Riowena+Seah+Poetry+Log

//1. Valentine -// Carol Ann Duffy A new take on Valentine's Day, something different, with the same amount of passion despite the twists and implications in this poem - a refreshing feel.

//2. Mrs. Midas -// Carol Ann Duffy A poem written as a modern interpretation of a popular Greek myth. It is sad, expressive, and yearning, and I can sense the revulsion yet pity that the mythical Mrs. Midas feels in regards to her husband.

//3. The Mortal One -// Sharon Olds A poem that contemplates the mortality of the human world, and gives a chilling feeling with its vivid descriptions. Kind of ambiguous, but sends the message that we're...mortal and death is inevitable besides having an underlying feeling of yearning in regards to the father who passed away.

//4. The Pact -// Sharon Olds Juxtaposition of a torn-apart family vs. the innocence of children lends a poignant touch with a hint of underlying anger. Scenes of violence and bloodshed vs. calm meticulous scenes - this gives me a horrified feeling despite the power of the "pact" formed between two innocent little sisters.

//5. If You Forget Me -// Pablo Neruda This poem is extremely poignant, and clearly reflects the speaker's desires to be with the person he loves. Imagery and metaphors have been amply applied to lend to this effect of passion and yearning.

//6. Night Opens to the Storm -// Judith Skillman Originally written in French. I love how the poet uses ample amounts of personification, metaphors, and similes to depict the breaking and forming of a storm late at night.

//7. Variations on the Word Love -// Margaret Atwood This poem allows us to ponder about the way love is used today in the world, how it is universal and extends to so many things. Metaphors help in expressing the speaker's views about the power of the word and yet its simultaneous weaknesses and insincerity.

//8. Siren Song// - Margaret Atwood This poem is unique by the fact that it is written from the point of view of a creature from Greek mythology. It is haunting and chilling, yet sad at the same time - just as how people described it in the Greek myth itself.

//9. The Lake -// Deborah Ager This poem uses personification to bring a lake to life in the midst of a bustling urban landscape. The contrast between the serenity of nature and the bustle of the cities enhances the beauty brought about by the mystique of the lake identified by the speaker.

//10. That's What I Said -// April Bernard This poem is barbed and a little cynical. It has a dark atmosphere and vivid imagery with the use of sound devices and metaphors. Creates some very haunting images.

//11. Autumn Perspective// by Erica Jong A lot of imagery in the first stanza to compare moving homes to life, with the feeling of "saying goodbye". Feeling of yearning for the past, which I can associate with.

//12. Shoveling Snow With Buddha -// Billy Collins Uses shoveling snow as a metaphor for religion - slightly amusing, yet touching in its own way, as if the speaker can physically interact with the buddha. Beautiful use of literary devices to create a wonderful scene.

//13. Clouds Gathering// - Charles Simic This poem represents the ups and downs in relationships (i.e. between lovers), with uses of metaphors to signify the different points that could happen in the relationship. Contrast between beauty and ugliness serves to enhance the poem.

//14. Halley's Comet -// Stanley Kunitz Amusing poem exemplifying the naivety and innocence of children, as the speaker truly believes that his death is coming. It is a sweet and light poem.

//15. Angel Love -// Gary. R. Ferris Rhyme scheme emulates that of a nursery rhyme. Different stanzas emphasize the ups and downs in relationships, alluding to unhappy times like divorce after marriage etc. Transitions in tone + mood with a happy ending signifying that : love conquers all.

//16. Twice Shy// - Seamus Heaney Language is obscure and confusing, but paints a picture of two shy people beginning a tentative relationship after suffering mishaps in previous relationships. Interesting word choices and vocab make this poem nice to read.

//17. Living in Sin// - Adrienne Rich Tells about the home a woman lives in. This poem is quite obscure but uses a lot of vivid imagery to make the house come "alive" - the dirt, the grime, and the cacophony. Image of "mess" and "disorder".

//T18. he Gift -// David Lehman Humorous, but aptly depicts the mismatching actions of a couple and the trials they face due to their "differences". The structure is unique and holds a lot of meaning - each gift exchange is a line.

//19. I Won, You Lost -// Philip Levine It's mocking but poignant, clearly reflects the speaker's brooding memories and even regret. Contrast of new and old images increases nostalgia and the bitterness felt at the loss of someone dear versus the hatred for a violent past.

//20. the River of Bees -// W.S. Merwin A very obscure poem. I think that the speaker is dreaming about returning to the past yet is confronted by the uncertainty of the future. A lack of punctuation gives it an airy feel, almost insubstantial.

//21. The Cat's Song// - Marge Piercy This poem is written from the point of view of a cat - an intimate, warm poem. It amply describes the different characteristics and personality of the typical cat - pride but warm and loving.

//22. In Childhood// - Kimiko Hahn This poem talks about contrasting mindsets: the innocent mind believing that things don't stay dead, and then the sudden realization that death is final. The speaker touches on reincarnation. Reflects a train of thought and different mindsets.

//23. Clenched Soul -// Pablo Neruda This poem talks about the loneliness and pain felt after the destruction of a love relationship. Motif: twilight - the end of every day, the end of everything.

//24. Snow White's Acne -// by Denise Duhamel This is a humorous, ironic and completely different take on the tale of Snow White and the 7 dwarves. Snow White is dumped into a contemporary world and all roles are reversed.

//25. Tsunami// - Sharon Esther Lampert A passionate, strong retelling of the 2004 tsunami incident, outlining the difficulty of the poorer community struck by the disaster who ended up facing even more hardship. Touching.

