To kick off our study of poetry, I would like you to post a link to your favorite poem along with a brief explanation about why it is a poem that you enjoy and appreciate.
I really like Robert Frost's poems in general, but this is probably one of my favorites. I think the poem is kind of hopeful in a sense even though the reality is not. I like that the narrator is hoping he will get another chance to travel both paths when in reality he knows that he probably will not. I also like how we aren't sure about the outcome of the path that the narrator choses, but the fact that he choses the road less taken is interesting to me. I like that he dares to take a chance.
I also like Robert Frost's poetry and find this one very interesting. As you said, this poem provides an interesting commentary on taking risks. Usually people would deem the speakers actions as courageous and heroic. However, because we are not provided with context regarding what the separate paths entailed and what the outcome was, it is possible that the speaker actually made the wrong decision. I find the openendedness of this poem fascinating.
This poem has always been one of my favorites growing up because my grandmother always had Robert Frost books around. This poem is so deep in the message it sends, however, it can really be interpreted in anyway by the reader. I enjoy this poem so much because I think it evokes a sense of curiosity and embraces the reality of life. The line "And sorry I could not travel both" resonates with me because there have been many instances where I have and to make one concrete decision. At times I often find myself wondering what life would be like now if I had chosen to "travel" a different path.
I think that as seniors in high school this poem is rather applicable to us. We will soon be forced to make on of the biggest decisions of our life, what our plans will be for next year. I think that many people are conflicted (I know I am) about where they want to go and what they want to do in years to come. I think that it is important to remember that even though the road diverges, both roads can lead to a pretty cool spot.
I remember reading an article about how Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" apparently is often times misunderstood. In the passage:
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black."
The passage above suggests that there really was no road to begin with, and that our choices is based on independence. Furthermore, there is a chance that perhaps our decisions to not really matter.
Here is the article: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/what-gives-robert-frosts-road-not-taken-its-power-180956200/?no-ist
I chose this poem for a project that I did in British Lit last year and I've always really liked this poem. Trying to understand this poem was not easy the first few times I had read it. The thing about this poem is you need to go about it line by line to really understand the meaning behind this poem. One thing that I really like about this poem is the way it is set up is significant to what the poem is trying to say. (The poem is divided into 3 stanzas, each containing 6 lines with an ABABAB pattern, and iambic tetrameter.) What this set up does it convey a significant message within the poem. Because this poem is really all about a women effortless beauty and grace, the lines should just as effortless and fluid.
I was drawn to this poem because I recognize the author from Brit Lit as well. Reading this poem was surprising, and at first I wasn't sure why. But I actually think it is because Byron compares the beautiful women to night. Usually in love poems the object of affection is compared to the sun, like in Romeo and Juliet in which Juliet is the sun.There's also the iconic "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day", from which I like to think the Beatles got the idea for "Here comes the Sun". Anyway, Byron is taking a risk in reversing the iconic image of beauty and I think that's why I like this poem
This was one of my favorite poetry authors from Brit Lit. This poem offers a different perspective of the typical love poem. I am always drawn to things that are different from the "norm." this was a challenging poem to deconstruct, but I enjoyed the challenge once I got to the true meaning/purpose. The simplicity of the ABABAB pattern offered a nice contrast.
This poem was written by a woman who lived through most of the African American struggle regarding racial inequality. I like this poem because I feel each individual can identify with it in some way regarding the messages as a whole. I also like how the language and concept is simple, but the imagery of the ideas are effective and captivating. This poem is also able to weave other social problems throughout the overarching theme of racial inequality. Lines that introduce these other societal problems include "does my haughtiness offend you?" and "Does my sexiness upset you?" The repetition of the phrase "still I rise" is simplistic yet engaging.
This poem reminds me of the song "Young, Gifted and Black" by Nina Simone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEMOxRxcJpo In fact, this poem and that song was probably written around the same time (certainly about the same events) The lines from the poem, "Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,/ I am the dream and the hope of the slave./ I rise" perfectly echo the main message of the song.
When reading this poem, I thought it be better suited spoken out loud or sung in some sort of way because of how powerful it was; like it would be best fit in some sort of slam poetry session. The imagery is clear and I love the each stanza is a different scenario where the speaker rises above. The diction and word choice act powerfully with the rhyme structure. This poem left me in a motivated, "hoo-rah!" kind of mood. I love reading Maya Angelou because she always writes about pieces of history with such a passion that her readers feel compelled to get involved.
One of the main parts that stood out to me in the poem was the usage of "you" as it clearly addresses the audience. Within the first stanza, Angelou talks about oppression in history and in writings.There is a sense of assertiveness and a clear attack against racial injustice. This poem is unique in how it plays with different emotions (angry, playful, etc), but in the end the main feeling is a feeling of accomplishment and triumph.
I did a project on this poem back in 8th grade, and I still remember it clearly. The project required us to read the poem aloud which made a huge impact on the style and tone of the language Angelou uses. Try reading it aloud, it is totally different!! I like listening to other people read this as well... you can find it on youtube
I really enjoy everything about this poem. From the message to the writing style. I also think the subject matter of this poem is incredibly mind bottling and interesting.
Because I could not stop for Death by Emily Dickinson
We looked at this poem freshman year and since then I couldn't get it out of my head. I like the flow of the first stanza especially. And the imagery. And the personification of Death. I love it.
I also find the personification of Death as a character very interesting. Not only does the poet personify Death, but she also personifies Immortality and Eternity at the end of the poem which provides an effective contrast. It is interesting that "Immortality" and "Death" ride in the same carriage in the poem which may signify the closeness that they embody. I also found the line "we passed the school, where children strove" interesting because the youth that is found here is juxtaposed with the topic of the poem.
I really like this poem as well. Emily Dickinson is one of my favorite poets. Death is something that comes up in a lot of her poems. But this is the only one she really personifies death in. I think it is interesting that in this poem she depicts Death as not a menacing or scary being but rather a thoughtful and docile companion on her journey to eternity. The first line says "Because I could not stop for Death he kindly stopped for me". Already Death is considered "kind", and gently puts her to rest as he "put[s] away/My labor and my leisure too" so she could fully enjoy her carriage ride with Death. I just think its interesting that Death is not characterized as something daunting in this poem, but almost inviting.
“This Is Just To Say” William Carlos Williams, 1883 - 1963
I love this poem for its simplicity. The poem reads as if it were merely a note taped to the icebox door, yet it says so much. While reading this poem I start to think about who these two people are, the relationship they have, where they come from, and what their life is like— soon, I have a complete picture of who these people are in my head. I think what makes this poem so great is that it allows the reader to interpret and create a narrative for themselves.
I've never heard of this poem before but I really like it. I also agree with you that the simplicity of it makes it interesting and special. It's humorous because this is something that you would not usually consider to be a poem. It's almost as if it's a conversation between two people or like a note written to one person, as you said. What's nice about this poem is that you can read it as literally as you want. It can be about a person who ate someone else's food and is apologizing. But if you want you can try to find a deeper meaning. I think it is open for a lot of different interpretation which I love.
William Carlos Williams was one of the first poets that I was introduced to. It seemed appropriate, given his weighted yet whimsical style. Reading this poem at a young age taught me how anything can be a poem. There is a mundane beauty to nearly every aspect of life, and Williams charges headlong into it.
One my favorite poems is written by a Bengali writer Sunil Gangopadhyay. The poem is named "কেউ কথা রাখেনি." In english, it translates to "No one kept their word." This was one of the first poems my mom had told me, and I have a sentimental attachment towards it. Furthermore, as I grow older, I begin understanding more parts of the poem. I tried finding an english translation of it. Although it sounds a bit better and nicer in bengali, the message is still clear. In case anyone is interested in seeing what it looks like in Bengali : https://priyokobita.wordpress.com/tag/keu-kotha-rakheni/
Here is an English Translation for the poem: http://little-lustrous-lives.blogspot.com/p/writings-in-facebook.html
I think this is a beautiful poem! I think the fact that Olinah has such a wonderful connection to it is also pretty amazing. I love the story that this poem tells. Even the translation had beautiful language and wraps the reader in. I think it speaks to growing up and seeing some realities in the world. It shows how time changes and not everything go exactly as we had hoped or planned. But the structure of the poem reminds me of a song. It has verses telling of different people and then it breaking them up there is somewhat of a chorus, and I find that beautiful.
