?
-Luis Gonzalez
Hey Trey!
DeleteYou make a great point in connecting the two poems and I also believe that each says something rather negative about human nature. I believe that the mothers and relatives in each scenario aren't exactly making up these things in a show of admiration, but rather as a display of disappointment. They do not think there relative did enough in their life and acted as they probably should have. However, now that the person is dead, they are able to make them dress or sound exactly as they wished they did. They are able to forget any negatives and only focus on the positives, creating their perfect vision of their son/relative.
-Jack Riggott
DeleteHi all,
DeleteGavin, I liked your point about how the undertaker is tasked with making the person appear as perfect as possible, as they appeared before their death. This is shown in the mother's words, as she appears to almost try to convince the undertaker her son was a good person with good morals. This makes no difference to the undertaker, as she knows the truth, that the deceased boy was caught up in gang warfare. The mother simply chooses to focus on the better attributes of her son, like his ambitions to get out of the hood and escape poverty. This is shown in the constant use of angelic connotations, such as the mention of the boy wearing a halo. The mother only believes in the positive aspects of her son's life so she can believe he died innocently and with no fault of his own.
Casey Bowden
Hi,
DeleteI agree with these opinions on the poem "Undertaker" that the caring relatives of the passed loved one see them as perfect. This seems to be true based on the way the mother behaves, clearly suggesting that her son had made bad decisions and probably was not perfect. Although the undertaker does see that these kids are probably not innocent, I don't think he sees them as bad kids that the mother sees as an angel, I got more of a feeling that the undertaker doesn't see any of them as special. Regardless of whether they are perfect or horrible people, he seems apathetic as if they don't matter at all now. In the beginning, I thought he seemed somewhat sympathetic, but with the line "Oh, they cry, my Ronnie, my Willie, my Michael, my Chico", he shows that none of these situations are special. I believe he has probably seen so many of these horrific situations that he is desensitized to the better parts these kids probably had. Because of this, I actually feel most bad for the undertaker, whose job is to resemble a disgusting, not innocent pile of body as a perfect boy that the mother unrealistically saw him as. He seems to think it is not right to falsify what has already happened.
-Keegan Jalbert
Hi everyone,
DeleteI, as well as all of you, found this poem very interesting. Reading the poem was a very jarring experience and was from quite an interesting point of view. The fact that the author chose to write it from the undertaker's perspective gave a sense of just how little sympathy a funeral house houses. The gruesome descriptions they give of each victim shows how cold-hearted an undertaker can be to feel no sympathy for either the mother or her child as well as the racist views they put upon them. One line that stuck out to me was when the narrator says "I write a figure on a piece of paper and push it across to her while her chest heaves with hoping, she stares at the number, pulls in a slow weepy breath:"Jesus." But Jesus isn't on this payroll." That final line truly gives the underlying motive of an undertaker, that being money, with absolutely no remorse.
-Liam Files
DeleteHello Everyone! One poem that really struck me emotionally was, "Hymn to a Broken Marriage". I was immediately drawn in by the title. Hymns are supposed to be religiously celebratory and yet this hymn is for the end of matrimony, a thing of religious significance for many people. The beginning of the poem, "Dear Nessa" made it feel very personal and, the more I read, the more I felt like I should not be reading it. It felt very intimate. The lines in which he said he would marry her over and over again were tragically beautiful. Though relationship may be over, his love for her will never end and he regrets nothing. This man holds her in such high regards and yet, he must accept that she does not feel the same way for him. It is heartbreaking. The closing line, "A sane man could not espouse a more intimate friend than you", makes such a statement within itself. It shows that they never had the love that he wished that they did. You are supposed to a lover not an "intimate friend". This line felt like the final nail in the coffin.
ReplyDelete-Kylie Boyle
DeleteHi Kylie!
DeleteI definitely agree with you. Initially the title had me intrigued. The words "Broken Marriage" signaled to me that this poem might be somber and somewhat sad. As I continued, I quickly found out that it was almost the opposite. As you mentioned, the man really does pour his heart out which is something we don't typically see about a topic like this.
The way he shares so many intimate feelings makes readers have a great deal of respect for him. This definitely isn't just your typical love poem. His transparency about his past relationship truly made me feel the same emotions he felt.
-Monique Michaud
Kylie,
DeleteI agree that this poem is, like you said, "tragically beautiful." The reader can tell how much the poet loves Nessa an how he will always love her, no matter how shattered their marriage was. I thought his use of the word "hymn" in the title was interesting. This title relates to the fact that the poet is singing out and praising Nessa for the love he has for her.
Durcan is certainly admired by the reader because of his dedication and passion that he feels for Nessa. It shows that even though people try to make things better, it doesn't always work out in the end and could lead into a potential downfall. He knew that Nessa didn't always feel the same love, but he respected and loved her regardless. He accepts the rejection and, as you stated, doesn't regret his love for her. He realizes that sometimes people have to let go of the good things in life, even though they put in effort to make everything okay. In the end, Durcan wanted Nessa to feel the same and he worked to make things okay between them, but it unfortunately lead into a fall in their relationship and shows how she couldn't change her "feelings" for her former husband.
Hi Kylie,
DeleteI definitely agree that the poem felt more personal, especially since it is in letter format. By repeating the phrase, “I would wed you again,” informed me that Durcan did not regret their relationship and he still holds onto his feelings for her.
The last line stood out to me, too. Being friends is an important part of a marriage, but that shouldn’t be all there is. He knew Nessa would never feel the same way he did. Ending a marriage typically leaves the couple on bad terms, but Durcan didn’t want this, so he used the poem to express his thoughts and emotions to her. He wanted her to know that he will always care for her even though they are no longer together. This was one of the reasons the poem left a big empression on me. I did feel bad for the author while reading this, but he had the strength to admit his feelings even though he knew their relationship wasn’t going to be fixed.
-Kaelyn Perkins
Hey all,
DeleteI interpreted this poem a lot like Kaelyn-but when the author was saying he would marry his ex-wife over and over again, I took it to mean that while he knows that their marriage ended, he still holds their memories and experiences together dear, and would go through divorce again in order to relive them. As a kid with recently divorced parents, I know that divorce is extremely difficult for everybody involved, but I like to think that this couple had good experiences together, while they were still married. The author does not seem resentful or angry, so it seems likely that he enjoyed the time he had with his ex-wife, even calling their love an addiction. I feel like he knows their marriage is over, but he still values her and will cherish the time they had together.
Hello Maggie,
DeleteI have also experienced divorce in my life and I saw the poem in the same light as you. Divorce is an awful thing and usually the couple ends up hating each other, like you said, which really makes me appreciate the courage that it must have took for Durcan to write such a personal piece. Like Kylie had said previously it is so personal that it felt like we shouldn't be reading it. Usually people feel ashamed and disappointed when they are going through with a divorce, but to me Durcan seems to be very accepting. The poem demonstrates how although he is sad it is ending he would never regret it happening and would continuously relive it.
Hiya everyone,
DeleteWhile I can see your reasoning for believing that the narrator cares for his ex-wife in an appropriate and loving way, I tend to disagree. Durcan seems to talk down to her later in the poem by calling her patience and innocence "strange characteristics" and by speaking poorly of sane love and referencing its "profuse and fair proportion" of other types of love. What I find interesting about this poem is that the audience only gets the perspective of Durcan. From this perspective, it is easy to believe the narrator and look poorly upon his ex-wife for her lack of reciprocation. However, as I explored in another post, I do not believe that their marriage (or their love) was healthy. Durcan seems to be addicted to romantic love. I believe that this poem shows an overly attached man who cannot let his ex-wife go.
I found the poem "Mrs. Kirkorian" very thought provoking because I myself often wonder about all the events that occurred for many generations in the past for today to be the way it is. There are so many different possible outcomes for the present but the way that previous events transpired the present turned out the way it is now. It was interesting to see this put into words by an author. Had those events not transpired, this this author would not have had the help that they needed to be steered away from going down the wrong road in life.
ReplyDelete-Michael D'Averso
Hi Mike:
DeleteI agree with what you've said about how events transpire through the generations. Mrs. Krikorian looks out for the narrator despite his past troubles. She is trying to lead him down a better path of life, turning to books to give him knowledge and to learn from the mistakes made in history. While the narrator begins his reading by looking up naughty words in the dictionary, he soon reads about Abraham Lincoln and Hellen Keller, indulging himself in history. As these two figures benefited people of their time, the narrator was also exposed to the bad in history and the negatives in people. Mrs. Krikorian prepared the narrator for the good and bad of reality he will experience outside of his childhood.
Hello Mike and Stephen,
DeleteI also found Mrs. Krikorian very interesting for a few different reasons. To me, Mrs. Krikorian represents how much influence teachers have on young students. Mrs. Krikorian knew of the kid's troubled past and still chose to give him some freedom to discover himself rather than chain them up and make them retaliate. Many teachers have helped mold me into the person I am today and I found it interesting when the narrator chooses to question who "saved" his teacher and made her the way she is.
I like what Stephen said about how having this freedom to search through the dictionary allowed the kid to find history riveting, but I think there's something more than just history to it. Hellen Keller was both death and blind. Abe helped abolish slavery. Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Pacific Ocean. All three of those people pushed pst people telling them they can't follow their dreams and make a change, but they did it anyways. They are role models to this kid. This kid has to push through everyone telling them that they'll always be a delinquent and his mind telling him to give up. If these people can create a path for themselves, so can this kid.
One last point about this poem is the first line, "She saved me". To me this is a religious point. In Psalm 116.1, there is a verse that reads "when I was brought low, he saved me". This reflects back to how Mrs. Krikorian saw this kid at a very low point in his life ,with everyone back turned against him, she believed in him and brought him to see the good he could do, just like Jesus in the Bible.
-Alyssa Carneiro
Hi people. For me the most interesting part of this poem is how an unexpected person changed the boy's life. It was not a family member or a friend that set him straight, it was his teacher. As a "known criminal" it would not be predicted that he would be changed by a teacher, the type of people he usually would ignore and take advantage of. In addition, one of the people he discovers, Helen Keller, is someone that people would not have expected to change their lives. People assumed someone in her shoes would just struggle to live normal life but she changed people's lives as well. This poem goes to show how anyone can change someone else's life in a way that can never be explained or repaid.
DeleteThat was Michael Angers
DeleteHello Michael,
DeleteThe poem Mrs. Krikorian also interested me. To connect to your topic on the road of the authors life, I was struck by how greatly the simple act of giving Olds a library pass affected her. Olds describes herself as "a known criminal" by the time she gets to sixth grade, which Mrs. Krikorian is aware of. Instead of simply letting Olds waste her time doing nothing in class after she finished her work, Mrs. Krikorian realized her untapped potential and opened the portal to the world of literature that the library held. This simple act of allowing Olds to read and learn on her own terms and own motivation definitely created a lifelong love of reading literature and need for education that never left Olds, and most likely contributed to her decision to pursue literature in the form of poetry. The first sentence in the poem is "She saved me." which I believe refers to Mrs. Krikorian saving Olds from straying from her education and delving into a life of academic failure and insufficiency. This also brings up the idea that early education is crucial to the outcome and future of young students in the education system.
Casey Bowden
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteIn reading Lisel Mueller's "Why We Tell Stories (for Linda Foster)," I found myself drawn to the author's methods of demonstrating of the cyclical nature of life. Mueller begins many of her stanzas with the conjunctions "and" and "because." This repetition not only emphasizes the importance of stories but is also reminiscent of the cycle of storytelling. Stories are told and retold and passed down through generations. Although they are altered with each iteration, their essence is preserved. The repetition of the word "and" in this poem is symbolic of the many times a single is told. In addition, Mueller ends her poem with "we will begin our story / with the word and" (2). One important effect of this choice is that it means that the poem was both started and ended with a conjunction. In addition, by ending her poem--her story--with the word that serves as the beginning of all stories, she connects it back to its own beginning. In this way, the repetition of conjunctions demonstrates the cyclical nature of stories and their passage through time.
Mueller also emphasizes the repetetive quality of stories by explaining their existence in relation to humans. The first section of the poem describes the time before humans. This is depicted as a simple and happy time which humans now long for. Mueller believes that all humans retain instincts from this time and that these instincts are painful because we cannot be as happy as our ancestors were. The second section describes the time after humans created language and tells us that stories were created as a distraction from the grim realities of life. The third section tells us that we become our stories. This means that when hearing fantastical stories from the time of our ancestors, we are doomed to believe that they were happier than we are. We only know of the exciting exaggerations that they created, and we are oblivious to the hardships they faced. This causes us to wish that we had lived in the simplier and seemingly happier times of our ancestors. This continuous cycle of becoming more complex and then being pained by nostalgia for the past is directly linked to the telling of stories, and Mueller's poem effectively conveys this sequence.
Mueller's poem describes the many reasons for which we tell stories. One of these reasons is in remembrance of the simple times of our ancestors. Another is to convince ourselves and others that the times in which we live are preferable to those of the past. The final explored reason for telling stories is to attain a sense of immortality by contributing to the endless cycle that is the passage of tales from one generation to the next. To me, this poem has served as a warning--the grass is always greener on the other side.
-Meghan Myles
There should be a paragraph break before "Mueller also emphasizes" and before "Mueller's poem describes." I did not hit enter twice between my paragraphs, and upon publishing no space can be seen at all.
Delete-Meghan Myles
Hi Meghan,
DeleteI also became interested in the human tendency to adapt a cyclical nature which Mueller observed in "Why We Tell Stories". Mueller touches on many expected characteristics displayed in a person's life, such as the naivety of children and the wise advice given by our elders. The second stanza struck me in particular, where Mueller discussed the ways we alter society in order to cope with or avoid defeat. Did we create monogamy and a stigma around divorce to invent "women who could love no one else"? To ensure that a man may keep his wife? Also, could Mueller be referencing war with "monsters only we could kill"? I'm curious to see what could relate to this in our current society.
Lastly, the line "Because the story of our life/ becomes our life" seemed significant to me. Every minuscule detail of our personality and event we experience shapes our identity as a whole. I appreciate Mueller's dissection of human uniqueness in this last stanza as she recognizes each individual journey through life as an important one.
- Kaitlyn Herbst
Hi Meghan and Kaitlyn,
DeleteI really enjoyed the poem "Why We Tell Stories" as well. Something that really stood out to me while reading was the 6th stanza.
"and because we were always defeated, we invented impossible riddles only we could solve, monsters only we could kill..."
This made me think about the origin of story telling. Most of the time, I think that stories with a thrilling or adventurous plot are made solely for the enjoyment of readers. However, the idea that stories are crafted for our own benefit is extremely interesting. Since people always feel defeated, authors create stories that show people overcoming the odds and solving problems in order to get to the next step. They show perseverance is key.
Many parents read their children stories from a young age. Children's books are most commonly known for solving intense riddles or problems to save the day. I have never thought of this as inspiring before, but after reading this poem, I came to wonder if stories can empower people from a young age. Maybe they are not so much about reading for enjoyment and for getting the mind to function, but maybe stories are used as a way to teach significant lessons of overcoming obstacles from a young age.
-Allyse Ernest
Hello everyone!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Edgar Gabriel Silex's poem "1964 (For Bert)" because of its effective use of a number of literary devices, both common and unconventional. The first one of these devices that stood out to me was the use of large spaces between words to indicate pauses. These spaces convey emotion in a way that would not have been possible if Silex had merely started a new line. These spaces allow the reader to be made aware of the change in tone between the third and fourth stanzas, as what had originally been a distinctly happy and carefree pause became decidedly devoid of emotion.
