Jerry+Wang+Poetry+Log

Jerry Wang Poetry Log

__1. Fast Rode the Knight__ by Stephen Crane - glorious and honorable with a sharp turn to disgrace and horror __2. Messy Room__ by Shel Silverstein - humorous with an ironic twist - catchy meter and rhyme
 * August 12**

__3. As Soon as Fred Gets Out of Bed__ by Jack Prelutsky - lighthearted, rhythmic, silly __4. There is Another Sky__ by Emily Dickinson - loving, optimistic, soothing tone, nature imagery
 * August 14**

__5. If You Forget Me__ by Pablo Neruda - deep, pensive, with calm nature imagery __6. Still I Rise__ by Maya Angelou - defiant, inspirational tone. feeling of ascension and self improvement (y)
 * August 16**

__7. A Girl__ by Ezra Pound - simple powerful and direct. Nature imagery pertaining to trees. __8. Les Silhouettes__ by Oscar Wilde - somber, gloomy tone. sad nature imagery contrasted with youthful joy.
 * August 18**

__9. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening__ by Robert Frost - deep, pensive, steady meter and rhythm. snow imagery - peaceful and tranquil __10. Bear in There__ by Shel Silverstein - similar feel to __Messy Room__, catchy meter and rhyme - silly and lighthearted. polar bear in frigidaire
 * August 20**

__11. Where the Sidewalk Ends__ by Shel Silverstein - idea of growing up? light and dark imagery. once again a rhythmic meter __12. Phenomenal Woman__ - by Maya Angelou - proud, confident tone. interesting idea of woman not being "fashion model's" size yet still being very attractive to men. stress of repetition.
 * August 22**

__13. I Do Not Love You Except for I love You__ by Pablo Neruda - word play, repetition and concept of duality. heat and cold, love and hate __14. The Man He Killed__ by Thomas Hardy - hesitant, ponderous, regretful, detached, well organized stanzas, meter
 * August 23**

__15. Petals__ by Amy Lowell - nature imagery, rose petals, joy, hope and beauty, yet with a subtle somber undertone. perhaps a nostalgic mood? __16. My Voice__ by Oscar Wilde - association of modernity with rush and crowd. negative connotations as well.
 * August 26**

__17. The Road Not Taken__ by Robert Frost - idea of choices and travelling less worn path, taking risks/new experiences. __18. I Taught Myself to Live Simply__ by Anna Akhmatova - suggests a sadness veiled by a false mask of happiness which is only occasionally seen.
 * August 28**

__19. Love Sonnet XVII__ - by Pablo Neruda - emphasizing the simple nature of speaker's love and the unity of both speaker and lover as one. Nature imagery. Darkness=good __20. Composed Upon Westminster Bridge__ by William Wordsworth. beauty of nature emphasized through tranquil mood imagery, reinforced with sound devices producing soft sounds.
 * August 30**

__21. The Light Wraps You__ by Pablo Neruda - playing around with light and dark imagery. feeling of struggle and triumph, but also a persevering sadness __22. Resolution and Independance__ by William Wordsworth - I can't believe I actually read that Ms. B, it was sooooo looooong. Anyways, very rigidly structured into 20 distinct stanzas, with iambic pentameter. imagery of nature's beauty. comparing own troubles and doubts to the strife of inspirational old man firm of mind. extremely detailed and descriptive. Good on you for reading all the way through. It's what people did before television. ;-)
 * September 6**

Checked 18 September 22/15-25 KBoyce Diverse collection, though could incorporate more female poets. Commentary could be expanded a bit.

**September 20, 2011** 23. **'Fall, leaves, fall'** **by Emily Bronte** Made think of Lady Macbeth’s “Come, darkness, come” soliloquy Interesting juxtaposition between life and death through analogy of the seasons Speaker seems content for decay, dreary days, and long nights. Word choice: fall, die, decay, dreary 24. **A Friend Sends Her Perfumed Carriage** **by Li Ching Chao** Instantly struck me with a somber tone. Creates a nostalgic mood. Imagery of brilliant lights and laughter in bittersweet remembrance. Idea of youth vs. age. 11th line transition point – change from recalling the past to describing the present. Chao uses word “withering” – further illustrates idea of decay. Transformation from active, playful girl playing dress up with friends to passive observer of “talk and laughter” she can no longer share. Curtain she hides behind represents the divide between speaker’s present and past, but speaker turns down invitation of her “old poetry and wine companion”. Hence, could the curtain be a self-imposed barrier? **September 27, 2011** 25. **Sonnet 43 - How do I love thee? Let me count the ways** **by Elizabeth Barrett Browning** Repetition of “I love thee”. great, intangible concepts such as soul, Right, faith, God, and death. Idea of innocence and purity conveyed through Browning’s language: “with my childhood’s faith”. Iambic pentameter and rhyme. 26. **Nobody knows this little Rose** **by Emily Dickinson** Feel’s as if the speaker is lamenting the loss of something small and insignificant, yet beautiful, such as the rose. Dickinson points out “how easy” it is for such beauty to die. The speaker who “take[s]” it from the ways” is not concerned with it removal. But rather, only bees, butterfly, birds, and the breeze will miss the presence of the rose. Also interesting to note the use of B words: beauty, bird, bees, breeze, butterfly. **September 29, 2011** 27. **My Heart and I** **by Elizabeth Barrett Browning** Very forlorn and somber mood, created by speaker’s downhearted tone. Speaker is tired of life on earth, of beauties and joys – men (assuming speaker is female), pretty children, gems of powers and pleasures. imagery of wear and tear, growing old and being abandoned by the world. – “little room for things worn out… disdain them, break them, throw them by.” Gravestone on which moss has grown over time. Repetition of “tired, my heart and I” Last stanza-- reverse? Satisfaction “we were once loved, used, -- well enough,/ I think, we’ve fared, my heart and I”. smile because it happened, not because it has ended. Rigorously structured into 7 stanzas. 28. **When You Come** **by Maya Angelou** Conveys intense sadness felt by speaker when partner is unfaithful. Long ago rooms, Where memories lie – past, forgotten, abandoned. Lie – double meaning (rest and deceive) Four things which emphasize waning loyalty of lover – highlighted by their objectification to trunks, trinkets, and baubles to suggest old, forgotten objects. Powerful last line. Two words, two syllables, written completely in capital letters. “ I CRY” **October 4, 2011** 29. **Against Love** **by Katherine Philips** Juxtaposing concepts: freedom, shackles (emprisonment), griefs and joys, power and weakness Emphasizing debilitative nature of love Speaker criticizes the duplicitous nature and destructive nature of love, how love is man’s own undoing. Man does not gain much from love, but is still pleased. No regular meter pattern? 30. **By Night when Others Soundly Slept** **by Anne Bradstreet** Speaker relates receiving healing and spiritual comfort from her Saviour up above while being unable to sleep at night. Structured orderly into 4 stanzas, each with four lines. Third stanza – concept of cleansing and renewing. Tears are stored in Bottle and wounds are washed with blood. Doubts and fears banished be. Capitalization of nouns to stress important idea/concept “Soul, Above, Good, Bottle, Doubts, Savior, Eternity” **October 6, 2011** 31. **A Red, Red Rose** **by Robert Burns** Luve - deliberately misspelt? love is like the red, red rose - symbol for beauty and passion love - melody- harmonious, serene Rhythm and meter rolls of the tongue naturally. concept of the perseverance of love over time. melting of rocks under the sun and evaporation of the oceans orderly structured many euphonious sounds.
 * 1) Days too few
 * 2) Stolen kisses
 * 3) Borrowed loves
 * 4) Secret words

32. A Poison Tree by **William Blake** appearance vs reality. the shiny red apple harbors the venom of the speaker’s pain, hatred and fears. made me think about Lady Mactbeth telling her husband to disguise himself as sweet flower while hiding the evilest intent within.