One my favorite poems is written by a Bengali writer Sunil Gangopadhyay. The poem is named "কেউ কথা রাখেনি." In english, it translates to "No one kept their word." This was one of the first poems my mom had told me, and I have a sentimental attachment towards it. Furthermore, as I grow older, I begin understanding more parts of the poem. I tried finding an english translation of it. Although it sounds a bit better and nicer in bengali, the message is still clear. In case anyone is interested in seeing what it looks like in Bengali : https://priyokobita.wordpress.com/tag/keu-kotha-rakheni/
Here is an English Translation for the poem: http://little-lustrous-lives.blogspot.com/p/writings-in-facebook.html
While this poem has gone through translation, which can distort the flow of the language and even the meaning of a poem, I think the visuals the author uses are still beautiful and meaningful. I can't speak or read bengali, and I don't know much about the culture in which this poem is written, yet still I can relate to the themes because the poem relates to a wider human experience.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177722 "Litany in Which Certain Things Are Crossed Out" by Richard Siken
I love the flow of Richard Siken's poetry. His poems are often quite dark and beautiful with sudden bursts of humor. I like how humor grounds an otherwise depressing or lofty poem.
This is an incredible poem! The structure of this poem tells the story similar to the way found poems do, with seemingly scattered thoughts that are actually so meaningful. I love reading these kind of poems because I find them to be more interesting and relatable to read. It seems that the poet does not erase anything they have written but just tries again, creating contradictions and quick shifts. I think that is an essential piece to the whole message and how the poet is reflecting and deciding whether it worked or not.
I love how blunt yet vague this poem is. That must not make much sense. What I mean is I love how seemingly easy the language in the poem is yet the meaning isn't as accessible. The speaker is blunt but to keep up with their train of thoughts becomes the difficulty.
Like Fiona the aspects I love about this poem are the flow and the bluntness of the poem which convey this dark but beautiful subject manner that reminds me a little of The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. The shifts in this poem are present and frequent furthering its bluntness
My favorite poem is "'Hope' is a thing with feathers" by Emily Dickinson. We studied this poem last year in American Lit. I really enjoy the sense of hope that Dickinson reveals throughout the poem. The poem expresses the strength needed to endure hardships in order to receive success.
I also chose this poem as my favorite because of the way the words seem to flow when it is read out loud. I liked the alternate rhyming scheme and the meter of the words Dickinson uses. I also liked the imagery which is incredibly simple, but still conveys the metaphor, and with it the sensation of being free of human constraints. Hope is something which everyone has experienced and which everyone can understand.
I really love this poem, for many reasons. Firstly, it is easy to follow and concise, making the message it bears even more moving. When Dickens says "I've heard it in the chillest land/ and on the strangest sea", she implies beautifully how resilient hope can be in an individual. It does not require justification to exist for "[hope] never asked a crumb of me", as hope can persist during the darkest times without reason to exist except to bring lightness to dark times.
http://hellopoetry.com/poem/1597/if/ "If" by E. E Cummings
This is one of my favorite poems because it really emphasizes how special and beauty each individual person is. It is all about appreciating your own life because if you life was different from how you already experienced it then you, wouldn't really be you. I really enjoy how the poem focus's on the individuality of humans and how special and precious life really is. Along with the meaning of the poem, the way the poem flows and is written is really beautiful to me. To me, this is a work of art and something that I try to live by.
I hadn't read this poem before, but I also really like the message that it sends--that each person is beautiful and important in his or her own way. I chose to comment on this poem because normally I don't love poems that rhyme because they always seem forced, but Cummings seemed to do it very naturally without forcing it.
I also really like this poem because I think that what Cummings is saying is that everything (even the bad things in life) is for a reason and that we are all shaped by everything around us. I also agree that the rhyme scheme flows very well. I think it sort of "matches" the repetitive rhythm of the poem. Cummings has a very smooth rhythm that he establishes with his lists of images in each stanza (for example, "if fear was plucky and globes were square...").
I enjoy this poem as well as it possesses a kind of childishness in its tone. It describes things from "freckles" to "measles" being "nice" to fear" being "plucky." These things have an endearing quality. I also enjoy the overall message of individuality as well, even as there is some conflict with the goods described.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_that_is_gold_does_not_glitter "All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter" By J.R.R Tolkien
I love this poem because it is simple yet powerful. It speaks being resilient and humble. It reminds us that the strongest weapon a person can have is a strong sense of self. I find the shift when it begins to talk about triumph inspiring and uplifting. It reminds me that all great things take time and hard work, but we should accept the challenge rather then accept our defeat. Also Tolkien was a pretty cool guy and I love a lot of the messages he wrote about in all of his works not just this poem.
I love this poem as well! I think Tolkein does a wonderful job of portraying the idea that things cannot always be generalized and labeled as easily as people do in modern day society. Also nothing is truly over, sometimes patience is needed and everyone will find their calling someday or another. It doesnt matter what one is king of, whether they are CEO of a company or head chef at a restaurant. Everyone can, and will, achieve. Plus im obsessed with Lord of the Rings
"[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]" by E.E. cummings
I love this poem because I think it is just really sweet. Every time I read it, it makes me smile. I just love how the speaker is so deeply in love with whoever he is talking about. The speaker carries this other person with them everywhere, thinks about him/her all the time, and it makes me happy to think about. Also, this poem makes me think about my family and how I carry them with me wherever I go.
I also really like this poem because of the happiness and love written into the poem. The first time I heard this poem was at my uncle's wedding because he and my aunt read it to each other. Whenever I hear this poem I think about how much they love each other and how it took them so long to find their soul mate but they eventually did. It just makes me happy to know that two people can love each other that much.
I really enjoyed this poem. I mean from the first line on it gives you a sense of hope. The first line, "All that is gold does not glitter," to me is saying that even if something does not appear to be special or flashy it can still have just as much meaning. I think it's also saying that to be successful you do not have to conform to the standards. The whole poem is kind of just giving the reader hope and saying that even though you might not be the same as others, or if you feel like you are a failure, you aren't.
I almost picked this poem for my favorite poem (it's my second favorite!) I love this poem for its pure happiness and expression of intense passion and love. To me, the poem embodies unconditional, pure and internal love that he has for someone. I also think that this poem could be applicable for family or other things in life that one is passionate about, and not only romantic love. This poem is really beautiful.
I find the poem, titled “Words” by Sylvia Plath, to be beautifully crafted. The overall purpose of the poem is to elaborate on the seemingly simple aspect of words, and reveal the true darker nature of them. She compares words to “axes,” sharp and direct. Much as axes slice into objects, words can similarly cut deeply into a person and “travel” to the center of someone’s emotional being. She also talks about the aftermath caused by words such as “wells like tears” (the pain that follows a negative comment). Her numerous metaphors comparing words to natural elements bring out the very natural reactions humans have to statements of word. “Words” successfully illustrates the more dismal characteristics of human communication while simultaneously using beautiful, delicate language; a contrast that also compares the simple exterior of words to the complex roots of them.
I agree with what you said about the beauty and elegance of this poem, and I especially like your last sentence in which you compare the interiors and exteriors of words. Words, written or spoken, have a great impact on other humans, and Plath seems to focus solely on the harmful repercussions that can occur. I think that the lines “Water striving/To re-establish its mirror/Over…./A white skull” are a good example of how we as humans often have a facade of “water” which reflects what we want it to reflect, but words have a way of attacking us on the inside and tearing us apart. I also like the line “Words dry and riderless” since it seems to imply that words eventually can spiral out of control of their speaker and gain a power of their own.
My favorite poem is "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou because not only is it written with grace and beauty, but it also sends a really powerful message. The poem relates Angelou's struggle as a black women in the US--though she is continually denied and knocked down because of her race and gender, she still "rises" every time. I also really like that the poem is written as if Angelou is talking to its readers; I think it makes it more personal and relatable. Though the poem is specific to Angelou's life, I like that everyone can relate to it because at some point in everyone's life, they face discrimination and criticism. Overall, I think the poem has a really strong and important message.
