Revisit the Favorite Poem Project site:
http://www.favoritepoem.org/
View a few more videos, then post the title of the poem (and poet) you found most interesting/appealing/exciting/intriguing/depressing/scintillating....
and most importantly tell why the poem and or the presenter "spoke" to you.
Post due Wednesday by 3pm
Settling by Denise Levertov -
ReplyDeleteI chose this poem because I love all of it's colors and imagery - being a personal lover of nature, and especially the west, the beautiful and aesthetic images that it portrays (including the captivating beauty of the changing of the seasons, such as the "clear gold of late summer") really made me enjoy the poem. Laura Treadway, who chose the poem, had a personal connection to it because it embodied her experience of moving to Seattle and all of the gorgeous, surreal scenery that surrounds it. I have a similar connection, since all of my family lives in the west and midwest, it reminds me of my true home and my emotional attachment to the peaceful and elegant grace of the "mountains vast presence" and all the prolific nature that exists in that breathtaking region of the country. Levertov's beautiful, serene depictions of this nature really moved me and hit home :-)
Piper Miller (Block 4)
("I'm nobody, who are you?") by Emily Dickinson
ReplyDeleteI think that this poem spoke to me the most because of the young Chinese girl who read it; her message is so easy to relate to. Any teenage girl can understand the feeling of constantly being judged and the need to be perfect in the eyes of your parents, peers, teachers. Like she said, "it's hard being a teenager." I love the poem because it reaches out to all of the people who feel alone, the "nobody's" and how no matter what, we all want to know that someone else out there knows what we feel and what we're going through. Dickinson is embracing loneliness and being nobody in a lighthearted way. The poem as a whole just made me feel comforted that everyone out there feels alone sometimes, and that is utterly and completely fine.
Minstrel Man
ReplyDeleteby Langston Hughes
The "Minstrel Man" was the most appealing, real (text to self), interesting and stoic piece of poetry on that website.The poem captivated me by it's cheerful start, then analyzing lines 5 through 8 I felt the importance Langston Hughes intentional wrote for. The introduction seemed like the life of everyone, because life is all about discovering what is behind the mask of a person. The bigger picture is about a troubled person, with a burden of their truthful past; everyone has this in common, but everyone expresses emotions differently, which reminded me of myself and how I deal with life.
The presenter, Pov Chin could not have been more ideal to fit the idea of this poem. Her story deeply moved me to be just a little more grateful. Here is a woman that is living life in peace of what has happen in her past; although she has issues that still terrorizes her, she is dealing with them. I say the word peace because that is the idea I have of her overall days, living life without constant bitterness. And this is exactly how life is for me.
Walking around happy is not easy task, and Mrs. Hurst, you proved that when we had to choose. Being happy is a choice that each and everyday I face, and so does the next person; those that rather know the truth have it harder and can be depressed. However, when I decide to somehow bury what is already done, and overcome the past, I feel free and enjoy as much as life has to offer. This poem simply states how so many people live, we just have yet to know it.
Jonell Joseph
Block: 02
At the Fishhouses
ReplyDeleteby Elizabeth Bishop
This poem really spoke to me because of the imagery and the many meanings that the poem could have. To me Elizabeth Bishop is comparing Mother nature which she describes in great length in the beginning of the poem to mankind. We share this earth yet mankind and mother nature are really nothing alike. I love this idea because it isn't something that you think about everyday but mankind relies so closely on mother nature and vis versa one would not exist without the other. Bishop describes it beautifully when describing every small detail in the beginning of the poem all the way to the scales that are on the fisherman. She inserts this meaning so subtly that at the end of the poem I was so consumed by the imagery that I really had to ask myself exactly what she was trying to say. The man who read the poem is sincere about the poem and how it spoke to him because it really reflects the way that he lives. Overall the poem spoke to me because I have been taught since I was small to value everything that mother nature puts in front of us because it is there for a purpose and if it is used in the wrong way you are disrupting a beautiful cycle.