Another device employed by Silex to convey the change in mood in this poem is the use of colorful language--literally. Silex draws a clear distinction between things that are multicolored or bright and those that are reddish. In the first stanza, the narrator remembers his past, saying that "the world's misery was still covered / in iridescence before [he] got pneumonia" (1). Here and throughout the rest of the poem, it is made clear that colorful and beautiful things are associated with childhood, and that reddish things are associated with the loss of innocence and with the unveiling of the troubles of the world. Some of the words used which associate with the beauty of childhood include "sunlight," "prisms," and "brilliance" (1-2). The children's loss of innocence is represented by the color red. Before they are punished for playing hooky, the candy apples are described as "shiny red crystal balls we could have looked into / and seen our reddish future" (1). Later, they are given "red welts" (1). This seems to be a turning point in the lives of these children, as after this day, "the memory of light / would be lost from our eyes" (2). Silex's use of color and light to convey the loss of a childlike sense of innocence is effective in creating emotion in the poem.
-Meghan Myles
Hi Meghan!
DeleteI really enjoyed "1964 (For Bert)" as well because it told a story in a unique and interesting way to show the change from childhood innocence to realizing the horrors of the world. I agree with your interpretation that the Edgar Gabriel Silex uses light to mean innocence and red as well as shadows are used to symbolize the lost of that innocence because they are darker and an absence of light.
The end of the poem is particularly interesting with the narrator coming to the realization that school is taking the light or innocence away from everyone. This is described as "we learned that school was meant to keep us/ from seeing that sunlight created this world". This means that the world was created innocent and it should remain that way, but instead school works to take away the innocence until all anyone can see is the red and the shadows with no memory of innocence. This is also ironic when compared to the typical perception of school. School is meant to teach children and protect them until they are old enough and wise enough to stand on their own. However, Edgar Gabriel Silex feels that school isn't keeping children safe and that they actually learn more outside of school than they do inside.
I also found the progression of the poem interesting. It begins with a feeling of nostalgia for a time when there was still innocence before it was ripped away. The memory of the past is present throughout the first few stanzas maintaining their lighthearted nature in the beginning. However, each of the stanzas end on a more dismal note. The final two stanzas remain dismal throughout showing that all innocence that still remained had been lost completely.
-Marisa Vatteroni
Hi Meghan and Marisa,
DeleteI noticed the same things Meghan did about the structure and the figurative language of the poem. The author used lots of imagery descriptions that allowed me to actually see the scene in my mind. Even the small phrases had a deep impact on the poem. " sweet drowning voice of death." and "...into prisms that could split the brilliance so that everything we saw would see through pigments and shadows and the memory of light..." If the author had simply wrote the base of the imagery, it would make it much harder on the readers to fully grasp the concepts, in my opinion.
Another thing I agreed with is Marisa's comment about the school's trying to shield the students of the outside horrors. I personally think that some schools are not talking about some matters that are a big deal in kids lives, as much as they should. Such as depression, suicide, divorces, etc. Of course schools have guidance counselors, but sometimes kids do not feel comfortable sharing everything with a stranger. Personally I was thrown into the real world when my friends and I had no choice but to deal with it head on. I am not trying to blame or insult the schools or anything but that is just my opinion.
Hi,
DeleteI too noticed the use of some of these abnormal techniques in "1964", and it made for a great read! I most significantly appreciated the childish tone used in the story, demonstrated with the extra spaces that I could hear in my head the way the kid was telling the story, and the things he focuses on, such as the food they brought. This added to the meaning of the story to me; the kid was innocent before this experience, and now has a more broad world view and understanding.
This teaches the lesson that you really have to experience things to truly understand the world. You can be taught all sorts of things in school, but there's nothing that teaches you about life more than living.
-Keegan Jalbert
Hi everyone! I actually ended up sending this a while ago, but Im not sure if it worked or not, so sorry if it ends up posting twice!!
ReplyDelete“At the Smithville Methodist Church” by Stephen Dunn was one of the poems that really stood out to me. I feel like religion is one of those gray areas where we’re so cautious with our words, trying not to offend anyone. Just being candid here, I’m very religious, which is why I think this poem spoke to me so much.
In my opinion, I think it’s very important to grow up believing in something, whether that be God, science, or literally anything else. I just think that grounds us, keeps us rooted to something we have a strong passion for. So, when the little girl mentioned in the poem, found the same joy in making those corny “Jesus Saves” buttons and singing the “Jesus loves me” song, I felt a sense of happiness in a way. Even though the parent doesn’t believe in spiritual works, he still introduces the daughter into a world of faith. With the little information given about the narrator, we can probably infer that as a child, his parents made him participate in religious activities. I can say that I was forced to go to church every Sunday and do religious ed and confirmation classes, except I ended up actually liking it, unlike most of the kids in our generation. After we’re done being forced to all the classes, that’s usually the end of the faith journey, but as parents, most feel obligated to make their child do the same; introduce your child to faith, then make it their decision whether to continue with it or not.
I was astonished when I read, “Could we say Jesus doesn’t love you?”, mainly because I grew up knowing that he has unconditional love. Also, when he said, “It had been so long since we believed… we thought he was sufficiently dead”, cue the “Gods not dead, he’s surely alive” song. But the line that stood out to me the most was, “Evolution is magical but devoid of heroes, you can’t say to your child, ‘Evolution loves you.’”. In society, we seem to draw a line between God and science. “If Darwinism exists, where’s your proof of God” and that sort of stuff. Someone once said to me, “Does evolution disprove God?” and the answer is no. People ignore the fact that you can believe in both, yet that’s your own choice.
At some point in life, we lose faith, like the narrator. It’s the littlest things, like singing those children’s songs, that steer us back onto the path of faith. It isn’t something you can just drop and walk away from, it’ll always be with you. In a world with little to no faith in our generation, it’s almost a miracle to see someone so young, like the little girl, to be so happy with Jesus in their life, and the parent supports it in every way, which is amazing. And again, religion is a very sensitive topic today so I feel obligated to say, these are just my opinions.
-Teagan Connelly
Hi there Teagan (and everyone else),
Delete"At the Smithville Methodist Church" really caught my eye as well. It's easily my favorite poem of the selection, and like you I tried posting about it but I don't think the first one went through. Good thing, because I hadn't seen your message beforehand and I'd like to offer my interpretation as well. Again, disclaimer: my opinons. Feel free to disagree.
I think Dunn geniously articulated a very sensitive yet troubling happening of society: the forcible religious indoctrination of impressionable youth. When a family raises a child from birth to adapt to and accept its parent's personal religion, the argument could be made that they are manipulating and mentally abusing said child. This may sound harsh or over-dramatic, but only on the surface. If a little one has no frame of reference or lacks the mental capacity to coherently understand the many different belief systems that our world has to offer, including non-spiritualism or "atheism", then one could argue that it is visibly wrong to stunt their personal growth and interpretation of the world by during their younger years convincing them that there is only one truth. To take advantage of a small and under-developed mind could be easily considered deplorable and discouragable behavior.
Now, I personally think this is what Dunn was getting at. My favorite bit of the poem aids my interpretation:
"Evolution is magical but devoid of heroes.
You can't say to your child
'Evolution loves you.' The story stinks
of extinction and nothing
exciting happens for centuries."
This is precisely what I, and I presume Dunn, is trying to get at: a child will blindly and happily believe what they are told if it is engaging, easy to understand, and fantastical. To convey the world to them through a series of cautionary tales, and to tell them to stop thinking scientifically/mathematically in favor of "faith", seems not only senseless and harmful but also unfair to the developing mind.
At least, this is what I think Dunn is trying to say. And i've always thought this to be true.
- Josh Quimby
Teagan,
DeleteJust one other thing. My intention is not to attack your own opinons on "growing up believing something." I realize now, a couple of hours after posting my response to your comment, that maybe I could come off as harsh or heartless. It's a good thing that we have different opinions on the matter as well as different interpreatations of the poem. Difference in thought is what makes us special.
I'm glad that your experiences with religion have had a postive impact on your life thus far. I encourage you, however, to at least think on my (and in my opinon Dunn's) philosophy on the matter.
Have a good day,
- Josh Quimby
Hello Teagan and Josh,
DeleteLike the two of you, I was also fascinated by this poem. I grew up in a Christian family and I still regularly attend church. Religion is a choice and it survives purely off of faith alone. Unlike the science behind evolution, there is no evidence that backs up the existence of Jesus. Just like other things, whether it be politics or hobbies, we all have different beliefs and preferences. That is the beauty of individuality. Parents will pass down their beliefs onto their children because it is simply something parents do. For example if a parent loves rock music, their child will grow up listening to it and perhaps enjoy it. It is not “wrong” for parents to influence their children in ways that they see fit because any sane parent would want what is best for their child.
Personally, I believe that teaching a child about faith in moderation, is not brainwashing them or keeping them from reality. When children are young, they are also exposed to tales of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy and adults try their best to preserve that innocence for as long as possible. The reason being, young children should not have to experience the negatives of this world. Growing up “too fast” can lead to unhealthy consequences.
My parents have always told me to interpret the bible in a more figurative sense, rather than look for its literal meaning. From an early age, I have been told to absorb the positive lessons that religion has to offer and not to overthink everything else. Religion teaches children how to love, forgive, and be selfless. Once they grow up, it is their choice whether or not to believe. Parents should not force their children(or anyone) to live a certain way. Like Teagan said, the parents in the poem did the right thing by allowing their daughter to continue believing in God when they themselves don’t. They’re letting her choose for herself, and that is great parenting.
Hi, Beryl!
DeleteI completely agree with you that religion should be an interpretation instead of a blind adherence to rules. To me, this poem was reminiscent of Sunday school and how I always felt strangely detached from the crafts and activities we did. I think that religion is never truly a constant in a person’s life; although childhood is a time of belief and hope, the reality of adulthood can often cause people to stop believing in something they once cherished. Although I’m no longer a religious person, I can see how religion could comfort people who have had their dreams and lives darkened by tragedies. As Josh pointed out about the poem, the line “You can’t say to your child, ‘Evolution loves you,”’ is especially representative of how religion fascinates and appeals to children from a young age. When people grow to become disillusioned by their system of beliefs, they turn to more concrete systems of thinking but lose the sense of magic and whimsy that they once believed in wholeheartedly. I think that choice in whether and how to practice a religion is crystal to a person’s sense of identity; it enables them to balance their belief system with their values and logic.
-Kenna Hurtuk
Hey guys! I really liked the poem “Main Street: Tilton, New Hampshire”. It made me think about all the action that happens in a single moment. There’s so much life composed in every minute of every day. And there’s so many people, each doing their own task, each thinking their own thoughts, each trying to solve their own problems. I just think that as people we rarely stop and think of all of the life and action happening around us. I know that it’s comforting to me to think about how many people are trying to solve problems and accomplish their goals right in this very moment. It makes the things that seem like a big deal become much smaller. It’s a valuable perspective to have.
ReplyDelete-Caitlin Breslin
Hi Caitlin,
DeleteI agree with you that so much happens in every moment and that people should take time to just think about what is around them and not move forward with their eyes only on what is in front of them. There is so much that will remain unnoticed if people do not take the time to look for it. I think this is especially evident in the poem by Kenyon's use of imagery that describes forward movement. For example, the poem includes phrases such as "walked past," "passed from sight," and "that moment passed." While the narrator is sitting stationary in her car, the people around her are moving through her vision, entering and then exiting. Because the narrator is not moving, she can observe the other people who are.
Along with witnessing the people pass her, the narrator also notices the time passing, as evident by the last two lines of the last stanza. The moment she was in is gone, and it is "displaced / by others equally equivocal." Throughout the poem, the narrator is unsure about what the mother and child have in their bags, what the man is doing in the bank, and whether or not the woman in the cab is crying. She does not know exactly what people other than herself are doing or thinking, and she recognizes that she never will. However, by taking time to observe and think rather than remain in constant motion, she can have a very brief glimpse into their lives that she could never have had if she was only focused on herself instead of the world around her.
Hi Caitlin and Madalyn!
DeleteI definitely agree with both of you. The realization that the narrator has of this fast-paced life filled with a diverse group of people really sparked my interest. The author truly puts it in perspective. As you both mentioned, I think it's interesting how focused we are on the end goal which, in turn, sometimes doesn't give us the chance to slow down and observe the life around us.
The line that really stuck out to me was "Labor Day, 1984, 4:47 in the afternoon". The exactness of the date and time stood out. The specific time of 4:47 pm proves how insignificant it might be to an everyday person, but in the big picture it's an important piece in time.
I think this poem shows how every person, despite our differences, and every second of time helps piece together the life we live. As you both said, it's the concept of slowing down and enjoying the life you live.
-Monique Michaud
Hi guys! I agree with all that was said and also found it interesting about the line in which Monique previously mentioned about labor day. I found this to be an interesting line as it describes how life is full of moments, that when separated from all the other moments that occur in our lives they may not mean anything in particular but when placed together they all play out an important roll in the outcome of each persons story even if it may not seem like it at the time. Each person has a different story as their lives are all made up of different moments. Which also shows that in general we only see snip bits of others lives as no one can see the significance of the little moments that takes place in others lives and therefore we are only looking in other peoples lives through a window. I also found this interesting because recently people have become so obsessed with idolizing others that they see on social media even though they only see a portion of their lives, and that portion is the part that they pose and perfect and yet people still compare their own lives with these snip bits of perfection.
Delete-Peighton Stirt
Hi everyone!
DeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading through your comments. I also thought how the poem brought up the importance of how every moment is different and unique from the next. This can be seen as Jane Kenyon goes on to describe the exact moment in the first three stanzas, and then in the last stanza gives the moment a "label". I think Kenyon also wants to prove that each small snapshot of the present, will soon be the past, as each moment passes very quickly. Overall this poem resonated with me because of it's uniqueness and it's focus of the importance on the "little things".
- Luis Gonzalez
Hey guys! I totally agree with the whole idea that Kenyon focuses on how much can happen in a moment (if you are just willing to pay attention to the seemingly trivial details of the world).
DeleteAlso, I find it interesting how these moments that Kenyon describes (girl in flip flops, woman in a cab, etc) are so ordinary, yet she thinks about each of the moments so deeply that they become so complex (i.e. Are those new school clothes in the young girl's paper bag? Is the woman in the cab really crying?). By making comments about these moments, Kenyon is acknowledging that each person she watches has their own life, completely separate from hers (the only thing they have in common is that they were near the same location at the same time). This is sort of along the lines of what Peighton said as well.
I think it's interesting to think deeply about everyone we encounter or witness in life - but it may come to a point where it is too much to think about!
Hi everyone!
DeleteI really liked how deep and thought-provoking your comments were. Upon reading this poem, I did not understand the message that the author was trying to get across, but now I really understand.
As Arden said, I like how Kenyon takes these little details and points them out. One part that I thought was extremely important was the woman thought to be crying in the cab. I like how the author questions the thought that they just made: "She might not have been weeping, / but it was hot and still, / and maybe she wasn't weeping at all." I like how the author put this because it puts across a message that you cannot judge a book by the cover. You do not know hat somebody is going through just by looking at them.