//26. Colors Passing Through Us -// Marge Piercy A long poem resembling a nursery rhyme, coming up with memories linked to the different colors of the rainbow. playful and sweet. could reflect a child-parent relationship or a relationship between lovers.

//27. Acid -// Roddy Lumsden interesting use of juxtaposition and a fixed structure of three-line stanzas. it seems like a nonsensical rambling of the speaker based on the structure (one lonnnng sentence split into a poem form)

//28. An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow// - Les Murray Explains the weird scene of people standing around watching a grown man cry. It apparently is something out-of-the-world, and no one has the power to stop him, yet he has the power to bring the city to a halt. A magical moment perhaps?

//29. Night Tremors -// Gary. R. Ferris Recounts the thoughts of a soldier in war. Rhyming couplets form the poem and cacophony add on to the war-like rhythm of this poem.

//30. I Vent my Wrath on Animals -// Jerome Rothenberg Short succinct lines with good use of juxtaposition. The tone seems to be sadistic and brusque, which blends in well with the darkness of the title.

//31. Is White a Color?// - John Matthew contemplation on the significance of the color "white". different stanzas outline different appearances of white, and touches a little on racism in the subtlest of ways.

Checked 18 September 31/15-25 KBoyce Quite a diverse collection! Good acknowledgement of features and ideas.

//32. Poem of Night// - Galway Kinnell Interesting division of this poem into numbered but enjambed sections. The poet writes of the feeling of a face beneath the hands, linking that to a separation between friends or lovers. Many metaphors employed, and imagery is vivid.

//33. To A Friend Going Blind -// Jorie Graham A sweet, poignant poem that reflects the comfort the speaker tries to give to her friend Sara, someone losing her sight. Scenes juxtaposing views of the world from a normal person's eyes contrast with the blind person's view of the world to create a beautiful, sad picture.

//34. Exiles -// Marilyn Hacker Some very disturbing "emo" imagery of self-isolation and harshness as well as desolation. Speaks of separation from everyone else, all alone in the speaker's little world.

//35. Sanity -// Claire Nixon It's the most "plain" of all the poems read so far, short and succinct. But the words paint a desolate picture as the reader is able to picture the speaker on the brink of insanity and depression.

//36. Go On -// Lisa Zaran Repetition of the phrase "go on" demonstrates the speaker's argument that regardless of anything, life goes on. A slightly cynical, but somehow simultaneously encouraging. The ending is ironic saying "hold on" -- in regards to the formation of new lives in the midst of human pain. A celebration, perhaps.

//37. Moon Fishing// - Lisel Mueller A slightly cynical poem of trickery and naivety. Set in a fairy-tale/fable format where people try to catch the moon's reflection in a body of water. Reflects the futility of certain things in daily life despite determination and perseverance.

//38. Gardening -// Jonathan Bohrn Uses different scenes regarding gardening of flowers as a metaphor for the fragility of life. Multiple use of metaphors throughout emphasizes how time waits for no man, that life is unbelievably short and fragile.

//39. i have found what you are like -// e e cummings Interesting play on structure and punctuation (scattering, visual effects) to push forward different points and bring emphasis to others. it is a strange poem, made strange by the punctuation of course.

//40. Piano -// D.H Lawrence Poignant and sad, with a strong nostalgic feeling. As the piano is something I enjoy, i feel a link with the memories that music can invoke. Composed of rhyming couplets in a total of three stanzas.

//41. The Writer// - Richard Wilbur Structure is fixed at three lines per stanza, each one a different snapshot of a scene within a room - a female writer hard at work, and the transition to a bird taking flight after being trapped in the same room the writer is in. It has a nostalgic tone, and I think the bird scene represents the idea of trial and error that the writer faces.

//42. The Journey -// Mary Oliver Speaks on the theme of finding the self and independence. Metaphors used to describe the effect of someone breaking free from a crowd to find him or herself. The tone is affectionate, intimate with the person doing the deed.

//43. Book Passion// - Belinda Subraman Metaphorical sense used in describing a passion for reading and enjoying literature. It is a creative way to talk of a passion, and I can understand the speaker's voracious appetite for books.

//44. Current// - Anna Piutti A very obscure poem composed of fragments and occasional enjambments. Vivid imagery, and not much direct mentioning of "current' in the sense that we recognize - more along the lines of something abstract connecting things to another in the universe.

//45. Hanging Fire -// Audre Lorde The title has nothing directly to do with the poem. Provocative and controversial, it speaks of the neglecting of a young boy who has so many insecurities and regrets. Melancholy and regretful, the tone is not very enjoyable. Repetition of the last line of each stanza emphasizes the lonely voice of the young speaker.

//46. The Time Around Scars -// Michael Ondaatje Personification, metaphors, and allusions bring to life scars - things so dead yet so permanent and universal. The poem hints at a sense of regret concealed beneath an emotionless, neutral mask, and reveals the speaker's feelings towards someone he once loved in the past, despite having moved on in the future. Regret appears to be the theme of this poem.

//47. An Attempt at Jealousy -// Craig Raine Poem's structure circles around stanzas with two sets of rhyming couplets (4 lines) each. The rhythm and rhyme serves to add a cynical, sarcastic humor to the speaker's voice. The speaker reveals his anger and disdain and succeeds, in contrast to the title, to portray himself in his full jealousy. Metaphors and similes as well as allusions only serve to further the mockery and insults within the poem.