-Andrea Siluk Block 2
To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell
ReplyDeleteThe title of this caught my eye and so did the picture of the women, so i decided to watch the video. As I listened to this woman's life story,I began to realize how much her and I were alike. Her is this women, although much older than me, she is torn between trying to balance what people thinks she should do with her life and what she would like to do. She said that she liked the poem for many reasons, but the first one was because it was about sex. She was a teenager when she first read it and that was an intriguing subject for her, is it is for me, for the same reason. This is a subject that has become fascinating to the teenage mind and makes almost everything that it deals with interesting, and just by it being in this poem makes me like it already. After hearing the poem, I found myself connecting more with the writer as oppose to the women that he was writing about, as did the Kathleen Rogers. I saw this man this man that had such a passion for life and a burning desire to go out and embrace life, which exactly how I feel. I want to experience the freedom that life has and also learn more about myself as I learn more about the world. A part that really captured me was when the write described how time goes by so fast. How the love will eventually die with that person and they will be concealed to their "private grave". This made me realize how short life truly is and how important it is to live, laugh, and love. It could all be over at the blink of an eye, so when you are passionate about something, go after it with everything that you have; which is exactly what this poem has inspired me to do.
Vashti Powell
Block 2
Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare
ReplyDeleteThe poem that resonated with me the most was Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare. The reader described the strong emotional connection he had with the poem in terms of childhood struggles and how he used poetry to overcome an awful night aboard a ship during his time in the coast guard. I loved that he depended on poetry to get him through the other side. It was as if he was relying on feelings and passions of others in order to gain strength to get him through his obstacles. It shows that poetry can offer an escape from reality that can actually put things and emotions into perspective. Furthermore, the poem itself was quite moving to me because it hit a personal note. I, like the reader, did have to face several struggles growing up, to the point in which childhood itself was lost. I love that Shakespeare was able to understand what it feels like to be in such a place but still find something positive to fight towards, to make life worth living. The poem is depressing and raw but it offers a glimmer of hope that each day holds for human beings. It made me realize that while some things may appear easier that the grass is not always greener on the other side and that we have overlooked treasures, even in the bleakest of time, that are unique to each one of us. It is nice to know that no matter how hard things might get there are some things not worth trading for an easier time, after all they make the struggle worth it in the end.
Sylvia Percovich
Block IV
The Sloth by Theodore Roethke
ReplyDeleteThis poem spoke to me most because of the irony involving the poem and the speaker. It seems a sloth has all the time in the world, yet a 5th grader named Katherine read the poem and then revealed her busy schedule of dance, soccer, softball and trombone, among others. A child of only 11, so desperately living for the weekend so she can catch her breath. It made me further question the growing expectations adults place on children and how it might be nice to just slow down every once and a while. It's not to say that they can't be children, but that adults are increasingly striving for their children to be extraordinary and have their children find something that they excel in over others. We rarely have the chance to ever slow down. For example, in the poem, Roethke writes, "You ask him something in his Ear, He thinks about it for a Year;". This really hit it home for me because unlike the sloth, time is something that humans are constantly looking for and is extremely hard to come across. This poem reminded me that although we don't always have the luxury of time, we make the most of the time we have.
Holly Denton
Block 2
"Ay, Ay, Ay de la Grifa Negra" by Julia de Burgos
ReplyDeleteI choose this poem because I loved the way Glaisma Perez-Silva read the poem. She read with so much emphasis and emotion that other speakers did not. After watching several other videos I noticed that no one spoke with as much passion as she did. She commanded attention as she read and spoke from within. Perez-Silva described the historical connection between her own culture, Puerto Rican, and helped me to put into perspective of my own culture. This poem further spoke to me because I interpreted this poem to mean, that black people should be proud of who they are, and where they came from. They should not be ashamed of their history as slaves, because "if being a slave is having no rights/being the master is having no conscience."
Danielle Malcolm
Block 4
The Sentence by Anna Akhmatova
ReplyDeleteI choose this poem because it was extremely deep. Deep in the way that would make someone rethink as to how they are living their life. Life is filled with sentences, maybe not life sentences but occurances that truly change a person's being. The reader of this poem, Nancy Nersessian, caught my attention with her heart-felt story. Not only was her brother put into the military as a sentence, due to no other choice, but his experiences changed him. Whether it be a disease, witnessing such horror as war, or just being depressed, it is a sentence. Many recover, solve their problems, unfortunately her brother didn't. Through others' "sentences" we should learn from them, not let occurances define us. Even though she states that lack of emotion or memory would be descriptions of someone made of stone, it is possible to join that "festival" outside ones window. It takes courage and strength, no one expects one to be "made of stone" but it is possible. This poem expresses sympathy to those who have "sentences" and cannot out live them.