 * October 10, 2011**

33. **Of a Forgetful Sea** **by Kelli Russell Agodon** Feeling of forgetting the small, important details of life. Using imagery of innocent young child to convey natural human nature to help others. small things - ants, fleas, grains of sand, to the child, is her world. The tides which wash them away symbolize the Turning point of the poem: Here war is only newsprint. emphasizing the distance between conflict and peace. lamenting those who have forgotten those in conflict and strife around the world.

34. **The Treasure** **by Rupert Brooke** Structured into two distinct stanzas first stanza discusses the idea of enjoyable and precious moments and their ending. color and light are used to create a light mood. Sense of ending created by metaphorizing the eyes as color’s home and the shutting of shining lights. pleasant sensory impressions. image of dancing girls - joy, harmony. sweet bird’s cries - serenity, peace and contentment. second stanza discusses how these memories, these treasures, are appreciated by the speaker. Brooke compares these memories to scented stores which will be unpacked, to be examined, and turned over. simile made to a mother watching her children - fond, and quietly appreciating these gifts.


 * October 13, 2011**

35. **A Tale** **by Louise Bogan** Bogan discusses nature and comportment of youth - curious and exploring the world. criticizing that these youth are their own undoing. He states that “they cut what holds his days together” and locks himself in. Conveys an idea that the youth do not know what they are doing, or that they are searching for something in vain. idea that sea/waves slash water causes change. used in conjunction with soil, stone, and rock, which is eroded and hence shaped by the water. Speaker says that youth will not find a land on which there are now ocean waves, and hence perhaps suggesting that nothing is permanent.

36. **Digging** **by Seamus Heaney** Seamus Heaney describes the rewards of hard work, and compares different types of “work”. Contrasts his own pen - pushing with the farming and digging of his dad and grandfather. Detailed description of their actions and appearance while digging. Rewarding nature of this work is suggested by the speaker’s love for the “cool hardness” of the potatoes. This work manifests itself through “living roots awaken[ed]” in his head. The spade and the pen are used to contrast the speaker’s line of work. The spade is a heavy, “dirty” tool which requires strength and force, whereas the pen is light but subtle, requiring intellectual prowess to handle.

// **One can only do so much....** //
 * October 14, 2011 (why didn’t we read these two poems for our poetry unit last year Ms. B?) **

37. **In Flanders Fields by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae (May 1915)** immediately noticed the iambic tetrameter, gives poem smooth rhythmic flow. Contributes to the calm, pensive tone. Consistent slight pauses in the middle of lines, either after 1 foot, or 2 feet. (that mark our place, and in the sky) (we lived, felt dawn) Last line of each of the three stanzas has no pause, emphasizing their importance. Last lines of last two stanzas “In Flanders Fields) is only two feet as opposed to 4 feet of the other 13 lines. Image conveyed of peaceful, serene fields, marked with symbols of death and sacrifice. Poppies blow between rows and rows of crosses – symbol of remembrance for those who sacrificed their lives.  Emphasis placed on the suddenness of death. Short days ago, “we” were felt dawn, saw sunset glow, and loved – portraying warmness of life. “and now” – strong transition from and juxtaposition against “few days ago”  Speakers mentions the symbolic action of tossing the torch to those who are still alive. Torch symbol of hope, faith, light, and good. The action of passing a torch relates to baton passing during a relay and conjures idea of unity and solidarity. Urging the remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives for their country.  38. **We Shall Keep the Faith by Moina Michael (November 1918)** great similarities in structure, meter, and sound with McRae’s “In Flanders Fields”. Michael also employs iambic tetrameter with the last lines of each of her three stanzas only having 2 feet. Direct response to McCrae’s poem. “we have caught the torch you threw” symbolic of accepting the responsibility for learning and teaching “the lesson the [ye] have wrought”. Torch held high – symbolic of pride for those who made sacrifices Second stanza portrays the poppy as symbol of honorable war heroes who died in the war. Majestic imagery – lustre, skies, fields – contributes to the great image of these heroes. Blood is also connected to concept of eternal heroism. (rather than gore, violence, and trauma). The color of red, from blood, transfused into the lustre of the poppies, illustrates the idea of courage and love for country. Fear not that ye have died for naught, we’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought – consolidation of message “We Shall Keep the Faith” and remembrance.

October 17, 2011

39. **Women Work by Maya Angelou**

Can split into two sections. The first section consisting of one long stanza listing out job’s that the female speaker must attend to, the second section consisting of 4 stanzas appealing to nature to deliver her from this work.

Each task is briefly and succinctly listed in one line – conveys idea of work being simple, mundane and tedious. The task list is compiled/ compressed into one stanza perhaps to demonstrate the overwhelming feeling that speaker is trying to portray from repeating and juggling small tasks.

Plead for respite from this work. Appeal to visual imagery to consolidate idea of rest. Floating across sky, fall gently, kisses,

40. **Stopping by woods on a snowy evening by Robert Frost**

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep.” I immediately picked up on Frost’s deep appreciation of the beautiful snowy woods from his admiring tone. Frost suggests that there is something deeply mysterious and enrapturing about the woods, something that his horse would not understand. His horse feels that it is queer for him to stop here and gives the reins a shake, as if to question whether the speaker desires to stop here.

Also picked up a feeling of loneliness. Image of speaker and horse in front of vast woods, which block him from the view of some one he knows. They are stopped between the woods and frozen lake without a barn near, emphasizing the remoteness of their location.

I get the impression that Frost is trying to imply that even on our journey to whatever goal we have set in life.

October 20, 2011

41. **Let America be America Again by Langston Hughes**

Interesting word play in title. First America – country where speaker resides. Second America – land of the free. Speaker imagines and glorifies a land of beauty, justice, and freedom, while criticizing, somewhat sardonically, the actual America of reality. The reality is the anti-thesis of what Hughes envisions America to be. America should be “the strong land of love” where “opportunity is real, and life is free.” However, speaker takes the voice of a range of misrepresented groups and people. Slaves, immigrants, poor, red men.

The poem initially starts off with a very patriotic and glorious tone, which is immediately interrupted by tiny interjections which contradict the main stanzas of the poem. As the poem progresses, the glorious tone loses its strength and presence to a critical and demanding tone.

42. **America by Allen Ginsberg**

Speaker strongly critical of America’s actions and attitude towards happenings around them. Repetition of imperative statements beginning with America – stresses call to action/call to improve. Some obscene language and phrases are long, continuous – creates feeling of rant/rambling.

Highly sardonic tone towards the end of the poem. Use of over exaggerated declarative statements about Russia illustrate Allen Ginsberg’s unappreciative opinion of what “America” has been telling him.

October 23, 2011

43. **I Am Not Yours by Sara Teasdale**

Concept of not belonging to some one, and not being “lost” in them. Speaker seems to be struggling with inner conflict. She both wants and does not want to become completely lost in her lover. Hesitant/ fearful tone (yet with some awe) at the idea of being swept away by her feelings.

Speaker emphasizes her own individuality despite her love and appreciation for her lover’s “spirit beautiful and bright”.

