In the poem "Stopping by woods on a snowy evening" written by Robert Frost, The speaker seems to be in an unfamiliar location and is curious as to who owns it but knows that during they have goals to reach and knows that they shouldn't rest until they are done as read from lines 13-16 "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,/ But I have promises to keep, / And miles before I sleep, / And miles before I sleep.". The repetition of the line "And miles to go before I sleep" gives me a feeling that the speaker is focused on their plans but are enjoying themselves, It stood out to me because it reminds me of me because I'm so aloof yet I know that I have things I must do. Frost used only a few to capture a deeper meaning and he does it so well reminding me that I often procrastinate even though I know there are more important things to handle but I still choose to enjoy something that will only last for a short time period. The speaker of the story is a very delicate being seeing from line 13 they call woods "lovely" this story is sort of relatable in a deeper sense
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
The Oxymoron in “For a Lamb”
What is an oxymoron? It's a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory appear in conjunction. In layman's terms it's basically when two very unlike things are placed together. One poem that emphasizes this well is the poem, “For a Lamb” by poet, Richard Eberhart.
Desmond Barber Poetry response #2
In the poem " Dreams" by Langston Hughes, he focuses on a major issue that a lot of people have yet to discover which is the power of a dream.
I honestly feel like this particular poem is talking to me especially when the speaker says "Hold fast to dreams / For if dreams die / Life us a broken-winged bird / that cannot fly." (1-4). To me this means that no matter what I have to hold on to my dreams, for if I don't there will be nothing to keep me going and striving for what I want. Thats basically what this poem is about. In lines 5-8, the speaker states, "Hold fast to dreams / For when dreams go / Life is a barren field / Frozen in snow." This states that without a dream life is colder than what it's made out to be. A dream sets a system in your mind, it sets a goal that you, yourself have planned to strive for.
Although this poem was very short. It had a gigantic meaning, of striving for something or working for something that has a meaning to you. I think thats why he titled his poem "Dream"; to all in all tell us never to stop dreaming. I really enjoyed that poem out of every poem I've read thus far.
Makayla Sheffield 2nd Poetry response
Response to "The Whipping" by Robert Hayden (1913-1980)
In "The Whipping" by Hayden the speaker is recalling an elderly woman chastising a young boy. Later in the poem the speaker changes to the boys perspective for just a brief moment, and then back to the original speaker. In the 4th stanza you can evidently see the shift in speakers that I mentioned.
Personally I can connect with this poem although it is a child getting in trouble. As a child I most certainly took a couple of whippings ! So it's interesting reading something that I relate to. Especially when the author writes, "She strikes and strikes the shrilly circling boy till the stick breaks in her hand( lines 9-11)./ His tears are rainy weather to wound-like memories: (lines 11-12)/.
If you grew up in a house hold such as mine you'd know the whipping does not stop until your parents are tired, especially if you did something incredibly wrong. This poem let me walk in the shoes of my past and allowed me to relive an experience. Albeit not a good one. It is easier to read a work of art when you can identify with the main elements.
Although the poem's literal meaning is about a old woman most likely the child's grandmother chastising him, if you dive deeper it's about how a child's outlook changed and how the woman thought she was correcting her wrong doings when she was younger. Truthfully that's the reason a lot of children are punished today, because their parents want better. Mr. Robert Hayden does an excellent job of demonstrating this concept and connecting with his audience
Poetry response to "Ars Poetica"
Anesha Porter-Griffin
4th hour
In the poem "Ars Poetica" the author Archibald Macleish portrays the expectations of a poem. In lines 1-3 Macleish writes "A poem should be palpable and mute/As a gobbled fruit,/Dumb" it puts into perspective that poetry isn't something that should be extremely complex but something to understand and relate to, for the simplest of minds to comprehend.
There's a lot of different views as to what a poem should be Macleish writes in line 23-24 "A poem should not mean/ but be". I feel as though that is a perfect description of poetry. Life is for comprehension the entire poem is about making sure your writing can be understood. Too many poets work to be abstract and unique and they miss giving their poem meaning and depth and a reason to truly read it.
I strongly relate to the feelings and message being portrayed within this work. I too feel as though poetry is a reminiscence of an experience as said in lines 17-18 "A poem should be equal to/ Not true". An experience is never just what happens but what it fells like as well, something of equivalent to give the reader more insight. This poem let's me know as a poet to let a reader feel and not just know.
4th hour
In the poem "Ars Poetica" the author Archibald Macleish portrays the expectations of a poem. In lines 1-3 Macleish writes "A poem should be palpable and mute/As a gobbled fruit,/Dumb" it puts into perspective that poetry isn't something that should be extremely complex but something to understand and relate to, for the simplest of minds to comprehend.
There's a lot of different views as to what a poem should be Macleish writes in line 23-24 "A poem should not mean/ but be". I feel as though that is a perfect description of poetry. Life is for comprehension the entire poem is about making sure your writing can be understood. Too many poets work to be abstract and unique and they miss giving their poem meaning and depth and a reason to truly read it.
I strongly relate to the feelings and message being portrayed within this work. I too feel as though poetry is a reminiscence of an experience as said in lines 17-18 "A poem should be equal to/ Not true". An experience is never just what happens but what it fells like as well, something of equivalent to give the reader more insight. This poem let's me know as a poet to let a reader feel and not just know.
