Title: The Triple Fool
Style: Personal Response
S: A person in love
O: Telling his lover how his love for her has made him into 3x the fool
A: The lover
P: To expose the foolishness gained through explaining one’s love through poetry
S: Foolish love
Tone: whinny, story telling
In John Donne’s “The Triple Fool” he exposes the foolishness that he has gained by declaring his love through “whining poetry.” (3) Though he says in the beginning of the poem that he knows he is 2x the fool for loving and for declaring his love through poetry, he finds out that trying to relieve himself of that love through poetry has made him 3x the fool. He concludes that the best fools are the ones that have little wisdom. Donne does use a rhyme scheme; but, it is not completely definite. He also portrays his feelings with approximate rhyme. For example, in the first line of the first stanza, he says that he is “two fools” as opposed to twice the fool, emphasizing his foolishness to his lover. (1)
The idea of an emotion, normally thought of as good, causing more harm than good to the person eliciting the emotion is many times displayed in the media. On television shows and in movies, it is common to see characters losing the person they love or constantly enduring hardships because they are in love. Also, just as Donne attempted to get rid of his painful love by writing poetry, it is common to find people in movies and shows going through extreme changes in their life to dispose of the love that they always had. The difference is that the media is using these issues for entertainment purposes, whereas Donne is admitting to an action that his emotions made him think was possible. But, since the magic potion to entertainment is to appeal to our feelings towards our everyday life, it is possible that there are people today who feel the exact same way Donne does.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Poetry Journal #3
Title: since feeling is first
Style: contemporary poet
S: a person in love
O: expressing love for lover
A: the speaker’s lover
P: to tell their lover that realizing the true uniqueness and worth of them takes more than identifying their characteristics and coming to conclusions based on those easily identifiable characteristics
S: realizing uniqueness
Tone: realization
In the poem entitled “since feeling is first” E.E. Cummings uses references to literary characteristics to suggest that the true uniqueness of a person can not be concluded based on their easily identifiable characteristics. The poem is broken up into five stanzas, the last consisting of only one line. Throughout the poem, he uses little punctuation to make his words flow into one another; making it more appealing to the lover he is talking to. Also, by referring to literary devices like “syntax,” “paragraph” and “parenthesis,” Cummings implies the depth required to see the true beauty his love possesses.
In my poem entitled “But, you loved me last,” I counter Cunnings declaration of love from a feminist perspective. I use the same literary devices he did to imply that, while a man may say that my physical structure is less important than my spiritual being, more attention is paid to that structure because, to them it is more appealing. Also, I chose to capitalize the “I” in my poem to make it more clear to the person I’m speaking to that I am the one most important in the poem.
But, you loved me last
Since feeling is first
You pay more attention
To my syntax
In hopes of partially kissing me;
Wholly, you are a fool
since partial feeling is what you feel for me.
My blood rises
and boils at the though of me accepting your kisses.
The wisdom I though I had countered my fate, sir.
I cry with the most vulnerable chasm in my spirit
As you so majestically walk away from it.
We were for each other: then
Time gripped deep in the present
And held on with promises never to let go.
Life’s not a paragraph after all.
Now death I know is no parenthesis
___________________________________________________________________
Title: i carry your heart with me (i carry it in)
Style: Comparative Critic
S: a person in love
O: declaring their everlasting love for their lover
A: the speaker’s lover
P: to tell their lover how unique and beautiful they are, explaining why they will always love the,
S: love
Tone: peaceful and serene
In the poem entitled “I carry your heart with me (i carry it in)” the author uses iambic pentameter, parenthesis and nature to declare his feelings for his lover. In the beginning, the author makes a straight-forward proclamation of how he and his lover are connected through their hearts. As the poem goes on, he enhances the power in that statement by connecting her uniqueness to nature such as the moon and the sun. The question that is ultimately answered is how their love has continued to survive; and he concludes that it is because “i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart).” (15) The poem is broken up into four stanzas—four lines in the first two, five lines in the third, and one line in the last stanza. The fact that the poem is written in iambic pentameter indicates to the reader that there will be some sort of conclusion drawn at the end of the poem. The author uses parenthesis throughout the poem to enhance the meaning of the lines that come before it. For example: in the first stanza, rather than saying “I carry your heart in my heart,” the author chooses to say enhances the fact that they are directly connected by saying “i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart).” (1-2)
The author uses similar techniques in some of his other love poems. For example, in his poem entitled “it is at moments after I have dreamed” he also writes in iambic pentameter and uses parenthesis to enhance the meaning of the lines that come before it. And though he makes fewer comparisons to nature, he uses more rich diction to suggest the deep love he has for his lover.