Repetition of the word lost conveys wish to “let go”.

Consolidated by image of candle lit at noon, snowflake in the sea, taper in a rushing wind and tempest. Idea of an insignificant light or beautiful thing on a large canvas, swept away by everything surrounding it.

“lost as a light is lost in light” paradoxical statement – confusion?

44. **All the World’s a Stage by William Shakespeare**

extended metaphor of life created by Shakespeare

all men and women merely players with entrances and exits – suggest insignificance of these mortals n the world. Concept of cyclical nature of life. One starts as childish being and ends up with a second childeshness.

seven stages/ages of life


 * 1) Infant – helpless, puking, puckering
 * 2) Schoolboy - whining
 * 3) Lover - furnace
 * 4) Soldier – quarrelous, strange beliefs
 * 5) Justice – old(er) wise man
 * 6) Lean and slippered pantaloon
 * 7) Second childishness sans everything

October 26, 2011 45. **If Those I loved were lost by Emily Dickinson** Very short read. Two stanzas, eight couplets. The first 3 pairs of lines seem to follow the same structure of “if …then” logic. Crier, Ghent, and Daisy – capitalized to portray significance and relation to death. Daisies – reference to death. Pushing up daisies / sleeping under daisies. Last line of the poem one less syllable than other’s, stressing significance. Idea of being unable to handle death/ loss of Philip? 46. **Walking Around** **by Pablo Neruda** Instantly struck by the dark imagery – conveys a setting of death, darkness, and decay. Idea of a slow, burning torment – “slow/dirty tears are falling.” Repetition of “I am sick of” emphasizes speaker’s disgust towards living. Common everyday items/objects raised to reflect repulsive blandness of life. (shops, movie houses, feet, nails, hair, shadow.) Interesting use of animal reference – “sulphur colored birds” – bright yellow, yet a sickly pale yellow. used on conjunction with “hideous intestines hanging”. Lots of body parts – sensory appeal – disgust – intestines, umbilical cordes, corpses, ear, foot, hair, nails, October 29, 2011 47. **Brown Penny** **by William Butler Yeats** Wistful, nostalgic, pensive tone. – created by punctuation/pauses and repetition “Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny.” Initial hesitation: I am too young. I am old enough – inner conflict within the speaker “I am looped in the loops of her hair” – riddle/paradoxical statement contributes to speaker’s idea of love being a “crooked” thing. Second stanza elaborates on the mysterious complexities of love. Hyperbole – one thinking to unravel the enigmatic truth of love would be thinking of it “till the stars had run away/And the shadows eaten by the moon” – illustrates significant passage of time. Imagery of moon and stars also contributes to wistful/romantic tone. One cannot being it too soon – Yeats suggesting that love is precious and one is never wrong to love? 48. **A Birthday** Poem by Ted Kooser Significance of title? Not once is anything relating to a birthday mentioned in the poem. Perhaps birthday day is reference to the birth (beginning of each day) ie sunrise, which is mentioned in the poem. Idea that light and days can be collected. One needs to actively pursue these things rather than passively receive them. Speaker switches to first person in middle of the poem. Feasting on every green moment – feasting – enjoying, sucking in, basking in. Green moment – treaseure of light and day. Bucket at day, tin bell at night – significance of juxtapostition? Tin bell of my name… Insignificance, yet beauty of individual life in context of natural world? November 1, 2011 49. **Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden** Father son relationship – love Father would wake up even early even on Sundays to warm the house for the rest of the family. Various instances of language illustrate the portray the sacrifices the father makes : blueback cold, cracked hands, labor in the weekday weather. Child unappreciative of father’s love? Contrast between cold and warm. Cold=anger, pain? Warmth = love? Father’s loving actions contrasted with son’s indifference. Last line: strong rhetorical question – raise the idea of whether son can really appreciate what his father is doing for him. “love’s austere and lonely offices” 50. **O Captain! My Captain! By Walt Whitman** 3 distinctly separate stanzas stanza 1: concept of triumph and victory “fearful trip is done”. Idea of ordeal conveyed through extended metaphor of sailing through ocean. Ship weather’ed every rack. “prize we ought is won.” Celebration: bells, people exulting. Turning point at “But” heart! x3 stresses speakers pain and lament for dead captain. Drops of red blood – portray courage, bravery, loyalty. Stanza 2: celebration in name of the dead. Symbol of victory and honor – bugle trills, flag, bouquets, ribbon’d wreaths. Great love for this “captain” Stanza 3: monologue directed away from captain towards third party audience. Detailed description of dead captain’s appearance. Sad and tragic – pale, stale, no pulse nor will. Referes to captain as father – leader, mentor, guide, role model, teacher – positive qualities. Whitman seems to question whether the victory gained was worth the sacrifice of the leader. Fallen cold and dead repeated at end of each stanza – portray the ultimate emergence of the undeniable truth?

November 4, 2011

51. **And the Moon and The Stars and the World** **by Charles Bukowski**

Approached poem with every expectation of reading about the beauty of nature at night and feeling connected to the rest of the world.

First two lines – enjambment – night – feeling of vast outdoors. Long – exploration, adventure, searching.

Soul – deep, profound feeling.

However, immediately shift in tone and atmosphere from deep and pensive to cavalier and… light hearted I guess.

What speaker is doing on these long night walks for the soul is that he is peeking into windows,

Watching tired housewives trying to fight off beer-maddened husbands.

To think that speaker finds observing this… drunken vs tired fight “good for the soul” – either satirical, or darkly ironic.

Reference to secretly observing sexual activity?

52. **Neruda’s Hat** by Kelli Russel Agodon

deep and pensive tone. Romantic in a sense?

Hat symbolize’s poet’s thoughts and missives. Idea of serenity conveyed through peaceful images – seas, night skies filled with “tomorrow’s stars”.

Idea of lingering and spending time – sat outside until the edge of daylight stretched itself across a new band of morning, the shadow of the hat washing onto the shore.

Perhaps to suggest long and peaceful times spent with Pablo Neruda?

Woman placing fruits in hat represents her trust and their intimacy.

November 6, 2011

53. **Snapshot of a Lump** by Kelli Russell Agodon

Immediately noticed a foreboding mood – speaker states that she “pretend[s]” to be “comfortable undressing in front of men who go home to their wives.” – idea of nudity and vulnerability. I interpreted this as the speaker reflecting on the implications of getting an x ray for her breasts/chest

Feeling of foreboding exaggerated by the feeling of breasts being pressed flat by a – torpedo, pyramid, triangle, rocket – all heavy and massive – suggestion of burden?

Anxiety also illustrated by nurse performing operation who is “fumbling” and tells speaker not to move.

Poem ends by trailing off, with speaker pondering what will happen to her life if the test results are negative.

54. **A Mermaid Questions God** by Kelli Russell Agodon

Immediate impression was taken aback by the imagery of sands and deserts in the first stanza. The title mentions mermaid but the first image is of a desert.

Perhaps blue and cool of the ocean contrasted to the orange/red and heat of the desert is a comparison between heaven and hell. As a girl, speaker hate grain of anything, fire ants, and centipedes

But now she has integrated herself with the desert.

Speaker proceeds to speak of the ocean as something not to trust. She knows the warying moon and the changing tides. “Undertow is imaginary” – “not something to be trusted”

Poem ends with narrator saying that the girl will only trust the bible if it floats, but of course the bible never with float – hence equivalent to saying that she never will trust it and god.