I really like the poem Grace chose because of the powerful message it sends, and because I love the author. I think Maya Angelou has the best quotes and sayings. This poem can relate to mostly everyone because people face individual challenges all throughout life. I think the repetition in this poem gives it the beauty and significance it is deserving of.
The poem I chose is titled "Imagine Jean Cocteau" and it was written by my late grandfather, Ira Cohen. He was a poet and an artist, primarily a photographer. This poem embodies everything that he was. It exemplifies his insatiable interest in the obscure and his phenomenal imagination. He paints unique pictures like that of "an elephant playing a harmonica" and these types of ideas were a huge part of who he was. I also know some of the stories behind the truth in each of the seemingly unimaginable lines and that adds power to the poem. I have a picture of him where he looks like Curly from the Three Stooges and is dressed up in Shakespearean garb, just as he asks us to imagine. This poem shows the significance of poetry in his life and it helps me understand the value of all poetry. Although he had his struggles, poetry did provide him with "recorded moments of temporary sanity". I started reading my grandfather's poetry fairly recently because it was previously too mature for me. I have learned so much about him from his works and I have gained a greater respect for poetry.
First of all, your grandfather was incredibly talented. Though it is almost impossible for me to experience and understand this poem to the extent that Jack does, to me it embodies the way that literature can change your perspectives. It explains how literature can make you think or feel a way that can only be described by experiencing the few lines in front of you. I often felt that poetry cause my mind to lose sanity, but now I think maybe it was just gaining perspective.
I really love how you chose your grandfather's poem! As Lizzie mentioned, he is extremely talented and I like the way he used humor in the poem. My favorite line is "Imagine whatever you will but know that it is not imagination but experience which makes poetry". It creates a shift in the poem which makes the reader realize that poetry is written based on experiences, and that you cannot know the full experience the poet had just by reading their work. Poetry goes deeper than the reader can see.
My favorite poem is "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" by Emily Dickinson. I personally enjoy that this poem is relatable in the sense that everyone has, at some point or another, experienced something that made them feel the funeral in their brain. Dickinson's repetition and writing style is beautiful, and flows together smoothly, while creating a clear image in one's mind. The line "Wrecked, solitary, here -" is particularly powerful to me, as personally there have been times where I have felt this way. This was one of the first poems that sparked my interest in the art.
I love this poem. There is a depth to Dickinson's words that is difficult to recreate. The reason this poem speaks to me is because of how perfectly it describes the human emotions too profound and perhaps dark to put into words. She finds comparisons between tangible occurrences and the most confusing human thoughts to somehow comfort readers by reminding them that even their most lonesome thoughts are shared by all people. She elaborates on the never-ending thoughts that flow inane out of our minds throughout life and how that can be draining and solitary, yet somehow phrases it in a beautiful soft tone that calms us for the time we are reading.
I think that this poem is one of the darker poems featured on this blog, which is to be expected from Emily Dickinson. As we studied Emily Dickinson’s life, it is no surprise that Emily felt so miserable inside her own head. To agree with Adam, I though that the last line of the poem, "Wrecked, solitary, here -" was rather powerful because it conveyed a sense of being stuck and helpless.
I find the sense of teetering and then falling fascinating. The speaker describes "treading" in the beginning, later with "a creak across my Soul" before finally "a Plank in Reason, broke" with a "plunge," all contributing to this image. This kind of straining before snapping is haunting, along with the rest of the language (down to the smallest details, like the comma before "broke"). Dickinson's work in this regard along with the sobering message of people's dark times speaks to me.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173536 I chose "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost as my favorite poem because it is a classic that I grew up with. I believe that its message is open for interpretation, whereas most readers would automatically assume that Frost is commending the choice to be unique. One could also propose that Frost is merely speculating about the difference that one minor decision can make in you person's existence, and the consequences that follow (good or bad).
I thought Sarah brought up an interesting point about this poem. When I read it the first time, I also assumed Frost was highlighting the importance of being unique and doing things on your own terms. But, as Sarah pointed out, I can also see how Frost may just be commenting on the difference a minor decision can make in a person's life. I think the lines "I took the one less traveled by/And that has made all the difference." shows that this second message may be Frost's purpose in writing this poem.
I found this poem fascinating because of Frost's ambiguity when discussing the future of the speaker in the poem. The lack of specificity when he says "And that made all the difference" allows for tremendous amount of interpretation to the meaning of Frost's poem. Many interpret this poem as Frost sending the message to "take the road less traveled" and to not be the same as everyone else, however that is not what is said. It is unknown if the "difference" that the road made was positive or a negative. The lack of assimilation with many (the road more traveled) could have been a terrible decision, and the difference made is that the speaker lives alone, ostracized from the rest of society. I find this poem fascinating because Frost's lack of specificity allows for completely contrasting interpretations of the same lines.
I always had a degree of fascination with this poem. While many interpret it as a rousing call to all those who take the wild road, I actually see it as an ode of concession. It is actually a poem that tells of the futile nature of choice. The speaker says they have taken the path less traveled, but it shows the lack of individuality, impact, and control we have over our own destinies.
I enjoy this poem due to its Arthurian allusion of a sorry tale. It details the seclusion, escape, and subsequent downfall of the lonely "Lady of Shalott". I find it moving in that her breaking free of the confines of the tower, where she looks in a mirror and sees shadows, results (directly or not) in her be carried down the river to her death. The especially gripping thing is that she does have her weaving initially, although it may still not be sufficient. Even the ending has some sort of sad irony in Lancelot's compliment of the woman he may have helped destroy.
In all honesty, I am not entirely (or remotely) set on a favorite poem. I even briefly considered the (in?)famous:
Alone- Maya Angelou I really like all of Maya Angelou's poems, but this one I especially enjoyed. I think her poems are written in a more straight-forward way compared to other poets, and I like that. Alone has a really strong message, that no one can go through life alone, and I think that that is so true. My favorite few lines from the poem are "Lying, thinking/ Last night/How to find my soul a home/Where water is not thirsty/And bread loaf is not stone".
I like this poem because it is very approachable, but it still leaves room for interpretation. It uses repetition very well to reinforce the necessity of having companionship in hard times. I also really like the first person narration in this poem and I think it is interesting how this narration breaks in stanza 3 and resumes in stanza 5. My favorite thing about this poem is that the speaker reiterates that "nobody can make it out of here alone" but never explains what "here" is referring to. Is she talking about life, America, humanity, or something completely different?
My favorite poem is "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot. While reading Mrs. Dalloway, I actually remembered this poem, especially the line "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." The poem focuses on the beginning of modernization and Eliot sarcastically shows how the introduction of modernization is taking over people's lives, turning them into overly eloquent societal snobs. Prufrock is a balding middle aged man that embodies this identity. Through moments such as "When the evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient etherized upon a table" shows the contradictions of modern society. It often reminds me of Septimus's thoughts about the rigidness and material superiority established in the story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5yADgMzGJo My favorite poem was If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda. I have loved this poem ever since my mom showed me it when I was younger. I love nearly all of Neruda's work but this poem stands out to me for a number of reasons. One reason I love If You Forget Me is the notion of simply "forgetting" someone because they do not love you back; the idea that we are able to stop loving someone. I think in a way Pablo Neruda was trying to make us realize how strange that seems. I believe this poem is used primarily to highlight the human emotions in love. If one person loves someone and they create these beautiful memories and bonds to this person just to simply stop loving them is impossible. This poem turns love into a tangible object along with our emotions. "And you decide to leave me at the shore of the heart where I have roots, remember that on that day, at that hour, I shall lift my arms and my roots will set off to seek another land." These are my favorite lines in poetry because of the depth and lightness that it carries. I find it beautiful the idea that once can continue on after such heart break; being left at this sort of emotional shore, yet they continue on their journey. But I also think these lines carry a heavier weight to them. I think what Neruda means is that we are always able to seek out other human beings; nobody is bound to anyone. That idea in and of itself can make one feel lonely. If You Forget Me could be interpreted in a number of ways and that is why I love this poem.
I love this poem as well. There is a tenderness to the poem that makes you think Neruda had someone in mind while writing this. It uses soft language to highlight the pain there is in moving on from someone you love. I love particularly when he talks about how everything leads him back to his love. It is speaking to how much someone can be consumed by there love for another.