Style: contemporary poet
S: a person in love
O: expressing love for lover
A: the speaker’s lover
P: to tell their lover that realizing the true uniqueness and worth of them takes more than identifying their characteristics and coming to conclusions based on those easily identifiable characteristics
S: realizing uniqueness
Tone: realization
In the poem entitled “since feeling is first” E.E. Cummings uses references to literary characteristics to suggest that the true uniqueness of a person can not be concluded based on their easily identifiable characteristics. The poem is broken up into five stanzas, the last consisting of only one line. Throughout the poem, he uses little punctuation to make his words flow into one another; making it more appealing to the lover he is talking to. Also, by referring to literary devices like “syntax,” “paragraph” and “parenthesis,” Cummings implies the depth required to see the true beauty his love possesses.
In my poem entitled “But, you loved me last,” I counter Cunnings declaration of love from a feminist perspective. I use the same literary devices he did to imply that, while a man may say that my physical structure is less important than my spiritual being, more attention is paid to that structure because, to them it is more appealing. Also, I chose to capitalize the “I” in my poem to make it more clear to the person I’m speaking to that I am the one most important in the poem.
But, you loved me last
Since feeling is first
You pay more attention
To my syntax
In hopes of partially kissing me;
Wholly, you are a fool
since partial feeling is what you feel for me.
My blood rises
and boils at the though of me accepting your kisses.
The wisdom I though I had countered my fate, sir.
I cry with the most vulnerable chasm in my spirit
As you so majestically walk away from it.
We were for each other: then
Time gripped deep in the present
And held on with promises never to let go.
Life’s not a paragraph after all.
Now death I know is no parenthesis
___________________________________________________________________
Title: i carry your heart with me (i carry it in)
Style: Comparative Critic
S: a person in love
O: declaring their everlasting love for their lover
A: the speaker’s lover
P: to tell their lover how unique and beautiful they are, explaining why they will always love the,
S: love
Tone: peaceful and serene
In the poem entitled “I carry your heart with me (i carry it in)” the author uses iambic pentameter, parenthesis and nature to declare his feelings for his lover. In the beginning, the author makes a straight-forward proclamation of how he and his lover are connected through their hearts. As the poem goes on, he enhances the power in that statement by connecting her uniqueness to nature such as the moon and the sun. The question that is ultimately answered is how their love has continued to survive; and he concludes that it is because “i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart).” (15) The poem is broken up into four stanzas—four lines in the first two, five lines in the third, and one line in the last stanza. The fact that the poem is written in iambic pentameter indicates to the reader that there will be some sort of conclusion drawn at the end of the poem. The author uses parenthesis throughout the poem to enhance the meaning of the lines that come before it. For example: in the first stanza, rather than saying “I carry your heart in my heart,” the author chooses to say enhances the fact that they are directly connected by saying “i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart).” (1-2)
The author uses similar techniques in some of his other love poems. For example, in his poem entitled “it is at moments after I have dreamed” he also writes in iambic pentameter and uses parenthesis to enhance the meaning of the lines that come before it. And though he makes fewer comparisons to nature, he uses more rich diction to suggest the deep love he has for his lover.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Poetry Journal #2
February 9, 3007
Title: My Wicked Wicked Ways
Style: Literary Critic
S: A child reflecting on the effects of their parent’s rocky relationship
O: Adults making bad choices around children
A: Can be anyone, but specific audience can possibly be mothers who do not act quick enough when in a bad relationship
P: To tell mothers how lack of action can be more harmful to the child than what the mother thinks is devastating to themselves
S: Delaying
Tone: Childish, naive
Sandra Cisneros’ poem entitled “My Wicked Wicked Way” portrays the effects of a rocky marriage from the perspective of their child. Though not specified whether a boy or girl, the child begins by introducing their parents. He talks about the physical aspects of his father as young and stylish and the more emotional characteristics of their mother (“she is not crying”). Then, the child adds a woman into the picture who “does not come till later.” The child then proceeds to say how, after all of this has passed and has been pushed to the side, the mother has no idea that the child “will turn out bad.” In this time of day, divorce is common. But what many adults do not seem to understand is that the effects of their decisions can be more damaging on their children.