November 8, 2011

55. **Choose your obsessions…** by Siddarth Anand

constant repetition of choose your obsessions for they are unworthy possessions – constantly repeated, mantra of the poem. Rhythmic meter also makes it easier to remember. Word play with the wordy unworthy? Valuable? Invaluable? Could work both ways.

Metaphor of obsessions being Trojan horses, rotten seeds, weeds – all harmful in a subtle and indirect way. Even though these things are harmful, the speaker insists that humans “keep them” rather than “throw” them away to emphasize the consistent and subtly damaging nature of these obsessions. Impression that obsessions will destroy the possessor in time.

Lots of sound “ession” used – provides poem with highly rhythmic feel – felt like a rap when I read it. Possession, obsession, regression. impressions

Even more sion sounds used ot the same effect – positions, decision

56. **Mystic Lady** by Siddharth Anand

Sound devices – rhyme and euphony. Nectar, lilac – soft sounds which roll off the tongue.

Speaker addresses Mystic Lady for whom he has a deep love.

Concept of love replenishing a void or completing a whole. – “I am whole” “the love that lacked in mine” ‘what I lack/have to find”

Appeal to senory impressions – heavenly scent – nectar, lilacs – all peaceful and tranquil. Pleasant.

This love is so powerful that it is the Mystic Lady’s love which frees the speaker, rather than birds – which are conventionally symbolic of liberty due to their freedom from gravity and ability to fly.

November 10, 2011

57. **It Takes a While to Disappear** by Ralph Angel

Very interesting – idea of decay coupled with perseverance of personalities. The setting – surrounding city environment seems to age and decay while the speaker maintain that “you will never” become a “different person”.

Forlorn mood – random actions occurring in setting background – “someone” – emphasizes the alieness of the people around.

Cursing and hosing down the pavement – suggesting messup. “all fuzzy black and white an greenish at the corners” – blurred vision and distorted perception of color illustrates chaos and confusion.

“in vain shrieking siren repeats itself” – call to help is ignored – abandonment.

58. **In Every Direction** by Ralph Angel

idea of extreme confusion conveyed.

Waking up dead – how is that even possible? Untangling vines tumble toward ceiling – image of vines depict disorder. Tumble – should be going down, not up towards the ceiling. Either ceiling is on the floor, or gravity is distorted?

Eerie image of lizard sitting on shoulder blinking in every direction.

Face in basin of water – cool, calm, death and decay. Dance the slow shuffle of decay – once again emphasizing eerie calm and decay.

Relentless passage of time suggested – seasons changing, continents travelling and grass breathing. Townspeople and victims murders seem insignificant compared to this progression of time.

Transitional stanza when sound is made. Seems to be very loud compared to the rest of the poem, which I imagined to be completely silent, as if it had been in a dream. But now a door creeps open and slams shut – appeal to sound generates tension and apprehension.

November 12, 2011

60. **All Lovely Things** by Conrad Aiken

Poem laments the passing of time and hence the decaying of beauty and the speaker’s true love – whether it be his youth, his girl, or his health and joy.

Imagery used to illustrate the sad passage of time:

Ladies forgotten – beauty will fade

Dead, dusty goldenrod – even nature is part of the process

Sweet flesh and flowers rotten – changing in taste

Cobwebs tenting bright heads – intelligence fades

Strong first two declarative statements emphasize speaker’s regrets:

“All lovely things will have an ending”

“All lovely things will fade and die.”

Rhythmic pace and tone – 9,8,9,8,9,8,9,8 syllables and then reversed – 8,9,8,9,8,9,8,9

61. **How to get on in society** by John Betjeman

seems to be mocking high and noble-posh lifestyle with fancy structures, words and activities.

Betjeman many trivial matters. “Is trifle sufficient for sweet?” ahaha use of the word trifle – pun. Suggesting the trivial nature of issues commonly considered with such a dainty” “Milk and then just as it comes dear?” Children have crumpled serviettes, making it impossible to serve food “daintily”. Also considering whether the toilet/washroom is sufficiently equipped. Other inconsequentially small things/arrangments – couch to rest feet, fork for pastries, vestibule for tea. Fancy rhythm and rhyme further exaggerate the outright mockery of such a lifestyle. Final couplet makes mockery and cynicism more apparent – speaker using verb soiling – to dirty. Soiling the doileys with afternoon tea-cakes and scones.

62. **She Was Very Strange, and Beautiful** by Michael Burch

poem seems to depict a type of beauty that seems to be at first taking aback but then appreciated. Comma between the words strange and beautiful convey that the woman is first recognized for her strangeness, which is then described as an unexpected sort of beauty.

Appeal to nature imagery, which seems unusual but certainly has a certain element of beauty to it: violet mist in hills, hoot owl calls, cricket trills, envapored moon hanging low and full.

Strange in a pleasant way – speaker “drank [his] full of her every word” – showing appreciation and enjoyment of this woman.

Feeling of sadness conveyed in last stanza. Speaker feels empty upon woman’s departure – though she gave me all, I had nothing left. Long I smiled – portrays impact of beauty on speaker – bereft – feeling of loneliness. And receding glow – slowly disappearing presence – persistant.

5 Dec 2011 62/45-75 more thorough analysis :-)

December:

63. **A Wicker Basket** – Robert Creeley

Very abstract images created of walrus hands, small eyes, and randomly sized heads. Lines are rhythmic and make the poem feel like a song. Also seems to convey the speakers’ immunity to others laughing at him while he spends time with an old friend Liz.

64. **Tortures** – Wislawa Szymborska

Repetition of nothing has changed to refer to the man’s lasting instinctive natures. Exploration of physical pain and its permanent connection to the human body and life. The speaker suggests that only the soul seems to be free, disappearing, moving back, drawing nearer etc. Pensive and thoughtful/reflective tone.

65. **Passport** – Mahmoud Darwish

Passport used as symbol of self identity. Emotion of indignity is conveyed at having identity taken away or not being recognized by those the speaker nourished with his own hands. Defiantly declaring that hearts of people are identity, not passports, and so take away my passport! Use of contrast between nature imagery and man-made imagery to contrast freedom of identity/being recognized with imprisonment in lost identity.

66. **The Ever-Patient Woman** - Andree Chedid

Structured into two sections each consisting of a long and short stanza. Short stanzas are completely identical apart from the words life and light. Perhaps meaning to equate life to light? Poem appears to be an extended metaphor of a woman giving birth. Appreciation for this ever-patient woman is demonstrated through the implementation of peaceful/somewhat majestic imagery. (volcanos, orchards, flowing sap, tender flesh etc)

67. **Between Going and staying the day wavers** – Octavio Paz

Initially, the title reminded me of the scene in R&J where Romeo is must either go or stay with Juliet as the sun is about to rise and expose him to danger from the Capulet’s. Paradoxical elements: visible yet elusive, going yet staying, near yet untouchable – highlighting pause. Pause = perhaps some sort of perception of an instant as a lengthy period of time.

68. **Forget** – Czeslaw Milosz

Contrary to the negative connotation of the title, the speaker delivers an uplifting message. Forget the suffering and pain others have caused you, and forget the same you have caused others and move on. Idea of cleansing and renewal created by running waters and rivers and the birth of grandsons and great-grandsons.

69. **Love after Love** – Derek Walcott

Delineates idea of meeting self or lover in another life. Expounds the strength of personal relationships and love, and feelings which may transverse lifetimes. Wine, bread, and heart are given as symbols of of friendship or love. Love is the more dominant idea as title is Love after Love.