//48. Prosody 101 -// Linda Pastan Through vivid imagery of gentle, soft scenes and euphony, the speaker outlines her startling epiphany: that poetry is all around us and can be inspired by all sources. It speaks touchingly of love as well, which is universal and has no barriers -- sweet metaphors and comparisons.

//49. Half-And-Half -// Naomi Shihab Nye Religious imagery. Half-and-half = oversimplification of things in the world, in the sense that there is black and white and no grey. Overall peaceful scenes are created, ones of grace (i.e candles bending over at the waist -- personification) which enhance the idyllic mood.

//50. Of a Forgetful Sea -// Kelli Russell Agodon Speaks of peace where all harsh things are forgotten and the world is innocent and pure, like the speaker's daughter. Tone is both affectionate and sorrowful, as the speaker acknowledges all good things come to an end no matter how much effort is put into sealing them into place. Warm imagery of a child's beautiful existence.

//51. Pink Champagne -// Adrian Green Soothing imagery of a band playing at a party - music motif evident throughout with some occasional puns on words (i.e. first lines). Although not very applicable for this age group, one could say that one almost feels right then at there in that place, enjoying the music whilst..sipping pink champagne.

//52. the butterfly and the rose -// W Jude. Aher much like e.e. cummings, this poet doesn't use capitalization and minimal punctuation to perhaps enhance the meaning of the words. Idyllic scenes created of peaceful courtship and a full expression of longing and love with the creation of such imagery. the word choice is euphonious and lends to the beauty of this simple poem.

//53. Hamlet Off-Stage: Neutrinos Explain Suck-uppers -// D.C. Berry A satiric approach to Hamlet in regards to his friend Horatio and how he tried to "suck up" to Hamlet in the last scenes of the play. Reference to scientific terms and the use of somewhat nonsensical language serve to give this poem a very caustic tone and a slightly sarcastic humor.

//53. Subject to Change -// Marilyn L. Taylor This melancholy, resigned poem outlines how innocence of young minds is destroyed when society has begins to reveal its dark side to them. Great amounts of repetition help to reinforce that resigned, "sighing" tone.

//54. My Daughter at 14, Christmas Dane, 1981 -// Maria Mazziotti Gillan Speaks of the cliche young leaving the nest. A mother is overly-concerned for her daughter as her daughter is finally introduced to the world of love relationships.. A lot of contrast, personification, and literary features used to enhance the anxiety of the mother vs. the euphoria of her daughter.

//55. The Morning Baking -// Carolyn Forche A VERY sarcastic, biting tone. Quite disrespectful towards the speaker's target - an extremely personal, wretched mockery. The speaker's age cannot be quite determined - it could be a rebellious teen or a bitter middle-aged woman. The hatred and derision is almost painful with very strong, cacophonous language.

//56. Mud Soup -// Carolyn Kizer A nursery, sing-song, rhyme. It is composed of several parts appearing to follow a recipe for...mud soup. Repetition, cooking imagery, and onomatopoeias keep the poem rolling. Dashes of humor and spice added liberally throughout. It is very refreshing and light, and the mood appears to be sunny and carefree.

//57. The Bistro Styx -// Rita Dove The title is intriguing, makes reader wonder if there is a connection to the river in the the underworld of Greek mythology. A mother speaks of the interaction with her daughter after a long time of not seeing each other -- the unfamiliarity in an unfamiliar cafe. A lot of imagery is used to describe the daughter's every action. Mother's thoughts are revealed every now and then, the carefree attitude of the daughter clashing with the mother's concerns. A mother has lost her daughter to modern culture and her sorrow is evident.

//58. What He Thought -// Heather McHugh Structure is very interesting - a poem within a poem. It is more like a very short epic poem, outlining a detailed occurrence/story. Fictional it may be, I think it reflects the clash between literature and culture, which is in essence kind of a paradox on its own.

//59. The Embrace -// Mark Doty Intriguing, as a man is writing from a woman's perspective about a man, her lover presumably.The tone is sorrowful with relief, speaking of the poignant moment when two people separated after a long time are rejoined. Vivid imagery of the man's features serve to emphasize the love felt by the woman for her sweetheart.

//60. Leaving and Leaving You -// Sophie Hannah There seems to be a line drawn between "leaving" in general, and leaving a specific person for different reasons. Repetition and juxtaposition serve to help the speaker emphasize and rationalize that the two are vastly different - out of love for the other person, the speaker is willing to stay, but feels she must leave the place where they are out of hatred - a paradox? a tough decision?

//61. The sun has burst the sky -// Jenny Joseph A lot of hyperboles used to emphasize the love that the speaker feels for another person. Even though its by a contemporary poet, the style hints along a bit of the classical range - like Emily Dickinson. Repetition of "Because I love you" drives home the central idea of the poem. Euphonious and soothing.

//62. Wedding Ring -// Denise Levertov Speaks of the uselessness of the wedding ring in the speaker's life - marriage is now behind her. Many questions asked and repetition is used to reflect the musing thoughts of the speaker as she imagines what she can do with something that is now unimportant in her life.

//63. Sky Harbor -// Norman Dubie The speaker is intriguing - is this speaker dead or alive, in the past or future? A very rigid structure to the poem - stanzas with three lines each, enjambment connecting the ideas in each section. Imagery is used to describe a girl in loving detail, silhouetted against an airport, waiting for her flight. Sky harbor is just a more poetic description of airport activity.