Though not necessarily specified, one can imply that “the woman” being mentioned is the woman with whom the father is having an affair. The affair is the only image we see of the father actually doing something. The other images, such as the comparison to Errol Flynn, were just concerning his physical features. Knowing this affair is taking place and actually hearing the child say how his mother will react, the audience is drawn to have more sympathy for the mother. However, the poem ends on a on a completely different note. After the mother ignores what happened in the past and moved on, the child says that the mother does not know that the child will turn out bad. So, by the mother doing nothing, the child was put in a more devastating position than the child would have been in had it found out about the father’s affair. The actions of the father were portrayed as harmful; but the lack of action taken by the mother was portrayed as life threatening. By putting emphasis on the mother, the audience is being give the same “how could you” situation, but by putting emphasis on the actions of the person normally seen as the victim. For this reason, I feel that the author was effective in conveying her message.
Title: …do not send me out among strangers
Style: Literary Critic
S: Anyone
O: Discovering the unique beauty in different women
A: men
P: To encourage men to rethink their reasons for not choosing to get involved with certain women
S: Desire
Tone: Proud and questioning
In Sonia Sanchez’s poem entitled “…do not send me out among strangers” she sends out a message to men saying they should respect the uniqueness of the women they commonly do not see as valuable. Sometimes, uniqueness is overlooked. So, if the descent men do not take the time to love them, someone may try to take advantage of that woman and convince them that it is love. Overall, Sanchez is encouraging men to look deeper before all the good women end up lost in bad relationships.
I feel that the author was able to get their point across with few words by referring to the physically attractive features of women. By the end of the poem, I was pretty much able to understand who the audience was and what the message to that audience was. But, I feel that there could have been a more creative way to convey the same message. Whether it meant making the poem longer or just having better choice of diction, I feel that the poem was written somewhat lazily.
Title: My Wicked Wicked Ways
Style: Literary Critic
S: A child reflecting on the effects of their parent’s rocky relationship
O: Adults making bad choices around children
A: Can be anyone, but specific audience can possibly be mothers who do not act quick enough when in a bad relationship
P: To tell mothers how lack of action can be more harmful to the child than what the mother thinks is devastating to themselves
S: Delaying
Tone: Childish, naive
Sandra Cisneros’ poem entitled “My Wicked Wicked Way” portrays the effects of a rocky marriage from the perspective of their child. Though not specified whether a boy or girl, the child begins by introducing their parents. He talks about the physical aspects of his father as young and stylish and the more emotional characteristics of their mother (“she is not crying”). Then, the child adds a woman into the picture who “does not come till later.” The child then proceeds to say how, after all of this has passed and has been pushed to the side, the mother has no idea that the child “will turn out bad.” In this time of day, divorce is common. But what many adults do not seem to understand is that the effects of their decisions can be more damaging on their children.
Though not necessarily specified, one can imply that “the woman” being mentioned is the woman with whom the father is having an affair. The affair is the only image we see of the father actually doing something. The other images, such as the comparison to Errol Flynn, were just concerning his physical features. Knowing this affair is taking place and actually hearing the child say how his mother will react, the audience is drawn to have more sympathy for the mother. However, the poem ends on a on a completely different note. After the mother ignores what happened in the past and moved on, the child says that the mother does not know that the child will turn out bad. So, by the mother doing nothing, the child was put in a more devastating position than the child would have been in had it found out about the father’s affair. The actions of the father were portrayed as harmful; but the lack of action taken by the mother was portrayed as life threatening. By putting emphasis on the mother, the audience is being give the same “how could you” situation, but by putting emphasis on the actions of the person normally seen as the victim. For this reason, I feel that the author was effective in conveying her message.