Poetry Reponse #2 ~ Lost Love
Adryanna Hickman
Ms. Locano
AP Lit-1st Hour
27 September 2016
Lost Love
In this emotion packed poem “ Ending,” written by the late Gavin Ewart, he captures his readers by pouring out the feeling of emptiness the speaker experienced. Ewart writes this poem to engulf his readers with the profound sadness the speaker was feeling. In lines 1-4 it states that, “ The love we thought would never stop / now cools like a congealing chop. / The kisses that were ho like curry / are bird-pecks taken in a hurry.” This quote is a prime example of the loneliness he/she is feeling, one in which most people, including me, can relate to. The feeling of utter love, the kind that sweeps you off your feet and you hope that you don’t have to blink because you don’t ever want to miss a second. I can imagine how the speaker must feel to loose something that you never thought could be lost nor replaced.
I am currently in a long term relationship with a guy I want to marry, therefore the poem speaks to me in a fearful way. When I read this poem I instantly thought of my boyfriend. What if we don’t last? What if I turn out to be like the speaker? Are our electric charges going to die out too? This poem was emotional and relatable because of the fact that most readers have a heartfelt breakup. “ The feet that ran to meet a date / are running slow and running late / The eyes that shone and seldom shut / are victims of power cuts.” (7-10) These quotes mean that at one point you had all this energy but now you suddenly don’t want to be bothered. I can relate this quote to one of my exes who I broke up with because I was bored in the relationship and it came to the point where I forgot I was even in a relationship.
Even though this poem really confirmed a huge fear of mine I still loved it because of the straightforwardness, addition of pathos to connect with the reader, and use of diction. Examples of diction would be “victims of a power cut,”(10) and “ congealing chop.”(2) The poem is very easy to comprehend and decipher, but also promotes deep thought.
In conclusion, I would refer this poem to anyone who has gone through a breakup and can relate to the speaker's situation.Poetry response #2
In the poem "A study of reading habits" By Phillip Larkin the speaker tells a story about how school helped him in many aspects rather applied academically or socially. Through out the poem Larkin states how his school career has changed as he became older. In this poem Larkin used an abundance of Imagery asa literally device in his poem for example; "Later, with inch-thick specs,/ Evil was just my lark." (lines 7-8) he uses very descriptive words to give an outlook or an image in your head. Also I noticed a meaning shift during line 13, that states "don't read much now: the dude/ who lets the girl down before/ the hero arrives,..." here the poems shifts from how his school life was to how he ended up applying it to his adult life. Which I believe this is also a very important line in the poem. I feel as if the author's purpose was to get the reader to think about his school life and how it applied to their adult lives allowing their minds to drift off into wherever they'd like to go. that was what mine did and how it would apply to my adult life considering my not an adult as of yet.
Pat's Poetry Response to a Chapter 10 Poem
I enjoy the poem "The Flea" by John Donne for various reasons. I encountered this poem before so I have some prior knowledge that helped my understanding.
The first thing that caught my interest was the strange outlook that the speaker (a man that experienced a flea bite during the Black Plague) had on such a serious occurrence. In line 4 the speaker says "And in this flea our two bloods mingled be". The speaker later in the poem (lines 12-13) say "This flea is you and I, and this/Our marriage bed and marriage temple is". The fact that Donne explored such a odd perspective of a topic that would otherwise be deadly was interesting. While others would have viewed getting the Plague as lethal, the speaker is only interested in the fact that he and his love interest are connected through the bite of the flea. The first time I read this poem I recall being uneasy due to the point of the speaker. But, the more I read and understood the background and setting, I admired the fact that during such a deadly period it could be some slight comical relief.
The first thing that caught my interest was the strange outlook that the speaker (a man that experienced a flea bite during the Black Plague) had on such a serious occurrence. In line 4 the speaker says "And in this flea our two bloods mingled be". The speaker later in the poem (lines 12-13) say "This flea is you and I, and this/Our marriage bed and marriage temple is". The fact that Donne explored such a odd perspective of a topic that would otherwise be deadly was interesting. While others would have viewed getting the Plague as lethal, the speaker is only interested in the fact that he and his love interest are connected through the bite of the flea. The first time I read this poem I recall being uneasy due to the point of the speaker. But, the more I read and understood the background and setting, I admired the fact that during such a deadly period it could be some slight comical relief.
Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
By Robert Frost
Kendrick Young
This poem is very interesting. I think it starts out by the spealer looking for a place to stay and goes wondering on the woods and finds a home to hide out and rest and it sounds like the owner doesn't know about it.
"Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow "
What I also like it the imagery and how he uses it to express himself and where the speaker is. I feel as if the speaker is someons who is on a mission and and has to stop and rest. The speaker starts talking to the horse and how weird it is to be there in the woods without a farmhouse nearby and how the lake and the woods make it the darkest evening of the year and it sounds like such a beautiful sight to see
To watch his woods fill up with snow "
What I also like it the imagery and how he uses it to express himself and where the speaker is. I feel as if the speaker is someons who is on a mission and and has to stop and rest. The speaker starts talking to the horse and how weird it is to be there in the woods without a farmhouse nearby and how the lake and the woods make it the darkest evening of the year and it sounds like such a beautiful sight to see
"My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year. "
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year. "
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
In the second stanza he starts to say what the horse does and what he sounds like and it sounds like a dark cold and windy night. At this point I feel like there has been a shift of how the reader is talking about something else. Again he begins to talk about where he stopped and what he was doing and now he is talking about how cold it is and the weeping of the chills. And now it is snowing.