//64. Death of the Bird -// Alec Derwent Hope Euphonious and poetic, which rhyming stanzas of four lines each, this poem has a very rigid structure. While it speaks of the life and death of a single bird, i feel that the bird may represent in general individual lives - we struggle to live, and yet death claims us all in the end. This poems offers a very poignant description of this bird's life and troubles.

//65. Jigsaw Puzzles and You -// Anastasia Clark Jigsaw puzzles are a not-so-subtle metaphor for the pieces and the mystery of love that must be put together to see the whole picture. Broken into stanzas of two lines apiece, no rhyme scheme. Many images of breakable, fragile things like porcelain to emphasize the fragility of the love and relationship.

//66. Nothing grows except the grass -// Carlos Barbarito This short and sweet poem describes, with little use of vivid imagery or structure or other literary features, the scene of an idle time spent by the sea. It draws a line between the appreciation of this simple beauty by the speaker in contrast with the 'ignorant' ones who see no beauty beneath the surface of mundane things in the world

//67. A Valentine for Hands -// Annie Finch An interesting play on rhythm, with a lot of caesuras employed to give a halting tone to it, as if the speaker is caught in memories and is recalling a list of past events. Repetition of bracketed line gives this poem a song-like feel, as if this poem could be the lyrics to a song about love.

//68. Amber -// Nick Flynn Speaks beautifully and vividly of dying in amber and becoming just another being entrapped for all eternity. Interesting play on the breaking of the poem with enjambment usage to emphasize certain words. I like the reference to Pompeii at the end - which subtly speak of death - this poem gives an interesting opinion on death, comparing it to something gentle like sleep and a mother's love.

//69. Message -// Harold Pinter Violent language! WARNING! However, the use of violent language serves to drive forth the annoyance and anger of the speaker, a mother, when her daughter's boyfriend Fred calls. The structure serves to divide the poem into a message or short note-like form, which is interesting. rhyme is used in odd ways -- rather inappropriate and mocking as well.

//70. Withered Grave -// Fenny Sterenborg This poem's appearance on the page - great spacing - seems to give it a halting, dreamy, slow pace. Its different sections speak of different ideas of the speaker as a visitor to an old grave. The tone is sad, melancholy, and speaks of loneliness and neglect Rhyming couplets compose this poem, giving it euphony and a gentle rhythm.

//71. Dawning - Yahia Lababidi// Set into a fixed structure of three lines a stanza. The different scenes in each stanza are all filled with moving imagery - constant movement of objects, animals, and people, constantly keeping the action moving, as if it was a film montage. It speaks of a sudden "dawning" or realization of ideas, when people start to yearn for freedom and have their own epiphanies.

//72.Ode to Gumbo -// Chris Tusa Speaks with a kind of sarcastic humor about a Cajun dish - gumbo. Somehow, with its rhyme scheme and vivid imagery of things that should not be related to food, i.e. mud and creepy-crawlies, this dish becomes amazingly unappealing, perhaps echoing the speaker's dislike for the dish. An interesting take on food, as most would praise such a dish.

//73. A Single Bird -// Raymond A. Foss This is a very short poem, free-versed, but in its free verse, gives a gentle feel to this poem. It revolves around the scene of a bird - a cormorant, and how small it is compared to the vast expanse it flies in. Focusing on such a simple thing brings significance to something that would otherwise be overlooked. In a way, the speaker could be asking the readers to appreciate everything in life and not just overlook others.

//74. Coloring Book -// Connie Wanek While coloring books provide endless sources of entertainment for children, the speaker looks down on them. Using similes, the speaker describes the rigid restrictions and lack of freedom that the books give for children, forcing them to follow a fixed shape and restricting their creativity. I find this an interesting take on the hobby that a lot of young children share.

//75. Cold Morning -// Eamon Grennan A lot of figurative language used to emphasize the coldness and wonder of a possible winter morning. Interesting use of enjambment to break the flow of the poem. Coldness comes alive in this poem through personification, metaphors and similes, and is seen as something powerful and wild, yet very beautiful.

//76. More Light! More Light! -// Anthony Hecht This poem has a very cynical, sarcastic humor, with its singsong rhyme scheme and flow. It's like a very sadistic and dark nursery rhyme and speaks of the unjust treatment and unethical occurrences happening in relation to death. The content of the poem reflects the title, which is a plea for less death and more peace as people clash, taking each other's lives.

//77. Stone Shadows -// David St. John Vivid imagery used to describe the woman the speaker talks of. Interesting use of punctuation and symbols instead of words. Repetition of ash creates this death-related feel to the poem, and gives this poem a somber tone and mood. Color imagery is most significant here, to give the image of a black and white painting with a sudden splash of color.

//78. Emotional Idiot -// Maggie Estep A more contemporary, modern poem - the stanzas and lines are broken up into the broken ideas in a conversation. Very umm.. strong language to show the conflict within the speaker - she is very much obviously an emotional, self-conflicting person. Repetition and sudden twists in the ideas of the poem emphasize the bipolarity of the speaker and creates a kind of confusion.

//79. Faure's Second Piano Quartet -// James Schulyer Beautiful imagery sets a tranquil and slightly sorrowful mood for the piano-playing scene. The piano song appears to parallel the beauty of the falling rain. Vivid imagery is especially employed in describing the pace of the piano notes that match the falling rain, and the scene is thus formed in the mind of the reader.

//80. Wayward Wind -// Belinda Subraman Poignant and sad, this poem outlines the struggle and determination of a terminally ill cancer patient in his last period of life. The speaker appears to be a doctor or nurse, and underscores the bravery and free spirit of this person who is determined to regain his freedom despite facing death. The final few lines describing releasing the spirit and ashes of the patient to the wind particularly touch the reader.