I had not heard this poem until now, but I really like it. I agree it holds many different meanings, much like love shows itself in different ways depending on the individual. I think that is part of the mystique and yet easily personable nature to the poem. I also agree that though there is a level of comfort in Neruda's words about leaving something once so cherished and forever being rooted to it, there is also a level of uncertainty and doubt that accompanies change and moving away from one's roots. These are common concepts humans run into when in the presence of love and I think Neruda captures the complexity of the issues within his simple and powerful words.
I also have never heard this poem before. I like it because it gives a different perspective on love. It is often said that love is a one sided emotion; you can love someone that doesn't love you back. However, this poem challenges that idea. Maybe love is evoked by the other person's feelings and not your own. Is love a genuine feeling from the heart or just the desire to be co-dependable between another person?
I like this poem because I am generally a pretty quiet person and this poem celebrates those who speak with intention and with a greater purpose rather than to gain fame or recognition. I feel like I can really relate to the poem.
I really like this poem too! I love how the message is really about how even people who may be shy or quiet have someone who is like them - someone else who is "Nobody". I also think it's clever using the image of the frog as a sort of metaphor for the "somebodies" in the world. I interpreted this as if the speaker is saying "who wants to be loud like a croaking frog in the pond". I like how the speaker has a positive attitude towards being "Nobody" and really makes it known that being anyone is special.
I like this poem a lot. I think it is short and sweet. I agree with Allie, that Dickinson has a positive attitude. It could be made a sad poem, but Dickinson has makes it a positive message. I like the line "How dreary- to be - a Somebody" because Dickinson not only prefers being a "Nobody" but feels that being a Somebody is "public- like a - Frog".
I also enjoyed this poem since I feel that it balances on the line between profound and light-hearted. I think that, overall, the tone is humorous, which can be seen in the imagery used in the second stanza of a Frog and a Bog, as well as in the conversational syntax used. I also love the message that being “Nobody” is much more interesting, and liberating, than being forced to be “Somebody” and to pander to the expectations of the public.
I love Emily Dickinson's poems, and this is one of my favorites. I like the imagery and word choice that paints the picture of the bird coming down the walk. Every time I read it, I discover something new, keeping it new and exciting.
I love Emily Dickinson's poems, and this is one of my favorites. I like the imagery and word choice that paints the picture of the bird coming down the walk. Every time I read it, I discover something new, keeping it new and exciting.
My favorite line, "he stirred his velvet head," gives me beautiful imagery and changes the way I see birds in my own life. I used to be terrified of how birds move- they are very jumpy and sudden. This poem helped me get over that fear and now I don't mind birds at all.
This poem shows how poets have the ability to discern the beauty in everything, despite how commonplace it might seem. I like how the bird flies away from the speaker because I think it is an interesting commentary on the relationship between nature and humanity. Emily Dickinson uses capitalization in a very interesting way in this poem and capitalizes seemingly random words like "Walk," "Dew", "Beads", and "Cautious". I am not sure why she chose to capitalize the words she did, but it must be important and it definitely peaked my curiosity.
I like how Dickinson addresses the bird as a "he" as opposed to an "it." It really emphasizes the relationship between nature and humanity as mentioned by Jack. The line "He did not know I saw" makes it look like the bird was trying to eat the worm without anyone seeing to avoid judgement. But in reality, the bird doesn't care about the narrators judgements.
I really liked the way she described flying in the last paragraph and how she compared it to swimming "or butterflies- off banks of noon/ leap splashless as they swim". I thought it was a interesting comparison and as a swimmer I had never really seen the similarities but now that I think about it there are a lot of moments in swimming that you almost feel like you are flying.
My favorite poem is the Soul Selects her Own Society by Emily Dickinson
THE SOUL selects her own society, Then shuts the door; On her divine majority Obtrude no more.
Unmoved, she notes the chariot’s pausing At her low gate; Unmoved, an emperor is kneeling Upon her mat.
I ’ve known her from an ample nation Choose one; Then close the valves of her attention Like stone.
I love this poem because it portrays that some choose a few companions who matter to them to allow into their life. Dickinson grew up independent, and it is evident in this piece.
Each time I've read this poem I've found a difference it what it has meant to me. I am so glad you chose this poem, a teacher read it aloud in class a few years back and I've had a liking for Emily Dickinson ever since. This poem is fascinating to me because the character within the poem is this incredibly independent woman who "shits the door on the divine majority" and takes her own path in life. She chooses her own company. She does what she pleases. To me, this lady sounds kinda badass. But it is the final stanzas where my interpretation varies time to time. Some days, perhaps when I myself feel particularly individual, I take it that the woman's choice to do as she please is respectable and admired. On other days, i read this and see that the final lines "close her attention" appear heartless and cold. Even with the emperor kneeling t is not enough to keep her interest or earn her acknowledgement. That's what's so beautiful about this poem; it is short and simple, yet increasingly complex the more you dig into it.
I really enjoy this introspective piece and how Dickinson portrays a life decision and gives a broader theme that is applicable to everyone. Also the beat and rhythm of the poem is fantastic. Like the decision Dickinson made to only allow people that matter to her into her life this poem is a reflection of her the rhythm, the rhymes, the diction and the simplicity
The first time being exposed to this poem, it was completely orally, so the poem had little to no rational. Unbeknownst to the class, everyone had to perform this piece, so it added a different meaning each time, which is why this poem is one of my favorites. The ambiguity personalizes the poem for each person.
My favorite poem is "Since Feeling is First" by E.E Cummings mostly for the message it sends but also for its diction and syntax. What I got from this is that feeling is a much more important part to life than just intelligence. This is a poem of acceptance so when reading it, I always feel a comfort to life. My favorite line is “lady i swear by all flowers. Don't cry,” mostly because I like the way it sounds and her reference to flowers along with crying evokes a soft, delicate kind of emotion.
My favorite line from this poem is "for life's not a paragraph - And death i think is no parenthesis" because I love how Cummings compares life and death to ways of writing - it is very powerful. I also had chosen a E.E cummings poem and I think his poetry is very simplistic and powerful all at the same time. I really enjoyed how much he focus's on the importance of life in this poem.
I have always loved " The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Lord Byron. As a child, it called to mind valiant battle, charging steeds, all manner of things that young boys love of ancient warfare. As I grew older and revisited the piece, I saw that the rhythm and cadence of the poem was eerily similar to the beat of thundering hooves. This technique, known as anapestic tetrameter, gives you the feeling of charging along with the Assyrians.
I love how you related this poem to your childhood and how your interpretation of the poem has grown with you over time. The poem has great imagery and sensory language. I also can see how the rhyme scheme and rhythm of the poem is similar to the beat of horse's hooves. My favorite part of this poem is how it is able to focus on a rider and his horse in the midst of everything going on around them during a battle.
I really enjoyed this poem as well, mostly due to its upbeat rhythm and rhyme-scheme. I specifically loved the imagery of the shiny weaponry wielded by the warriors, as described "And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea/When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee." This is simply beautiful language and an abstract way to convey this image. Although this poem focuses on the topic of war, it does so with a buoyant and playful cadence that is surprisingly quite peaceful.
I have loved reading all of these posts and comments! One of my favorite poems is "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman. You might remember it from American Lit or from the iconic scene in Dead Poets Society. When I was in high school, I recited portions of this lengthy poem at a national poetry competition. So, I quite literally got to "sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world." I love the transcendental spirit of this poem and the individualism that it celebrates. Verses 1, 21, and 52 are worth a read. Here is the link: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174745
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173536
ReplyDeleteI really like Robert Frost's poems in general, but this is probably one of my favorites. I think the poem is kind of hopeful in a sense even though the reality is not. I like that the narrator is hoping he will get another chance to travel both paths when in reality he knows that he probably will not. I also like how we aren't sure about the outcome of the path that the narrator choses, but the fact that he choses the road less taken is interesting to me. I like that he dares to take a chance.
I also like Robert Frost's poetry and find this one very interesting. As you said, this poem provides an interesting commentary on taking risks. Usually people would deem the speakers actions as courageous and heroic. However, because we are not provided with context regarding what the separate paths entailed and what the outcome was, it is possible that the speaker actually made the wrong decision. I find the openendedness of this poem fascinating.