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
In the second stanza he starts to say what the horse does and what he sounds like and it sounds like a dark cold and windy night. At this point I feel like there has been a shift of how the reader is talking about something else. Again he begins to talk about where he stopped and what he was doing and now he is talking about how cold it is and the weeping of the chills. And now it is snowing.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
At this part i get the poem but is also the confusing part of the story because it is now more and more imagery words and now it is another shift. This shift is the meaning shift of the poem. He starts talking about the promises he had and I have no idea because who did he promise to do. But you can also detect that she is motivated and dedicated to do what she has to do because she is continuing what she has to do. The speaker goes on because he has “promises to keep?” But the word “promises” though it may here have a wry ironic undertone of regret, has a favorable connotation: people almost universally agree that promises ought to be kept. If the poet had used a different term, say, “things to do,” or “business to attend to,” or “financial affairs to take care of,” or “money to make,”
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
At this part i get the poem but is also the confusing part of the story because it is now more and more imagery words and now it is another shift. This shift is the meaning shift of the poem. He starts talking about the promises he had and I have no idea because who did he promise to do. But you can also detect that she is motivated and dedicated to do what she has to do because she is continuing what she has to do. The speaker goes on because he has “promises to keep?” But the word “promises” though it may here have a wry ironic undertone of regret, has a favorable connotation: people almost universally agree that promises ought to be kept. If the poet had used a different term, say, “things to do,” or “business to attend to,” or “financial affairs to take care of,” or “money to make,”
the connotations would have been quite different. As it is, the tone of the
poet tells us that the poet is sympathetic to the speaker. The theme of this poem is to never give up and never break a promise and do whatever you gotta do to keep that promise
“Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” Response
“Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” Response
The poem I chose is Robert Frost’s “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening,” from chapter nine. I think this poem is very relevant and kids from my generation should read it. In lines 15 and 16 the speaker said, “And miles to go before I sleep, / And miles to go before I sleep.” These lines caught my attention because he repeated the same line twice so I figured that there was a deeper meaning. Frost wanted these particular lines to stand out for the reader. The deeper meaning in this poem is that you should take the time to appreciate the little things in life. This is noticeable in lines 3 and 4 which say, “He will not see me stopping here / To watch his woods fill up with snow.I love the way Frost put such a deep meaning in so few lines. I chose this poem because it is very relatable. The speaker in the story is much like me continuing on his way considering that he had promises to keep. I too would have stopped to watched the snow and would have not rushed home to things that can be done later. Also I can relate because the speaker in this poem is sensitive.
Poetry Response #2
Nicole Perry
Ms.Lacano
AP Lit- 4
27 September 2016
Ms.Lacano
AP Lit- 4
27 September 2016
"The last Night that She lived" By Dudley Randall
In the poem " The last Night that She lived" by Dudley Randall in chapter 1 of sound and sense the speaker talks about the last time a mother seen her daughter alive and who was supposed to be alive tomorrow is the blame for it. the speaker describes the surroundings of the last night the girl was alive and how it felt for her to pass away. the speaker uses a lot of imagery describing how the girl looked when she was at her funeral and how her mother looked when she seen her smiling. he uses a lot of emotion to express the feeling to the reader what it feels like to have an innocent life token away. especially an innocent child, the speaker described how the child death was waited out until she died and the little things they noticed. when the speaker stated that it really touched me because you never know how someone feel about the passing of someone and the things that happen during that time.
I liked when the speaker say: " she clawed through bits of glass and brick,/ then lifted out a shoe./ "O here's the shoe my baby wore,/ But, baby, where are you?" (30-33). this line really made me feel the pain the mother feels when she found her daughters shoe but not her. I felt this was the main point of the speaker was to make the reader feel the pain of a mother loosing her child and I felt it. " The last Night She lived" reminded me of the " 16th Street Baptist church bombing", that happen in 1963 and took place in Birmingham. this reminded me of that event because the speaker stated: " for when she heard the explosion,/ her eyes grew wet and wild/ she raced through the streets of Birmingham/calling for her child"(25-28). this brought me back to when I first learned about this event. I enjoyed reading " The last Night that She lived", you can really use this for important reason like black history month it would teach the readers a great lesson and they would have a better understanding of what it means.
Winter Coldness (Poetry Response #2)
Shaylia Smith
Ms. Locano
AP Lit -1
27 September 2016
Winter Coldness
"Winter" by William Shakespeare is a poem that tells about the cruel winter life around a sixteenth-century English country house. The poem expresses how bad the quality of winter was back then in that environment. It tells people has to deal with the harshness of winter, while not enjoying it. Which I like because even though the poem is about negative side of winter it's still beautiful. This poem uses a lot of imagery that makes the poem's audience be able to picture the scene in their head.