70. **West Riding** – Ian Emberson

An extremely downcast mood and desolate image is created at the beginning of the poem, where only a bright sari exists in a dark, somber, barren street. This somber mood and image is continually accentuated. Cold temperatures and the color bloodred also used to portray “Red Decembers of despair”. Last stanza seems to be cynical in tone, remarking that worlds still bother to pirouette stars – exude such feeble light. This is compared to a dim picture in a golden frame, or a bright sari on a darkened street. Both of theses images represent the futility of light in the consuming darkness.

71. **God Has Pity on Kindergarten Children** – Yehuda Amichai

Idea conveyed that God’s pity for one decreases as one ages. He has pity for kindergarteners, some for school children, and none at all for adults. The suffering of adults is delineated by their crawling on all fours, streaming with blood, in scorching sand. Speaker states that perhaps if care was given to “them”, then god would have pity and lessen the adults’ suffering. However, it is unclear who constitutes “them”. Seems to be an ambiguous pronoun. My interpretation is that them most likely refers to all those lacking god’s pity or in suffering. Perhaps poet is trying to convey that we are our own saviors, and helping ourselves will ultimately protect ourselves from “suffering now and on other days.”

72. **Destiny** – Gregory Corso

Image of absolute authority created for those who ferry edicts of God. These deliverers are exempt from apprehension or detention and flit through tribunals of Space and Time, emphasizing their power. The discussion of a corporeal messenger spirit appears to be somewhat cynical and unbelieving. Curious comparison of the Messenger Spirit to an electric midwife entering through locked doors. The last stanza of the poem ends by expressing that it is impossible to ascertain if a Messenger Spirit has ever stumbled into darkness, although it is supposed to be reliable and dependable, further adding to the expression of doubt in this high and mighty being.

73. **Silent Mark** – Cecilia Borromeo

Speaker reflects hesitation at communicating some sort of message to the addressee. Symbolic imagery is employed to demonstrate desire for speaker to convey message. Mantle of stoic ink represents repeated, yet unsuccessful efforts of communication, while crystallized dew formed from burning ink may represent a clear, violent truth.

74. **The Blindman’s Song** – Rainer Maria Rilke

The blind speaker, lamenting at the inability of others to understand him/her, despairs at his curse. Emotions of hopelessness and spite generated by harsh, negative word choice: curse, contradiction, farce, despair. The symbol of a song and the tunes it is sung with is utilized to delineate one’s perception, understanding, or outlook towards life and when sunlight comes into [your] house each morning.

January

75. **Go on** – Lisa Zaran

Poem paints a bleak picture of the life of a woman, filed with theft, pretense, and uncaring loved ones. Reptition of “go on” illustrates need for woman to continue and persevere even through adversity. The verbs drink, smoke, do drugs, and hate your boss serve to provide social commentary of the current time period and illuminate a not-so pleasant side of life. Social criticism is also made against the expectations of women’s appearances through hesitations between eating or not eating, getting fat, or slimming down. Last two verbs “wait”, “hold on” seem to be paradoxically synonymous with “go on”. Although they have literally opposite meanings, all three verbs may be interpreted as a synonym of persevere, or have patience.

76. **Giving Myself Up** – Mark Strand

Immediately noticed a very distinct structure. Each line begins with the phrase “I give up”, meaning to sacrifice. The speaker declares that he gives up most of his vital body parts, listing each of them in turn and in turn creating a metaphor for them. For example – the speaker states that his legs are only lovers at night – eg they only come together at night. However, some other metaphors particularly peculiar and may be open to many different interpretations eg. Smell is that of a stone traveling through rain. Poem ends with speaker declaring twice that he/she gives up, starting over again,and that the addressed in the poem shall have none. This perhaps reflects the idea that materialistic things are insignificant in the cycle of life.

77. **On the Past** – Marvin Glasser

Speaker begins with an almost disenchanted tone towards the progression of life, merely noting the passage of another normal day that “wasn’t as bad as days go”. The speaker states that the problem is the days of the past, bring with them sad/negative memories. However, in the third and middle stanza, there seems to be a transition of the tone from disenchanted to optimistic, as the speaker states who knows “what the day might have brought”. The following fourth stanza explores the negative and positive opportunities presented by the arrival of each new day, while the final stanza consolidates idea that we should be optimistic, dragging the burdens of our past so that we may find bliss in the future.

78. **The Beach at Big Salt –** Jessica Goodfellow

Poem creates contrast between sharp, straight edges and soft, flowing curves. The speaker states that it is impossible for compass of or the straight edge to square a circle with infinitely many sides. The compass and straight edge may represent conventional mathematical knowledge, while the circle represents the infinitely varying and flowing possibilities of real life. Hence the compass and straight edge may be symbols delineating the futility of trying to explain the human condition through pure, precise scientific or mathematical knowledge. The poem also discuss Matter and Creation, both of which “escape the discipline of being”, “buckling and spiraling “. This imagery of curvatures and soft flows is consolidated by beach imagery (shells, sand, water) and is further expounded by the peaceful image of a baby curled in the womb.

79. **Counting Sheep** – Vona Groarke

The speaker is counting sheep while trying to fall asleep. However, she is distracted by images of worried ewes and mating rams. The long, rambling structure of the poem best reflects the mood and mental disposition of the speaker as she becomes drowsy and loses her train of thought. Poem ends with cynical statements concerning the scientists and so called experts who are lulled to sleep by their whimsical experiments and equations. The skepticism of the speaker in these experts is illustrated ironically when she falls asleep counting these “experts”, but not the sheep they suggested beforehand.

80. **Endless Time** – Radbindranath Tagore

As the poet is Indian, I was constantly looking for connections with Siddhartha. I immediately noticed the exploration of the concept of time. This poem, contrary to Hesse’s novel, seems to suggest that time is an extremely valuable for man (although it is abundant in the hands of the lord). The speaker remarks the hastiness of men around him, highlighting their haste through word choice such as scramble, poor, late, querulous. However the poem transitions and the speaker states in the last line that yet there is still time, perhaps agreeing with the message I previously gained from Siddhartha.

81. **River Crossing –** Brian Henry

Henry describes the river crossing as not only a physical journey, but also more importantly, a spiritual one. He outlines that there are physical dangers to the crossing – slippery stones, strong currents, the risk of drowning etc. There are also dangers of potentially trespassing property on the other side. However, Henry maintains that nevertheless, it is the mind that can cross, along with the eye. Perhaps Henry wishes to suggest that the greatest challenge to completing a physical task is to first conquer it mentally and visualize success. Only with determination and deliberation can one achieve one’s goals.

82. **Bones**- Walter de la Mare

Distinct structure – poem in form of dialogue between doctor and patient. This allows the reader to observe the events of the poem with a neutral third party feeling. I then noticed that the patient quite foolishly agreed to the doctor’s even more foolish cure of removing the patients bones in order to provide a simple cure for pain. The poem begins to mess with my mind in the last stanza, as the patient simply walks away from his surgery, completely boneless.

83. **Farewell** – Rabindranath Tagore

Speaker conveys sad and bittersweet emotions of leaving home an departing on a new journey. Simple,

Direct statements add weighting to the farewell. Refers to those addressed as brothers – demonstrate strong relationships with those speaker is about to leave. Door keys – represent right to land and property, both of which the speaker gives up in order to find new lands. Speaker’s gratitude for those he has lived with is conveyed through his statement that he has “received more than [he] could give.” Image of sunrise and dawn, with fading darkness used to convey sense of renewal and commencement of something new.

