"[In Goya's Greatest Scenes We Seem to See]" by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
I decided to write about one of Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poems because I did my oral presentation over him and found out just how interesting and quite brave he is. With that being said, I feel that he has a true passion for poetry considering that he risked his freedom to publish "Howl". In this poem, "[In Goya's Greatest Scenes We Seem to See]" there seems to be two different seems. One of those scenes being of Goya's paintings and the other of possible traffic and transportation in America. These two scenes are comparable though because in the paintings it shows how the deaths are affecting the livelihood of the scene, while the American transportation traffic is annoying and causes deaths and troubles as well. Ferlinghetti does a great job in my eyes, of finding two very different subjects and finding a resemblance between them. This poem shows just how creative the mind of Lawrence Ferlinghetti is.
Week 11: Thursday, March 29th
"The Young Housewife" by William Carlos Williams
This is an interesting poem because William Carlos Williams uses this short poem to give a descriptive story of this woman's life within one day, which really consists of her whole life because she obviously is a housewife who does the same thing everyday. I think it is a possiblity that the narrator has a certain amount of affection for this woman because he has drawn an interest to her since he watches her in detail. Even though she just stays at home, I think he realizes how much she does by saying, "shy, uncorseted, tucking in / stray ends of hair, and I compare her / to a fallen leaf." (Lines 7-9). I don't think he is saying she is ugly, I see it as him saying she is tired and could be a beautiful woman when she is put together and not restless from her everyday routine of keeping the house perfect and in order. Another reason I think he has an affection for her is because at the end of the poem he says, "...as I bow and pass smiling." (Line 12). If he didn't care for this woman he would just pass quickly like every other person.
This is an interesting poem because William Carlos Williams uses this short poem to give a descriptive story of this woman's life within one day, which really consists of her whole life because she obviously is a housewife who does the same thing everyday. I think it is a possiblity that the narrator has a certain amount of affection for this woman because he has drawn an interest to her since he watches her in detail. Even though she just stays at home, I think he realizes how much she does by saying, "shy, uncorseted, tucking in / stray ends of hair, and I compare her / to a fallen leaf." (Lines 7-9). I don't think he is saying she is ugly, I see it as him saying she is tired and could be a beautiful woman when she is put together and not restless from her everyday routine of keeping the house perfect and in order. Another reason I think he has an affection for her is because at the end of the poem he says, "...as I bow and pass smiling." (Line 12). If he didn't care for this woman he would just pass quickly like every other person.
Week 11: Tuesday, March 27th
"Grown up" by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Of course the short poem is going to be my favorite. That wasn't the only reason I liked it though. This poem actually made sense to me. I like how it uses two lines that refer to her past life and two lines to refer to her present life. She reflects on how she used to act by saying "And sobbed and cursed and kicked the stairs," (Line 2). This made me think she was talking about how much energy she used to exert while now that she is all grown-up she says, "I should retire at a half past-eight?" (Line 4). Another reason that I grew fond to this poem was because it was really easy for me to relate to. Even though I'm only 19, I can still look back on my childhood and think where did I get all of that energy and time, and now that I have a job and go to college, I find myself looking for my bed or couch as soon as the sun goes down. My favorite line in this poem is line 3 when she says, "That now, domestic as a plate," because she compares her grown-up self to a plate that is plain and flat.
Of course the short poem is going to be my favorite. That wasn't the only reason I liked it though. This poem actually made sense to me. I like how it uses two lines that refer to her past life and two lines to refer to her present life. She reflects on how she used to act by saying "And sobbed and cursed and kicked the stairs," (Line 2). This made me think she was talking about how much energy she used to exert while now that she is all grown-up she says, "I should retire at a half past-eight?" (Line 4). Another reason that I grew fond to this poem was because it was really easy for me to relate to. Even though I'm only 19, I can still look back on my childhood and think where did I get all of that energy and time, and now that I have a job and go to college, I find myself looking for my bed or couch as soon as the sun goes down. My favorite line in this poem is line 3 when she says, "That now, domestic as a plate," because she compares her grown-up self to a plate that is plain and flat.
Week 8: Thursday, March 8th
"The Waste Land" by T.S. Elliot
I decided to go into detail about the section "A Game of Chess". This section seemed to have more than one scene. The opening scene I portrayed was a woman in this room that had stained glass, and Elliot was describing her with the beautiful things in that room including the chair and the glass. However, as the poem goes on it seems she becomes somewhat dillusional and it makes her psychotic. The next scene I picked up was a woman that was possibly accompanied by maids and a butler because there is someone questioning her actions, along with someone telling her to "HURRY UP". I think she is being told this because her husband is coming home from the army, and she needs to look her absolute best for him. The sections ends with them saying their good nights. This sections of the poem, has many possibilities which makes it difficult to comprehend. However, this is my favorite section of the poem because it was easier to relate to considering it talks about women and their circumstances.