Title: …do not send me out among strangers
Style: Literary Critic
S: Anyone
O: Discovering the unique beauty in different women
A: men
P: To encourage men to rethink their reasons for not choosing to get involved with certain women
S: Desire
Tone: Proud and questioning
In Sonia Sanchez’s poem entitled “…do not send me out among strangers” she sends out a message to men saying they should respect the uniqueness of the women they commonly do not see as valuable. Sometimes, uniqueness is overlooked. So, if the descent men do not take the time to love them, someone may try to take advantage of that woman and convince them that it is love. Overall, Sanchez is encouraging men to look deeper before all the good women end up lost in bad relationships.
I feel that the author was able to get their point across with few words by referring to the physically attractive features of women. By the end of the poem, I was pretty much able to understand who the audience was and what the message to that audience was. But, I feel that there could have been a more creative way to convey the same message. Whether it meant making the poem longer or just having better choice of diction, I feel that the poem was written somewhat lazily.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Poetry Journal #1
Due date: February 2, 2006
Title: Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle
Style: Personal Response
S: An intellectual
O: The cycle of nature and life
A: People confused about how life and nature operates on earth
P: To suggest that the cycle of nature has never and will never end
S: A higher being’s way of controlling the circle of life
Tone: Accepting of the fact that only a higher being has control over life
In the poem “Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle,” John G. Neihardt breaks up the poem into four stanzas—each five lined stanza is followed by a two lined stanza. In the five line stanzas, the Neihardt makes detailed references to aspects of nature that are related to one another; whereas, in the smaller stanzas, he makes less detailed references to specific subjects. Also, Neihardt chose to capitalize “Power” in the poem. In so doing, he implies the Power has a higher placement on the hierarchy of life, suggesting that Power is what controls nature. Moreover, Neihardt suggests that there is a higher being that has made life a cycle of experiences that continue to reoccur so long as nature thrives. So, as long as nature lives, the experiences every aspect of nature witnesses will continue to be witnessed by generations to come.
The message portrayed through this poem is recognizable today and throughout history. As people grow and have children and teach their children the way of life as taught to them, mankind develops norms, goals, lifestyles that carry on from generation to generation. In addition, cycles of life are evident in politics. For example, when a decision is made by the President, the effects of that decision are brought up as the future presidents come into office. All that happens throughout life was originated from another past aspect of the life of nature. And it is because of a being far more superior than nature itself that nature takes place in this fashion.
Title: Ode to My Socks
Style: Comparative Critic
S: An unwealthy boy
O: Owning handmade clothing
A: People who take what they own for granted because they do not see its value
P: To show that even though something may be considered unvaluable, its worth is shown by how durable it is when necessary
S: Socks
Tone: Accepting
In the poem “Ode to My Socks” Pablo Neruda outlines the thoughts and emotions he experienced when he was given a pair of socks. In terms of the structure of the poem, his lines are short, containing no more than 5-7 lines. Neruda also uses this structure in some of his other poems, most commonly odes. For example, his poem entitled “Ode to the Book (II)” takes on the exact same form, with some lines having five words and some lines having one word. Neruda was also very specific when it came to what people and objects he wanted to use to shape them meaning of the poem, even if the subjects had no noticeable relationship with each other. For example: In the first stanza, Neruda refers to threads of twilight, goatskin, fish, blackbirds and cannons to describe the impression the socks left on his feet. This style of diction is also demonstrated in “Ode to the Book (II),” as Neruda uses many different words that do not directly relate to the object or one another to describe the uniqueness of a book.
By making the lines so short, Neruda is forcing the reader to view his poem in a way that they are having to look at every word’s connection with the object distinctly. Instead of trying to understand Neruda’s interpretation of the uniqueness of books and socks through long and descriptive phrases, the short lines allow the reader to come up with their own thoughtful scenery with words like “heavenly” (socks poem) and “oceanic” (book poem) as their guide.