84. **The Security Guard** – Jeffrey Rregullano

Speaker is a security guard, expressing his boredom at standing guard with nothing to do. His boredom is delineated by the image of the guard standing still and cast against the uneventful horizon. He even rhetorically asks if this mundane monotony must go on for the rest of his life. The guard must also balance caution and friendliness, as he must be both cautious and smile at passersby. His boredom, along with the maintenance of this balance, is highlighted by his fingers playing between “trigger and tedious time.” This could refer to action and boredom. Perhaps the guard is so bored that he wishes something would happen. The last stanza is peculiar, as the guard issues a greeting to an arrival and declares that it is a good day to die. Perhaps he is so bored as to prefer death over his post?

85. **Moonlight Memories** – Megan V. Goldner

This poem very effectively describes Halloween by juxtaposing its gleeful atmosphere and spooky decorations. Although the poem is set in night, often associated with evil and danger, “soft moonlight” glints – creating a warm and welcoming feeling for the night. Children, described as small giggling figures running up and down the street – add to the image of fun and enjoyment on Halloween night. Spooky white things – ghosts, skeletons, black birds and goblins are all around, contributing towards the joyful spookiness. As the “wind whispers” the last line: “Happy Halloween”, readers will be brought back to “moonlight memories” of their own Halloweens.

86. **Imitation** – Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin

Immediately distinctive is the accepting tone with which the speaker refers to Death. It seems as if the speaker is almost welcoming it to take him to another world. A tranquil, peaceful image is created with words such as quiet, somber, peaceful etc. Poet also contrast the somber, gloomy world with “heaven’s dazzling azure curtains” to further suggest the appeal of passing away. Nevertheless speaker does seem to show some sadness at leaving the earth, as he recalls the “brook’s enchanting dance” and peaceful shades of wildnerness. His emotional ties to the physical world are further highlighted by the personification of the stream as a dancer. Ultimately, though, his departure is highlighted by a certitude and acceptance, as he simply states “farewell” to the world.

February

87. **Leaves** – Lisa Zaran

Speaker recounts tale of looking for a God, but finding character mixed with both good and evil – signified by a devil and angel and his shoulders. Juxtaposition is created between positive and negative as the speaker elaborates on the encounter being either a stroke of “bad luck” or one of “destiny”. This juxtaposition is furthered by the paradoxical description of “thorny rhythms” and “tragic…melodies”, both of which are negative descriptions of inherently enjoyable things. The last stanza reveals that perhaps the speaker is referring to a lover, as she states that her heart never tried to commit suicide before, revealing an extreme emotional pain in relation with “you”.

88. **I Remember, I Remember** – Thomas Hood

The poet uses various appeals to sensory impressions to invoke nostalgic feelings in the readers for their childhoods. Hood uses a variety of different images that are likely to have some sort of connection to a potential reader’s past. The first stanza paints an image of sunlight “peeping” in on one’s childhood bedroom. Wink and peep are both verbs that may be associated with childhood. The second and third stanzas refer to the outdoors, a garden with assortments of flowers and a swing. Many readers would be able to associate playing on swing as a child. However, the poem seems to take a turn when the speaker declares that he was closer to heaven as a child than now as an adult. Perhaps this is to suggest that upon becoming an adult, we lose some of our childish freedoms. Bound by and educated and restricted imagination, we as adults no longer picture “slender tops” of fir trees touching the sky, but are rather grounded by harsh reality.

89. **A Boat beneath a Sunny Sky** – Lewis Carroll

Poem has fluent rhythm and is regularly paced, akin to a boat rocking lighly in July. Imagery of young children cuddling under summer sky invokes warm, soothing mood. Mood changed by echoes of memories that have died. Transition from summer sky to autumn frosts further emphasizes the change in mood. Motif of dreaming mentioned throughout the poem – dreamy sky, dreamy memories. Last line of poem possibly also an allusion to “Row, row, row your boat).

90. **Autumn Perspective** by Erica Jong

Poem immediately conveys a sense of emptiness by creating image of empty apartment whose residents have just moved out. Bare nails and unsoiled squares where paintings used to hang on walls create an impression that the house has been abandoned. The speaker describes herself as a new incoming occupant of the apartment – filling it with books, rinsing off dusty glasses etc. She regards filling up this old room symbolic of creating for herself a new life, or planning for the future. However, speaker conveys idea that contents of the room are not important. What is important about our lives is how we perceive the room. Our “eyes are fickle” and are subject to our hearts tugs and pulls. Last line of poem paradoxical. Speaker looks forward and sees herself looking back – as if she will miss the past.

91. **The Lake** – by Deborah Ager

Lake seems to be a friend of the speaker. Perhaps lake to speaker is as kitchen to Tita. The speaker says that the lake tells “you” what wants to be heard and asks what wants to be asked, singing to comfort “you”, who seems to be reminiscing of good memories. Authors memory of “buildings black against sky” creates rather ominous and dark image, surrounded by hissing rain (harsh discordant sound) and dying grass. Perhaps speaker reflecting on decay of home city from lake view? Low temperatures of current reality (rain, wind, blue lake) contrasted with warm memories – coffee, lover, crickets – summer.

92. **Clouds Gathering** – Charles Simic

Poem immediately starts off in a somewhat sad or depressing tone as speaker describes a life which

“seemed the kind” he wanted. Dream like life is described with imagery of wild strawberries and cream – creating sense of sweetness. Sunlight brightness and happiness. Sea – nature imagery, further contributes to “dream”. Transition as speakers voices hesitation. Likens own life to “tragic actors”, bound for sad ending. “theater on fire” delineates crisis. “birds circling over our heads” further underscores perilous situation. Imagery becomes dark – starless nights and dark pines and grasses. Even wind does not blow. Speaker questions “why always this hint of an unhappy ending?” – contributing to the building gloomy mood.

93. **Angel Love** – by Gary R. Ferris

Poem structured like a child’s nursery rhyme. Ferris uses contrast between light and dark to convey the twists and turns of the male angels emotions and state in life. Before meeting his angel partner, he spent dark nights drinking and hurting – conveying a pain or suffering. However, when he meets angel partner, it is bright in the day. Their newborn angle symbolic of creation or new hope, may also be representative of newborn child. “Life’s winds changed” signifying a change in the relationship between the two parent angels. “Things fell Apart” – made me think Achebe ha! Speaker criticizes the separation of the older two angels, which left the young angel sad and tired. Older angels also grow old and tired. Upon reunion of the angels, speaker rejoices and claims that “Angel Love” lasts forever. Perhaps describing a certain type of faithful love that can survive tests of time, conflict, and distance.

94. **The Pact** – by Sharon Olds

Speaker describes with horrific tone a silent pact between speaker and sister to remain quiet as they witness 8 year old sibling being given away due to harsh financial conditions. Innocence of the children contrasted from dark imagery created through poem. Dark imagery established with Father and Mother “staggering” and attempting to “not kill [themselves].” Sibling described as a rubber body – nearly objectified as if an attempt to detach from all emotion. “Molly Ann” or “Tiny Tears” probably children’s dolls or teddy bears – further connection with rubber bodies? – underscores speaker and sister’s attachment for this eight year old sibling.