I am interested to hear your thoughts on that.
Hi Caitlin,
DeleteThis poem was definitely interesting and far different from the others. It did not involve a worldly view or concern any aspect of the world except for this one street in this one small town in New Hampshire, a relatively small and thinly populated state. This small setting and simple narrative was focused solely on the people and their lives and business on Main Street. Its small focus differed heavily from the other poems, which often included multiple settings and heavy character movement, such as people moving around a house, from city to city, or across oceans as they immigrated. This intense focus on three groups of people allowed the reader to absorb themselves in these people and allowed the author to develop them more, even though the poem was relatively short. The narrator waits for her husband to get back, and through her we see the close relationship between the mother and her daughter, and can assume what sort of tribulations they have been through. We see the woman crying in the truck after her husband gets out, and we can see her inner conflict. All this description is captured in this one focused moment. The intense focus and description of the characters and happenings of this poem make it special and unique to the reader.
Casey Bowden
Hi everyone,
DeleteI agree with what many of you guys are saying about the message of this poem. However, that message wasn't the only reason I was drawn to the Main Street poem. I thoroughly enjoyed the homey, small-town atmosphere Kenyon was able to convey through her use of extensive imagery. The details of “a mother and child trading mock blows” and “a blue pick-up, noisy, with some kind of home-made wooden scaffolding in the bed” illicit images of a hardworking yet carefree community of people. That felt really pleasant to read especially compared to some of the other poems that were quite heavy and tragic. I appreciated the simplicity and clarity of this feel-good poem.
Hey everyone!
ReplyDeleteIn Eric Ormsby's "Rain In Childhood," I thought that the use of the rain to describe the duality of memory was highly creative. Even though the narrator is a young child, the rain brings him the "sorrow of nostalgia" (1). He also recognizes that in the future, the rain will bring him nostalgia for the present: in the fragrance of the rain, he can sense "the end of childhood, where remembrance stands" (1). This quotation indicates that he knows that he will eventually surpass his childhood, but it is indicated later in the poem that the rain offers the narrator a limited view of this future: the school is lit "like a road map glimpsed by flashlight in a car" (1). I believe that this "road map" is the path of the narrator's future, and that while the scent of rain brings him nostalgia for the past, it also offers him sight of his future. This creative use of the rain makes for an effective poem.
I enjoyed the illustrative quality of the imagery used in the poem, but I believe that it was overused. The description of the "steamy, tar-damp smell of morning rain" is extremely vivid and relatable to the reader. However, I believe that some of the adjectives used later in the poem are not necessary to the emotion or the meaning of the poem, and that they almost sound pretentious. In the last stanza, thunder pummels "embrittled clouds," there are "concussive ricochets," and "the lighting lace[s] the school's facade / with instantaneous traceries and hairline fires" (1). Previously in the poem, the descriptors had been used to evoke a sense of nostalgia, and were therefore relevant to the poem as the narrator's nostalgia for his early childhood was explored. However, in the third stanza, the imagery only serves to demonstrate that the storm is intimidating. The narrator does not explore how the rain evokes in him a sense of fear, nor does he connect any sort of fear to any period in his life. For this reason, I believe that while Ormsby has a strong command of beautiful and stimulating imagery, his overuse and failure to connect said imagery to the rest of his poem renders it partially ineffective.
In the third stanza, I did not understand the narrator's location. He sees his teacher hesitate in front of the chalkboard, but he also sees "the lighting lace the school's facade" (1). I also do not understand the use of the word "lighting" rather than "lightning," which would seem more appropriate when considering the fact that this poem is dedicated to describing a storm. If anyone has any ideas regarding either of these choices, I would love to hear them!
-Meghan Myles
Hi Meghan! You noted that although the adjectives used in the third stanza were intimidating, the narrator does not connect this to a sense of fear in him. I didn't view this as a failure by the author to insert meaning into the stanza, but rather as a realistic image of the future that the child does not yet see. The storm is raging outside, with the rainfall symbolizing the eventual passing of childhood. Despite how scary the storm obviously is, I would not expect that to inspire fear in the child. Adulthood is often scary and filled with problems that nobody could have foreseen previously. The child does not fear because he does not yet understand future troubles. All he knows is that one day he will look back on his past with nostalgia.
DeleteGavin Rublewski
Hi Meghan and Gavin,
DeleteI agree that, in the third stanza, the connotation of many of the words Ormsby uses to describe the storm is menacing. However, as you both mentioned, the narrator never connects this sense of fear to the child. Instead, he connects it to the adult when he describes "concussive ricochets that made the teacher hover with the chalk held in her hand". Initially, I interpreted this to mean that she herself was fearful of the storm. Then, after considering the word "hover", I realized that it could mean she was trying to protect the children--not necessarily from the storm itself, but from the frightening sights and sounds that a storm normally brings. Like Gavin mentioned, children don't understand future troubles, so they have no reason to fear what lies before them. The teacher, an adult who does understand the inevitabilities of life, feels a certain obligation to be especially attentive when looking after her students.
On a separate note, though, this part of the poem made me think about how adults (mainly parents and teachers) are supposed to protect their kids from outside harm or dangers, yet simultaneously prepare them for the outside world. A child who is coddled their entire life will never be able to function as an adult in the real world.
Hi everybody!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Sharon Olds' poem "Mrs. Krikorian" because of its powerful storytelling and its descriptive imagery. The obvious parallel drawn between Mrs. Krikorian saving the narrator and Mrs. Krikorian being saved by a Turk is reflected throughout the poem through the use of religious imagery. According the poem, being allowed to leave the classroom to go to the library saved the narrator from when "the devil glanced into the room / and found [her] empty" (1). In addition, Mrs. Krikorian's aid allowed the narrator to be "emptied of Lucifer" (1). Furthermore, the narrator states that when she is allowed to go to the library, she "slip[s] out of [her] / seat as if out of G-d's side" (1). In this case, I do not believe that this is truly a reference to G-d and Lucifer, but rather a depiction of good and evil. At the end of the poem, the narrator is found under her bed "with the eerie comfort of what is neither good nor evil" (2). I believe that this is a reference to the fact that while Mrs. Krikorian frees the narrator from a life of definite evil, it is the responsibility of the narrator to find her own path into what is good. This is demonstrated by the fact that in her early visits to the library, she chooses to look up "forbidden" words such as "spank" and "breast," but she soon becomes interested in learning about important historical figures such as Abe Lincoln and Helen Keller. I believe that my interpretation of the use of the religious imagery is strengthened by some research on the author. According to Wikipedia (I know, not a reliable source, but I cross-referenced its sources in relation to the information I used), Sharon Olds was raised as a strict Calvinist, but now views herself as an athiest. For this reason, I believe that it is likely that her religious references are likely more metaphorical than literal.
In this poem, I found the chain-like description of saving others to be highly compelling. Another piece of information I gleaned from Wikipedia regarding Sharon Olds is that she was abused by her alcoholic father as a young girl. Assuming that she is the narrator of this poem, I believe that the thing she needs saving from--her "devil"--is her circumstance and her upbringing. Mrs. Krikorian is able to save her emotionally from this evil. Mrs. Krikorian's personal "devil" was the violence exhibited by the Turks against the Armenians. An Armenian was able to save her physically from this evil. I find it interesting to think that had Mrs. Krikorian not been saved, the narrator may never have been saved. This reminds me of the butterfly effect--the idea that one initial change to a system can completely alter its outcomes, such as the theory that stepping on a butterfly could prevent a hurricane that would have been caused by the flapping of the insect's wings. The narrator believes that she "end[s] up owing [her] soul to so many" for just this reason (2). I think that this is an interesting viewpoint regarding the chain of events that lead to the narrator being saved, and that it makes for an interesting and captivating story.
One piece of Olds' poem stood out to me as particularly impactful: Mrs. Krikorian brought that narrator "a candy-cane / as you lay a peppermint on the tongue, and the worm / will come out of the bowel to get it" (1). This quotation references how Mrs. Krikorian is able to bring the narrator both out of her shell and out of her difficult upbringing. The imagery used in Olds' description juxtaposes dark and light imagery ("worm" and "bowel" are contrasted with the refreshing taste of "peppermint"). This creates an effective description of the emotional weight of the aid rendered to the narrator by Mrs. Krikorian.
I exceeded the maximum number of characters for this post, so here is the rest of it:
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if anyone had any thoughts regarding Olds' choice not to format her poem with stanzas. I think that this choice may serve to indicate that the process of eliminating evil from oneself is not straightforward and constantly moving forward, but instead proceeds with both improvement and regression. I believe that there may be another reason for the lack of stanzas in this poem, and I would appreciate input from others!
-Meghan Myles
Works Cited:
Delete“Sharon Olds.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 July 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Olds.
-Meghan Myles
DeleteHi Everyone,
ReplyDeleteOne poem that really struck me was "Atlantis (Part I)" by Mark Doty. The poem talks about a dream that the narrator keeps on having, where the dog runs onto the highway and gets hit by a car. I can truly understand that losing a pet is extremely hard, considering I lost my lifetime dog in the beginning of the summer. The one thing that I can really take out of this is the fact that it is truly heartbreaking to lose a pet.
The narrator has these dreams and when she wakes up, she does not want to go back to sleep in fear that she will continue to have that same dream. One question I have is in the seventh to eighth stanza, the author writes, "It's been six months, almost exactly, since the doctor wrote not even a real word but an acronym, a vacant four-letter cipher". I am wondering if the author is trying to convey that the narrator has something along the lines of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Do you all think that the narrator has PTSD or do you think it is something else?
Another question I have is within the 15th and 16th stanzas. The author states, "Which is what makes me think you can take your positive attitude and go straight to hell." I am wondering if you guys have any personal thoughts on when people say "It is going to get better" (or something along those same thoughts) during a hard time in your life.
Olivia Brancati
Hi Olivia!
DeleteI really enjoyed this poem as well. As I read the poem, the first idea that came to me was that the narrator must have PTSD. The author alludes to horrible recurring dreams, awful flashbacks, and "the four-letter cipher". I think that this poem really demonstrates the internal struggle that the narrator is going through.
The doctor just keeps throwing this diagnosis at him but never offers any real forms of relief. I think the narrator is tired of hearing the same line "It is going to get better" and just wants somebody who truly understands, as well as a valuable form of help for what he's going through.
As for the dog, it is evident that the narrator shows a true connection to this animal. The lines that state "and I swear sometimes when I put my head to his chest I can hear the virus humming" really stood out to me. Here, readers can see how deeply the narrator understands the dog: so deep that he can tell what's going on without the dog saying anything. I believe the narrator values this type of connection and is frustrated that no one can understand him the way he understands the dog. Due to his "disease", I think he feels that the dog is one of the only positive things left in his life.
-Monique Michaud
Hi Olivia and Monique,
DeleteWhile reading "Atlantis (Part 1)", I also thought the author had PTSD. But, as I kept reading the poem didn't quite make sense to me, so I looked up a summary of this poem with its other parts, to see if maybe it didn't make sense without the rest of the poems. After reading through what I found, the four letter word they are referring to is AIDS. I never would have thought that'd be the word, had I not done some digging online. It makes more sense with the other parts because each poem tells a sort of story to go along with the first. I still don't totally understand the poem, but that information helped guide me through reading it again.
-Olivia Cayward
Hello Olivia(s) and Monique!
DeleteI also had the impression that the author suffered from PTSD and I think that, in a very minor way, he did; those dreams really messed with his head. This poem really confused me, though; it was so vague that I couldn't even understand whether the dog was sick or simply an allusion to somebody else being ill. Olivia Cayward's response that the four-letter word was AIDS helped clarify this for me, but I still struggle with getting everything to connect completely.
As for when people say "it'll get better" during a hard time, I find it to be slightly frustrating but also grounding, in a way, because I know that it's true. Although it's very cliche and overused, making it a bit irritating to hear, I also know the truth behind it -- every adversity I have personally faced has gotten better with time. Even when I believed it was the end of the world as I knew it, life went on and I discovered that everything will improve eventually. However, I do understand the author's use of "you can take your positive attitude / and go straight to hell" because this pain is still fresh to him so he has every right to be bitter.
-Alix Hietala
Fellow classmates-
DeleteAfter reading all your comments about "Atlantis," I still have some questions, but also some comments of my own. So it appears to me that Olivia Cayward's point about the cipher being AIDS is indeed correct, as the author, Mark Doty, had a close friend and partner named Wally Roberts, who did in fact die of AIDS. Moving on, I still find it unclear exactly why Wally is portrayed as an innocent dog. My theory is that Wally was similar to a dog in the sense that Wally didn't want, ask, or willingly accept having AIDS. It just happened and he got the disease. The dog is just living its life happily and unknowingly going to be it by this car on the highway. Sorry if that sounded confusing. My other theory is that scientists knew little about the disease and therefore Wally and Mark could do little to stop it, just like Mark couldn't do anything to prevent the dog from running into the road. Any feedback, would be much appreciated to help me understand the poem better.
- Stephen Sutton
Hi everyone and great comment on this poem. One thing I would like to add is that perhaps the reason Doty told the story through a dream is because he felt helpless like in dream. When a person is dreaming it's like watching a game, they're on the sidelines and cannot change anything. This may have been how he felt about his friend Wally. There was nothing he could do about Wally having AIDS, he just had to watch and wait for his inevitable demise. This feeling of helplessness may contribute to his bitter opinion of "you can take your positive attitude and go straight to hell." Doty may have tried to be positive, but in a situation like this he came to realize that a happy attitude will not save his friend. He may see anyone that tries to give him the advice to stay positive as a person that has yet to face losing a friend, and therefore not qualified to give him advice.
DeleteMichael Angers
Hello all!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the poem "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden because of the fact that it can be interpreted in a number of different ways depending on the perspective of the reader. In my initial interpretation of the piece, I believed that the narrator is unjustly unappreciative of his father. The narrator makes it clear that his father is a helpful man who does not require recognition for his good deeds. He wakes up early to warm the house so that his son can be warm upon getting out of bed and he shines his son's best shoes regardless of the fact that "[n]o one ever thanked him" (1). In my initial understanding of the poem, I believed that the narrator's fear of "the chronic angers of that house" was a simple tension felt for his father(1). I thought that this tension could be related to the fact that the narrator does not show his father gratitude, and that it may have accompanied the simple lack of respect that many children often show their parents when they are young and arrogant. I viewed the last two lines of the poem as the reflections of a son who, as an adult, regrets his previous lack of respect and gratitude toward his loving father. In this interpretation, the father of the narrator is the definite protagonist of the poem, and his son is someone who regrets his disrespect toward such a kind and loving man.
After analyzing this poem in a light that favored the father of the narrator, I decided to research the author. According to the English Department at the University of Illinois, Hayden had a highly troubled childhood. His parents separated before he was born, and he was taken in by a foster family. His foster parents' marriage was troubled, and they beat Hayden (Sanders 1). This information shines a new light on the poem, as it paints the father of the narrator in a much darker light. At this point, I interpreted the poem very differently. I believe that the narrator does not thank his father for his kind actions because of the abuse he has sustained. I also believe that the "chronic angers" are not the result of teenage rebellion but instead of an abusive parent. At this point, I found it difficult to see the redeeming qualities of the narrator's father, despite the fact that the narrator details the ways in which his father demonstrates his love. In this interpretation, I have little to no sympathy for the father and very much sympathy for the narrator. In this interpretation, I believe that the last two lines, which express the narrator's regret for his failure to thank his father, demonstrate his forgiveness and understanding of his father. As an adult, he believes that his father was not the purely evil man that he had seemed when the narrator was a child.