//81. Letter Home -// Natasha Tretheway This poem outlines a letter written by the speaker home. It seems to follow more of a letter format as opposed to traditional forms of poetry. The tone is more of a personal reflection, a musing of the speaker. Euphonious words outline the solitude and loneliness of the speaker. Interesting used of enjambment emphasizes breaks in the speaker's thoughts and musings. 5 December 2011 81 /45-75 :-)!!!!

//82. We Astronomers -// Rebecca Elson The speaker is, obviously, an astronomer speaking about the joys and woes of his/her job. From the first stanza to the second stanza, there is an abrupt transition in attitude and tone, reflecting the conflicting mindset of the speaker.

//83. A Poem for Myself -// Etheridge Knight interesting use of informal language. This poem could easily resemble the lyrics to a song with the repeated repetition of lines throughout the poem. The poem has a rolling rhythm to it, which makes it sound like something that a person would chant on a march. It revolves around the theme of knowing the self.

//84. Midnight -// Louise Gluck A woman has had a fight with her husband and is speaking to her heart, warning herself of the consequences of having a distance between the two of them. It is interesting with the soliloquy spoken by the personified mind to the heart, showing the clash between reason and emotion, a common thing faced by people in daily life.

//85. A Wicker Basket -// Robert Creeley The only mention of the title's topic is at the end of the poem. The whole poem seems to outline a date between two people. A rhyme scheme gives this poem a song-like feel, as if it too could be the lyrics to a song, a speaker musing about a girl he loves. There are some very abstract images created, surreal and completely wacky.

//86. It's Raining in Love -// Richard Brautigan This resembles the informal IM-speak that we use in our daily lives often nowadays. There is an interesting break with the huge BUT to demonstrate the abrupt change in the speaker's mindset - from hesitant and self-criticizing to optimistic. The main feature in this poem is how the lines are broken up to emphasize and bring attention to different aspects and ideas.

//87. bee-attitudes -// Rg Gregory interesting use of personification to bring the behavior of bees into a different light. This poet's style reminds me of e.e. cummings who also uses a lack of capitalization letters. The poem itself is symmetric - 3 line stanzas beginning and ending the poem, with four-line stanzas in between. The sentences have a broken feel to them, perhaps imitating the erratic behavior of the insects.

//88. the singing dog -// Rg Gregory This poem has a special rhyme to it that allows it to adopt the characteristics of a nursery-rhyme. The seemingly nonsensical and humorous scenes depicted in this poem also serve to emphasize that song-like feel. However, hidden beneath is a certain darkness as the world is plunged upside-down into seeming anarchy.

//89. Dark Night -// Frank Bidart This poet uses a lot of adjectives and alliteration or other literary features in these descriptive words to give rhythm and enhance both the images and mood created from the words of this poem. Interesting use of caesuras to break apart different sections. The scenes are both tranquil and slightly eerie, and this poem is also somewhat obscure in describing night events.

//90. That Distance Apart -// Jackie Kay A young post-teenage mother faces severe internal conflict after having her daughter. Split into sections, the progressive distancing of mother from daughter is evident, as well as a change in her mindset - from hatred and horror, she begins to regret giving her up and feels intense sorrow. Multiple similes and strong word choices used to emphasize certain points such as fury and blame.

//91. How We Heard the Name -// Alex Dugan Speaks of a fictional encounter of the speaker with a soldier coming from a fresh bout of warfare. The structure follows the cutting of lines of seemingly a quick story into a poem form, and this poem seems enigmatic.

//92. To Kathleen, after Neruda -// Craig Erick Chaffin This poem alludes a bit to the style of Pablo Neruda, and certainly in its theme of lovesickness/remembrance. Multiple uses of metaphors and similes to push forward the first speaker's intent in the first part- to remember and long for a woman who was once his. There seems to be a transition in the second part to a woman speaking of her man in the opposite way, dreaming for him to come, akin Juliet to Romeo.

//93. A Time to Weep -// Craig Erick Chaffin The speaker uses similes and metaphors to compare himself to different cold, hard objects to symbolize his cold-heartedness, similarly to how he uses the same literary devices to portray the other party in all her suffering. Despite the harshness and darkness of the speaker's tone and voice, the poem itself is lyrical. with adequate comparisons to push forward images and bring forth a kind of quiet, dark beauty.

//94. The Wounded Breakfast -// Russell Edson Interesting beginning with the story of "the woman who lived in a shoe", a nursery rhyme. Comparing the miracle of a flying shoe to his breakfast, the speaker seems to draw out the strange and ironic insignificance of such a miracle with the simple occurrence of his breakfast being marred. It could represent the remembrance of his childhood in contrast with his present reality.

//95. Tortures -// Wislawa Szymborska Constant repetition of "nothing has changed" to show how the world changes, but a life cannot change to fit the changing world sometimes. The world is seen as a torturous place, with graphic imagery of a person being tortured in comparison with the neutrality of the world as it moves on while a person suffers gruesomely. Enigmatic and quite enjoyable despite its dark subject.

//96. What would Freud Say? -// Bob Hicok I would guess that the title implied some kind of psychology-related enigma that must be solved within the speaker's dilemma. The speaker uses a bunch of paradoxes, seemingly nonsensical analogies, listing, structure breaks in his words, and metaphors to outline the hardships that he has faced along with all the mistakes he has made.