95. **Night Opens to the Storm** – by Anne-Marie Derése, translated by Judith Skillman

Poem is extremely heavy on imagery and mood as work is translated and sound devices such as meter or rhyme may not be as eloquently employed. Opening is immediately very ominous in mood – underscored by “night opens to the storm” – ocean imagery created with “merchant ship throwing off its anchor” – adding the storm imagery. Diction – danger, heavier further the ominous mood. Mugginess of a greenhouse - fog or mist? Murky = mugginess. Allusion to Valley of the Seven Muses breathing mist. In last stanza, speaker shifts to first person – conveying worry and concern as the “storm penetrates”. WC penetrate suggests defending against something?

96. **The Cat’s Song** – by Marge Piercy

Poem describes characteristics of a cat from first person point of view. Cat is also curiously the speaker. Some appreciation of cats is demonstrated through the fond tone with which the poem speaks about the talents of a cat – “fading into shadows, waiting, hunting”. Cat is also compared to human – perhaps humans are the owners, but cat believes that the relationship is mutual. Cat is fed, and tries to feed human owner “plump warm mouse”. Cat states “I am more equal than you.” Rhetorical questions from cat asking human about his physical capability and agility serve to portray cats as physically superior relatively to body size. It appears that in this poem, cat is the teacher, the one with more experience in the relationship.

97. **In Childhood**– by Kimiko Hahn

Speaker grown up child who used to believe that all things never died and would always return. Transition in line “Later this vision is not True” True capitalized to signify some sort of ultimate truth – perhaps about death or circle of life. Those who die would not return. Speaker mentions grandmother, pet parakeet who have not returned from death. Poem once again turns when speakers explores concept of whether these dead things have transitioned into another state and have indeed returned. Inquisitive tone as speaker asks where do dead things go?

98. **Sanity** by Claire Nixon

Poem builds and follows through with despairing mood and speakers’ tone becomes more and more hopeless. This tone is built with speaker’s realization that although he has supported some one for “all these years”, he realizes that he “was always alone”. The second person narration further allows readers to identify with the sense of abandonment speaker feels. Speaker declares that he has always been suffering past wounds which would not mend – suggesting some sort of permanent injury. Speaker holds out hand, but finds only emptiness. Creates sense of loneliness and despair, contrasting with “you” whose hand the speaker held and who he supported. Ultimate declaration of despair in last line – “losing my sanity”

March

99. **Exiles** – by Marilyn Hacker

Poem laden with gory images. Poem opens speakers own hands shriveling and turning pink in steaming water. A “slime of blood” “scuffle” across the floor, beginning to establish a horrific feel for the poem. Cans of ashes burn – paradoxical – something that is already burnt being burned – emphasis on destruction or decomposition. Blond child tells speaker that “she is going to die” – even more ominous or heavy. Speaker continually repeats “I am an exile”, but each time in a different place – in her land, in her bed, in her sight, in her youth, and in her hands. Appears as if she feels trapped.

100. **Moon Fishing** – Lisel Mueller

Title extremely unexpected in meaning. Originally I thought speaker was describing people fishing by the moon. But he was actualliy referring to people fishing FOR the moon. Pitchforks, rakes and sieves and ladles all brought – foolishness of task. Further underscored by passerby who ironically has no idea how to catch the moon himself, and tells the fishers to use women’s hairs. The next traveller stated that they must fish with their hearts. Imagery of dark animals fishing with heart as bait on hooks perhaps to make reference to those who give up their hearts to attain some materialistic desire. In the end however, the fisher’s thirst is quenched by taking back their hearts, and actually drinking the water, and the river or lake had dried up and moon had slipped away.

101. **The Journey** – by Mary Oliver

Speaker in second person addressed “what you had to do” sense of determination and purpose developed by “you” who could not be swayed by bad advice. The momentum or weight of this bad advice is built by the imagery of a whole “trembling house” and “old tug”, perhaps an old bad habit. Personification of “wind” prying with “stiff fingers” at the “very foundations”, “you” did not yield to the strength of the wind. Slow process of self discovery or recognition built. Gradual sense of progress suggested by imagery of stars burning through clouds little by little. Light imagery further creates hope. Emergence of a new voice, one’s own voice- signifies the discovery of self identity – contrasted with beginning of poem in which speaker was trying not to listen to the voices of others.

102. **Hanging Fire** – by Audre Lorde

Immediate sense of loneliness and helplessness created in poem with 14 year old girl alone and worried about adolecscent ordeals. Each of the three stanzas repeats that “momma’s in the bedroom/with the door closed” suggesting that 14 year old speaker is on her own without any maternal help. Speaker discusses skin problems, crushes, dancing, parties, math, grades, braces – all teenage worries. However, she tends to over exaggerate them and connect them with her perceived imminent death – vividly describing turbulent worries and emotions of typical teenager. Title “Hanging Fire” perhaps refers to the uncontrollability of energy or heat – similar to teenagers’ uncontrollable emotions.

103. **Gardening** – by Jonathan Bohrn

Speakers conveys affection or appreciation of gardening through his description of sensory impressions. The slight ache of the summer heat feels oddly intimate and familiar, while feeling living stalk or petals in his fingers. Speaker refers to blood and petals – indicating that time and effort must be invested in order to yield something beautiful or valuable. A sense of fragility also conveyed by thread on which speaker rests and the weakness of the plants which are unable to stand up to the cutting force of the shears.

104. **Current** – by Anna Piutti

Speaker seems to be conveying the intensity of passion between two human beings. Short, concise, powerful and purposeful diction. Fibers and flesh – reference to human tissue? Electricity – energy or tension is transuded through a simple sigh. Speaker can see sun-bordered clouds in the addressed’s eyes – illustrating the great attention to detail or her proximity with “you”. Swooshing of curtains to suggest bedrooms? Temples like drums – increased an strong pulse rate. Hypnotic pulsations, dreams loud blink of light bulb, kaleidoscopes convulse – sexual intercourse and orgasm? Intensity and passion conveyed throughout.

105. **The Morning Baking** – by Carolyn Forche

Speaker utilizes extremely cynical/disgusted tone – perhaps to portray denial of speaker at passing away of her grandmother? Speaker demands that grandmother return from the ground and help her with her baking. Poignant rhetorical questions directed at dead grandmother throughout poem to further sarcastic or cynical tone. Disgusting imagery created to further speaker’s dislike for grandmother- wavy loaves of flesh & blood sausages. Perhaps speaker is a bit revolted at herself growing old. She states that she is “sick of growing fat” like her grandmother.

106. **The Embrace** – Mark Doty

Poem made me immediately think of the speaker as a woman. But author is male. Doty still effectively portrays emotions of a woman who has seen his dead husband in her dreams. Paradoxically, as soon as speaker saw husband, she knew without doubt that husband was dead and she was dreaming. The tone of the speaker is pensive and grateful as she reflects on this dream and appreciates the chance to be able to see her husband in such great detail again. The raw shock and emotion of speaker is conveyed by her question of why it is so difficult to remember her husbands face outside of dreaming? Speaker describes husbands appearance with fond affectionate tone.

107. **The sun has burst the sky** – Jenny Joseph

Speaker in jubilant mood and speaks with joyous tone. Light imagery used to convey happiness resulting from speaker’s loving emotions. Hyperbole that sun has burst the sky exaggerates speakers happiness and delight at finding love. Even the violent, roaring sea “laps” gently at rocks, and ignores the tidal effect of the moon trying to “drag it away”. People walk and laugh on the street – adding a mood of cheerfulness or happiness to the light imagery. To the speaker, even ships hooters sound “crazy with joy” because of her love.