Shakespeare uses symbolism in this poem. The poem mentions an owl twice, and the owl is a symbol for wisdom and death. He’s also repeating this line in stanza 2, so he’s using the literary device repetition to express that this line is important. “Then nightly sings the staring owl,”(6 & 15). These lines are used to express the deathly quality of the winter. This poem speaks about death in the symbolism of owls. Also, there are uses of onomatopoeia with the owls, which is also repeated in stanza 2. “Tu-who; / Tu-whit, tu-who: a merry note,” (7-8 & 16-17). Those lines represent the sounds of the owls. It’s what all the civilians are hearing in the cold winter nights. It all wraps into the poem being a scene in a play or movie, letting us envision the poem. Envisioning the poem is great because every time I read it I picture it in my head. Due to the details every time that I've read the poem the setting of what I envision has stayed the same.
Both stanza i the poem speak about the sickness of winter. This poem is not all happiness and sunshine, "winter" mentions things like red, raw noses and greasy cooks which is anything but good. "When all aloud the wind doth blow, / And coughing drowns the parson's saw, / And birds sit brooding in the snow, / And Marian's nose looks red and raw" (10-13). The lines talk about common colds but has an underlying meaning of tragedy. which I can relate to because even common cold can be a tragedy
"Winter" by William Shakespeare is a poem that embodies the unpleasant qualities of winter. This poem is about experience and the details n the poem help us to imaginatively experience it ourselves. I like this poem because even the most terrible thing can have an embodiment of beauty.
James Moseley Poetry Response #2
James Moseley
Mrs. Locano
A.P. Literature
27 September 2016
Mrs. Locano
A.P. Literature
27 September 2016
My Emotional Feelings about Poetry
"Apparently with no surprise" is a poem made from Emiley Dickson in the book "Sound and Sense". Although the poem may be short at first glance, it is just enough to fully grasp the meaning of the poem. It allows those with short a retention to be able to grasp the meaning of the poem itself. After reading Dicksons poem a few times I was able to connect to it and find a deeper meaning.
The part of Dicksons poem that I was able to connect to is when the speaker says, " The Frost beheads it at its play- / In accidental power- / The blond Assassin passes on-" (3-5). Honestly, these lines remind me of one of my favorite games, Assassins Creed. But, I connected with these lines because there are times in which you may kill or destroy something on accident with your own power. If you have a lot of power you want to be delicate with a lot of things. I have had times when I killed bugs or broke something by exerting too much power when I was only trying to save or fix it. Power is something that should not be toyed with.You need to be careful with the power you have before it is too late. Power is more of a burden than a gift.
Overall, I enjoyed Dicksons poem for several different reasons. The first reason is the dark tone that it gives off. I tend to like things that are a bit dark and foreboding. The second reason I liked this poem is because it is short and I was able to stay focused throughout it and be able to derive a deeper meaning from it. The third and final reason why I enjoyed the poem is that I made a deep connection in line 6 and 7 " The Sun proceeds unmoved / To measure off another day". This line means to me that even if I were to kill or destroy something, the world, even better yet, the Universe, would remain unchanged and not even flinch at the act I committed.
Dashuna Howard
Locano
AP Lit-4
27 September 2016
In the poem "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath in chapter 2 of "Sound and Sense" the speaker talks about someone's mental health. When Plath writes "I am silver and exact"(1) she meant she had no problems she was exactly how she looked. Plath describes what it's like to be a mirror you see different faces and different emotions. The scene changes when Plath say "Now I am a lake"(10) the poem shifts and the speaker is now looking at him/herself reflection in the lake trying to find their self.The persona in the poem seems to be suffering from depression looking in the lake unable to fully understand who she is. Then Plath goes on to say "Then she turns to those liars the candles or the moon. I see her back, and reflect it faithfully." When she looked away she did not want to accept the truth and was good with believing lies. Although the mirror reveals truth the persona still clings to objects that hide that truth like the moon and candles which could represent people who lie to him/her. Even outside of the mirror nature plays a role in revealing the truth the lake also was like a mirror she saw her reflection and still wanted to change herself. There are many people who refuse to accept reality, and sometimes causes them to stress. I like the poems deeper meaning like showing your identity and accepting it. In line 2 when Plath says "Whatever I see I swallow immediately/" she was referring to what's around her, she takes everything in and tried to make something of it. Throughout the poem there is a theme of truth and lies. The poem "Mirror" is about a woman whose torn between the true picture of herself and the distorted image that others see.
Locano
AP Lit-4
27 September 2016
In the poem "Mirror" by Sylvia Plath in chapter 2 of "Sound and Sense" the speaker talks about someone's mental health. When Plath writes "I am silver and exact"(1) she meant she had no problems she was exactly how she looked. Plath describes what it's like to be a mirror you see different faces and different emotions. The scene changes when Plath say "Now I am a lake"(10) the poem shifts and the speaker is now looking at him/herself reflection in the lake trying to find their self.The persona in the poem seems to be suffering from depression looking in the lake unable to fully understand who she is. Then Plath goes on to say "Then she turns to those liars the candles or the moon. I see her back, and reflect it faithfully." When she looked away she did not want to accept the truth and was good with believing lies. Although the mirror reveals truth the persona still clings to objects that hide that truth like the moon and candles which could represent people who lie to him/her. Even outside of the mirror nature plays a role in revealing the truth the lake also was like a mirror she saw her reflection and still wanted to change herself. There are many people who refuse to accept reality, and sometimes causes them to stress. I like the poems deeper meaning like showing your identity and accepting it. In line 2 when Plath says "Whatever I see I swallow immediately/" she was referring to what's around her, she takes everything in and tried to make something of it. Throughout the poem there is a theme of truth and lies. The poem "Mirror" is about a woman whose torn between the true picture of herself and the distorted image that others see.