I exceeded the maximum character count again, so here is the rest of this post:
DeleteIn the second interpretation of this poem, it seems that the narrator offers his father forgiveness for his abusive behavior. The narrator seems to believe that his father was strict and harsh to him because he loved his son, and that it was for his own betterment: "what did I know / of love's austere and lonely offices" (Hayden 1)? I have seen it argued that the adult children of abusive parents should "become the bigger people" and forgive their parents for their actions. I am firmly against this belief, as I think that it normalizes child abuse. It tells the adult children of abusive parents that they should be able to move past their trauma when they may not be able or willing to do so. It tells abusive parents that their behavior was acceptable. It paints a picture for those not involved with instigating or receiving child abuse that the trauma sustained by abused children is easy to move past when adulthood is reached. I believe that these are harmful messages to support, and I believe that the narrator of this poem has fallen victim to the narrative that he must forgive his father. I also believe that his apology toward his father could be connected to the guilt that many survivors of child abuse sustain in that they believe that they deserved the abuse they received. What do you all think of the issue of people being pushed to forgive their abusive parents?
I believe that the beauty of this poem lies in the fact that it can be interpreted in many different ways. It is not necessary for a reader to understand the history of the author himself. I imagine that a person who grew up with a loving relationship with their parents would initially view this poem in a different way than would a person who did not. I believe the message of this poem is that things are never all good or all bad. The fact that the father of the narrator performed many loving acts for his son does not negate the fact that he abused him, but it does show that he loved his son in at least some capacity. While it is understandable that the narrator speaks indifferently to and fears the anger of his father, it is also commendable that he can now recognize the love that he was shown. The two interpretations of this poem do not necessarily stand alone, and therefore both contribute to the creation of an emotionally impactful poem.
Works Cited:
Sanders, Mark A. “About Robert Hayden's Life and Career.” Modern American Poetry, 1997,
www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/g_l/hayden/life.htm.
(I was not able to indent the second line of my citation in another post, I do not know whether or not the second line will remain indented once I publish this post.)
-Meghan Myles
Hey Meghan,
DeleteFirst of all, props to you for the very extensive background research on Robert Hayden. At first, I also felt sympathy for his father. That was until I read what you mentioned previously about Hayden's abusive childhood. What I want to focus on is that despite Hayden having an abusive father, he went out of his way to publish this poem admiring and forgiving his father. You stated in your second explanation that he was being pushed to forgive his father, well I don't agree with that. I believe as he matured, he acknowledged that his father had more love for him than hate and simply wanted to show that. In reading this poem, Hayden is very careful with the way he worded this poem to highlight the love his father had for him. In the very first line, "Sundays too", adding a simple "too" implies that his father may be getting up everyday in the cold wintry days gathering firewood. In stanza 2, he recollects "When the rooms were warm, he'd call..." This shows his father cared for him, as he didn't want his son to wake up shivering, or even start the day off cranky. All in all, I don't feel as sympathetic towards the father after reading about Hayden, but I do understand why Hayden dedicated this poem towards his father in a regretful, reminiscent manner. Hayden realizes that although his circumstance were tough, he was still under the care of loving foster parents.
Good evening classmates I hope this post finds you in good health,
ReplyDeleteWislawa Szymborska's "Photograph from September 11 was one of the most moving pieces of poetry I have ever read. The poem describes a photo of people jumping out of a blazing building. Szymborska goes into detail about how the people appeared without outright stating it and wastes no words on unneeded gore. The organization of the five tercets interrupted by one quatrain almost resembles a building. In the first five stanzas, the author focuses on the photo itself while in the last tercet, she switches to a first-person view and talks about what she "can do".
I think it is interesting that Szymborska instead of honing in on the horrific plane crash into the world trade center on September 11th, 2001, she describes a snapshot of people free-falling from the smoldering building. After first reading the poem, I wondered why she elected to do so. I believe she chose to write about a photograph of the people plummeting to emphasize how the victims of 9/11 will always be immortal in the minds of those who remember the tragedy. In the United States especially, 9/11 created a tidal wave of uneasiness and paranoia because the population felt like their country, home, and sanctity was under siege. Szymborska adds a barrier between the reader and the horrific event by describing a photograph of the people falling in lieu of the actual tragedy.
My interpretation of the poem adopts a less obvious approach to the piece. I believe that Szymborska is using the photograph as a vehicle to express that the victims of 9/11 were just one part of the entire tragedy. The snapshot of the people falling is just that, a snapshot. It only represents a small part of the entire incident. Perhaps the poem is a challenge to think more deeply not only about the victims directly affected by 9/11, but also those who were inadvertently damaged. The crash brewed distrust and fear in the hearts of Americans who felt their country was being attacked and was one of the primary reasons the United States invaded Afghanistan a month later. Without a doubt, 9/11 also impacted millions of people outside the twin towers not depicted in the photograph.
- Ryaan Shaikh
Hi Ryann!
DeleteI was also very moved by Wislawa Szymborska's poem, "Photograph from September 11". I liked and hated how this poem made me imagine people jumping out skyscrapers to avoid the flames of the plane crash. Reading this poem instantly brought me back to my recent trip the the 9\11 Memorial Museum in New York. Szymborska's language made a similar impression as when I saw the many images and videos the museum had up on display. Ryaan, I liked your description of her goal to provide the reader with a "snapshot" which suspended the victims in the air and in time. By doing this, Szymborska is able to get the reader to remember the victims, but not the blood and gore that this tragedy caused. On my way to the museum, I thought to myself and wondered why people would want to remember this tragedy. Wouldn't it be better to try and forget this awful day. But, as I walked through the museum, I quickly realized that it is very important to remember the victims who no longer walk with us today. This poem made me see how remembering a tragedy can be viewed neutrally, without that pain the event initially caused. I'm very interested to see what everyone else though about this poem.
-Luis Gonzalez
Those are all great points about the poem and very intriguing to read about. Another point about why she described such an iconic picture is that people witnessing 9/11 may have felt as if time was slowing down. As people jumped out of the towers they saw them fall but they could not truly process what was happening. Its terrifying to think that ordinary people like us were put into such a hopeless situation. This hopeless situation left them with jumping as their best bet. To think that anyone could end up in that type of situation reveals how powerful this poem is. By describing the people jumping, Szymborska relays how horrendous the event was. People had no other choice to try and survive other than to jump off a skyscraper. That fact alone will forever remain in the minds of all that witnessed that day.
DeleteMichael Angers
Hey everyone,
DeleteThis piece stood out to me as well for its use of time and the symbolism that comes from it. The poem talks many times about how the photograph "halted them in life". This can be be connected to how these people were horribly ripped from any possible future they could have had and instead halted in their path. The "ending" of the poem also spoke volumes on the narrator's motive toward writing the piece. The author states "I can do only two things for them- describe this flight and not add a last line." This gives us a feeling of dissatisfaction with the ending not being very satisfying, much like the lives of those on that fateful day not being given the chance at a satisfying ending, and instead being ripped out of the world by the hands of fate.
-Liam Files
Hey there Ryaan,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your interpretation of the poem. I believe that Szymbroska uses the photograph to take us into the lives of just a few people. With people knowing that 9/11 was a hue national tragedy. We can truly see close up victims that were affected, along with taking a look at how just so many people in these peoples lives were affected. When people think of this tragedy they may overlook this fact of true power of this event, which I think Szmborska is trying to push on us.
- Kevin Shorey
Hello Ryaan and Kevin,
DeleteI also found this poem moving due to the fact that it was translated. Wislawa Szymborska may not have been able read a lot of the news articles or peoples first hand accounts because of the language barrier, but she could look into it by seeing photos from the event. To Szymborska, these photos said a thousand words and she was able to take this event to a personal, human level rather than jump on the main idea of this being a terrorist attack.
I also found the last stanza intriguing. Szymborska mentions that she can only do two things for these people now and that is to "describe this flight and not add a last line". Szymborska knows that their is little she can do to help these people who have lost their lives in such a horrific way, but she will keep their memory alive by writing this poem and never ending their story. Forever those people will be a reminder of the horror that occurred on 9/11.
- Alyssa Carneiro
Hi guys,
DeleteI was also moved by Szymborska's description of the photograph from the horrific tragedy. I thought the second stanza was very well written and symbolized the entire event as a whole. The first couple lines, "The photograph halted them in life, and now keeps them," describes how the image helped to keep the victims alive as they fell to their death and now keeps them in remembrance never to be forgotten. The third line, "above the earth toward the earth," refers to the victims above the earth in heaven and toward the earth as they fell from the burning buildings. These three lines can summarize the way Americans feel about the experience. The photographs help as a reminder of the victims, but even if the images are ever lost, we will keep everyone affected in our memories forever, never to be forgotten.
Hello everyone! I was also very moved by this poem. I think that it wasn't at all important that Szymborska only focused on a select few out of so many who either lost their lives or were affected by the events of 9/11. No matter if one innocent life or one million innocent lives were taken, it is still a grave tragedy. By only focusing on a single photograph of a select group of people, Szymborska is able make the event appear more personal. These tragedies can happen to anyone at any time. Additionally, I love the idea of viewing 9/11 through a photograph. This was an event that has had unimaginable impacts on today's society, and it is now a part of who we are as Americans. The rescues following this event serve as an example of our perseverance and strength. Those who lost their lives will never be forgotten, and our memories of them will forever be frozen in time, much like images captured in a photograph.
DeleteGavin Rublewski
One poem that I found deeply moving was "Testament" by Hayden Carruth. There are many reasons why I love this poem, the first being the way it explains the passing of life. He says life is like an hourglass that filters out all of the materialism and replaces it with love and wisdom. When you are young, it is so easy to get caught up in appearances and and getting things. Life seems so long and all we want is for it to pass more quickly so we can enter the next stage. We waste out lives like this. It is only when we are older that we look around and discover all the love and wonderful people that have accumulated over the years. We can appreciate them so much more because we realize how much time has passed and how special it is. We spend the rest of our lives loving as deeply as we can because we have lost so much time already. While this seems scary and depressing, Carruth makes it feel okay. He describes it as a rite of passage that we all must take in order to get to those blissful, loved-filled years. The end is so beautiful as he describes his love for his wife and his inevitable death. Because of all the love he was able to feel and the life he was able to live, his death is insignificant. Of course he will always wish for more time and more love but, his death cannot negate all the love that has already been between them. He knows that he has already lived his best life and who can blame him for wanting more of it?
ReplyDelete- Kylie Boyle
Hi Kylie!
DeleteI completely agree with the beauty of this poem's message of appreciating life; however, I found his references to his wife slightly unsettling at times. He seems to have very little faith in her survival without him, which was a bit odd to me! Although he expresses his love for her in depth, he almost seems to suggest that she will be nothing without him around, especially when he mentions that her job is worthless and her poetry will get her nowhere. I'm curious to hear your interpretations of the mentions of his wife and how they differ from mine!
-Alix Hietala
Hi Alix!
DeleteI definitely see what you are saying about him and how he views his wife. I completely agree that he underestimates her ability to be by herself but I feel that what he is saying has more to do with him than her. His life has been spent protecting her and her protecting him. Though he knows death will inevitably come, he is worried about the time in which he will no longer be able to help and support her. Had she written this poem, I feel that she too would have a list of fears about leaving him behind and would worry about all the things she would not be able to do for him. I think that he is coming from a place of fear and love rather than lacking in faith.
- Kylie Boyle
Hi everybody ~
ReplyDeleteI had a quick question about "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden. I'm not sure if I missed something or simply didn't interpret the poem correctly but the last line of the second stanza confused me, which was simply "fearing the chronic angers of that house" (Hayden). As I saw it, the whole poem built on forgetting to appreciate his father, so where did the anger come from? It was only mentioned the one time, which was even more odd to me; if it were a serious issue, wouldn't he have reason to elaborate upon it further? Were there maybe some undertones of abuse that made the author unable to recognize his father's good traits at times? Thank you in advance for clarification!
-Alix Hietala
Hi Alix!
DeleteI also noticed this line and found it a bit out of place in the rest of the poem. It seems to interrupt the image of the coldness being driven out by the slowly spreading warmth, both physically, with the fire, and emotionally in the child's recognition of his father's love. I agree that maybe there was some anger in the house that made it difficult to appreciate this father's good traits, and that's why the child hasn't appreciated him until now. Another thought I had was that maybe the "chronic angers" was like the cold, and the father was trying to drive it out. Maybe the father wasn't the one who was always angry, maybe he was on the receiving end of the anger, and this was his quiet way of making the house warmer, easier to live in.
It is, after all, a poem, and open to interpretation, but hopefully this gives you a few ideas of ways to look at it.
-Kalina Bonofiglio
Hi Alix and Kalina,
DeleteI too was confused by this line, as this poem as a whole seems to have a warm and heartfelt conclusion. I think the chronic anger described is referring to anger that may be festering deep down in the father, as he works hard, even on Sundays, to wake up early and prepare the fire to warm his house for his family. Kalina, you mentioned the father being hard to love because of his anger, but I believe the father is subtly angry because of a lack of love and thankfulness towards him. Alix, you mentioned the poem being built on forgetting to appreciate and thank the father. I think this is where the anger comes from, as the father has taken note of the forgetten appreciation, and the author knows he has forgotten to thank his father. You both brought up very intriguing ideas and interpretations which affected and expanded my understanding of the poem, and it was very interesting to see how others interpreted this poem.
Casey Bowden
Hi everyone,
ReplyDeleteI love poems that remind me of a good song--one that you can listen to over and over again, know every word by heart, and still notice something new each time you listen to it. "Why We Tell Stories" struck me as such a poem, and I keep coming back to it to read it again.
The first time I read it, the repetition of "and" and "because" stood out as an essential element to the meaning of the poem. It emphasized the interconnectedness of our world and our history. I understood that the poem was an ode to words, to times gone by that will always be remembered. The line "and grandfathers need to convince us/ what happened happened because of them" also stood out to me, mostly because that is exactly why my grandfather tells us stories. I’ve heard the same ones dozens of times about his years as high school chemistry teacher and his time raising my dad and uncle. They used to shake their heads and correct him, but now they mostly just nod and go along with it. Either way, my grandfather is always the main character of his own stories, and this line perfectly captures his story-telling.
The second time I read through the poem, the first three stanzas stood out to me. The first clearly references plants and trees, the second talks about birds, and the third about fish or other sea dwelling creatures. The author refers to these creatures as if we descended from them, which is partly true, if you go way back in the records of evolution. I thought this was an interesting way to connect people to the natural world, and it makes the last line of that section, “and we learned to speak,” stand out. It shows that, for all the experiences we might have had before language, none of it mattered, because none of it was recorded.
I noticed a few other things in later readings, such as the division of the poem into three sections, the first before language, the second after, and the third written in present tense about its importance. Some of the language that I had somehow managed to miss finally became clear to me, such as the “painted scarves through the scenery” line.
I think the reason I was so drawn to this poem was partly that the word “stories” jumped out and triggered the fantasy-loving, adventure-seeking part of my brain that has always been addicted to the written word, and partly that the poem itself gave me a feeling of nostalgia as I remembered the days when I had all the time in the world to get lost in a story.