108. **Wedding-Ring** – by Denise Levertov

Extremely forlorn mood as speaker describes wedding ring with sad tone. Image of wedding ring sitting in empty basket convey sense of loneliness. Basket likened to a vast, deep well – further underscoring emptiness. Speaker indirectly states that husband has dead by declaring that nothing will put the ring back onto her finger. Next three stanzas proceed to must about what could be done about the ring. Material worth vs. spiritual or emotional value. Speaker must decide between whether to sell it, keep it or give it away. Speaker in the end wishes to turn ring into symbol of friendship – perhaps does not want a future mate?

109. **Sky Harbor** – by Norman Dubie

Context of poem very ambiguous and open to many interpretations. The speaker seems to be in a dream, and it is hard to distinguish between life and death. Perhaps the sky harbor, or airport, is a stop on the way from life to death, kind of like Harry Potter’s King’s Cross train station, where one could choose to board a train and move on. Very odd imagery of speaker describing brunette and her sense of smell or her clothing. The tone seems to be almost apathetic or neutral and uncaring. Old man whispers and repeats: nothing ever happens. Perhaps to suggest a boredom?

110. **Jigsaw Puzzles and You**

Reader is left to ponder the significance of jigsaw pieces throughout poem, which are only revealed as pieces of love in the last line, building a narrative tension. Speaker describes the puzzle pieces as a ceramic nightmare, a mess to be put together with glue and paste. Use of first person pronoun “we” creates sense of unity and cooperation between two lovers. A sense of perseverance also established as the endure ceramic nightmare and achieve the “well earned puzzle” called LOVE.

April

111. **A Marriage** – by R.S. Thomas

Very interesting structure, lines alternating between left and right justification. Title of Marriage could have a double meaning. One is the marriage of speaker with woman he met. The other is marriage of girl and Death, who chose her as his. “Shower of bird notes” – portray the sweet romantic mood between initial meeting between speaker and girl. “Last dance” however, conveys a finality or even fatality as girl leaves speaker to dance with death. Girl is seems to be very calmly accepting fate with death – with a sigh no heavier than a feather. Another reference to bird? Connection?

112. **Thanksgiving** – Mac Hammond

Very ironic portrayal of thanksgiving dinner where turkey is ruthlessly killed and cut up for dinner around “thankful” dinner guests. Turkey’s body parts often compared to those of the diners to further accentuate this ironic juxtaposition. Turkey is surely NOT thankful that it is being cut up. Image of turkey collapsed on plate furthers impression of disaster or something which one would not be grateful for. Carver is described as an exhausted carcass after having served the turkey- perhaps to ironically scorn his troubles with those of the turkey. Even more ironically, turkey has become cold as they finally begin to eat it.

113. **A Forgetful Number** – Vasko Popa

Very interesting poem personifying the number zero as it tries to multiply, divide, add, or subtract itself. Number is referred to as pure and round, untouchable by other numbers. Zero is not satisfied with its own characteristics, but eventually accepted them. Very abstract ideas about whether other things should be added or subtracted, or other mistakes being made in math. Imagery of darkness accompanies this confusion. Perhaps reference to WWII in which poet fought. Started, but needlessly perpetuated into darkness and confusion.

114. **Summer Colors** – by Fenny Sterenberg

Very interesting structure. Speaker describes women dressed in eye catching summer colors attracting the attention of men behind sunglasses as they walk by. However, no person is explicitly outlined by the speaker. Rather, the speaker focuses on their actions or their various characteristics. Long curls of lightest blond refer to feminity, which is coupled with summer dress and the exposure of lot of golden brown skin. Imagery of painted toenails and summer shoes further image/sense of feminity. Contrast with masculine summer colors, which are only blue and green (eyes) behind black shades.

115. **I Don’t Feel at Home Where I Am** – by Regina Derieva

Title – “don’t feel at home” sense of unease of inability to fully relax. Must always maintain a outwardly composure without demonstrating some embarrassing characteristic. Transition in poem as speaker moves on to talk about the “beyond”, characterized by pure freedom. Recurrent idea of outward social judgement re-emphasized by the crowd turned to stone – therefore no longer able to judge or apply this social pressure. Crowd also alluded to Gorgon. Images of treasure yet to be discovered buried in sand underline importance of finding own freedom away from these pressures.

116. **Considering the Snail** – Thom Gunn

Speaker describes snails slow, but steady pace with admiration. Work ethic of snail outline by verb push and hunt. Speaker also describes snail possessing a “slow passion” – something although not strong, intense or direct, but still has significance and force. Strong natural imagery also used - rain, water, woods. Perhaps to further the exploration of this slow passion into mother nature. Feelers of snail described as antlers – symbol of strength – couples concept of snail’s fury very well. Poem conveys amazement of even the most little inconsequential things that are never paid attention. Reminds me of a quote on our student planner before – Anything, when viewed in minute detail, like a blade of grass, is extremely fascinating.

117. **The Olive Tree** – Karl Shapiro

Imagery of olive tree utilized to convey sense of strength and power of life. Tree is “erect” and not “humpbacked”. The leaves ride boat-like in the brimming sun”. The concept of leaves being light weight in the sun creates further uplifting environment. Speaker deems tree the silver tree, holy tree, and tree of all attributes – furthering admiration. Natural sense of beauty is also conveyed by the “flawless blue canopy” of the night sky. Transition in poem in second and final stanza as speaker walks around pressing fallen olives into the ground so that they may sprout. But why does speaker refer to this as a loss? Perhaps he does not get to eat the olives?....

118. **The Masks of Love** – Alden Nowlan

Very abrupt and short poem. Speaker directly and effectively portrays the maddening state of love he is in. When asked whether it was raining outside after a walk with his lover, he does not know because he has been paying so much attention to her. Speakers tone is almost uncaring as he thinks that those asking him about the weather will think him crazy. Simple two stanzas, very direct and powerful.

119. **The Little Box** – Vasko Popa

Very abstract idea of little box growing bigger and bigger, consuming the world which once contained it. Perhaps the little box is representative of modern technology? Eg. Cell phones and computers can contain a world’s worth of information. Hence the reason the speaker states that he “whole world in miniature is inside this little box.) It is also “easily put in a pocket”, just like a cell phone But poet passed away in 1991…

120. **Without you** – Hermann Hesse

Right from title the speaker’s tone appears to be very depressing. Which is further highlighted by a sleepless night, empty as a gravestone. Speaker recalls feeling of lying down in lovers hair. Soft feel of hair evokes reader’s sense and emotions possibly for their own lovers. Imagery of emptiness, darkness and silence in vast empty house contributes to the forlorn, depressing mood. Constant repetition of “alone” and “without you” further underscores speaker’s pain at losing lover.

121. **To a Dark Girl** – Gwendolyn Bennett

Speaker urges small, dark, brown girl to forget about her past slavery and be proud of her skin color. Overlying theme – be proud of your own identity? Bennett portrays young, weak girl with kind of fallen/ recovering beauty perhaps to signify the potential she has if she were to take confidence and keep “all her queenliness”. Description of girl’s rounded breast, full lips emphasize that she is full of life, and that she should live it to the full.

122. **Bird shooting Season** – Olive Senior

Immediate contrast created between maternal feminity and macho masculinity during bird shooting season. Men gather, “become macho” and prepare hunting gear. While men drink white rum and shoulder their pack and guns, the women are uncontent, sipping their coffee chocolate. The speaker, a little boy, regards the men as role models and wishes that some day he will be able to join them when they hunt whereas the little girls, sympathetic for the birds, whisper – fly birds, fly.