DeleteThis poem has always been one of my favorites growing up because my grandmother always had Robert Frost books around. This poem is so deep in the message it sends, however, it can really be interpreted in anyway by the reader. I enjoy this poem so much because I think it evokes a sense of curiosity and embraces the reality of life. The line "And sorry I could not travel both" resonates with me because there have been many instances where I have and to make one concrete decision. At times I often find myself wondering what life would be like now if I had chosen to "travel" a different path.
DeleteI think that as seniors in high school this poem is rather applicable to us. We will soon be forced to make on of the biggest decisions of our life, what our plans will be for next year. I think that many people are conflicted (I know I am) about where they want to go and what they want to do in years to come. I think that it is important to remember that even though the road diverges, both roads can lead to a pretty cool spot.
DeleteI remember reading an article about how Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" apparently is often times misunderstood. In the passage:
DeleteThough as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black."
The passage above suggests that there really was no road to begin with, and that our choices is based on independence. Furthermore, there is a chance that perhaps our decisions to not really matter.
Here is the article: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/what-gives-robert-frosts-road-not-taken-its-power-180956200/?no-ist
http://www.poetseers.org/the-romantics/george-gordon-byron/she-walks-in-beauty/index.html
ReplyDeleteShe Walks in Beauty - George Gordon (Lord) Byron
I chose this poem for a project that I did in British Lit last year and I've always really liked this poem. Trying to understand this poem was not easy the first few times I had read it. The thing about this poem is you need to go about it line by line to really understand the meaning behind this poem. One thing that I really like about this poem is the way it is set up is significant to what the poem is trying to say. (The poem is divided into 3 stanzas, each containing 6 lines with an ABABAB pattern, and iambic tetrameter.) What this set up does it convey a significant message within the poem. Because this poem is really all about a women effortless beauty and grace, the lines should just as effortless and fluid.
I was drawn to this poem because I recognize the author from Brit Lit as well. Reading this poem was surprising, and at first I wasn't sure why. But I actually think it is because Byron compares the beautiful women to night. Usually in love poems the object of affection is compared to the sun, like in Romeo and Juliet in which Juliet is the sun.There's also the iconic "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day", from which I like to think the Beatles got the idea for "Here comes the Sun". Anyway, Byron is taking a risk in reversing the iconic image of beauty and I think that's why I like this poem
DeleteThis was one of my favorite poetry authors from Brit Lit. This poem offers a different perspective of the typical love poem. I am always drawn to things that are different from the "norm." this was a challenging poem to deconstruct, but I enjoyed the challenge once I got to the true meaning/purpose. The simplicity of the ABABAB pattern offered a nice contrast.
Deletehttps://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/still-i-rise
ReplyDelete"Still I Rise"
Maya Angelou
This poem was written by a woman who lived through most of the African American struggle regarding racial inequality. I like this poem because I feel each individual can identify with it in some way regarding the messages as a whole. I also like how the language and concept is simple, but the imagery of the ideas are effective and captivating. This poem is also able to weave other social problems throughout the overarching theme of racial inequality. Lines that introduce these other societal problems include "does my haughtiness offend you?" and "Does my sexiness upset you?" The repetition of the phrase "still I rise" is simplistic yet engaging.
This poem reminds me of the song "Young, Gifted and Black" by Nina Simone:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEMOxRxcJpo
In fact, this poem and that song was probably written around the same time (certainly about the same events)
The lines from the poem, "Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,/ I am the dream and the hope of the slave./ I rise" perfectly echo the main message of the song.
When reading this poem, I thought it be better suited spoken out loud or sung in some sort of way because of how powerful it was; like it would be best fit in some sort of slam poetry session. The imagery is clear and I love the each stanza is a different scenario where the speaker rises above. The diction and word choice act powerfully with the rhyme structure. This poem left me in a motivated, "hoo-rah!" kind of mood. I love reading Maya Angelou because she always writes about pieces of history with such a passion that her readers feel compelled to get involved.
DeleteOne of the main parts that stood out to me in the poem was the usage of "you" as it clearly addresses the audience. Within the first stanza, Angelou talks about oppression in history and in writings.There is a sense of assertiveness and a clear attack against racial injustice. This poem is unique in how it plays with different emotions (angry, playful, etc), but in the end the main feeling is a feeling of accomplishment and triumph.
DeleteI did a project on this poem back in 8th grade, and I still remember it clearly. The project required us to read the poem aloud which made a huge impact on the style and tone of the language Angelou uses. Try reading it aloud, it is totally different!! I like listening to other people read this as well... you can find it on youtube
Deletehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/237388
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy everything about this poem. From the message to the writing style. I also think the subject matter of this poem is incredibly mind bottling and interesting.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177119
ReplyDeleteBecause I could not stop for Death by Emily Dickinson
We looked at this poem freshman year and since then I couldn't get it out of my head. I like the flow of the first stanza especially. And the imagery. And the personification of Death. I love it.
I also find the personification of Death as a character very interesting. Not only does the poet personify Death, but she also personifies Immortality and Eternity at the end of the poem which provides an effective contrast. It is interesting that "Immortality" and "Death" ride in the same carriage in the poem which may signify the closeness that they embody. I also found the line "we passed the school, where children strove" interesting because the youth that is found here is juxtaposed with the topic of the poem.
DeleteI really like this poem as well. Emily Dickinson is one of my favorite poets. Death is something that comes up in a lot of her poems. But this is the only one she really personifies death in. I think it is interesting that in this poem she depicts Death as not a menacing or scary being but rather a thoughtful and docile companion on her journey to eternity. The first line says "Because I could not stop for Death he kindly stopped for me". Already Death is considered "kind", and gently puts her to rest as he "put[s] away/My labor and my leisure too" so she could fully enjoy her carriage ride with Death. I just think its interesting that Death is not characterized as something daunting in this poem, but almost inviting.
Deletehttps://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/just-say
ReplyDelete“This Is Just To Say”
William Carlos Williams, 1883 - 1963
I love this poem for its simplicity. The poem reads as if it were merely a note taped to the icebox door, yet it says so much. While reading this poem I start to think about who these two people are, the relationship they have, where they come from, and what their life is like— soon, I have a complete picture of who these people are in my head. I think what makes this poem so great is that it allows the reader to interpret and create a narrative for themselves.
i loooove this poem
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DeleteI've never heard of this poem before but I really like it. I also agree with you that the simplicity of it makes it interesting and special. It's humorous because this is something that you would not usually consider to be a poem. It's almost as if it's a conversation between two people or like a note written to one person, as you said. What's nice about this poem is that you can read it as literally as you want. It can be about a person who ate someone else's food and is apologizing. But if you want you can try to find a deeper meaning. I think it is open for a lot of different interpretation which I love.
DeleteWilliam Carlos Williams was one of the first poets that I was introduced to. It seemed appropriate, given his weighted yet whimsical style. Reading this poem at a young age taught me how anything can be a poem. There is a mundane beauty to nearly every aspect of life, and Williams charges headlong into it.
DeleteOne my favorite poems is written by a Bengali writer Sunil Gangopadhyay. The poem is named "কেউ কথা রাখেনি." In english, it translates to "No one kept their word." This was one of the first poems my mom had told me, and I have a sentimental attachment towards it. Furthermore, as I grow older, I begin understanding more parts of the poem. I tried finding an english translation of it. Although it sounds a bit better and nicer in bengali, the message is still clear. In case anyone is interested in seeing what it looks like in Bengali : https://priyokobita.wordpress.com/tag/keu-kotha-rakheni/
ReplyDeleteHere is an English Translation for the poem: http://little-lustrous-lives.blogspot.com/p/writings-in-facebook.html
I think this is a beautiful poem! I think the fact that Olinah has such a wonderful connection to it is also pretty amazing. I love the story that this poem tells. Even the translation had beautiful language and wraps the reader in. I think it speaks to growing up and seeing some realities in the world. It shows how time changes and not everything go exactly as we had hoped or planned. But the structure of the poem reminds me of a song. It has verses telling of different people and then it breaking them up there is somewhat of a chorus, and I find that beautiful.