~Alicia Weeks
Block 2
"My Papa's Waltz" - Theodore Roethke
ReplyDeleteThis poem stood out to me when we read it in class. I chose it now because I still stand by my belief that this was not a joyful poem talking about a loving father-child relationship, even though the speaker felt otherwise. Despite the fact that I disagree with the speakers take on the poem it was interesting to hear a different view point, especially a view that seemed to relate to the work. While I disagree with the speaker I respect their opinion and found that what they had to say was interesting.
"Block City" by Robert Louis Stevenson
ReplyDeleteThis poem really touched me because I love it when children love things they don't really understand because they have a sixth sense to love them. The reader is so innocent; it's moving. The poem itself recognizes something I find to be very important to healthy learning and growing: the recognition that your imagination and thought are far more important entities than gold and castles. The castle he builds on his couch is a childhood memory for me, and I really do love the way it was read. He didn't quite see the full meaning, but Andrew understood enough of it to say it and make you believe it.
-Tatiana Becker
Block 2
Merry Go Round
ReplyDeleteby Langston Hughes
This poem to me wasn't afraid to say what most people think. Being black you expect to be put on the back burner and not to be important. Even though he didn't see a "Jim Crow" section the speaker expected one. Being African American we assume that we aren't treated as equals. Guilty, I assume these feelings sometimes too. Just as Henderson said we are repeating the cycle again, because we as blacks are harder on ourselves compared to other races. But because we are the same race we pass it off as okay and not racist. Even when the speaker didn't see a section he/she still didn't believe it and stood there puzzled to the fact that we are just as good as anyone else and deserve a front seat.
Karlens Direny
Block 4
The Sloth by Theodore Roethke
ReplyDeleteThis poem was quite funny in my opinion. The fact that this fifth grader read it added to my enjoyment of listening. She emphasized on words such as "Ex-as-per-at-ing" and "swaying gently". When I think of a sloth, I picture a very lazy animal that relaxes on trees. Roethke helped me imagine specifics of what a sloth actually does. This poem is an odd one, but that is something that I like about it. "The Sloth" could also be describing a lazy person who is sleeping on a couch or a bed. What caught my attention was the title alone. When I saw the words "The Sloth," it drew me in to read the poem.
Cheyenne Hall
Block 4
Casey at the Bat
ReplyDeleteby Ernest Lawrence Thayer
I chose this poem because to me it seems to have a deeper meaning. It is a simply structured poem in which "Casey" comes to bat, with the game on the line. Everybody expects Casey to rise to the occasion and get a hit, propelling his team to victory. This does not happen obviously. I likened this to life as a student, in which we are brought up through gradeschool with the highest of expectations put on us, and when it comes time, we are expected to capitalize and move on, to higher education, and some reach this goal, but many others for whatever reason do not, dissapointing their family of friends or themselves, as Casey did. It was just interesting when I watched it how such as simple poem, in my case could be taken and interpreted in such a way to something many students are facing. A little abstract I know, but every poem has some deeper meaning.
Brandon Richards
Block 2
"God's Grandeur"
ReplyDeleteby Gerard Manley Hopkins
I like this poem because it differentiates scientific thought and religion. Since I try to live my life focusing a bit more on religion and studying God's true grandeur, this poem reaches out to me because it shows that people still believe God's existence is around us, although it cannot be seen, like oil can be seen to light a fire or generate electricity. The speaker just happens to pick out the book at random, all a pure game of chance. Yet this coincidence changed his life forever, just how this poem maybe change the lives of another.
Francheska Periche
Block 4
Way of the Water-Hyacinth by Zawgee
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful poem. The descirption of a hyacinth, a common flower, is portrayed so delicately as to give it such wealth and importance. "Falling but not felled" conveys its delicate frame just hanging in the air; which I connected to because that feels to be the balance of my mind. Just as anything can affect this flower, such as everything does affect my thoughts, yet still moves with the ever-flowing tide of the world around it. SUDDENLY, ducks are flitting by! Knocking the poor flower under and ruining its balance, but it comes back up and just as my mind, returns gracefully to a sense of stability. I really feel a strong connection to the flower in the sense that we both have been thrown off of our comfort level, into some pretty dark territory, but in the end we end up back on the surface.