Monday, September 26, 2016
Poetry Response #2
La’Coriona Walker
Ms. Lacano
AP Lit- 4
26 September 2016
“A Study
of Reading Habits” By Philip Larkin
In the poem “A study of Reading Habits” by Phillip Larkin
the speaker goes on to show readers his way of reading and exploring books. He takes
reading to a whole new level by applying it to himself as well. He’s so caught
up in doing so that it eventually doesn’t work out for him anymore. What I really
like about this poem is how someone can take reading into a deeper meaning
taking that I do so myself. “A Study of Reading Habits” means a lot to me because
I can relate to it in many ways. The speaker goes on to say: “When getting my
nose in a book/ cured most things short of school/ it was worth ruining my eyes” (1-3).
For one the lines can be related to, a lot of people drown out
things by reading I happen to be one of them, reading takes me to a world of my
own and I felt as of the speaker was trying to imply that. Not only that but
also there began to be a shift in the poem that changes the mood that I’ve
noticed after reading it a few more times. The speaker goes from being this
person that wanted to be so deeply involved in books to not even wanting to be
bothered with them anymore. I feel as of Larkin knew exactly what he was doing
when writing this poem, he wanted to start you off with what appears to be someone
explaining habits that they’ve picked up to not caring about it anymore. It’s almost
like the tone goes from eagerness too nonchalant, the speaker doesn’t have that
same feel for reading like they’ve used to. I really do love how Larkin kinds
of mislead you with the title alone here you have “A Study of Reading Habits”
when in reality it’s someone transitioning with reading. This poem just shows
that sometimes making a habit out of something may eventually die down.
Jada Boyd AP Lit (1st Hr) 9/26/2016 Poetry Response #2
Jada Boyd
AP Lit(1st Hr)
26 September 2016
"Twas once was warm like us" by Emily Dickinson is an eye-opening poem about death. She describes in detail what happens to the physical features of a body once it is dead. This poem touched me because if you have ever been to an open casket funeral, you know what she means. The body is frigid and pale. The facial expression is undisturbed and indifferent. It is disturbing to imagine that it was once a warm living, breathing person like us.
One stanza that really tugged at my heart was stanza two. The narrator states, “The Forehead copied Stone- / The Fingers grew too cold / To ache- and like a Skater’s Brook- / The busy eyes- congealed-” (6-9). This stanza struck a chord because it perfectly what I thought at my Uncle’s funeral. He looked nothing like himself. He looked sickly thin and pale. His face was waxy and pulled taut. Luckily, I didn’t see his eyes. I think I would have collapsed if they were congealed like Dickinson mentioned in this stanza.
Overall this poem is something we can all relate to. It is unnerving to see a dead body. This was literally a person that had a family and a life. Dickinson concludes the poem with a stunning realization, “Twas lowered, like a Weight- / It made no Signal, nor demurred, / But dropped like Adamant.”(15-17). It was at this point that I realized everybody will die one day. Every single person will meet their end. We don’t know when or how but we will one day be stiff and cold with congealed eyes and indifferent faces. We will be Waiting to be put to rest by our loved ones.
Poetry Response #2
Piper Furman
Ms. Locano
AP Lit & Comp
24 September 2016
Poetry Response #2
In the poem "The Eagle" by Alfred Lord Tennyson , the speaker talks about a eagle and when it is flying. The speaker describes the surroundings where the eagle is flying and how its wings are. The speaker paints a very vivid picture when saying: "He clasps the crag with crooked hands;" (1), we all know that eagles don't have hands. Comparing the eagles wings to hands made me think about my mother and when she goes to work. Her "crooked hands" would help people every day. It makes her happy, just like I believe flying, in the poem, makes "The Eagle" happy.
Another aspect of "The Eagle" that I feel is close to me is the shift right before the end. The speaker is addressing the diving part of flying in stanza 2: "The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls; / He watches from his mountain walls, / And like a thunderbolt he falls." (4-6) The bird is not only falling in a literal sense, but diving into something. I dive into new things everyday at school, by learning. It's a choice to fall or dive. That's what the poem is conveying to me. That is why Tennyson structured the poem how he did. This is why I like this poem, it gives a sense of power.