DeleteOne my favorite poems is written by a Bengali writer Sunil Gangopadhyay. The poem is named "কেউ কথা রাখেনি." In english, it translates to "No one kept their word." This was one of the first poems my mom had told me, and I have a sentimental attachment towards it. Furthermore, as I grow older, I begin understanding more parts of the poem. I tried finding an english translation of it. Although it sounds a bit better and nicer in bengali, the message is still clear. In case anyone is interested in seeing what it looks like in Bengali : https://priyokobita.wordpress.com/tag/keu-kotha-rakheni/
ReplyDeleteHere is an English Translation for the poem: http://little-lustrous-lives.blogspot.com/p/writings-in-facebook.html
While this poem has gone through translation, which can distort the flow of the language and even the meaning of a poem, I think the visuals the author uses are still beautiful and meaningful. I can't speak or read bengali, and I don't know much about the culture in which this poem is written, yet still I can relate to the themes because the poem relates to a wider human experience.
Deletehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177722
ReplyDelete"Litany in Which Certain Things Are Crossed Out" by Richard Siken
I love the flow of Richard Siken's poetry. His poems are often quite dark and beautiful with sudden bursts of humor. I like how humor grounds an otherwise depressing or lofty poem.
This is an incredible poem! The structure of this poem tells the story similar to the way found poems do, with seemingly scattered thoughts that are actually so meaningful. I love reading these kind of poems because I find them to be more interesting and relatable to read. It seems that the poet does not erase anything they have written but just tries again, creating contradictions and quick shifts. I think that is an essential piece to the whole message and how the poet is reflecting and deciding whether it worked or not.
DeleteI love how blunt yet vague this poem is. That must not make much sense. What I mean is I love how seemingly easy the language in the poem is yet the meaning isn't as accessible. The speaker is blunt but to keep up with their train of thoughts becomes the difficulty.
DeleteLike Fiona the aspects I love about this poem are the flow and the bluntness of the poem which convey this dark but beautiful subject manner that reminds me a little of The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. The shifts in this poem are present and frequent furthering its bluntness
Deletehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171619
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poem is "'Hope' is a thing with feathers" by Emily Dickinson. We studied this poem last year in American Lit. I really enjoy the sense of hope that Dickinson reveals throughout the poem. The poem expresses the strength needed to endure hardships in order to receive success.
I also chose this poem as my favorite because of the way the words seem to flow when it is read out loud. I liked the alternate rhyming scheme and the meter of the words Dickinson uses. I also liked the imagery which is incredibly simple, but still conveys the metaphor, and with it the sensation of being free of human constraints. Hope is something which everyone has experienced and which everyone can understand.
DeleteI really love this poem, for many reasons. Firstly, it is easy to follow and concise, making the message it bears even more moving. When Dickens says "I've heard it in the chillest land/ and on the strangest sea", she implies beautifully how resilient hope can be in an individual. It does not require justification to exist for "[hope] never asked a crumb of me", as hope can persist during the darkest times without reason to exist except to bring lightness to dark times.
Deletehttp://hellopoetry.com/poem/1597/if/
ReplyDelete"If" by E. E Cummings
This is one of my favorite poems because it really emphasizes how special and beauty each individual person is. It is all about appreciating your own life because if you life was different from how you already experienced it then you, wouldn't really be you. I really enjoy how the poem focus's on the individuality of humans and how special and precious life really is. Along with the meaning of the poem, the way the poem flows and is written is really beautiful to me. To me, this is a work of art and something that I try to live by.
I hadn't read this poem before, but I also really like the message that it sends--that each person is beautiful and important in his or her own way. I chose to comment on this poem because normally I don't love poems that rhyme because they always seem forced, but Cummings seemed to do it very naturally without forcing it.
DeleteI also really like this poem because I think that what Cummings is saying is that everything (even the bad things in life) is for a reason and that we are all shaped by everything around us. I also agree that the rhyme scheme flows very well. I think it sort of "matches" the repetitive rhythm of the poem. Cummings has a very smooth rhythm that he establishes with his lists of images in each stanza (for example, "if fear was plucky and globes were square...").
DeleteI enjoy this poem as well as it possesses a kind of childishness in its tone. It describes things from "freckles" to "measles" being "nice" to fear" being "plucky." These things have an endearing quality. I also enjoy the overall message of individuality as well, even as there is some conflict with the goods described.
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_that_is_gold_does_not_glitter
ReplyDelete"All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter" By J.R.R Tolkien
I love this poem because it is simple yet powerful. It speaks being resilient and humble. It reminds us that the strongest weapon a person can have is a strong sense of self. I find the shift when it begins to talk about triumph inspiring and uplifting. It reminds me that all great things take time and hard work, but we should accept the challenge rather then accept our defeat. Also Tolkien was a pretty cool guy and I love a lot of the messages he wrote about in all of his works not just this poem.
I love this poem as well! I think Tolkein does a wonderful job of portraying the idea that things cannot always be generalized and labeled as easily as people do in modern day society. Also nothing is truly over, sometimes patience is needed and everyone will find their calling someday or another. It doesnt matter what one is king of, whether they are CEO of a company or head chef at a restaurant. Everyone can, and will, achieve. Plus im obsessed with Lord of the Rings
Deletehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poem/179622
ReplyDelete"[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]"
by E.E. cummings
I love this poem because I think it is just really sweet. Every time I read it, it makes me smile. I just love how the speaker is so deeply in love with whoever he is talking about. The speaker carries this other person with them everywhere, thinks about him/her all the time, and it makes me happy to think about. Also, this poem makes me think about my family and how I carry them with me wherever I go.
I also really like this poem because of the happiness and love written into the poem. The first time I heard this poem was at my uncle's wedding because he and my aunt read it to each other. Whenever I hear this poem I think about how much they love each other and how it took them so long to find their soul mate but they eventually did. It just makes me happy to know that two people can love each other that much.
DeleteI really enjoyed this poem. I mean from the first line on it gives you a sense of hope. The first line, "All that is gold does not glitter," to me is saying that even if something does not appear to be special or flashy it can still have just as much meaning. I think it's also saying that to be successful you do not have to conform to the standards. The whole poem is kind of just giving the reader hope and saying that even though you might not be the same as others, or if you feel like you are a failure, you aren't.
DeleteI almost picked this poem for my favorite poem (it's my second favorite!) I love this poem for its pure happiness and expression of intense passion and love. To me, the poem embodies unconditional, pure and internal love that he has for someone. I also think that this poem could be applicable for family or other things in life that one is passionate about, and not only romantic love. This poem is really beautiful.
Deletehttp://www.americanpoems.com/poets/sylviaplath/1462
ReplyDeleteI find the poem, titled “Words” by Sylvia Plath, to be beautifully crafted. The overall purpose of the poem is to elaborate on the seemingly simple aspect of words, and reveal the true darker nature of them. She compares words to “axes,” sharp and direct. Much as axes slice into objects, words can similarly cut deeply into a person and “travel” to the center of someone’s emotional being. She also talks about the aftermath caused by words such as “wells like tears” (the pain that follows a negative comment). Her numerous metaphors comparing words to natural elements bring out the very natural reactions humans have to statements of word. “Words” successfully illustrates the more dismal characteristics of human communication while simultaneously using beautiful, delicate language; a contrast that also compares the simple exterior of words to the complex roots of them.
I agree with what you said about the beauty and elegance of this poem, and I especially like your last sentence in which you compare the interiors and exteriors of words. Words, written or spoken, have a great impact on other humans, and Plath seems to focus solely on the harmful repercussions that can occur. I think that the lines “Water striving/To re-establish its mirror/Over…./A white skull” are a good example of how we as humans often have a facade of “water” which reflects what we want it to reflect, but words have a way of attacking us on the inside and tearing us apart. I also like the line “Words dry and riderless” since it seems to imply that words eventually can spiral out of control of their speaker and gain a power of their own.
Deletehttp://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems/maya-angelou/still-i-rise/
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poem is "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou because not only is it written with grace and beauty, but it also sends a really powerful message. The poem relates Angelou's struggle as a black women in the US--though she is continually denied and knocked down because of her race and gender, she still "rises" every time. I also really like that the poem is written as if Angelou is talking to its readers; I think it makes it more personal and relatable. Though the poem is specific to Angelou's life, I like that everyone can relate to it because at some point in everyone's life, they face discrimination and criticism. Overall, I think the poem has a really strong and important message.