Isaac Amor
Block 4
''The Improvement''
ReplyDeleteBy John Ashbery
When I’m watching the videos for these poems I always pause the video, read the poem and then listen to what the person has to say about the poem. And when I read up to the first two lines in the second stanza, I was like whoa I haven’t even finished reading and I know for a fact I’m going to pick this poem. Yes I did look at the other poems but it didn’t grab my attention as this poem has. When the poet writes..’’We never live long enough in our lives to know what today is like’’. And just by that I knew I liked the poem simply because it sparked a question in my mind but also because after reading I understood what the poet is trying to say. Life is complex and it changes everyday, it is unpredictable. Meaning that there are positive and negative sides to a day but never could it be explained nor will we ever know how today will turn out. This poem spoke to me because it made me think about life and yes I did know that it complex and forever changing but the way the diction that was used in the poem just really made wonder…
~Ginette Norvelus
Block #2
"My Papa's Waltz" by, Theodore Roethke
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the image I got from this poem when we read it in class, so when I saw it on the website I was intrigued to hear the story of why this man chose it. I would like to say a big "Thank you!" to the reader, Willima Van Fields, because we are on the same page with this poem. When we read the poem I felt practically alone with my view on the poem, just as he felt when he first encountered it. I agree with him in saying that this IS a joyful poem - not one of abuse, alcoholism, and negative emotions. With the help of Roethke's use of rhythm and imagery, I visualize a father coming home from a long day at work, having something to drink to possibly ease the stress, and then the father and son "waltzing" around the house. Even though some argue that the words "beat", "battered", and "scraped" imply that he is being overly rough with his son and abusing him, I do not see this at all. I understand these words to mean that the father is a hard working man and he wants to have a good time with his son, even if it gets a little rough. To me, the boy doesn't seem to mind for he "hung on like death" to his father's shirt as they danced around the room and he was "still clinging to [his] shirt" when his father danced him off to bed.
Happy Poem=YES
Sad Poem =NO
:)
Amy Marshall
Block 2
POEM by Frank O'Hara
ReplyDeleteThis poem spoke to me out of the others I viewed, because it illustrates my life right now. The need of control in our life, is what Richard Samuel explains is the thing that most college students stress over. This poem, portrays a major problem that society has, and that is the problem of letting little things overwhelm us. "I have been to lots of parties
and acted perfectly disgraceful
but I never actually collapsed," is such a beautiful statement, because this disgrace, has become perfectly acceptable to society, and when someone becomes completely overwhelmed by it, people overreact.
-Phillip King
Poem By: Frank O'Hara
ReplyDeleteThis poem was appealing to me because I was wondering what it could possibly be about. Truthfully I thought it would have been more complex and hard to figure out, but it seems to very straight forward. Although I know there is a deeper meaning to it, I haven't found anything yet. I believe the poem was also rather fun because it kind of humiliated a woman but also tried to help her save face. The reader of the " POEM" was also a plus and an added bonus to it. He gave the poem a nice rhyme and a beautiful tone. I enjoyed this poem very much.
Tatjana Lightbourn
Block 2
The Party
ReplyDeleteby Paul Laurence Dunbar
This poem stood out to me from the rest because it was a very long poem, that told a story in depth. The story presented in this poem easily creates not only an image but an actual scene in my mind. The speech in this poem shows the culture and language of the African American's. This poem speaks to them in order to demonstrate that it was okay to have a good time, when their voices were not heard and slavery was still popular. It showed that there was freedom that was coming and that there were good things in life. Not only did it speak to the African Americans, but as well as any other races that were facing difficulties. It helped people from all different parts of the world realize that joy and happiness were necessary in life and that it was important to bring people together and have a good time.