Poetry Response #2
Kyannah Harris
Locano
AP Literature
26 September 2016
In the poem "Suicide's Note," by Langston Hughes in chapter 1 of Sound and Sense the speaker talks about death. When Hughes writes "the calm,/" (1) I think this was meant to have a bigger impact on the audience than it did. The speaker is about to kill him/ or herself and is calm about it. Meaning that this was premeditated and maybe even that the speaker had thought of killing him or himself before. Maybe more than just this once. The speaker then goes into depth of where he or she chooses to end his or her life in the following line. Hughes writes "Cool face of the river/" which I think isn't a coincidence. When someone dies their body becomes cold and the speaker here is referring to the river as cold because soon it is where his/ or her body will lie. And finally when Hughes writes "Asked me for a kiss." This is it! No turning back now for the speaker. His or her mind is made up that this what s/he wants to do. In that final moment the speaker is ready to die and will no longer have to deal with the pain of this world. This poem was definitely one of the shortest poems I think I'll ever read but I think Hughes does this on purpose. I think he made the poem short just like this speakers life (although I don't know the actual age of the speaker... it was cut 'short,' when s/he decides to ends its life.) Very brilliant. Hughes is a genius.
Locano
AP Literature
26 September 2016
In the poem "Suicide's Note," by Langston Hughes in chapter 1 of Sound and Sense the speaker talks about death. When Hughes writes "the calm,/" (1) I think this was meant to have a bigger impact on the audience than it did. The speaker is about to kill him/ or herself and is calm about it. Meaning that this was premeditated and maybe even that the speaker had thought of killing him or himself before. Maybe more than just this once. The speaker then goes into depth of where he or she chooses to end his or her life in the following line. Hughes writes "Cool face of the river/" which I think isn't a coincidence. When someone dies their body becomes cold and the speaker here is referring to the river as cold because soon it is where his/ or her body will lie. And finally when Hughes writes "Asked me for a kiss." This is it! No turning back now for the speaker. His or her mind is made up that this what s/he wants to do. In that final moment the speaker is ready to die and will no longer have to deal with the pain of this world. This poem was definitely one of the shortest poems I think I'll ever read but I think Hughes does this on purpose. I think he made the poem short just like this speakers life (although I don't know the actual age of the speaker... it was cut 'short,' when s/he decides to ends its life.) Very brilliant. Hughes is a genius.
Poetry response #2
Dana Cogshell
Locano
AP Literature
26 September 2016
In the poem "I had heard it's a fight" by Edwin Denby in chapter 9 of sound and sense The speaker talks about naivete or going against your better judgement . When Denby writes" The afternoon it touched me / It sneaked up like it was a sweet thrill " (5-6) . This shows misguidance I think The speaker thinks this thing is good and nice ,at first thrilling but they are mistaken. This (mistake) is shown in the following lines" So I let it come just a wee / Mite closer, Though I knew what it was , hell " (7-8). These lines show the speaker knows subconciously this thing that they are accepting into their life or their arms as Denby puts is bad but still they are tempted to trust so they let it gain entry little by little but they know deep down this thing they are accepting is bad. I also think this poem shows blindness we are blinded by our thoughts and our beliefs ultimately if we want to believe something is good we allow ourselves to look past all the bad it does. When Denby writes the words "I had heard it's a fight " (1), It makes me feel as if the speaker was blinded that they had heard it was a fight but didn't conciously know they were involved they were blinded so they can't feel being beat down and all the bad it's doing to you because you are on this high as if this thing is so magnificient that you literally cannot make the observation for yourself so you are left with hearsay of people watching as you sit idly by as this thing beats you down. This is ultimately why I like the poem it speaks of something so human. It speaks of our process of accepting things that ultimately cause pandemonium and disaster. We want to believe lots of things are good and want to ignore all the bad it has done. I also love this poem for the way it is written the imagery used and the use of fragments and random capitalization makes it eye catching making it easier to understand and feel what Denby is trying to convey as he wrote it.
Locano
AP Literature
26 September 2016
In the poem "I had heard it's a fight" by Edwin Denby in chapter 9 of sound and sense The speaker talks about naivete or going against your better judgement . When Denby writes" The afternoon it touched me / It sneaked up like it was a sweet thrill " (5-6) . This shows misguidance I think The speaker thinks this thing is good and nice ,at first thrilling but they are mistaken. This (mistake) is shown in the following lines" So I let it come just a wee / Mite closer, Though I knew what it was , hell " (7-8). These lines show the speaker knows subconciously this thing that they are accepting into their life or their arms as Denby puts is bad but still they are tempted to trust so they let it gain entry little by little but they know deep down this thing they are accepting is bad. I also think this poem shows blindness we are blinded by our thoughts and our beliefs ultimately if we want to believe something is good we allow ourselves to look past all the bad it does. When Denby writes the words "I had heard it's a fight " (1), It makes me feel as if the speaker was blinded that they had heard it was a fight but didn't conciously know they were involved they were blinded so they can't feel being beat down and all the bad it's doing to you because you are on this high as if this thing is so magnificient that you literally cannot make the observation for yourself so you are left with hearsay of people watching as you sit idly by as this thing beats you down. This is ultimately why I like the poem it speaks of something so human. It speaks of our process of accepting things that ultimately cause pandemonium and disaster. We want to believe lots of things are good and want to ignore all the bad it has done. I also love this poem for the way it is written the imagery used and the use of fragments and random capitalization makes it eye catching making it easier to understand and feel what Denby is trying to convey as he wrote it.