I’d love to hear other thoughts on this poem!
-Kalina Bonofiglio
Hi Kalina!
DeleteThis poem really stood out to me too. I also noticed the repetition of the words "and" and saw it as the poem being a story itself. The use of "and" allows the poem to keep going and reach new depth much like a story does. The end of the poem was especially significant because it isn't actually an end. The final stanza reads "and though we listen only/ haphazardly, with one ear,/ we will begin our story/ with the word and". By ending the poem with the word "and" the poem continues on with the reader. It shows that we are a continuation of those who came before us and we are all a part of one story that will never end.
Another thing that stood out to me in this poem is the connection between the title "Why We Tell Stories" and the structure of the poem. The title is posed as a question and many of the stanza contain the word "because". The use of the word "because" shows that each stanza is an answer to the question "Why We Tell Stories". There are many different reasons to tell a story and this poem explores all of them.
I also saw the division of the poem into three sections as before mankind, the beginning of mankind, and finally the present. The first section is a time no one truly knows about so to create stories about such a time imagination plays a huge role. The second section is the beginning of mankind which shows that we tell stories to preserve the past and allow people to strive to continue improving on where we've been. The final section is about the present and shows that we tell stories to create a legacy to be carried into generations to come and those generations will have stories of their own while still maintaining a connection to those before them.
-Marisa Vatteroni
I find poems like "Looking Back In My Eighty-First Year" by Maxine Kumin to be some of the most interesting because they are written by people who have experienced so much life. There is so much to be learned from Kumin about the lessons she has learned throughout he life. Kumin married very young and that prevented her from doing a lot of things in life she may have done if she hadn't had a husband to take care of, such as joined a fellowship or traveled during the war. She repeatedly says that she "should have" or "would have" if her circumstances were different. But, Kumin's life was full of passion so much so that it dizzied her. She may have missed out on some things but her husband was by her for the long haul, though "limestone and sand" (aka thick and thin). Although Kumin looks back on what could've been she knows that the choices she had made brought her to where she needed to be.
ReplyDeleteAn intersting organization choice was starting the poem with a well known quote and ending the poem with the same last word as the quote. What do you think the significance of having both the poem and the quote end with "long-legged girl/s"?
-Alyssa Carneiro
I find poems like "Looking Back In My Eighty-First Year" by Maxine Kumin to be some of the most interesting because they are written by people who have experienced so much life. There is so much to be learned from Kumin from the lessons she has learned throughout her life. Kumin married very young and that prevented her from doing a lot of things in life she may have done if she hadn't had a husband to take care of, such as joined a fellowship or traveled during the war. She repeatedly says that she "should have" or "would have" if her circumstances were different. But, Kumin's life was full of passion so much so that it dizzied her. She may have missed out on some things but her husband was by her for the long haul, through "limestone and sand" (aka thick and thin). Although Kumin looks back on what could've been she knows that the choices she had made brought her to where she needed to be.
DeleteAn intersting organization choice was starting the poem with a well known quote and ending the poem with the same last word as the quote. What do you think the significance of having both the poem and the quote end with "long-legged girl/s"?
-Alyssa Carneiro
( I don't know if the first one published or not)
Hello Alyssa,
DeleteThis poem seems to take a solemn stance on life and how the author has made choices to shape her life in different ways. For example, she got married early and even though it is a huge responsibility at such a young age, she took it on and was ultimately satisfied. However, this also seems to affected her negatively because she seems to face a lot of regret. Her repeated use of "should have" contributes to a worrisome personality in her, because even though she has a wealth of experience, she isn't necessarily happy with how her life has turned out still. She still wanted to go to the University and to cross the ocean, but something has somehow prevented her from doing this and giving her regret.
-James Heaney
Hi Alyssa,
DeleteWhile Kumin has indeed learned a lot in her eighty-one years of life, and readers can see how her choices affected her life, I do not entirely agree that she regrets the choices she's made. I do believe Kumin regrets some of her life decisions, she seems to be at peace at the end with how her life has panned our and accepts the choices she's made in her life. My thought on the quote by Hilma Wolitzer before the poem is that, when Kumin was younger, she never thought she would become the old lady that her grandmother was at the time. Now looking back on her life as an older lady this quote provides a bit of humor as the thinks about her choices that shaped her life. She goes on about all these life experiences that thinks about now, which shows in reality how life choices can shape someone's future. Even though people will always be able to look back, and possibly regret, the choices they've made, those decisions have gotten the person to where they are now. I think Kumin is trying to make that point even if it is overshadowed by her regrets of past choices.
- Stephen Sutton
Hi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to discuss "The Mercy" by Philip Levine for two reasons; it's one of the only poems not already talked about on this blog, and its a very different take on poetry that I think most of us are used to.
The structure itself is free verse, which isn't hard to figure out. But if we were to change the setup to a paragraph instead of split in stanzas it could easily be followed as a short story. Maybe a short story with choppy stanzas and questioning imagery, but a story nonetheless. I personally love poetry that tells a story right from the beginning, theres no digging needed to get the main idea of this poem, anyone could read it once over and have a strong understanding and impact from it. The poem is told from a child's point of view talking about their mother's journey to America, they never mention where she is originally from but I believe this is on purpose. I think the author was trying to show how yes, she doesn't know much about the culture or the land or the language, but she is happy to learn because this is her new home and she is accepting it with open arms. The author also discusses how her journey wasn't flawless, people got hurt, sick, even died, but here this little girl travels holding on tight to her orange excited for her future. The last this I wanted to discuss was the title and how it played into the poem. The word "mercy" means to forgive and have compassion for someone or thing even when they might not deserve it. In the poem, mercy is symbolized by an orange, something the little girl had never seen or tasted before. Once it was handed to her and she took a bite, it became her strength to give mercy to every terrible thing that had happened to her up until that moment. She saw all of the promise this new land held for her and she forgave the treacherous journey and the heartache from leaving a familiar place. She literally held the mercy she needed in her hand and kept it as her lifeline.
I'm not sure if I am the only one who saw it this way but I am interested to hear how you guys also interpreted this poem.
-Jillian Fiddler
Hi Jill!
DeleteI was also intrigued by Philip Levine's poem, "The Mercy". Your interpretation of the poem is flawless as I agreed with most of your points. The symbolism of the orange representing a physical form of mercy is really important because of the fact that mercy will be needed through this young girls life in a new land. However, I was questioning the irony that was found in this poem. The ship that the young girl is taking to Ellis Island is called, "The Mercy", so why is everyone on the ship dying of smallpox. As you said the definition of mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. Do all the immigrants coming to start new lives deserve to die? I was curious to find out what everyone else thought about this irony, and why Philip Levine included it in his poem.
-Luis Gonzalez
Hey Jill, hope summer's been well!
DeleteI was also very intrigued and interested in "The Mercy". I also thought the absence of the mother's past and origin was on purpose. Many of the people going to Ellis Island were focused on the hope for a new life and freedom. They wanted to forget about their past hardships and work on creating a better future for both them and their families. That supports your thought about the orange and the women's ability to give mercy to everything bad that had happened to her in the past. The orange becomes a symbol of hope for her new life and new beginnings. Phillip Levine believes that mercy is always present. Like an orange, "you can eat it again and again...and you can never get enough." The women obviously needed mercy on her previously tough life and will continue to need it as she proceeds to make her life better. The orange is also a symbol of America. It is both a new thing for the women, but can turn out to be a good thing.
Hi Jill!
DeleteI interpreted this poem in a similar way to how you did. I agree the use of free verse in this poem allows it to read much like a short story and the meaning of it is quite clear. The child tells their mother's story and the first thing she remembers from her voyage to Ellis Island is the compassion one of the other passengers showed her. The young Scot gave her an orange after seeing she did not know how to eat a banana and then taught her what was probably her very first word of English. After that encounter the story turns grim and the rest of the journey to America is filled with hardships. The child reads in the library that the Mercy was quarantined when it arrived before the passengers could come to shore. The next sentence reads, "There a story ends". This shows the differentiation from who the mother was on the journey and what she went through to who she will be now in her new life. The poem goes on to show the hardships others still face even though they are in a new home. However, the little girl, who is the mother, carries an orange with her as a symbol of the mercy shown to her. She learns that it's a choice to be merciful and despite the horrors she faced and more she might have to overcome she sees the good mercy can do.
-Marisa Vatteroni
Hi everyone!
ReplyDelete“The Mercy” was one of my favorites. This poem describes images beautifully and really gives you a feeling of calmness and hope. I especially love the last line, “She learns that mercy is something you can eat again and again while the juice spills over your chin, you can wipe it away with the back of your hands and you can never get enough.” It describes the mercy she was given from a sailor who didnt know her, she went through all of this hardship and pain and struggle during her journey to America and was rewarded. It describes mercy as a beautiful thing that isn’t found, but given through the compassion of strangers. And as far as the ship being called “The Mercy” but there being sickness and death, I think it was more personal. It was her mercy, her trip and salvation from what she was leaving behind. She was given mercy by staying healthy and making it to America.
~ Emily Collins
Hi, Emily!
DeleteAnother aspect that I found interesting about the poem, "The Mercy" is when the writer describes how his grandmother prayed frequently on her ship across the ocean. Levine writes, "She prayed in Russian and Yiddish to find her family in New York, prayers unheard or misunderstood or perhaps ignored by all the powers that swept the waves of darkness".
He continues, writing about the other passengers on the ship, "...the dead were buried at sea with strange prayers in a tongue she could not fathom".
I think it is interesting to see how people resort to religion when they feel that they have nothing to place their hope in. The writer's grandmother was religious, but she prayed to "all the powers", meaning she strayed from what she solely believed in because she was so desperate. She wanted her prayers to be answered by whatever higher power there was - not necessarily just the one she believed in.
Also, the men laying the others to rest at sea in languages the writer's grandmother didn't understand shows that almost everyone is religious in rough times. Nearly everyone will turn to religion to be saved.
Does anyone else think this is true? Do you recall any other pieces of literature that show characters resorting to religion?
Hey, everyone!
ReplyDeleteI was on Facebook the other day and as I was scrolling, I came across a video of a young mortician talking about her profession. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePQmd2phpDA )
This video reminded me of the poem "Undertaker" not only because of the fact that each of these individuals are morticians, but because each of the individuals work very hard to put the deceased to rest in a beautiful way. They each speak of the importance of working to make the dead remembered (appearance wise) as how they were while alive.
The only difference is that in "Undertaker", Patricia Smith doesn't seem to LOVE her profession like the young woman, Miranda, in the video does. Smith seems to do this job just to pay the bills ("Jesus isn't on this payroll"), while Miranda sees a deeper meaning to the process, and has a bit more respect for her clients. Smith even sees some of the business as phony, writing about how parents really push the whole "Fix my boy, he was a good boy. Make him the way he was" act. But who can blame them?
If you take the time to watch the video, it is interesting! Let me know if you see the differences between Patricia Smith and Miranda.
Hi guys,
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite poem was Anyways ( For David) by Suzanne Cleary. For some reason it just spoke to me and made me stop and think about life in a different way. It wasn't until the middle of the poem when she gave all those examples of how people use " anyways" that I realized how much people use it the exact same way in our own lives. It's hard to exactly write out in words what I was thinking but the best I could do is just say it's sort of like how we, as people, do the opposite of what we should do, what we know we should do, but it's just the only way we can help ourselves move on with life, and overcome difficulties.
One example is the line " A man dies and his widow keeps his shirts. They are big but she wears them anyway." Or another line, " The carpenter sighs, ' I didn't need that finger anyways.'"
These actions are useless, they aren't crucial to survival, but people do them just to help them come to terms of their situations and move on and lessen the pain
Hi Bonnie!
DeleteI also really enjoyed Anyways (For David). Like you said earlier, it made me realize how much everyone uses the term "anyways". The way Suzanne Cleary describes it makes me feel as though "anyways" is a large void filled with endless possibilities. It seems to me that the examples she gives in the poem and the way people use it in real life gives them a sense of security and a sense of hope. For example, she talks about how even though she lived in the third rainiest city people still packed their picnic baskets anyways.
Hey guys,
DeleteThis was an interesting poem about the usage of "anyways", something I thought I'd never really read about. What I picked up is that even though I may think one way, using the term "anyways" leaves the door open to new interpretation and reason. Cleary goes on to give examples about a man dying but a woman keeping his shirt "anyways" and a man losing everything in the depression but waking up "anyways". We may think we know the reasoning behind why they do these actions, but they may see another reason why. Therefore, using anyways leaves things up to interpretation. People may have something seemingly bad in their lives, but we truly don't know their reason for it and may have other interpretations.
-James Heaney
Hey guys,
ReplyDeleteI'm having a little trouble understanding the end to "Mrs. Krikorian." The lines "I would wake up...neither good nor evil" seem a little out of place to me. I know the author was talking about all of the mentors and mentors of mentors that exist in the world, but I don't really get how that last bit fits in with the rest. It felt like a really abrupt shift from talking about lost souls that became mentors to talking about waking up under a bed to a bit about good and evil. Can someone help me out and explain this a bit? I don't see how they all connect.
Hi Maggie!
DeleteHonestly speaking, I hadn't even looked at "Mrs. Krikorian" until I read your post but I wanted to see if I could help you unravel some of your confusion so here goes my best interpretation of the end.
The young kid, the narrator of this story, is a troubled child, which is clearly stated right at the beginning. Another thing that was also stated early on but wasn't as obvious as the previous was when the author stated, "that hour's work that took ten minutes and then the devil glanced into the room and found me empty, a house standing open," The author admits she was vulnerable to being persuaded in the wrong direction. She stayed out of trouble when her teacher gave her a purpose, no matter how small it was. As time went on and she left Mrs. krikorian behind she thanked her and every mentor before her but still wasn't free. I believe when she stated, "with the eerie comfort of what is neither good nor evil." she is saying that she now knows more self control and doesn't like when she is bad, but it has been a part of her for so long so the idea of being completely good is also uncomfortable for her, she's trapped in this limbo or peace and chaos.
Like I said, this was more of a quick read through of the poem but maybe my interpretation made sense to you?
Best of luck!
Jillian Fiddler
Thanks Jill, that helped clear it up a little more for me. Maybe she was saying she still got tempted into trouble easily, but now she had a little more self-awareness about it, and could work to improve herself. It may have been "eerie" because she never had that awareness before, and now she is starting to recognize when she may drift into trouble, and try to do something productive instead of destructive.
DeleteHi Bonnie and Maggie!
ReplyDeleteI also really liked how Cleary used “anyways” in her poem. Like you said it reflected how people move on through life despite the struggles or problems they come across. Something bad happens and people get up anyways, you don’t succeed but you try again anyways. It’s not something that has to be done but something that everyone does “anyways” to push through.
I’m not exactly sure of the meaning behind it but I think it had something to do with the author’s feeling. They felt like an outcast, “a criminal”. When they came to school and found Mrs. Krikorian they were filled with good instead of evil and were given a chance. I think it’s saying that hiding under the bed, after being protected or saved by someone they felt neither good nor evil.