Izabella Szura
Block 2
"Ay, Ay, Ay de la Grifa Negra" by Julia de Burgos
ReplyDeleteI can honestly say this poem made me cry, which was the last thing i expected. When i read the title I thought very little of it, yet all changed as i read it and heard it being read. The power and strength that Glaisma Pérez-Silva emphasizes into her voice is just to appealing. As I heard it being read it impacted my mind more then when I read it by myself. The stress and switch that Burgos puts among her words are just so honest, and heartfelt. At first I inferred that Burgos was speaking of an African American, and towards the end i realized regardless of what race one is everyone is judged and characterized, and vice-versa that those who judge and characterize are common in every possible way whether one realizes it or not. I can honestly say this is a poem that appealed my liking.
~Katherine Carrazana
Block 2
By Theodore Roethke
ReplyDeleteThe poem spoke to me primarily for its humor and its accurate description of so many of todays youths. The poem describes an individual who is the epitome of laziness. This individual is a slow individual who is unaware of his slowness. He is indifferent towards his surroundings and has no concern for what others may tell him. He is perfectly comfortable and content in his comfort zone and is intent on remaining there. This type of individual can be spotted in todays society without much search, and the frightening thing for myself is that I often share many characteristics with the sloth described in the poem. In certain aspects the poem described me and my reluctance to leave my comfort zone, so this poem flshed before my eyes when I read it.
Philip Barb
Block 4
Poem by Frank O'Hara
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this poem because it discusses what I view as a major problem of modern culture. People seem to admire celebrites for no apparent reason. The media often chooses to spend their time informing the public about the every insignificant event in every celebrity's life, rather that talking about important world events such as war. Another aspect of the poem that interested me was the title. The simplicity of a title such as "Poem" reaffirms the theme of the poem, showing how society has been paying attention to insignificant details, while avoiding important subjects.
Eric Marshall
Block 2
For My People by Margaret Walker
ReplyDeleteI chose this poem because it was so inspirational to me. It clearly depicted the South during times of racial inequality, and showed how African Americans lived so ignorantly back then. Walker described how they lived their lives, just waiting to die and to only have few momentary pleasures, but no real accomplishments. This poem spoke to me by showing me the parallel to the way society is now. In most urban settings, people are on welfare or given a governmental stipend to live off of, but they never seek more. They're living with a blindfold on, only enjoying the simple things and not become truly great. The little things always satisfy us, but no one ever goes the extra mile to obtain more. This is what Walker was referring to in the poem. Towards the end she wants man to "rise and take control" and do more than "washing ironing cooking scrubbing sewing mending hoeing plowing digging planting pruning patching dragging along never gaining never reaping never knowing and never understanding". I feel as if she was trying to say that we have so much potential, (but in this case she was referring only to Blacks) but we chose to live as though we aren't capable of anything other than mediocrity.
**I really e n j o y e d it !
Ebonie Wells
Block II
Block City
ReplyDeleteby Robert Louis Stevenson
I was attracted to this poem because the simple rhyming scheme and meter reminded me of Dr. Seuss' books, which are my absolute favorites. The video of the little boy's recitation didn't captivate me as much as the actual poem did. Rather than the poem literally being about a block city, I found it to mean something about establishing one's life. I think "What are you able to build with your blocks?" questions people's ability to create something amazing out of their lives and make a difference in a self-consumed world (the rain keeps on raining and others go on roaming). I see the poem as a call to action for humans to "establish a city" for themselves - establish their lives by building it like they'd build a city, start from the foundation and build it up to a tower.
I think the vessels in the last stanza refer to the people that one encounters during life. Some are "sailing" as mere acquaintances, while others are "moored," or secured, as friends and loved ones. "Hark to the song of the sailor on board!" may be suggesting how people should listen to what others have to say, and the "kings" that are "coming and going with presents and things" may be the influences that others provide through interactions with each other.
I really like this poem. I wish it was on the list for the National Recital Project!
Jeannie Matthews :^D
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this poem when I first heard it. I felt that everyone could learn a life lesson when listening to it, just as Rev. Michael Haynes did. Haynes did not fully understand quotes from this poem, but eventually understood it. His profession as a minister has made this poem speak to him even more because he believes that “it is the significance of Christian faith.” I think it is interesting to see how poems affect different people.