Poetry Response #2
After reading "Ending" by Gavin Ewart, I realized that there is a strong connection between the meaning of the poem and me, the words being shared and me. Line 14, "Romance, expected once to stay, / has left a note saying GONE AWAY." This line stays with me each time i read this poem, as i have recently experienced the feeling these words are expressing. It's as if the memories come rushing back just from reading that line and that's why has such a strong affect on me and why I love it. In addition to the connection I made with the poem, my reaction was very shocking yet I was in aw about how much this poem expressed some feelings I had. Each time I would read this poem, my reaction would change, I get less shocked and more in aw because of the strong connection I get with every word said.
The Greatest Love Of All - PR#2
Ariana Towns
Ms. Locano
AP-Lit
26, September 2016
"Love"
There's the wonderful love of a beautiful maid'
And the love of a staunch true man,
And the love of a baby that's unafraid--
All have existed since time began.
But the most wonderful love,, the Love of all loves,
Even greater than the love for Mother,
Is the infinite, tenderest, passionate love
Of one dead drunk for another.
Anonymous
The Greatest Love Of All
"Love" by an anonymous poet is a poem that lays out a platform for different views of love until it concludes to the ultimate one. This poem idolizes the idea that no matter the kind of love one has the greatest love is of those who can't get enough of each other. The poet provides a tone of innocence and familiarity in lines three and four, the poem says, " And the love of a baby that's unafraid-- / All have existed since time began". This shows us that true love can be compared to the innocence of an unafraid baby who is pure. It is familiar because since the beginning of time love has been known and given in different forms. The speaker in the poem finds love to be best known when one is truly connected and consumed in another. I like the way the speaker deciphers the confusing way of true love through a poem of eight lines.
No matter how one feels about the concept of love no one can deny that this poem exemplifies the beauty within the different stages of infinite love. One stage being in lines seven and eight where it states, " Is the infinite, tenderest, passionate love / Of one dead drunk for another". This doesn't mean one is completely wasted on alcohol but to be so in love that you are in love with something bigger than love because you are drunk off of the person. The speaker forces you to understand that there is nothing more powerful or sadistic than love.
Ms. Locano
AP-Lit
26, September 2016
"Love"
There's the wonderful love of a beautiful maid'
And the love of a staunch true man,
And the love of a baby that's unafraid--
All have existed since time began.
But the most wonderful love,, the Love of all loves,
Even greater than the love for Mother,
Is the infinite, tenderest, passionate love
Of one dead drunk for another.
Anonymous
The Greatest Love Of All
"Love" by an anonymous poet is a poem that lays out a platform for different views of love until it concludes to the ultimate one. This poem idolizes the idea that no matter the kind of love one has the greatest love is of those who can't get enough of each other. The poet provides a tone of innocence and familiarity in lines three and four, the poem says, " And the love of a baby that's unafraid-- / All have existed since time began". This shows us that true love can be compared to the innocence of an unafraid baby who is pure. It is familiar because since the beginning of time love has been known and given in different forms. The speaker in the poem finds love to be best known when one is truly connected and consumed in another. I like the way the speaker deciphers the confusing way of true love through a poem of eight lines.
No matter how one feels about the concept of love no one can deny that this poem exemplifies the beauty within the different stages of infinite love. One stage being in lines seven and eight where it states, " Is the infinite, tenderest, passionate love / Of one dead drunk for another". This doesn't mean one is completely wasted on alcohol but to be so in love that you are in love with something bigger than love because you are drunk off of the person. The speaker forces you to understand that there is nothing more powerful or sadistic than love.
The Truth About Poetry Poetry Response #2
The Truth About Poetry
"Ars Poetica" by Archibald MacLeish is a wonderful poem. In the poem
MacLeish explores the world’s perspective on poetry and how it is not true. The
poem is made up of 12 short stanzas. In these lines the speaker made a lot of
sense. This poem actually gives me a better understanding of poetry. In my opinion
this poem means poetry does not always have to have a meaning or a purpose.
Sometimes a poem is literally exactly what is says, without a deeper meaning.
In stanza 8 lines 1 & 2 the speaker says “A poem should be equal to:
/ Not true.” I feel this is the most powerful lines within the whole poem
because it shows how someone is trying to put a label on a poem, quickly correcting
it by saying that is not true you don’t have to believe that.
I’m one of the people in
this world that thought the purpose of a poem was to give this life changing message,
which now I know is not true.
Who's The Fairest of Them All? - PR #2
Who's The Fairest of Them All?
"Mirror" by Sylvia Plath is a poem that really made me think about the complexity of a mirror. The speaker showed me that a mirror is more than an object. This poem includes personification as the speaker indirectly mentioned two possible things a mirror could be. In the first stanza, the speaker shows the mirror to be a person, "I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions" (1). In the second stanza, the mirror is metaphorically a lake, "Now I am a lake" (10).
This poem seems to refer to seeing your true self. In the beginning of the second stanza, a woman is introduced to the poem. She's trying to see her true self by looking at her reflection in the lake. "A woman bends over me, / Searching my reaches for what she really is. / Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon" (10-12). The woman can't see herself by the lighting of the moon or candles because they don't show her actual face, only an illusion. Plath uses imagery to show how long the woman looked at her reflection in the lake, "In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman / Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish" (17-18).