Emily Collins
ReplyDeleteHello all. One of my personal favorite poems in this collection was Why We Tell Stories (For Linda Foster). I found this to be such an incredible poem because it told two stories at once. The story of why people tell and create stories, and the underlying story of the early struggles of humanity and how they used these stories to create an image of a brighter future for them. Later on in the story it begins the story of early man and their lust for riches and victory. The first stanza in section two represents not only the origin of humanity creating stories but the plight of early people. Early man had next to nothing to work with so they dreamed of unimaginable riches that they would get and created stories of how they would earn these riches. The poem goes on to explain that man was also defeated by everything. We were not incredibly strong or fast but we were very intelligent, we used this intelligence to create stories and riddles that made us powerful and undefeatable because of that unrivaled skill and created monster that only we were strong enough to defeat so we could have pride in our strength.The poem also explains that the stories we weave are who we become, so as people create these fantastic stories of riches and strength we learn to achieve these new riches and how to fight back against the things that are stronger than us. The stories are never the same, always changing and evolving as they pass from person to person and each person puts in their own twist to show what they lust for or what they need out of life. The poem ends by saying that we will always begin our story with the word and, I feel as though this is to be taken in the most literal way. Your story will never be the beginning of the tale and will always be a continuation of what came before it. Even if you were not aware of the story that existed before yours and the details of it, your story will still always be linked to those that came before it.
-Nick Bezzina
Hi Nick,
DeleteI, like you, very much enjoyed the poem Why We Tell Stories. I liked the second section because, as you said, people then and people now aren't so different. The poem describes people from the early times wishing for change, and creating an entirely different world around them to escape their own harsh life. But even people in this generation do the same thing. I cannot think of a single person who hasn't had any sort of regrets.
Also, in the third section the phrase" Because each of us tells the same story but tells it differently" really spoke volumes to me. After I thought about it for a while, I started to consider Lisel Mueller was right. Personal thought- People generally experience the same things in life at some point. Love, regret, heartbreak, tragedy, etc. Although every story has different people and different situations, it's still very much the same. It may not be the same boat, but it's the same ocean.
Hello classmates!
ReplyDeleteOut of all of the poems, I would have to say that Undertaker (For Floyd Williams) by Patricia Smith was my favorite. I found it intriguing to read the irony of how even though her business is built on the fact that people die she always wishes it was a wrong call or a bill collector. Her description of how she tries so hard to make sure they look at peace and in some way "fix them" like the mothers ask caught my attention because to her they are just a body, she is seeing them in ways no one ever has, yet she was never close with them and doesn't even know their stories. She says "I have touched him in places no mother knows, and I have birthed his new face", meaning she brings life back to these boys that she never knew in life, but only on their death bed. I enjoyed how much detail she went into on how she imagines the boy had acted before he died and how she describes herself always trying not to think about their stories. I also found it interesting how she depicted the mothers. They way she talked about their behavior and what they typically say shows how protective mothers can be. If their child dies it is never their fault. For example, she says "He stepped between two warring gang members at a party. Really, he was trying to get off the streets....He was in the wrong place at the wrong time", it shows they are never really willing to admit that their death could've been because of their own doing.
I agree with Syd, Patricia Smith's "Undertaker" was by far my favorite. Like "Famous", this poem is all about perspective; while normally there is many a poem that sympathizes with those who have lost loved ones, Smith takes an unique approach and tells the story from the viewpoint of an undertaker. Not only is he burdened with seeing the effects of gang violence, but he also is burdened with the extreme pressure of "another mother needing a miracle". When we read the poem, it is clear that he has been serving as an undertaker for a considerable time; whether it be the cold, jaded tone of the author, or the fact that he evokes so much sensory detail about the gruesome state of each of the deceased, it is clear his profession has molded him. Every mother wants to think that their boy is special, and this poem clearly emphasizes that idea about human nature. As a society, mothers need to be more aware that your darling child isn't the angel that you make him out to be. Many mothers would rather live by the phrase "ignorance is bliss" than face the truth that their sons did a turn for the worse, but because of that, it now falls to the undertaker to make what is wrong right again. This says something terrible about our society, where those who choose to be ignorant can live a peaceful life (until fate finally catches up with them), and those who see the world as it truly is must carry the burdens of everyone who would rather turn a blind eye.
DeleteHi Sydney and Gabby,
DeleteI too enjoyed reading "Undertaker." I agree with your points about how the mothers are unable to see who their sons truly are. The author was truly burdened with this, and as I read the poem I felt that she was uncomfortable more than anything.I believe that she is uncomfortable with making a living off making terrible human beings look like the false angelic persona that their mothers still view the as. Smith goes on to say that she doesn't want to connect to the stories of the boys. I interpreted Smith in this fourth stanza to be so ashamed of her work that she does not want to become attached because then she will speak her mind. She continues at her work even though she is disgusted with what she is doing, and this reminded me of the poem we read in English last year, "Richard Bone."
-Ali Soucy
Hi guys!
ReplyDeleteI really liked the poem "Rain in Childhood". This poem gave a very nostalgic feeling, which I felt like I could easily relate to. It talks about memories we have all experienced, and many of us can probably remember "That steamy, tar-damp smell of morning rain" when getting off the bus at school. I also thought we could relate to the line, "Already in that fragrance we could sense the end of childhood", because now that we are entering our senior year, our "childhood" is also ending.
-Olivia Cayward
I really liked Rain in Childhood, too. I found it to be incredibly relatable, in part due to all of the detail and imagery that was included. I liked the way your interpreted it. It is true that as we grow older and more mature, we often look back and reflect on our childhood memories. It is a very nostalgic feeling thinking about how things use to be and how the world around us never really mattered. As adults, our perspectives and takes on mundane, ordinary events and things evolve and we see the world as much darker place. Very well said, Liv.
Delete~Gabriella Boivin
DeleteHi Olivia and Gabby,
DeleteI also got a similar vibe from Rain in Childhood. It refers to the rain as "the end of childhood, where remembrance stands" this really captures how as we move into the adult world it is a much darker and unforeseen place. Th imagery imprints what the loss of innocence from childhood is like, dark an sorrowfully nostalgic.
I also found it relocatable as well. As we get older we are beginning to evolve from out childhood tendencies and see the world as it is.
- Kevin Shorey
Hi everyone,
DeleteI also really enjoyed Rain In Childhood, the imagery and relatable topic set it apart from many other poems. The way that I see it the children are nostalgic because they realize that very shortly they will be remembering the events of their childhood rather then experiencing them in the moment and that they will eventually surpass their experiences as they grow older. As we age our experiences become more vivid due to our increased understanding of the world and extended relationships with more people of varied ideas and mentalities. The storm going on around the children represents these future experiences along with the unknown as shown by the countless branching paths that the lighting takes. Throughout the poem the children realize that while their childhood will end, the future is inherently unknown, and anything can happen, good or bad. this is why I believe this poem is positive or neutral as shown by the mix of bad and good imagery in the final stanza.
-Teddy Fischer
Hi everyone!
ReplyDeleteI know it was touched upon a little bit already, but I would like to bring it back to contribute my own thoughts. “Famous” was one of my favorite poems that I read. I found it interesting how Naomi used the word famous. Normally when we think famous we think known by many people, but she takes a different approach. She describes famous as how it is known by few people. “The river is famous to the fish. The loud voice is famous to silence... The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek… The bent photograph is famous to the one who carries it and is not at all famous to the one who is pictured. “ Then she goes on to say she wants to be famous in the way a pulley is famous or buttonhole, “not because it did anything spectacular, but because it never forgot what it could do.” It sounds like she’s saying she wants to be famous to herself, she wants never to forget how much she can do, no matter what everyone else says or thinks.
~ Emily Collins
Hi Emily!
DeleteI agree that that the way that being famous is portrayed by Noami is different than how most people see it, but I believe that it is also similar. We all see famaous people as bigger and better than us. They make us want to be more like them and a lot of what we know is from them. She is describing a similar scenario when she says "The river is famous to the fish" because without the river the fish would be helpless. I think she is trying to get across that whatever helps us prosper in life and gives us hope is famous to us. She also says "A loud voice is famous to silence". This is also true because it shows that a rare occurence can make something famous because it surprises us and makes us want more. I agree that the author wants to be famous to herself based on her last few lines about never forgetting what she can do.
Hi Emily!
DeleteI agree that that the way that being famous is portrayed by Noami is different than how most people see it, but I believe that it is also similar. We all see famaous people as bigger and better than us. They make us want to be more like them and a lot of what we know is from them. She is describing a similar scenario when she says "The river is famous to the fish" because without the river the fish would be helpless. I think she is trying to get across that whatever helps us prosper in life and gives us hope is famous to us. She also says "A loud voice is famous to silence". This is also true because it shows that a rare occurence can make something famous because it surprises us and makes us want more. I agree that the author wants to be famous to herself based on her last few lines about never forgetting what she can do.
Sorry I forgot to put my name on the last one and do not know how to delete it!
After combing through each poem, I ultimately came back to the very first one. In "Introduction to Poetry" the poet, Billy Collins, describes, what I think, may be the epitome of reading today. In each English class throughout high school, students are ultimately asked to review a poem and find the deeper meaning to the work. Many simply read through the poem once and attempt to automatically understand its deeper meaning. They struggle to come up with ideas and fail to understand the profound meaning. I, along with Serena, have had some negative experiences with, not only unscrupulous poetry units, but with teachers who I’ve deemed unsuccessful to teach poetry in the right manner. Teachers who demand an answer out of students. Teachers who pick and pull apart every little sentence, fabricating a far off meaning that was ‘destined to be found by the reader’ and ‘what the author actually meant.’ Teachers who seem to encourage “tying the poem to a chair and torturing a confession out of it.” As I have understood by reading this poem, figuring out the meaning to a poem is much simpler than ripping it apart or demanding a revelation out of it. It is as unassuming as merely pressing an ear against a hive, or listening to it. It is as unpretentious as waterskiing across the surface, waving at the author’s name, or being in touch with the author and sensing his or her presence in the poem.
ReplyDeleteHi Gabby!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! I was a little nervous to start reading these poems, but when I began reading "Introduction to Poetry", I instantly fell in love. It couldn't have described the experiences of reading poetry any better. As students, we are asked to find the meanings behind the words, or match them to the textbook definition of what the poem is supposed to be saying. With all that pressure it's not easy to get a second to actually interpret the poem ourselves. In this poem it describes how we should listen to the words being said and find our own feelings toward the literature. After all, that is the purpose of a poem, to interpret the words written in our own way, to feel some emotion at reading the words, to be moved. A poem is not supposed to be "tied to a chair with a rope and tortured" until we beat a confession out of it.
~ Emily Collins
Hi Gabby and Emily!
DeleteThe Introduction to poetry caught my eye as well. I think it ave me a new understanding and approach to looking deeper into poetry. Collins believes that people analyze poems to try and find the meaning instead of looking at all the aspects in the poem. There is so much more than basic diction, parallelism, repetition.
I think it really taught me to explore what a poem can truly mean and how all these techniques help enhance a poems meaning. All this helped me throughout the poems as I went through annotating.
- Kevin Shorey
Hi Kevin, Gabby, and Emily!
DeleteI really agree with what you guys have said so far, and I too really enjoyed introduction to poetry. I have always believed that the way that we have traditionally analyzed poetry was the complete wrong way to go about finding the overall meaning. Poetry is like a person, when you read it its a bit like a two sided conversation. You wouldn't physically grab a random persons watch to figure out what time it was, rather you would ask nicely and take the interaction for what its worth. Actually analyzing poetry rather then forcing some explanation out of it that suits your views takes trial and error. Its more about feeling then stone cold definitions and calculation that you might use to analyze the instruction Manuel for something you just bought. Poetry is a very much a living form of writing, it embodies human emotions and tendencies and we should treat it as such.
-Teddy Fischer
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteI found the poem "Thanksgiving" to be especially interesting. The author experiences the holiday at his wife's family's house for the first time, and is appalled by her father's actions. The lines of the poem that especially affected me were "I thought everyone ate rice and beans with turkey at Thanksgiving./Daddy returned to the table with a cannon..." These lines show the contrast between what he is used to and what he is experiencing. Immediately following his description of what most people envision happening at every thanksgiving dinner, he states reality. It may be shocking to the reader to hear this, but Espada makes a very important and valid point. We are losing touch with what the holiday means for our country, and the poem displays a very extreme example of this. The powerful last line of the poem also supports this message and wraps up the poem in a perfect way. Espada leaves us with "...When the first drunken PIlgrim dragged out the cannon at the first Thanksgiving- that's when the Indians left." This again shows that we are not appreciating what the spirit of the holiday is. Espada demonstrates how the "Indians left once the message left" and relating this modern-day issue back to the origination of the holiday is a very effective ending to the poem.
-Ali Soucy
Hi Ali!
DeleteI agree that this a very odd thanksgiving for the author. He is used to the style of his family with rice and beans along side the turkey. The way that it is done in the new environment throws him off. He is shocked by some of the things that happen and focuses more on trying to adjust rather than appreciating why they are celebrating. I also found the last line very interesting and it took me some time to come to a conclusion on why he wrote the poem. I think he was trying to get across his point in a way that the reader could relate to. The author does a great job of linking the poem back to where the holiday first began to remind the reader why we celebrate.
Hi everyone!
ReplyDeletePerhaps my favorite stanza from the entire packet of poetry was from "Famous," by Naomi Shihab Nye. Nye writes,
"I want to be famous to shuffling men
who smile while crossing streets,
sticky children in grocery lines,
famous as the one who smiled back."
As a child, many dream of one day being "famous," but often do not necessarily know what famous means. To Nye, everything is famous to some aspect of life, as is thoroughly expressed throughout the beginning of the poem. When children desire to be "famous," they seek a feeling of importance to others. They want to be recognized as extraordinary in their craft. Nye is saying, why not be extraordinary in everyday life? We can all be "famous" by greeting the "shuffling men" and "sticky children in grocery lines" with kindness and love. If we can have a positive impact on someone else in the world, we are then "famous" to them. We don't need to be wealthy, superbly talented, or strikingly beautiful. There is an easy way to have importance in the world, and that is by one small act at a time. By interacting with society, we affect the lives of so many, sometimes without knowing it. Nye's illustration of this point in the stanza had a great effect on me, allowing me to better understand the significance of how we decide to treat each day.
Gavin Rublewski
Hi Gavin!
DeleteI agree with your comments on "Famous" and I too really loved the way that particular stanza was written. The message I took from this poem was that being "famous" is very subjective and it does not always have to be the typically envisioned celebrity, who everyone across the world knows. My favorite line in the poem was "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 affected me in particular because it was fascinating to me how someone can be "famous" and exceptionally meaningful to somebody else without even knowing it. In addition, the last stanza was very powerful. She says how she does not want to be famous for doing anything spectacular, but because she never forgot what she could do. This was especially meaningful because it shows how every little thing in life can have a large impact, and you do not have to be known around the world to be important.
-Ali Soucy
Hi Gavin and Ali!
DeleteI have a similar take on this as well. Gavin I like your observation of what Nye is telling us on to be extraordinary at everyday life.
I think Nye is tying to tell us that we are all famous in our own right. At whatever we do at some point in life people took up to us for something. I thought of the example of how a parent would be famous to the kids that look up to them throughout life.
Nye is letting the common person know that as long as they do what they want to do in life and do it well, then you are successful and famous in your own right.