I enjoyed this poem because I saw a real life lesson that could be learned from it. I interpreted this lesson to be that I should not lead a “linear” path that just leads to death, but instead take each day as it comes and make something of it. Life is about the journey and decisions you make, not the enviable end that is to come. It is also one of the few poems that has revealed its meaning to me so easily to me. I like it when I am able to understand poetry with ease.
"The Sloth"
ReplyDeleteThis poem spoke to me because I pictured the sloth being a metaphor for a student in school, being lazy and finally raising their hand for the first time. I related to the sloth, because I feel the same way. When I was younger in middle school, I was really quiet, talked in a low voice, and barely participated in class. I love the relationship of a slow moving sloth to the student, it’s so realistic to today’s students and how they learn in the classroom. Plus, I loved how I actually understood the metaphor and extracted it on my own.
Sarah Hall
Block 4
Song of the Banana Man
ReplyDeleteby Evan Jones
I love this poem. I love it with such a depth and suddenness that it surprises me. What do I love most about it? Perhaps it is the pure simplicity of the entire thing. The banana man himself lives an uncomplicated life of freedom and fulfillment, and his beautiful, goodhearted speech is presented as it is, in Jamaican creole, accent and all, flowing in a natural rhyming scheme. The unpretentiousness, the right-here, down-to-earth candor of it all makes me smile the whole poem through. And the man reciting the poem is definitely the right man for the job. A self-made Jamaican living in America, his soul resonates with the poem, and you can hear it when he reads it aloud. My soul, too, resonates. I often sing praises of God and my big right hand, and I long to live and die a banana man.
-Michael Jacob McMenamin
I'm Nobody! Who are you?
ReplyDeleteby Emily Dickinson
This poem immediately drew me in becasue of the conversation we had in class: " It's just me and my spear." I enjoy this poem because it reminds me that if ever I feel alone there is someone else who feels equally the same way. Not as much depressing as it is encouraging. I belive this because if everyone is alone or nobody then we are all together. I heard this saying," I would be happier in a corner with a puppy and a goldfish," this saying relates to this poem in that every hour doesn't have to spent with another human being, that there are joys in being nobody. The poem also goes in the direction that being somebody destroys the person that is. Dickinson writes "Don't tell! they'd advertise—you know!-" a statement that reminds that human nature looks to find who someone truly is only to exploit them.
Jalina Pittman
"Politics" By William Butler Yeats
ReplyDeleteThe poem spoke to me in terms of its attention to the focus of people that is captured by the dazzlement of Politicians. How their words, and the wisdom they seem to portray entice us to look no where else but to them. When Yeats says
"Yet here's a travelled man that knows
What he talks about,
And there's a politician
That has both read and thought.."
I was entrigued to think that, are we really so captivated by the man who has political philosophy over the one who may be just a tad more worldy? Or does it matter who believes they know the best or the most about life all together? They preach justification for wars they do not fight in, only see started, and we are to follow like cattle each illusion they bestow on us. Yet, it is unfortunate that we are too lost in the future to regain the past. This is what I gained from this poem, and it blew me away.
Bryana Bell
B4
Merry-Go-Round
ReplyDeleteLangston Hughes
From this poem, I got the message that blacks and whites are equal on merry-go-rounds, seeing as there is no "back". It is ironic because the author is black, and he is wondering where the "black section" of the merry-go-round is. I find this sad that a black man is wondering where his "designated area" is because no one should have to segregate themselves for any reason.
Erinn Wolfe
Block 4
Concord Hymn - Ralph Waldo Emerson
ReplyDeleteI First chose this poem because, ever since taking AP english last year, i've been an admirer of Emerson and his individualistic ideals. I was further intrigued to see that the poem was being read by President Bill Clinton. Upon hearing, and reading, the poem, and seeing that it was an elegy to the men who fought in the Revolutionary War, i realized how much it spoke to me. I have always been impressed by soldiers, people with the courage and "spirit" to fight and often die for something they believe in, . I think more than anything that these brave people should be honored, and i agree entirely with the speaker's sentiments about these "embattled farmers". That is why i feel Emerson's poem "spoke" to me.
Rev. Mack Kennedy
(I am nobody! who are you?)