Title: Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle
Style: Personal Response
S: An intellectual
O: The cycle of nature and life
A: People confused about how life and nature operates on earth
P: To suggest that the cycle of nature has never and will never end
S: A higher being’s way of controlling the circle of life
Tone: Accepting of the fact that only a higher being has control over life
In the poem “Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle,” John G. Neihardt breaks up the poem into four stanzas—each five lined stanza is followed by a two lined stanza. In the five line stanzas, the Neihardt makes detailed references to aspects of nature that are related to one another; whereas, in the smaller stanzas, he makes less detailed references to specific subjects. Also, Neihardt chose to capitalize “Power” in the poem. In so doing, he implies the Power has a higher placement on the hierarchy of life, suggesting that Power is what controls nature. Moreover, Neihardt suggests that there is a higher being that has made life a cycle of experiences that continue to reoccur so long as nature thrives. So, as long as nature lives, the experiences every aspect of nature witnesses will continue to be witnessed by generations to come.
The message portrayed through this poem is recognizable today and throughout history. As people grow and have children and teach their children the way of life as taught to them, mankind develops norms, goals, lifestyles that carry on from generation to generation. In addition, cycles of life are evident in politics. For example, when a decision is made by the President, the effects of that decision are brought up as the future presidents come into office. All that happens throughout life was originated from another past aspect of the life of nature. And it is because of a being far more superior than nature itself that nature takes place in this fashion.
Title: Ode to My Socks
Style: Comparative Critic
S: An unwealthy boy
O: Owning handmade clothing
A: People who take what they own for granted because they do not see its value
P: To show that even though something may be considered unvaluable, its worth is shown by how durable it is when necessary
S: Socks
Tone: Accepting
In the poem “Ode to My Socks” Pablo Neruda outlines the thoughts and emotions he experienced when he was given a pair of socks. In terms of the structure of the poem, his lines are short, containing no more than 5-7 lines. Neruda also uses this structure in some of his other poems, most commonly odes. For example, his poem entitled “Ode to the Book (II)” takes on the exact same form, with some lines having five words and some lines having one word. Neruda was also very specific when it came to what people and objects he wanted to use to shape them meaning of the poem, even if the subjects had no noticeable relationship with each other. For example: In the first stanza, Neruda refers to threads of twilight, goatskin, fish, blackbirds and cannons to describe the impression the socks left on his feet. This style of diction is also demonstrated in “Ode to the Book (II),” as Neruda uses many different words that do not directly relate to the object or one another to describe the uniqueness of a book.
By making the lines so short, Neruda is forcing the reader to view his poem in a way that they are having to look at every word’s connection with the object distinctly. Instead of trying to understand Neruda’s interpretation of the uniqueness of books and socks through long and descriptive phrases, the short lines allow the reader to come up with their own thoughtful scenery with words like “heavenly” (socks poem) and “oceanic” (book poem) as their guide.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Poetry Homework
Speak
To speak, or not to speak? That is the question.
To proclaim to culture,
whose life was born through Ignorance,
that their purpose is shaped by life. Their life.
A life most foul and decieving of the Creator's plan for his children
A root so deep, not even its birth can pull it up without piercing
the very essence of it's purpose--to live, to grow.
Though purpose is false and blind and vile in a place where
Ignorance is worhsiped and embraced,
my heart goes out to those whose words
remain confined in a prison of youth and sculpted by socity, its guard.
But my heart goes, also, to myself--
whose love for my people can only remain a theory and thought until they,
with Ignorance and Confidence,
can usurp their truth and understanding of themselves.
And, until with arms embracing one another
can we whole heartedly
LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING.
-Lindsey T.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Poetic Language Reflection
"Poetic language" is a phrase typically associated with a piece of writing that is not poetry. An example is in Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eyes. I like to think of that book as an example of a person taking a piece of writing and using poetic language as a way to emphasize the overall meaning of the book. So, poetic language is a way to convey a deeper meaning more creatively that if it were described otherwise. It is different than poetry because poetry is an "economy of words." When a person writes poetry, they are typically trying to get the biggest point across with the fewest amount of words. Writers use "poetic language" in their writing to suggest a deeper meaning for their overall work.
I'm in class right now...
I'm sitting in this classroom happy that I'm almost done with my senior year. I cant wait to move from almost adult to FULL FLEDGED WOMANHOOD!!! (yes yes)
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