//97. Pi -// Wislawa Szymborska I love how different lines alternate between the recitation of pi from 3 to infinity and the correlation that these numbers have with daily things, from shoe sizes to distances. Interesting use of words and structure, metaphors and personification to emphasize the infinite and mysterious existence of pi.

//98. Dedication -// Wole Soyinka This poem is broken into a fixed three-line stanza structure. Beautiful euphonic words are used to emphasize the beauty of nature and all its abundance, and to remind the readers of the earth's providence, for which we should express our gratitude. So much imagery is used to bring the reader into scenes of tranquil beauty, and this is enhanced with simile and metaphor usage.

//99. In the Small Hours -// Wole Soyinka This poet seems to specialize in vivid imagery. This time each stanza provides a load of stills (imagery), as if each stanza represents a snapshot of a certain part of the night. Sentences are short and abrupt, but very concise and succinct. I have the feeling of being in different places, from the ocean to the tavern all at once. An interesting poem.

//100. I Sit by the Window -// John Brodsky This poem follows a very rigid structure, with six lines per stanza, and is composed solely of rhyming couplets or lines in succession with each other. This poem appears to be witty and a bit nonsensical, but the messages presented in different stanzas are dark, speaking of suffering, which may allude to the year spent by Brodsky in concentration camp, or about things that he witnessed in everyday life.

//101. Forget -// Czeslaw Milosz This little poem is short, yet speaks of something profound and meaningful to human beings. The first part of the poem asks readers to forget about the simple things in life - the hardships face, water under the bridge. In this way, we can move forward in life, and experience new things, unchained by the past that haunts our every footsteps. However, simultaneously, we are asked not to detach ourselves from reality.

//102.// //Between going and staying the day wavers// - Octavio Paz I noticed that this poem uses a lot of personification to bring everyday things to life. Transitioning from a four-line stanza to standalone couplets, the structure has an effect on creating snapshots of different scenes, bringing them to life. This poem speaks of that instant between a decision made, which is quite interesting.

//103. Love after Love -// Derek Walcott. This poem could speak of finding one's soul mate, or simply of loving yourself for who you are. Free-versed, and composed of short, abrupt sentences, giving the effect of a simple conversation. The poet's simple message: find love, and love love (which is a bit of a paradox), and appreciate every moment of life to come.

//104. Dark August -// Derek Walcott Dark and sinister imagery marks the sorrow and despair that the speaker feels when the sun (or his sister) refuses to come out, plunging the world into perpetual gloom and darkness. The sun and sister seem to be intertwined and can be interpreted in two ways: the brother longs for the sister to come out of her darkness, or the weather during August was simply terrible.

//105. West Riding -// Ian Emberson A poignant and tranquil scene is created. It is interesting to note the repetition of the first and last lines - a contrasting imagery of bright clothing against a dark setting. A rhyme scheme is used to give this poem flow from one scene to the next, and enhances the imagery of different stills which are even further enhanced by personification and similes as well as metaphors.

//106. Danse macabre -// Ian Emberson Probably inspired by the composer Camille Saint-Saens' orchestral piece "Danse Macabre". The first line is quite amusing and quite unexpected, making me laugh. Death is pictured to be a woman (at last!), and flirtatious as well as beautiful, but something quite sinister at the same time. Death is portrayed as being enchanting and sweet like a femme fatale. Rhyme scheme enhances the flow and hilarity to the banter (limerick-ish)

//107. God has pity on Kindergarten Children -// Yehuda Amichai There is ample progression in this poem, from comparisons between small children to adults. The speaker outlines the merciless occurrences in this universe and the despair faced by those who seem to have been abandoned in the most wanting of times. Metaphors are used to describe these situations of dire need, and to emphasize the theme of 'neglect'.

//108. Conversation// - Ai It is interesting how the speaker is talking to of all people, a dead person, comparing the world of the living and the dead. Words are compared to living things with the use of metaphors. This poem revolves around illusions and the strangeness of death. This poem, with its unfixed structure and liberal use of breaks makes the poem more obscure than it seems...

//109. Passport -// Mahmoud Darwish A plaintive cry makes this poem distinctive to me -- a person seems to be stranded in the middle of nowhere, caught up in the bustling life of a foreign country. There are also a lot of allusions to the Bible and other religions. THe underlying message of this poem is not to separate people by nationality, but instead to view each person like a brother or sister so as to unite the world.

//110. I Come From There -// Mahmoud Darwish Extensive repetition of the title is evident throughout this poem. The speaker also refers extensively to him/herself, and integrates him/herself fully into the community in which he/she lives. Immortality and mortal lives are described lovingly in detail. Metaphors and similes used create vivid imagery of the speaker's homeland, of which he/she evidently has a great love for.

//111. Destiny -// Gregory Corso Very, very obscure, written and acts just like the prophecies of olden days...It speaks of the messengers of God, with allusions to Greek mythology scattered here and there. The messengers of god (perhaps angels) are seen to have different forms and incarnations, and the overall impression I get from this poem is "God is watching you wherever you are".

//112. The Voice -// Andree Chedid Simply a plaintive cry. The speaker can't find his or herself, and I get the impression of a lost child searching for something that cannot be returned. The imagery is quite morbid, speaking of death and graves, which only serves to increase the sorrowful mood. Repetition of a single question at the beginning and end further emphasize the concept of the cry.