ReplyDeleteby Emily Dickinson
I love the poem (I am nobody! who are you?) by Emily Dickinson because it really speaks to many teenagers. I think that this poem is easily related to and represents a common emotion and sate of mind shared by almost every person at some point. I think that Dickinson is taking loneliness and flipping into an almost lighthearted situation. Dickinson takes what would seem like a depressing position, and makes it seem less bad by recognizing that there are many people who feel lonely, insignificant and meaningless.
--Dakota Edelstein
Casey at the Bat
ReplyDeleteErnest Lawrence Thayer
Casey at the Bat "spoke" to me because it simply reminded me of my childhood especially with Lee reading it. We would read it in elementary school and saw it just as a boy who happened to miss all three balls, we thought it was hysterical. Although I can still be considered a kid, the reminiscence reassured that I am not longer a child, I will be ending high school within a few months. Even though the reason the poem "spoke" to me had nothing to do with the content of the poem, rereading, and re-listening to it for the first time since then, made me realize the message behind it. Casey has many high expectations as a star batter and he feeds off of the crowd’s energy. When it came time for him to bat, he was so sure of himself, yet he missed the mark. You can never be too sure of yourself, and if you are you must have the ability to accept defeat.
Cassie Rall
'Out, Out-' by Robert Frost
ReplyDeleteDespite the depressing and solemn nature of this peom, I coulden't help but be attracted to it. The usage of imagery really helped me understand the deeper meaning of the poem. The underlying attitude that youth are taking on to much responsibility at such a young age struck me both as profound, and remarkably true. The negative connotations attatched to the words "snarled" and "rattled" helped augment this negative perception towards the over burdenend responsiblities of youth. As a result of this keen use of imagery I could easily depict the mood and central theme of the poem. Ultimately, the attitude expressed in "Out, Out-" is something that I wholeheartedly agree with. The notion that youth are being weighed down with costly responsibilities at the expsense of a childhood is downright sad. The deep emotions that this peom triggered inside of me is the reason why I found it of the utmost significance.
Alex Upp
Block 4
"A Psalm of Life" William Wadsworth Fellows
ReplyDeleteI love this poem because it refers to many Christian principles that I belive and follow. The poem talks about how hard the struggles of life can be, so hard that it makes you want to give up. In the Bible, Jesus tells his people that if you want to follow me then you must "deny yourself daily and pick up your cross". This means that following Him is not easy and you must suffer and experience certain things in order to strong Christian's, spiritually. Jesus never said that this Christian walk will be easy, in fact the Apostle Paul says "in my body I bear the marks of Jesus Christ" and when Chrsit told him that he had to suffer, he accpeted it and asked for more ways in which he can suffer.He understood the purpose of suffering and the reward he would receive for it. This poem supports this because it explains that life is not only filled with joy, laughter, and happiness. It includes pain, hurt and,sometimes, depression. But I am suppose be patient- another Christian principle supported by Jesus Christ, who says "be ye patient and wait on the Lord", even if the situation that I am in may seem unbearable.
“The Makers” by Howard Nemerov
ReplyDeleteAlthough I must admit Mrs. Clinton's reading of The Makers was quite bland, the poem still captured my attention. The first statement, “ Who can remember back to the first poets,” made me realize that those before us, don't get much recognition. While Mrs. Clinton chose the poem because she believes its an emblem of American poetry, I believe it goes beyond that. Nemerov seems to be reminding the reader that the poetry one sees today, is the result from those before us. Even if they “leave no memory,” they built the foundation for those who followed. At the end of the day, as complex as it may be written, poetry will always tell a story. “They were the ones that in whatever tongue/Worded the world,” illustrates how even if you may not grasp the meaning of a poem, it may still have a significant meaning for another person.
Cinthya Castro
Block 2
#288 "I'm nobody! Who are you?"
ReplyDeleteThis was my top choice because it spoke to me personally . Instantly , the title caught my attention because it's something that we face daily in today's society . If you are smart or try to stand out , you are often looked at as though these things are bad qualities . Being interested in things like debate , drama , golf , etc . may caused you to be labeled as a "nerd" or "lame" . Likewise , the photo next to the title caught my attention . Reason being that the girl looked about my age . When she was talking it was easy to notice that just by being a teenage girl we face many of the same issues . This caused a great connection to Yina and made me fall in love with not only this short poem but Yina too .