- Kevin Shorey
I actually decided to look up the word "famous" when I read this poem, because I wondered if it was one of those words that has a real definition, but a slightly different one that is more widely understood. Technically, it just means "widely known", so there are many ways to be famous.
DeleteAbby Davidson
Hello my fellow compatriots,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through the lovely poem packet I thought the poem "Those Winter Sundays" was very intriguing and painted a very realistic picture in my eyes.
I found it interesting the way it looked at the life of a father. The father sacrificed his life and well being for his family and children to be safe. Love motivated the father.
Hayden includes the line, "No one ever thanked him". This shows how the father did everything instinctively without complaint to help his family. I thought this relates to the basic vision of how we see a family. The parents sacrificing all they have to create a better lives for their children.
-Kevin Shorey
Hey Kevin!
DeleteI agreed with your opinion that "Those Winter Sundays" had amazing descriptive details that helped to portray a clear picture, as well as how you saw the father's actions being justified. The reason he did everything he did was because he had an undying love for his family, but this poem was told from the perspective of his son. The son is the one who said, "No one ever thanked him," and then continued to allude to his guilt for not appreciating his father. He too had an undying love just as strong but he was only a kid and didn't know any better, just like he stated, "What did I know, what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices?" I think the purpose of this poem was to show that yes, the father did everything without complaint because of love, but that doesn't mean it was one sided. It showed how sometimes it takes time to realize the significance of tiny actions and how much they truly mean to you.
Jillian Fiddler
Greetings Comrades,
DeleteAs I re-read "Those Winter Sundays", I could not help but to agree with what you two have stated. The piece is quite illustrative which is par for the course for celebrated author Robert Hayden. I especially enjoyed the line, "banked fires blazed" which really resounded within me because of the amount of bonfires I went to this summer. The juxtaposition between the hearty fire and frigid winter also added an extra layer of figurative language to ponder over.
As I delved into the author's words, I could not help but empathize with the speaker of the poem. The first person point of view of the piece put me in the shoes of the speaker and I found myself thinking about my own father. By the end of the poem, I had the urge to thank my father for all that he has done for me. I believe that this was Robert Hayden's intention: to make the reader appreciate their father/parents for all they have done.
Did you all get the same feeling as I did?
Best wishes and good luck Wednesday,
Ryaan Shaikh
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteI found Philip Levine's "The Mercy" to be a powerful reflection on the struggles faced by those immigrating to the United States. The use of the concept of the warmth of mercy in comparison to the cold, bleak, harsh conditions of "The Mercy" is a powerful demonstration of the importance of acts of kindness. In this poem, it is obvious that fruit symbolizes mercy: the narrator's mother has never eaten a banana or an orange, but she later learns that mercy "something you can eat" (Levine 2). This is a depressing realization, as it shows that before immigrating to the United States, she had never experienced any mercy.
I think that the premise of the poem is highly intriguing. The narrator is attempting to understand the struggles faced by his mother. She obviously faces great adversity: she travels to a foreign country as a small child who does not speak the native tongue. She watches many of the passengers and crew die at sea. Conversely, the narrator's sole apparent struggle is lack of understanding of his mother's past. He can find very little information save what little she has apparently told him and what he can learn from the ship's log. Although this struggle is seemingly small in comparison to that of his mother, this poem shows that everyone struggles in some way.
Hey Meghan,
DeleteI really enjoyed this poem as it depicted the immigrants' arduous struggle coming to America. It really hit home as I am fortunate enough to be apart of an immigrated family. I relate with the narrator in this poem as I also am curious to know the experiences of my lineage, but only receive insufficient details. The narrator is proud of his mother, and shows that off by mentioning, "A nine-year-old-girl travels all night by train with one suitcase and an orange." For me, I can just visualize how fearful her mother must have been. Not only is she not able to speak the native language, she also came to America with minimal resources. This poem made me realize how many things in life we take for granted. This poor girl was only 9, and had to adjust her life completely. These immigrant stories are very admirable and bring to light how lucky we are to be living in Tolland.
Hello everyone!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite selections from the poems is Stephen Dunn's "At the Smithville Methodist Church." At first, I was put off by the narrator's lack of acceptance toward his daughter's newfound love of Jesus. Upon further inspection, however, my opinion changed. Although the narrator is not happy that his daughter has been indoctrinated into a religion with which he is disillusioned, he does not attempt to discourage her love of Jesus because it brings her happiness. This shows that he is truly a loving father and is willing to be supportive of his daughter.
Although I agree with and am touched by the narrator's lack of action toward his daughter's new love of religion, I believe that many of his ideas regarding religion--especially Christianity--are misguided. He believes that the love of Jesus and the belief in evolution are opposite concepts. He believes that the teaching of religious love to children is detrimental, as in his mind it represents all that which opposes science and secular thought. I do not agree with this idea. I believe that, for example, the father could have taught his daughter about the concept of evolution in a context completely separate from the concept of religion. Although I am not Christian, I know many Christians who do believe in and love their religion while accepting modern scientific knowledge. I am Jewish, and in my religion, we are always taught to question everything that is taught to us. We are encouraged to question the existence of G-d, to ponder the coexistence of evolution and the story of creation, to dispute the credibility of the stories which comprise the Torah. I believe that the narrator should have encouraged such curiosity and questioning in his daughter. In this way, he could have allowed her to retain her love of Jesus while introducing her to his own "religious doctrine"--modern secular science. In my experience, curiosity and questioning do not contribute to the loss of belief in a religion. Instead, the lack of forced conformity leads the followers of the religion to love it more and to attempt to better understand it.
The father's (unhappy) allowance of his daughter's love of religion is admirable, as it demonstrates his true love for her. However, I think that his dissatisfaction with her new beliefs can be nullified if he teaches her about his own beliefs in addition to (rather than in opposition to) her own.
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed the poem "wishes for sons" by Lucille Clifton. It is highly minimalist in that it does not beat around the bush, as it were--it is unapologetically descriptive about a topic which is considered highly taboo in our society. I think that this poem is interesting because it is instantly relatable to all menstruating people but contains many details about the process largely unknown to cis men. It begins with cramps, which almost everyone knows about regardless of sex. It then moves to only having one tampon, which is a situation which those who do not menstruate would not likely have experienced or thought about. It later details hot flashes and clots, which are symptoms which are likely unknown by most people who have not known the joy of a period. I think that this effectively conveys the point that "sons" are unaware of the struggles faced by their menstruating counterparts by introducing them to the poem with something they know of and moving to situations and symptoms which are alien to them.
I think that the last stanza is particularly impactful. This part of the poem could be interpreted in many different ways, but I interpret it to mean that the ignorance of "sons" towards menstruation is less ignorance than arrogance. I believe that this is alluding to the idea that male gynecologists are unaware of the hardships faced by their clients. This is consistent with the theme of the rest of the poem: that "sons" should be able to experience the discomfort of menstruation along with the arrogance of those who do not menstruate and do not understand its struggles.
One thing I was wondering about was Clifton's use of capitalization. In the entire poem (including the title), the only use of a capital letter is the word "I" in the fourth line. Can anyone think of any significance of this choice?
Hi Meghan,
DeleteI read through your post and I was wondering the same thing about the capital letter "I". The only thing I can think of is that the author has had an experience before where she didn't have a "7-11" when it was necessary for her. I personally associate capital letters (in unfit places) with anger. Clifton clearly shows resentment toward those who have never experienced menstruation. She especially shows it in the fourth line by using a capital letter "I" while everything else is in lowercase.
I also agree with everything that you said in your post above. Everyone who menstruates knows the constant struggle of everything that goes along with it. While I read the poem, it got me thinking about all the experiences that I have had and experiences that people have shared with me. It is quite unfair that some people will never have to go through them on a day to day bases. Although it is unfair, I know that Clifton and I share different points of views. I personally would never wish cramps and hot flashes on anyone. I would just want them to be aware of what people who menstruate have to go through. She most likely wrote the poem the way she did because she wanted to get her point across and show how upset she is that most cis men won't understand what women constantly go through.
Hey Meghan and Jenna,
DeleteI like your insight on the poem "wishes for sons" and shared many of the same views. Obviously, Lucille holds a tone of resentment and irritation regarding the presence of the menstrual cycle, but I believe the source of this irritation is deeper than solely the periods that only women completely understand. I too noticed the strict bluntness in the way she writes, repeating that "i wish them cramps, i wish them..." and going on in a way that makes me as a reader feel guilty just for not going through the same thing.
Although, it is clear to me that these tough experiences are not all she is upset about, but more so the lack of appreciation that men hold for women. Her harsh writing is absolutely necessary for this reason, because she is dealing with a large group (men) who are blind to these experiences and will stubbornly dismiss a women's complaints as that of a weaker sex. The fact that men have the audacity to diminish the struggles of women when they have no experience in the matter is represented perfectly in Lucille's many wishes.
As for your question Meghan, when I read the line with the individual capitalized I, personally I read it with an extra tinge of frustration. Perhaps it holds a more symbolic meaning, but honestly I felt it just threw in some more tone of "Fuck you" to those arrogant men.
In conclusion, I just think this was one of many ways to express the exasperation in the ways that men under appreciate women. Considering the notion that men are dominant in some ways, it is overlooked that women go through constant social pressures and are honestly more emotionally strong than men. This poem does a good job displaying this by utilizing something women go through where men literally have no valid ground to argue against.
-Keegan Jalbert
DeleteHola Meghan,
ReplyDeleteI found this poem quite peculiar. I have no answer to your question but the topic of capitalization is very interesting in the poem. As I read it I felt as if Clifton was shouting at me, wising this on men. I felt as if the poem had an angry and resentful tone. However, the lowercase letters make me feel as if she is not trying to shout in anger but simply let the opposite gender know of the hardships all women face on a daily basis. I think this was very smart for Clifton to do as she wanted to subtly make her point to the world.
- Kevin Shorey
Hey everybody,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to put my own little thoughts in for the poem "Kafka: Lilacs." I found this poem really powerful. Even though I have never suffered from depression, I could feel the emotion seeping from this poem. It told a story that almost brought me to tears. The poem made me picture a person who has lost the will to live. He remembered things from his past, the times that he was happy, but something obviously happened to this poor soul to take away his joy. The poem also spoke to me about the people surrounding this man, trying to help him, but also seeing his pain and being unable to truly assist him, a person who's pain can only be fought from within. The main character seems to have lost all hope, and while people want him to get better, he can't bring himself to do so.
This poem was beautifully written, and as I said, even though I have never had to deal with depression, I could feel the pain and suffering the main character was going through, and emanated hopelessness. I know that sometimes, when things go badly, it can be really easy to give up, but there will always be a support system around you to help, if you know where to look. This person was not responding to his friends, but found comfort in the scent of the lilacs around him. Those lilacs were the only things keeping him going, and this felt really powerful to me. They enable him to keep going, enough for him to desire happiness for his friends, who he knows can still enjoy life, even when he can't.
You know a poet is good when they can bring a person who hardly relates to the poem nearly to tears.
Maggie Watson
Hey Maggie,
DeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings from "Kafka: Lilacs" because I was very curious how this poem connected with others, and was unsure if I interpreted it correctly. I had a very different perspective on the main character's inner feelings; I believe him to actually be very content with his place in his life, mainly from the line, "Unable to swallow, he laughs". Even while he cannot eat because his time is coming to a close and that image can be depressing, that fact he hasn't let death shake his faith on enjoying his life and his work is what I focused on. When I read this poem, I see a man who has come to the end of his life, and is content with everything's he's been able to experience. He refuses to numb his pain because he chooses to indulge himself in life, even at the end of it. Time always moves on, other life (symbolized by the plants and bird) continues to co-exist with our main character as his story comes to a close. When he sees the lake, he remembers a very different chapter in his life where he could be young and reckless and had an older guiding force to steer him in the right direction. When he awakens from that daydream, he is grateful for having time to relish in his past, and experiences life even though he cannot eat or drink, he still chooses to smell the strawberries. And I think that's where beauty lies in the poem's story. It moved me as well, and I definitely appreciate how you saw this story differently than I.
Hey everyone,
ReplyDeleteI greatly enjoyed Jane Kenyon's poem "Main Street: Tilton, New Hampshire" because of its effective use of "showing" rather than "telling." Each stanza has a completely different atmosphere associated with it, and this is orchestrated through careful wording. The first stanza gives the reader a warm and cozy feeling because the store is "old-fashioned" and the narrator's husband (?) is going for a "wedge of cheddar." The second stanza is playful and loving, as is demonstrated through the mother and child "trading mock blows" The first part of the third stanza is disruptive and loud. I can almost smell the emissions let out by the truck as it rumbles by! The transition to the second part of this stanza is interesting, as this obnoxious nature quickly becomes sad and intrigued with the focus moving to the woman in the cab. This use of a different atmosphere in each stanza is very clever in the effective telling of this poem. It conveys the message that many different things happen in just a few moments.
I was interested in this parallel between the narrator of the poem and the woman in the pick-up truck cab. The narrator's husband (?) has entered a building, and she chooses to spend her time waiting by people-watching. In contrast, the other woman's husband (?) has entered a building and she cries (or dabs her forehead with a tissue). This contrast between the actions of the two women demonstrates that different outcomes can follow the same situation, which ties into the message of the poem.
The only think that left me wondering about this poem was Kenyon's choice to give the exact date, time, and place at which she experienced this short microcosm. The message of this poem seems to be that in every single moment, there are many playful, joyous, sad, exciting, and boring things that go on to make it unique. If this moment is "displaced / by others equally equivocal," why does Kenyon give an exact time and place for its passing? It seems to me that this moment could have happened anywhere at any time. It feels to me that the last stanza is contradictory in that it states that this moment is no more important than any other while simultaneously lifting it above all others. Did anyone else have any thoughts on the matter?
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteI found "Hymn to a Broken Marriage" by Paul Durcan to be a dark and haunting representation of "the addiction of romantic love." Durcan seems to be experiencing symptoms of withdrawal in regards to the ending of his marriage. He repeats over and over that he wishes to be reunited with his ex-wife, a woman who clearly does not wish to be with him. In this way, he knows that she is "bad" for him (like a drug) but he cannot bear to live without her. He remembers his wedding as a "cold March day." Weddings are supposed to be times of warmth, happiness, and love. By describing his wedding as "cold," Durcan indicates that his relationship was never truly stable in its balance of romantic love and "sane affection." The poet recognizes that the love he feels for his ex-wife is not sane, yet he wishes to continue to be with her. To me, this poem is an example of how romantic love can be dangerous in excess and when not returned by the object of one's affection.
Hey Meghan!
DeleteI agree with all your sentiments regarding "Hymn to a Broken Marriage" and its dark and somewhat desperate tone. Durcan seems to want his ex-wife to feel guilty, and that he is still in love with her. It is passive-aggressive in that Durcan doesn't truly come out and say that Nessa is a fool, but rather that she belongs to a foolish society in which romantic love cannot truly exist on both ends of a relationship. He seems a bit desperate, but most can probably relate to his desperation: he is in love and brokenhearted, which, as you stated, can be a dangerous weapon to a person's mental health.
^^ That was me, sorry I forgot to include my name
DeleteHey everybody, hope you've all had a great summer! I've been away with no wifi in Plymouth, MA for the entirety of it so far, but have been annotating the poems and novels throughout. Here's some of the works I've got some strong thoughts and ideas on. Hope you can relate!