I really like the poem Grace chose because of the powerful message it sends, and because I love the author. I think Maya Angelou has the best quotes and sayings. This poem can relate to mostly everyone because people face individual challenges all throughout life. I think the repetition in this poem gives it the beauty and significance it is deserving of.
Deletehttp://www.thing.net/~grist/ld/i-cohen.htm
ReplyDeleteThe poem I chose is titled "Imagine Jean Cocteau" and it was written by my late grandfather, Ira Cohen. He was a poet and an artist, primarily a photographer. This poem embodies everything that he was. It exemplifies his insatiable interest in the obscure and his phenomenal imagination. He paints unique pictures like that of "an elephant playing a harmonica" and these types of ideas were a huge part of who he was. I also know some of the stories behind the truth in each of the seemingly unimaginable lines and that adds power to the poem. I have a picture of him where he looks like Curly from the Three Stooges and is dressed up in Shakespearean garb, just as he asks us to imagine. This poem shows the significance of poetry in his life and it helps me understand the value of all poetry. Although he had his struggles, poetry did provide him with "recorded moments of temporary sanity". I started reading my grandfather's poetry fairly recently because it was previously too mature for me. I have learned so much about him from his works and I have gained a greater respect for poetry.
First of all, your grandfather was incredibly talented. Though it is almost impossible for me to experience and understand this poem to the extent that Jack does, to me it embodies the way that literature can change your perspectives. It explains how literature can make you think or feel a way that can only be described by experiencing the few lines in front of you. I often felt that poetry cause my mind to lose sanity, but now I think maybe it was just gaining perspective.
DeleteI really love how you chose your grandfather's poem! As Lizzie mentioned, he is extremely talented and I like the way he used humor in the poem. My favorite line is "Imagine whatever you will but know that it is not imagination but experience which makes poetry". It creates a shift in the poem which makes the reader realize that poetry is written based on experiences, and that you cannot know the full experience the poet had just by reading their work. Poetry goes deeper than the reader can see.
Deletehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174975
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poem is "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" by Emily Dickinson. I personally enjoy that this poem is relatable in the sense that everyone has, at some point or another, experienced something that made them feel the funeral in their brain. Dickinson's repetition and writing style is beautiful, and flows together smoothly, while creating a clear image in one's mind. The line "Wrecked, solitary, here -" is particularly powerful to me, as personally there have been times where I have felt this way. This was one of the first poems that sparked my interest in the art.
I love this poem. There is a depth to Dickinson's words that is difficult to recreate. The reason this poem speaks to me is because of how perfectly it describes the human emotions too profound and perhaps dark to put into words. She finds comparisons between tangible occurrences and the most confusing human thoughts to somehow comfort readers by reminding them that even their most lonesome thoughts are shared by all people. She elaborates on the never-ending thoughts that flow inane out of our minds throughout life and how that can be draining and solitary, yet somehow phrases it in a beautiful soft tone that calms us for the time we are reading.
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DeleteI think that this poem is one of the darker poems featured on this blog, which is to be expected from Emily Dickinson. As we studied Emily Dickinson’s life, it is no surprise that Emily felt so miserable inside her own head. To agree with Adam, I though that the last line of the poem, "Wrecked, solitary, here -" was rather powerful because it conveyed a sense of being stuck and helpless.
DeleteI find the sense of teetering and then falling fascinating. The speaker describes "treading" in the beginning, later with "a creak across my Soul" before finally "a Plank in Reason, broke" with a "plunge," all contributing to this image. This kind of straining before snapping is haunting, along with the rest of the language (down to the smallest details, like the comma before "broke"). Dickinson's work in this regard along with the sobering message of people's dark times speaks to me.
Deletehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173536
ReplyDeleteI chose "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost as my favorite poem because it is a classic that I grew up with. I believe that its message is open for interpretation, whereas most readers would automatically assume that Frost is commending the choice to be unique. One could also propose that Frost is merely speculating about the difference that one minor decision can make in you person's existence, and the consequences that follow (good or bad).
I thought Sarah brought up an interesting point about this poem. When I read it the first time, I also assumed Frost was highlighting the importance of being unique and doing things on your own terms. But, as Sarah pointed out, I can also see how Frost may just be commenting on the difference a minor decision can make in a person's life. I think the lines "I took the one less traveled by/And that has made all the difference." shows that this second message may be Frost's purpose in writing this poem.
DeleteI found this poem fascinating because of Frost's ambiguity when discussing the future of the speaker in the poem. The lack of specificity when he says "And that made all the difference" allows for tremendous amount of interpretation to the meaning of Frost's poem. Many interpret this poem as Frost sending the message to "take the road less traveled" and to not be the same as everyone else, however that is not what is said. It is unknown if the "difference" that the road made was positive or a negative. The lack of assimilation with many (the road more traveled) could have been a terrible decision, and the difference made is that the speaker lives alone, ostracized from the rest of society. I find this poem fascinating because Frost's lack of specificity allows for completely contrasting interpretations of the same lines.
DeleteI always had a degree of fascination with this poem. While many interpret it as a rousing call to all those who take the wild road, I actually see it as an ode of concession. It is actually a poem that tells of the futile nature of choice. The speaker says they have taken the path less traveled, but it shows the lack of individuality, impact, and control we have over our own destinies.
Deletehttp://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/text/tennyson-lady-of-shalott-1842
ReplyDeleteI enjoy this poem due to its Arthurian allusion of a sorry tale. It details the seclusion, escape, and subsequent downfall of the lonely "Lady of Shalott". I find it moving in that her breaking free of the confines of the tower, where she looks in a mirror and sees shadows, results (directly or not) in her be carried down the river to her death. The especially gripping thing is that she does have her weaving initially, although it may still not be sufficient. Even the ending has some sort of sad irony in Lancelot's compliment of the woman he may have helped destroy.
In all honesty, I am not entirely (or remotely) set on a favorite poem. I even briefly considered the (in?)famous:
Fleas
Adam
Had'em.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/alone-6/
ReplyDeleteAlone- Maya Angelou
I really like all of Maya Angelou's poems, but this one I especially enjoyed. I think her poems are written in a more straight-forward way compared to other poets, and I like that. Alone has a really strong message, that no one can go through life alone, and I think that that is so true. My favorite few lines from the poem are "Lying, thinking/ Last night/How to find my soul a home/Where water is not thirsty/And bread loaf is not stone".
I like this poem because it is very approachable, but it still leaves room for interpretation. It uses repetition very well to reinforce the necessity of having companionship in hard times. I also really like the first person narration in this poem and I think it is interesting how this narration breaks in stanza 3 and resumes in stanza 5. My favorite thing about this poem is that the speaker reiterates that "nobody can make it out of here alone" but never explains what "here" is referring to. Is she talking about life, America, humanity, or something completely different?
Deletehttp://www.bartleby.com/198/1.html
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poem is "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot. While reading Mrs. Dalloway, I actually remembered this poem, especially the line "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." The poem focuses on the beginning of modernization and Eliot sarcastically shows how the introduction of modernization is taking over people's lives, turning them into overly eloquent societal snobs. Prufrock is a balding middle aged man that embodies this identity. Through moments such as "When the evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient etherized upon a table" shows the contradictions of modern society. It often reminds me of Septimus's thoughts about the rigidness and material superiority established in the story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5yADgMzGJo
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poem was If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda. I have loved this poem ever since my mom showed me it when I was younger. I love nearly all of Neruda's work but this poem stands out to me for a number of reasons. One reason I love If You Forget Me is the notion of simply "forgetting" someone because they do not love you back; the idea that we are able to stop loving someone. I think in a way Pablo Neruda was trying to make us realize how strange that seems. I believe this poem is used primarily to highlight the human emotions in love. If one person loves someone and they create these beautiful memories and bonds to this person just to simply stop loving them is impossible. This poem turns love into a tangible object along with our emotions.
"And you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land."
These are my favorite lines in poetry because of the depth and lightness that it carries. I find it beautiful the idea that once can continue on after such heart break; being left at this sort of emotional shore, yet they continue on their journey. But I also think these lines carry a heavier weight to them. I think what Neruda means is that we are always able to seek out other human beings; nobody is bound to anyone. That idea in and of itself can make one feel lonely. If You Forget Me could be interpreted in a number of ways and that is why I love this poem.