The Improvement by John Ashbery
ReplyDeleteThis poem gets to me because of the way Roger Smith read it. He reads it with emphasizing the correct words to make the poem have a impact on the listener. Basically the poem is about how our lives begin and the adventures that we have throughout life. We go through different things in life that we remember those that left an imprint on us. We see so much as our lives go on but we will never always understand. The adventures that we go through will leave imprints on us. The imprints force us to become who we are as the days go by until we die. To me it shows how we live day by day to not understand what happen yesterday. But then after all everything changes and nothing is the same. I feel that he was trying to say that although we die better improvements happen. And everything will take shape into something new.
Minstrel Man
ReplyDeleteby Langston Hughes
This poem touched me because it is true of many people including myself. We hide things that may really bother us. Act as if we dont care and think about things people say. I am one who doesnt know how to express my emotions so I just bottle my emotions as it were. I am similar to Pov because at school you could never tell what on my mind, I walk around with a smile, and "my thoughts" are always going. there are things that happened in the past that I surpress the memory of. I just try to keep it realistic but in all honesty I am just faking it.
I enjoyed the poem The Psalm of Life mainly because it deals with religion, a certain ideal that I deeply enjoy. However, its Christian ideals about waiting for good things to happen and being patient refers to the belief that one must wait for success. I too hold on to this dear principle as I currently wait for something good to happen in my life, and it revealed that I am prone to what will happen, but I simply have to wait for it to occur; I must be patient and endure what will happen for soon it will be a wonderous outcome.
ReplyDeleteEvan Jackson
Block Two
Musee des Beaux Arts by W.H Auden
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this poem. I can really relate to the poem because Susan, the reader, is a painter and so am I. This poem is a about a painting called "Fall of Icarus" by Breughel. When you look at the painting it seems as if it is like any other painting of a scenery, everything looks normal. However if you look closely you see a leg disappearing into the water, a man has fallen in and nobody seems to care or make a real fuss about it. I believe that this poem has more that one "meaning." one is that there are so many devastating things going on in the world but most people seem to not care, they just go on with their own lives and not bother with anything that doesn't affect them personally. BUT while that could be one way to analyze another could be that "life goes on" when a tragedy strikes one shouldn't make a big deal because no matter what happens life still goes on.
"I'm Nobody, Who Are You" by Emily Dickinson
ReplyDeleteThis poem speaks to me because it reminds me about the pressure in trying to make a name for oneself in his or her lifetime. There are times when one wants to be both a nobody and a somebody. No one likes to go around being unnoticed their entire life, while on the other hand, no one wants to have their life constantly in the public eye because then there is no time for privacy. As Dickinson states in the second stanza: "How dreary - to be - somebody/ How public - like a Frog" reminds me that people who are labeled as somebody constantly feel they have to go about their lives maintaining the "somebody" status which eventually means they have to constantly care what everyone else thinks and be involved in everything. To be a nobody connotes living for oneself, to be whatever one wants to be and not have to worry what everyone else thinks. In my opinion, it is impossible, as humans, to not care what everyone else thinks because as long as there is interaction with others we are sometimes going to compare ourselves to others and wonder what people really are thinking about us. "I'm Nobody, Who Are You" accents the fact that we cannot be just a nobody or just a somebody all the time, we must seek to balance are lives in between the extremes.
Vanessa Whitney
Block 2
Way of the Water-Hyacinth - Zawgee
ReplyDeleteAfter watching a few poems read that didn't really appeal to me I found this poem and believed it would be another. As I began watching I enjoyed that this poem truly had a connection to the man, Lyn Aye, reading the poem because he personally knew the author and explained that poetry had an important part of his life because of where he grew up. Aye explains that there was no television and much of the time was left to entertain himself with so he read poetry, and books, etc. unlike children today who go on the computer or turn the television on. This poem spoke to me because the author makes it seem as if this poem is about an everyday individual because the Hyacinth is a common item found in Berma, and the poem depicts ducks overcoming the way of the waters, something everyone deals with; dealing with the ups and downs of our lives. Everyone struggles with one thing or another as their lives go on, whether personal or educational, whatever it may be. This poem helps to parallel the fact that no matter what a person may be going through, everyone else experiences similar struggles and it's only normal.