ReplyDeleteI really liked and could easily connect with the laid back and easygoing style and rhythm of "1964 (For Bert)" by Edgar Gabriel Silex. The non-capitalization throughout each new stanza illustrates the simplicity of the poem, and shows the easygoingness of the reminiscing of the author throughout.
The poem is also a work of free verse, meaning there is no particular rhyme scheme. This further contributes to the simple idea of the style the poem has.
Because of all the simplicity in this poem, one would assume that the poem possess a simple plot. However, the plot revolves around the idea that both "Bert" and the author never had peace and quiet in their lives-- not even enough to enjoy a delicious, red candy apple. The author hits on the subject of border control constantly lurking, and that they would wrongfully mistake the two children for illegal immigrants. The author lays on a strong point in the end of the novel, stating that receiving education would lead him to see the harshness of his reality, exclaiming, "that day when we touched the ache of this world we learned the secret of why some people fulfill their own wishes to die".
I certainly found it interesting that this poem was written in such a casual style, and I actually saw that in many of the poems. This made it feel like the writer was truly talking to me, and we were having a conversation. As for the ending, I certainly think that the entire poem had some darker, realistic undertones to it.
DeleteAbby Davdson
Hello all,
ReplyDeleteI found Naomi Shihab Nye's poem "Famous" very interesting for its uncommon use of the word "famous." It is obvious that throughout this poem, none of the things described meet the common definition of "famous"--they do not concern celebrities or well-known events. Instead, they are common and universal situations experienced by almost everyone. Nye explores the beauty of those things which are commonplace and questions why they are not famous in the regular sense of the word. The fact that rivers exist is beautiful in that they can support the lives of fish. The concept of silence and the sounds that fleetingly interrupt it is beautiful. Small acts of kindness shown to normal people and their children are beautiful.
When reading this poem, I was at first unsure as to what the word "famous" meant in this context. However, the sixth stanza proved helpful in my determination of its meaning. The boot is more famous than the dress shoe because dress shoes are only worn indoors in certain circumstances. In this way, it can be seen that the boot is more famous because it is more versatile and more commonly worn. In this way, Nye lauds all that which is useful and performs its function in the world. She wants to be famous in the sense that she wishes to serve her function.
Hello fellow classmates,
ReplyDeleteAs I was able to read the selected poems these past two weeks while traveling, I realized that poetry can connect to a person's emotions and leave them in a certain mindset where you feel at home and comfortable analyzing your values of life. With that being said, I'm going to touch on some of the poems that really resonated with me, and sparked my inner passions about different life goals I possess (either as individual posts or responding to others).
"Why We Tell Stories" - Lisel Mueller
The repetitive use of the word "and" reappearing throughout the stanzas made the entire poem feel like the flow of life, and how everything you've done in your life flows into the things you're doing in the present. The line "and because our children believe they can fly" reflects what I'm referring to. It exists to be two different things: an explanation of evolution in humanity's long existence on this planet, as relieved by the following line, "an instinct retained from when the bones in our arms were shaped like zithers and broke neatly under their feathers"; however, it also reflects the passion and optimism of youth. "And because our children believe they can fly" means that the youth of generations believe they can be whatever they choose to be, because they have yet to lose their innocence, yet to know the horrors of rejection and failure that life provides the more an individual branches out to explore why they're here. This time, the following lines provide another perspective of heredity and ancestry, how the "instincts retained from the bones in our arms" speaks to power in which knowing where you come from, and that the people who raised you also had dreams, and their parents lived and also had dreams.
At least, that's what I thought of this one.
I thought that this one was kind of ironic; it is explaining why we tell stories, while it tells a story itself. I'm guessing that was completely intentional on the writer's part.
DeleteAbby Davidson
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteMartin Espada's "Thanksgiving" is by far one of my favorite poems from our packet. I think the most impressive part of this poem is the eerie use of dialogue. The characters each seem to be in their own world, not directly responding to what others are saying. The narrator makes only two comments, each seeming oddly childish: he wishes he had a missile like the one described by his wife's father and he asks, "'Does that cannon go boom?'" (Espada 1). The only times the mother speaks are to tell her husband not to fire the cannon, to tell people to eat the food, and to attempt to explain her husband's behavior. The character whose comments are the most disturbing, however, is the father. His comments are often disjointed and completely tangential to the conversation. I think that this triad of distinct but slightly strange conversation adds to the sense of discomfort present in this poem, and lends to the feeling of tension among everyone present at this dinner.
I was most interested that the narrator's wife does not speak at all in this poem. She does not attempt to stop her father from firing his cannon or to break up the tension. She should reasonably be expected to be the bridge between her husband and her own family, but she does not serve this role. I am not entirely sure why this is, but I believe that it may be that she is just a uncomfortable as her husband with her parents. Did anyone else have any thoughts?
Another part of this poem which I found interesting was the comparison between the narrator's first Thanksgiving with his wife's family and the first Thanksgiving hundreds of years ago. Hundreds of years ago, a "drunken Pilgrim dragged out [a] cannon" and the "Indians left" (Espada 2). Espada has seen many signs of intolerance from his wife's father including dislike of kimch'i (and thereby, in a sense, Koreans) and his Confederate license plate. I believe that Espada is realizing that after this Thanksgiving, he too should leave if he does not wish to be in danger.
"Main Street: Tilton, New Hampshire" - Jane Kenyon
ReplyDeleteIf you've ever just sat in a park or in your mother's car while you wait for her to finish grocery shopping, then I believe you will have understood this poem very similarly to my interpretation. Kenyon simply wrote about a random moment of life, where people are doing the one thing we're all supposed to do: live. I believe this poem reflects that you don't need a flashy, hyper-intense lifestyle, and instead asks you to focus on the small moments. As I read this poem, I could feel the head turning as they explore their surroundings with their eyes. They are given a snippet of someone else's life, and you won't ever know their full story, but you've had that small encounter, but you were momentarily in someone else's world for a few seconds. Our narrator connects with three different lives in same time it takes to buy cheese, and it's what they remembered clearest.
I connected with this poem because I personally catch myself doing this in my life, observing others and trying to enter into their world for a few seconds. It humbles me, and reminds me that others have their own happy and sad things going on, and I'll be grateful for the chance to experience people, even if it's just a trip to the grocery store for a wedge of cheddar.
Hello classmates,
DeleteA poem that caught my attention was "wishes for my sons" by Lucile Clifton. I found it interesting because the author is addressing a child, more importantly her son. I did not read it as a wish for men to go through what women deal with, but I feel as though the author wrote this poem specifically as a way of wishing her son to see what she had to go through in order to bring him into this world. I say this because the title "wishes for my son" and later in the poem she goes on to explain what you experience during pregnancy, such as hot flashes or being a week late. As a mother you probably get annoyed with your children but you cannot wish pain on them because they are your kids. I see the author using this poem to demonstrate all she went through for him and a message for her son to be more appreciative. At the end of the poem she says "let them think they have accepted arrogance in the universe then bring them to the gynecologists not unlike themselves". She is describing the child as arrogant and wishes him to the gynecologist as a way for him to be brought back to earth and be vulnerable. I'd love to hear your opinions on Clifton's poem!
Hi Nick,
DeleteI also enjoyed this poem for its simplicity and familiar nature. Kenyon describes a typical town full of regular people carrying out their lives in normal ways. The straightforward wording and lack of poetic confusion made me appreciate this even more, focusing on the "rubber flip-flop" and "woman sat in the cab"-- however this also led me to think about the deeper meaning behind these trivial things.
The narrator has no way of knowing what these people have experienced-- he isn't even sure if a woman is crying or just sweating. I like how you said this humbles you, as it makes you a little more sensitive to what others may be experiencing. This has always fascinated and frustrated me at the same time. No matter how much you think you may know someone, you only ever see the identity they've chosen to show the world. This can be scary, intimidating, or overwhelming. The easy way is to disregard it. They're just a person walking by, anyway.
- Kaitlyn Herbst
DeleteHey everybody!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne Cleary's "Anyways (for David)" is a powerful poem which effectively conveys the importance of hope. Cleary gives examples of situations in which people from her city use the word "anyways" which begin as relatively small negatives, then move to referencing devastatingly sad situations, and then finally move back to trivial issues. This effectively shows that to her and those who grew up in her city, "anyways" is a versatile word which can be applied to a variety of situations. To her, the emotion and meaning conveyed by the word "anyways" is more important than the grammatical accuracy that accompanies the word "anyway." The word "anyways" is a symbol of hope, and it is a mantra for those who have struggled and continue to work hard.
One line that I found particularly interesting was "I never once, not once, thought twice about it" (1). The word "once" is used twice and the word "twice" is used once. This relates directly to the fact that Cleary uses the plural version of the word "anyway." This is a clever way to move into her then-boyfriend's questioning of her use of the word "anyways."
Hey everybody!
ReplyDeleteAs I am sure most of you will agree the Undertaker by Patricia Smith truly struck me with its graphic diction and unusual perspective. While the physical description of the dead body was bone chilling, what intrigued me the most was the author's choice for the setting and characters she interacts with. Smith writes,”He stepped between two warring gang members at a party. Really, he was trying to the off the streets.” From this the reader can imply the undertaker is working in or close to an area filled with poverty and violence. While alive they were known as “gang members” but to these heartbroken mothers, these boys were their worlds and could do no wrong. What makes this poem so tragic, is even a mother's unconditional and unwavering love could not save her son from “the streets”. A mother’s love so strong, that even after their death Smith writes, “I know that she has sold everything she owns, that cousins and uncles have empites their empty bank accounts that she dreams of her baby in tuxedoed satin, flawless in an open casket…” It is so common that now when people hear a story on the news of a kid getting shot, it’s just another news report. People seem to be numb to it because of how frequently this happens, until it is someone you love dearly, or until you prepare the body for their loved ones. Smith reminds us that, “gang members” have names, like Ronnie or Willie or Michael, but also that people on this earth suffer greatly from these everyday shootings. Some might be appalled by her methodical and seemingly emotionless way of doing her job but do you sob everytime you hear of a shooting? In my opinion the undertaker is not cold, but rather selfless to put her own emotions to the side in order to bring some peace to the family.
-liz deloreto
"What the Living Do" by Marie Howe is a powerful poem exploring the devastating effect of a loved one's death. The narrator explores several examples of her inability to continue on in life following Johnny's death. It seems that she has fallen into a deep depression, and every time she performs any everyday activity she is reminded of the fact that she would have been able to do it with him. She focuses on the negatives in her life, such as spilling coffee on herself and feeling cold. In the last few lines, however, Howe speaks of the moments in which she is lifted from this depressive stupor and is able to see the beauty in life. When she is out and sees her reflection in a window, she is reminded that life is truly beautiful. There are many interpretations for the last two stanzas, but I believe that she is able to see the beauty in herself in this moment because she is reminded that before his death, Johnny always saw her beauty.
ReplyDeleteIn this poem, Howe explores the journey of her acceptance of the death of Johnny. She details the story of her path towards seeing beauty again in a world which has been cruel to her. She learns that living is a beautiful thing because it is simultaneously depressing and happy, and that she can remember him in every small act that she would have otherwise had the chance to do with him.
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteMaxine Kumin's "Looking Back in My Eighty-First Year" is an extremely effective poem because of its use of regret and nostalgia. Kumin expresses her regret that she never went to college or traveled the world. She states that had it not been for her passionate love for her then-fiance, she would have been able to live out her dreams. It is not uncommon for the concept of marriage to be condemned as something that ties people down and takes away their futures. Although Kumin obviously loves her husband, she seems to agree with this sentiment and at least wishes that she had waited longer before marriage.
This poem is tragic in a way that reminds me of many of the tragedies in The Return of the Native (it won't let me paste it in italicized...). In that novel, many characters make rash decisions because they simply did not communicate well with others. In this poem, the same seems to be true: too late, Kumin learns that her husband "would have waited" (1). If she had openly communicated with him before their marriage, Kumin's lifelong regret could have been avoided.
The regret felt by Kumin serves as a reminder to others to think decisions through well before acting upon them.
Hi guys,
ReplyDeleteWislawa Szymborska's "Photograph from September 11" is a touching reflection upon and remembrance of the victims of the tragic event that took place on September 11, 2001. It focuses on a photograph of victims from inside the skyscraper jumping to their deaths to avoid the fire within the building. Szymborska believes that in the photograph, all of these people are immortalized in the last moment before their deaths. She highlights the fact that while from the moment of their jump they only have moments left, there is much that happens in this time.
Szymborska does not "add a last line" to her poem (1). She does this to preserve the immortality of the people seen in the photograph, as ending her poem would be akin to ending their lives. Although I understand that she does this to honor their memories and to preserve that which the photograph has given them, I also believe this this is in a way punishing. The people encapsulated in the photo (and now in this poem) are forever falling to their deaths. While they have been immortalized, it is possible that this immortality is cruel. Did anyone else have a similar thought process?
While reading, I was certainly curious as to why the writer of the poem made it seem like a moment frozen in time rather than just an image of it. I agree that with her type of thinking, it does seem unfair to keep them in a strange type of limbo.
DeleteAbby Davdson
Hi y'all,
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed Robert Cording's "Kafka: Lilacs" for its effective use of contrast to demonstrate the unhappiness felt by the dying man. One such example is the contrast between his glass of beer (which remains untouched) and the beer he drank with his father in a cafe. The bird outside his window is also contrasted with a bird outside the cafe. The water in the vase of lilacs sparkles like the water by the cafe. These comparisons, in addition to the fact that the dying man cherishes the lilacs, indicates that he is trying his best to continue to continue to enjoy life and see beauty. This is difficult, as his life had been full of light and color and is now characterized by "blue shadows" (2). Regardless, he laughs and does his best to enjoy his time with his friends.
The symbolism of the lilacs in this poem is powerful but somewhat dark. In his last days, the man thinks about the fact that the flowers can drink while he is unable to. In a way, cut lilacs are more alive than he is. However, the flowers will soon die. The lilacs may represent the sick man at an earlier point in his life, and they, like him, will soon be unable to drink and will die.
Hi everyone,
ReplyDeleteI think that Hayden Carruth's "Testament" is the perfect end to this packet of poems. The purpose of reading this packet has been to enjoy and learn about poetry. This poem, however, alludes to the downfalls of poetry. Poetry does not pay poets well in our capitalistic society even though it comprises beautiful things like tulips, birds, and love, all of which which are essential to happiness. Unfortunately, these beauties and the description thereof are not enough to live off of. In a way, this is more a critique of the society in which we live than of poetry itself. The narrator loves poetry and the beauty of life but speaks poorly of it only to dissuade her daughter from taking up a career without any reliable income. In this way, this poem is sad in its revelation of the truth that many people who may wish to write poetry do not because it is not a viable career option.
I found the description of the hourglass to be highly intriguing. According to Carruth, as time passes our ego is converted to love. I have never heard of such a description before and I cannot say that I currently relate to it. However, when used in relation to Carruth's life, this symbolism is very interesting. He began his life with a large ego--he believed that he could sustain himself with poetry. This ego has now been almost completely converted to love in his newfound wish that he had lived a more financially successful life in order to support his daughter after his death. He now realizes (and is embittered by) the fact that poetry is simply not a sustainable art medium. His gaining of love is linked to his maturity and to his loss of naivete, so his symbolism of the hourglass is actually universally relatable.