I love this poem as well. There is a tenderness to the poem that makes you think Neruda had someone in mind while writing this. It uses soft language to highlight the pain there is in moving on from someone you love. I love particularly when he talks about how everything leads him back to his love. It is speaking to how much someone can be consumed by there love for another.
DeleteI had not heard this poem until now, but I really like it. I agree it holds many different meanings, much like love shows itself in different ways depending on the individual. I think that is part of the mystique and yet easily personable nature to the poem. I also agree that though there is a level of comfort in Neruda's words about leaving something once so cherished and forever being rooted to it, there is also a level of uncertainty and doubt that accompanies change and moving away from one's roots. These are common concepts humans run into when in the presence of love and I think Neruda captures the complexity of the issues within his simple and powerful words.
DeleteI also have never heard this poem before. I like it because it gives a different perspective on love. It is often said that love is a one sided emotion; you can love someone that doesn't love you back. However, this poem challenges that idea. Maybe love is evoked by the other person's feelings and not your own. Is love a genuine feeling from the heart or just the desire to be co-dependable between another person?
Deletehttps://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/im-nobody-who-are-you-260
ReplyDeleteI'm Nobody! Who are you? By Emily Dickinson
I like this poem because I am generally a pretty quiet person and this poem celebrates those who speak with intention and with a greater purpose rather than to gain fame or recognition. I feel like I can really relate to the poem.
I really like this poem too! I love how the message is really about how even people who may be shy or quiet have someone who is like them - someone else who is "Nobody". I also think it's clever using the image of the frog as a sort of metaphor for the "somebodies" in the world. I interpreted this as if the speaker is saying "who wants to be loud like a croaking frog in the pond". I like how the speaker has a positive attitude towards being "Nobody" and really makes it known that being anyone is special.
DeleteI like this poem a lot. I think it is short and sweet. I agree with Allie, that Dickinson has a positive attitude. It could be made a sad poem, but Dickinson has makes it a positive message. I like the line "How dreary- to be - a Somebody" because Dickinson not only prefers being a "Nobody" but feels that being a Somebody is "public- like a - Frog".
DeleteI also enjoyed this poem since I feel that it balances on the line between profound and light-hearted. I think that, overall, the tone is humorous, which can be seen in the imagery used in the second stanza of a Frog and a Bog, as well as in the conversational syntax used. I also love the message that being “Nobody” is much more interesting, and liberating, than being forced to be “Somebody” and to pander to the expectations of the public.
Deletehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/246772
ReplyDeleteI love Emily Dickinson's poems, and this is one of my favorites. I like the imagery and word choice that paints the picture of the bird coming down the walk. Every time I read it, I discover something new, keeping it new and exciting.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/246772
ReplyDeleteI love Emily Dickinson's poems, and this is one of my favorites. I like the imagery and word choice that paints the picture of the bird coming down the walk. Every time I read it, I discover something new, keeping it new and exciting.
My favorite line, "he stirred his velvet head," gives me beautiful imagery and changes the way I see birds in my own life. I used to be terrified of how birds move- they are very jumpy and sudden. This poem helped me get over that fear and now I don't mind birds at all.
DeleteThis poem shows how poets have the ability to discern the beauty in everything, despite how commonplace it might seem. I like how the bird flies away from the speaker because I think it is an interesting commentary on the relationship between nature and humanity. Emily Dickinson uses capitalization in a very interesting way in this poem and capitalizes seemingly random words like "Walk," "Dew", "Beads", and "Cautious". I am not sure why she chose to capitalize the words she did, but it must be important and it definitely peaked my curiosity.
DeleteI like how Dickinson addresses the bird as a "he" as opposed to an "it." It really emphasizes the relationship between nature and humanity as mentioned by Jack. The line "He did not know I saw" makes it look like the bird was trying to eat the worm without anyone seeing to avoid judgement. But in reality, the bird doesn't care about the narrators judgements.
DeleteI really liked the way she described flying in the last paragraph and how she compared it to swimming "or butterflies- off banks of noon/ leap splashless as they swim". I thought it was a interesting comparison and as a swimmer I had never really seen the similarities but now that I think about it there are a lot of moments in swimming that you almost feel like you are flying.
DeleteMy favorite poem is the Soul Selects her Own Society by Emily Dickinson
ReplyDeleteTHE SOUL selects her own society,
Then shuts the door;
On her divine majority
Obtrude no more.
Unmoved, she notes the chariot’s pausing
At her low gate;
Unmoved, an emperor is kneeling
Upon her mat.
I ’ve known her from an ample nation
Choose one;
Then close the valves of her attention
Like stone.
I love this poem because it portrays that some choose a few companions who matter to them to allow into their life. Dickinson grew up independent, and it is evident in this piece.
Each time I've read this poem I've found a difference it what it has meant to me. I am so glad you chose this poem, a teacher read it aloud in class a few years back and I've had a liking for Emily Dickinson ever since. This poem is fascinating to me because the character within the poem is this incredibly independent woman who "shits the door on the divine majority" and takes her own path in life. She chooses her own company. She does what she pleases. To me, this lady sounds kinda badass. But it is the final stanzas where my interpretation varies time to time. Some days, perhaps when I myself feel particularly individual, I take it that the woman's choice to do as she please is respectable and admired. On other days, i read this and see that the final lines "close her attention" appear heartless and cold. Even with the emperor kneeling t is not enough to keep her interest or earn her acknowledgement. That's what's so beautiful about this poem; it is short and simple, yet increasingly complex the more you dig into it.
DeleteI really enjoy this introspective piece and how Dickinson portrays a life decision and gives a broader theme that is applicable to everyone. Also the beat and rhythm of the poem is fantastic. Like the decision Dickinson made to only allow people that matter to her into her life this poem is a reflection of her the rhythm, the rhymes, the diction and the simplicity
Deletehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/236920
ReplyDeleteThe first time being exposed to this poem, it was completely orally, so the poem had little to no rational. Unbeknownst to the class, everyone had to perform this piece, so it added a different meaning each time, which is why this poem is one of my favorites. The ambiguity personalizes the poem for each person.
http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2006/06/04
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poem is "Since Feeling is First" by E.E Cummings mostly for the message it sends but also for its diction and syntax. What I got from this is that feeling is a much more important part to life than just intelligence. This is a poem of acceptance so when reading it, I always feel a comfort to life. My favorite line is “lady i swear by all flowers. Don't cry,” mostly because I like the way it sounds and her reference to flowers along with crying evokes a soft, delicate kind of emotion.
My favorite line from this poem is "for life's not a paragraph - And death i think is no parenthesis" because I love how Cummings compares life and death to ways of writing - it is very powerful. I also had chosen a E.E cummings poem and I think his poetry is very simplistic and powerful all at the same time. I really enjoyed how much he focus's on the importance of life in this poem.
Deletehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173083
ReplyDeleteI have always loved " The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Lord Byron. As a child, it called to mind valiant battle, charging steeds, all manner of things that young boys love of ancient warfare. As I grew older and revisited the piece, I saw that the rhythm and cadence of the poem was eerily similar to the beat of thundering hooves. This technique, known as anapestic tetrameter, gives you the feeling of charging along with the Assyrians.
I love how you related this poem to your childhood and how your interpretation of the poem has grown with you over time. The poem has great imagery and sensory language. I also can see how the rhyme scheme and rhythm of the poem is similar to the beat of horse's hooves. My favorite part of this poem is how it is able to focus on a rider and his horse in the midst of everything going on around them during a battle.
DeleteI really enjoyed this poem as well, mostly due to its upbeat rhythm and rhyme-scheme. I specifically loved the imagery of the shiny weaponry wielded by the warriors, as described "And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea/When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee." This is simply beautiful language and an abstract way to convey this image. Although this poem focuses on the topic of war, it does so with a buoyant and playful cadence that is surprisingly quite peaceful.
DeleteI have loved reading all of these posts and comments! One of my favorite poems is "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman. You might remember it from American Lit or from the iconic scene in Dead Poets Society. When I was in high school, I recited portions of this lengthy poem at a national poetry competition. So, I quite literally got to "sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world." I love the transcendental spirit of this poem and the individualism that it celebrates. Verses 1, 21, and 52 are worth a read. Here is the link: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174745
ReplyDelete