//113. The Ever-Patient Woman -// Andree Chedid It seems to me as if this "ever-patient woman" is Gaia, mother earth. This woman is depicted to be omniscient and all-present, bringing life ever so slowly to the world. Breaking of lines into just single words or phrases further drags out the idea of "being slow", showing how gradually life sprouts on earth, nurtured under the care of the invisible, caring goddess.

//114. English Flavors -// Laure-Anne Bosselar I love the way words are compared to food in this poem - two birds killed with one stone. Words are portrayed to have their own "flavor", and the mouth can delight in forming these words, letting them linger on the tongue and trill in the ears. The poet draws connection from everyday local treats to the exotic words that the speaker learns to say. Beautiful.

//115. The Letters -// Eileen Carney Hulme This is an extremely short poem, and its most outstanding feature is the repetition of the first two lines of the poem at the end, to give the poem a nostalgic, even wistful feel. Multiple metaphors are used to emphasize the passion and love shared by the speaker and her lover (i.e. a calligraphy of stars etc.)

//116. Snake -// John Burnside Strangely enough, a woman is compared to a cat bringing home the prey, except in this case there is vivid imagery of a daring woman carrying a deadly snake home to her lover. Allusions are made to old-wives' tales to tell of the formidability of the snake. Through the choices of words depicting the reptilian grace of the snake, admiration for both snake and lover is definitely present.

//117. Moth Collectors -// Chris Jones This poem is composed solely of rhyming couplets. While the language is a bit weird, vivid imagery is used to describe the moths that are brought into the speaker's home and collect in a dark corner. The speaker speaks lovingly of his pregnant wife and the scenes of releasing the dead bodies of the moth with her. A sweet beauty.

//118. Silent Mark -// Cecilia Borromeo Reminds me of the style of e.e. cummings with no capitalization of words. This poet tends to use a lot of metaphors to describe a single idea she wants to convey to the speaker's target. Personification brings the speaker's writings and words to life, and somehow this poem seems kind of eerie yet sad at the same time

//119. Anorexic -// Eavan Boland A very graphic, descriptive, and evil piece of poetry outlining the dark thoughts and feelings of an anorexic person. The speaker relishes the notion of being thin and conquering her own body, portraying it somehow as this powerful fight against an evil (most likely for the cause of love). The speaker evokes disgust yet pity in the readers.

//120. Blind -// Charles Webb The speaker speaks tragically of his mother's deterioration with losses of her senses. Interesting use of enjambment between stanzas with the breaking up of sentences between stanzas to chop ideas in half and lend them a whole new meaning. Ample use of personification, and a kind of desperation in the tone of the speaker.

//121. Giant Fungus -// Charles Webb Different stanzas describe different kinds of animals living in different places around a giant growth that was discovered in Michigan. The whole poem appears to be a listing, interrupted with foul and exaggerated descriptions of the "giant fungus" in all its...glory. The impression I get is that the poet/speaker is both fascinated and completely disgusted by what he sees at that point in nature.

//122. The Little Box -// Vasko Popa The speaker speaks very intently of a metaphorical little box into which all of the precious memories of life are carefully stored away and opened periodically during nostalgic times. This little box is also personified to parallel the growth of the box's contents with its owner's life. Life is thus squashed into something concrete and small.

//123. Holy Thursday -// Paul Muldoon I have yet to see what is "holy" about this certain Thursday where the speaker spends his time observing a waiter after the closing hours of the restaurant he works in have come. The waiter is depicted to be completely alone, sharing a meal by himself in a place that he has only borrowed. There is this certain poignant feel to the poem.

//124. Promises, Promises -// Paul Muldoon Speaks of promises that were made indirectly and then broken with the parting of close friends and acquaintances. I like the rhyme scheme that lends this poem a very lyrical and rhythmic feel. Repetition of the first lines in the last stanza bring to the mind an idea of of an imagery-filled song speaking of heartbreak and loneliness.

//125. Bird with Two Right Wings -// Lawrence Ferlinghetti Interesting way of mocking the government's actions. A bird with two right wings is useless and cannot fly, and in this very sardonic manner, the speaker criticizes quite harshly the pretentious nature of his country's government and their brainwashing propaganda. No punctuation in this poem makes it sound like a rant of pure fury.

//126. I Don't Feel at Home Where I Am// - Regina Derieva Short and sweet. A lot of vast imagery i.e. sky and water shows how the speaker yearns for freedom and space and is not defined by any fixed small space unlike a lot of other people. Repetition of "that is" to show links between very obscure ideas, and all in all, there is a very tranquil and carefree mood created unlike the nuances of the title.

//127. Fast Break -// Edward Hirsch Enjambment is the main feature of this poem, with the very short sets of two-line stanzas resembling a commentator's speech live from the court as he describes a heated game between two teams. Except it's in a way more poetic form of course. Action is filled within the lines, and the reader is brought straight to a court, immersed in fast-paced images of an intense game.

//128. Book Ends// - Tony Harrison Speaks of the death of a close relative, most likely a mother. The first speaks of the interaction between the brothers and the deceased and follows a fixed set of two line stanzas with rhyming couplets. The next part speaks humorously of carving the gravestone for the deceased. i get the impression the successors don't actually care about the deceased and are almost GLAD to see her gone.

//129. We Astronomers -// Rebecca Elson Some reference to Shakespeare's "all the world a stage" line, except modified for speaking from the viewpoint of astronomers. Instead of speaking of the joy of the universe, the astronomer speaking seems fatigued - even starlight becomes too sharp. I get a weary, almost tied feeling from the speaker.