I decided to go into detail about the section "A Game of Chess". This section seemed to have more than one scene. The opening scene I portrayed was a woman in this room that had stained glass, and Elliot was describing her with the beautiful things in that room including the chair and the glass. However, as the poem goes on it seems she becomes somewhat dillusional and it makes her psychotic. The next scene I picked up was a woman that was possibly accompanied by maids and a butler because there is someone questioning her actions, along with someone telling her to "HURRY UP". I think she is being told this because her husband is coming home from the army, and she needs to look her absolute best for him. The sections ends with them saying their good nights. This sections of the poem, has many possibilities which makes it difficult to comprehend. However, this is my favorite section of the poem because it was easier to relate to considering it talks about women and their circumstances.
Week 8: Tuesday, March 6th
"The Waste Land" by T.S. Elliot
This was probably the hardest poem I have ever tried to read. One was becasue it was pretty long, but another reasoning behind this was because I had trouble following all of the jumps and details in this poem. I'm the kind of person who likes an exact answer, so this poem definitely didn't fit that criteria. When Elliot talks about the four seasons in the beginning of the poem, I thought it was interesting how he considered April to be the "cruelest" of the months. When thinking about this month in greater detail, I thought this might be because of the storms that cause damage. However, living in west Texas really gives us a different point of view because we are always desperate for the rain that April brings. I personally think T.S. Elliot has a unique brain because some of the thoughts that he portrays through this poem are very broad yet interesting.
This was probably the hardest poem I have ever tried to read. One was becasue it was pretty long, but another reasoning behind this was because I had trouble following all of the jumps and details in this poem. I'm the kind of person who likes an exact answer, so this poem definitely didn't fit that criteria. When Elliot talks about the four seasons in the beginning of the poem, I thought it was interesting how he considered April to be the "cruelest" of the months. When thinking about this month in greater detail, I thought this might be because of the storms that cause damage. However, living in west Texas really gives us a different point of view because we are always desperate for the rain that April brings. I personally think T.S. Elliot has a unique brain because some of the thoughts that he portrays through this poem are very broad yet interesting.
Week 7: Thursday, March 1st
"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Elliot
In this poem, Prufrock makes me get the cringing feeling of embarrassment because he is obviously not the greatest charm. From my understanding of the poem, he is speaking to a possible lover who he wants to be with so badly, but tries to force it in all the wrong ways. It seems that he wants to try and go for her so badly, but he knows in the back of his mind that this sterotypical man that he is could never find the ability within himself to charm this woman. I feel like he has all of these images and day dreams in his head of what it would be like if they were together, so it makes it almost seem real to him. He repeats, "And would it have been worth it, after all," many times because he is contemplating over all of the things he sees them doing. This poem exerts many emotions, and I think T.S. Elliot did a great job of using many metaphors and comparison that really makes the poem unique.
In this poem, Prufrock makes me get the cringing feeling of embarrassment because he is obviously not the greatest charm. From my understanding of the poem, he is speaking to a possible lover who he wants to be with so badly, but tries to force it in all the wrong ways. It seems that he wants to try and go for her so badly, but he knows in the back of his mind that this sterotypical man that he is could never find the ability within himself to charm this woman. I feel like he has all of these images and day dreams in his head of what it would be like if they were together, so it makes it almost seem real to him. He repeats, "And would it have been worth it, after all," many times because he is contemplating over all of the things he sees them doing. This poem exerts many emotions, and I think T.S. Elliot did a great job of using many metaphors and comparison that really makes the poem unique.
Week 7: Tuesday, Feb. 28th
"Whispers of Immortality" by T.S. Elliot
Obviously since the first line of this poem is "Webster was much possessed by death" (Line 1), you can assume this man is some what crazy and irregular. I got the notion that this poem was comparing different poets and their outlooks on death itself. In this poem, he contrasts Webster and Donne as he portrays Webster to be this evil minded man who sees life through the eyes of death and Donne on the contrary to be a perceptual man who sees life just as it is. In the second half of the poem, I thought it really took a turn because I felt like I was beginning to understand what the writers point of view was, but this part honestly just made my mind spin. I realize that he is speaking and describing the Russian woman, Grishkin; however, I couldn't pin particularly why he was describing her. This poem, in my eyes was very mysterious and is definitely not one of my favorites.
Obviously since the first line of this poem is "Webster was much possessed by death" (Line 1), you can assume this man is some what crazy and irregular. I got the notion that this poem was comparing different poets and their outlooks on death itself. In this poem, he contrasts Webster and Donne as he portrays Webster to be this evil minded man who sees life through the eyes of death and Donne on the contrary to be a perceptual man who sees life just as it is. In the second half of the poem, I thought it really took a turn because I felt like I was beginning to understand what the writers point of view was, but this part honestly just made my mind spin. I realize that he is speaking and describing the Russian woman, Grishkin; however, I couldn't pin particularly why he was describing her. This poem, in my eyes was very mysterious and is definitely not one of my favorites.
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