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Lament and Liberate: PR2
Suicide's Note
The calm,
Cool face of the river
Asked me for a kiss.
Cool face of the river
Asked me for a kiss.
Suicide’s Note by Langston Hughes is extremely beautiful. It is simple, being comprised of only 3 lines, 1 stanza; and it is expressive.
Hughes provides imagery in lines one and two, “The calm,/Cool face of the river”. This shows us how it isn’t ugly. Suicide is something that is considered ugly by society. And the speaker in Hughes poem instead sees suicide as something liberating. The speaker sees it as something to jump into. I enjoy how the speaker in the poem implies that what we see as voluntary is irresistible and inevitable.
No matter a person's personal feelings about suicide, it can’t be denied that this is a wonderful poem. On a multitude of levels. One being Hughes play on water. A river contains water. And water is usually associated with rebirth. An example being a christening. Which is why it is ironic that someone would choose to kill themselves in a river.
If you removed the title of this poem, it would seem like a basic and happy poem. Someone at peace with themselves and at peace with nature. But add the title and a sharp contrast is drawn. However, we must ask ourselves, should it be?
Hughes poem forces you to rethink suicide. Since suicide can be brought on because of a depressive state, many see suicide as a last resort, a sad thing. Something to be mourned. Suicide being the final option, a final destination. But the speaker suggests, that it doesn't end in death
… it instead ends in liberation.
Leaving you wondering, if it’s the living we should grieve.
-Sonya Williams
Poetry Response #2
Mycah Mattox
Ms. Locano
AP Lit- 4
25 September 2016
I really like this poem because of how simplistic it is. The speaker has realized they have fallen out of love. The tone is resigned, but nostalgic of all the moments that were spent in love. In lines 11-14, the speaker says. "The parts that then transmitted joy / are now reserved cold and coy. / Romance, expected once to stay, / has left a note saying GONE AWAY." Ewart beautifully examines the intimate parts of a relationship with a lovely rhyming scheme that almost distracts the audience from the fact he's talking about loss of excitement with a significant other.
Ms. Locano
AP Lit- 4
25 September 2016
The Smell of Wilted Roses
In the poem "Ending" by Gavin Ewart, he explores the exhilarating spark of love going out eventually in a relationship. We are all victims of time, nothing is ever the same in one moment or the next. A rose will wilt as soon as it's plucked resulting in a painstakingly beautiful death. A death that is enjoyed until the rose becomes ugly and meaningless. The love that one may have felt growing wildly can disperse gradually without them ever noticing.
I really like this poem because of how simplistic it is. The speaker has realized they have fallen out of love. The tone is resigned, but nostalgic of all the moments that were spent in love. In lines 11-14, the speaker says. "The parts that then transmitted joy / are now reserved cold and coy. / Romance, expected once to stay, / has left a note saying GONE AWAY." Ewart beautifully examines the intimate parts of a relationship with a lovely rhyming scheme that almost distracts the audience from the fact he's talking about loss of excitement with a significant other.
This poem reminds me of the poem "Storm Warnings" by Adrienne Rich, that we read in class. The speakers in both works are talking about the grey area that will eventually come with falling in love. You would think that love should be glamorous, eternal and flawless in its entirety, but the harsh reality is that, like love, in time, the most divine rose will become dull and lifeless in its immaculate vase.
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Peaceful Nightmare - PR#2
Jennifer Medrano
Ms. Locano
AP-LIT 4
24 September 2016
"Suicide's Note" by Langston Hughes is the shortest poem that I've ever read that mandates such a grand amount of thought. This poem constructs a long list of questions after allowing your mind to grasp the main idea of the literal story. Hughes orchestrates the poem with the tone of such sadness so great that it almost feels peaceful.
Although we do not know the length of the Speakers life, we know it must have been tragic due to the whole suicide...experience he or she is having. The entirety of the poem says, "The calm, / Cool face of the river / Asked me for a kiss." Lines 1-3 consist of the 'peaceful' death of the Speaker. We ask, "What made this character desire such an ending for their life?"
The elements that add to the beauty of the poem is white space and imagery. Despite the fact that few words were used to create this work, the image is clear and profound. The white space that Hughes uses also allows his readers to wonder why he placed his quotations where he did. I believe his placement is the magic to the spell and completes the work with astonishment.
Ms. Locano
AP-LIT 4
24 September 2016
Peaceful Nightmare
"Suicide's Note" by Langston Hughes is the shortest poem that I've ever read that mandates such a grand amount of thought. This poem constructs a long list of questions after allowing your mind to grasp the main idea of the literal story. Hughes orchestrates the poem with the tone of such sadness so great that it almost feels peaceful.
Although we do not know the length of the Speakers life, we know it must have been tragic due to the whole suicide...experience he or she is having. The entirety of the poem says, "The calm, / Cool face of the river / Asked me for a kiss." Lines 1-3 consist of the 'peaceful' death of the Speaker. We ask, "What made this character desire such an ending for their life?"
The elements that add to the beauty of the poem is white space and imagery. Despite the fact that few words were used to create this work, the image is clear and profound. The white space that Hughes uses also allows his readers to wonder why he placed his quotations where he did. I believe his placement is the magic to the spell and completes the work with astonishment.
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