//130. The Masks of Love -// Alden Nowlan Very strangely, and almost abruptly short. I assume that the speaker's reference to a "you" is one of the opposite gender, and "they" are the people living around "you and me". It speaks of the common assumptions that people make regarding opposite-sex people being together, and therefore the speaker chooses to reply with his/her own "mask" to follow these ideas.

//131. On Faith -// Cecilia Woloch The speaker muses endlessly on the subject of couples, married or unmarried, and how they stay true to each other. She seems doubtful about the loss of that passion between her own parents and wonders if her own relationships will turn out similarly. The father is portrayed scarily, and the mother passive. A very musing, thoughtful, but also hesitant and fearful tone.

//132. The Garden of Death -// Godfrey Gorry Short phrases compose each line of this poem as if they are images being thrust one by one at the reader. It could simply allude to a hospital. The speaker is quite graphic in his descriptions of the dead and dying - pus, bones, worms, etc. The speaker's tone is fearful and pitiful for the sufferer, and overall quite pessimistic.

//133. No Music -// John Montague All the stanzas revolve around past memories, mostly about past failed relationships and forgotten love. A yearning feeling is expressed by the speaker, as well as a kind of melancholy regret. Personification of feelings and interestingly described abstract concepts i.e. warm fiction are evident throughout each line.

//134. Summer Colors -// Fenny Sterenborg Literally revolves around the warm color scheme of summer, with things such as white summer dresses, fierce red nails, etc popping out at you from each line. The effect is numerous fiery images rolled up one after another in the different lines of the poem. The last stanza interestingly enough juxtaposes darker colors such as greens and black against these colors, only to make the brighter colors stand out more.

//135. Leaning over Eros -// Jennifer Reeser Speaks of the ancient Greek tale of Psyche discovering her mysterious husband is in fact the god of love. This parallels the speaker's own yearning for someone she loves as she gives her own interpretation of how the intimate scene should have looked as opposed to how it is usually portrayed. Rhyming lines within each four-line stanza give this poem a songlike feel.

//136. The Olive Tree -// Karl Shapiro The speaker lauds the olive tree in his own garden. Instead of being flawed, like all the other olive trees the speaker sees, the olive tree is portrayed as being perfect in all matters. Similes and numerous comparisons aid in praising the beauty of the tree, and I get this feeling of exuberance and happiness from the tone of the poem.

//137. The Dreamer, the Sleep -// Barry Teb A person lies musing, seemingly lifeless on a bed, clutching at snippets of memories and even delusions as they float by. Obscure, this poem hints at a kind of bitterness and perhaps even past regrets. I'm still wondering about the one phrase in French that speaks of a storm and its significance to the poem.

//138. Considering the Snail -// Thom Gunn The speaker tells of the hard work done by a snail just to traverse a small distance across the grass. He muses about what the snail must feel like and its purpose in working so hard just to move such a tiny distance and the beauty in doing so. It could allude to the hard work done by humans on a regular basis to accomplish even the merest and smallest goals.

//139. A Forgetful Number -// Vasko Popa A humorous little ditty about...a number. It speaks of mathematics in a rather..cynical way, suggesting how a single number produces forth all other numbers through the different operations in mathematics. Below, it could also speak of how problems expand beyond control, akin to how numbers have no end. (Which makes it a bit dark...)

//140. Between games -// Vasko Popa A poem about confusion and chaos, something surreal (walking on heads, sticking eyes on the soles of feet etc.). It could suggest how humans are always changing from one stage of life to another, wishing to go backwards but cannot do anything to halt the flow of change and time. A painting I would associate this with is Guernica or any surreal abstract painting of Picasso's.

//141. Biscuit -// Jane Kenyon This poem is quite touching in a way - a dog is at the mercy of its owner for food - and this is acknowledged by the speaker herself. She acknowledges her power to withhold and give to her trusting pet - the loyalty of the dog is evident in every word of the speaker.

//142. Moon in Virgo -// James Lee Jobe Extremely many references to music and the composers which lends this poem a lyrical feel. The speaker tells the audience to break free of the bonds from their past and move on into the future, which is filled with hope and happiness. A lot of strange contrast i.e the gentle words of the messiah versus "murderous possibilities" in dreams.

//143. Thanksgiving -// Mac Hammond A very violent portrayal of the traditional carving of the turkey at this festive occasion. Instead of it being viewed as a simple task, each motion is greatly exaggerated, as if the carver is fighting against the turkey to carve it for the plates of the diners. It's a very vigorous, action-packed poem, quite contrary to what we would imagine in the beauty of television and Hallmark greeting cards.

//144. On the Sea-shore, Smell of Iodine -// Regina Derieva Somewhat nonsensical ravings compose this poem - grammatically erratic and the thoughts are rather out of order and disorganized. A lot of references to Hamlet and its different characters. I would suggest that this poem is a physical embodiment of the chaos found within the poem and its ideas..

//145. A Marriage -// R.S. Thomas The poem is poignant, short, but immensely sad and beautiful. The speaker tells the story of his life with his wife, from their first meeting to the end of her life. Emphasis is placed on how fast time flies - seemingly in the blink of an eye, the speaker and his wife have to part ways at death's gate, where Death personified claims her bird-like spirit for his own, leaving the speaker alone. Death is beautiful.

//146. Sorry -// R.S. Thomas The speaker is presumably the runaway child of parents living in the stereotypical quiet town. The speaker solemnly apologizes for his up-and-away, and expresses his regret. He also tries to comfort his parents, saying that he will not forget them. Numerous metaphors are employed to help convey the speaker's message to his parents.