Unbuttoning the Anecdotal

In Alvarez’s early drafts of “Sometimes the Words are So Close,” she further elaborates on the ways in which a poem exposes the true nature of it subject. In her first draft, she compares the structure of the poem to a her own body, thus personifying the poem. This comparison suggests that writing, and a connection with poetry, allows the speaker to be vulnerable in ways that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. The words are characterized as the hand that undress her. She says in line 3, “feet, legs, thigh, hips, belly, breasts, arms, finger by finger, as if the words were a hand unbuttoning the anecdotal and unnecessary to undress me down to the figure of the poem, line by line.” In her final draft, however, she shortens this by saying “I become unbuttoned from the anecdotal and unnecessary and undressed down to the figure of the poem, line by line.” She shortens this part, perhaps deeming it as too “anecdotal” and “unnecessary.” However, seeing this in the first draft allows for a better understanding of the level of vulnerability that the speaker feels when she is connected with a poem. This is especially significant given that Alvarez feels that connecting with poetry allows for true exposure of the reader, the so called “resting place” for the yearning soul.

The Struggle for Equality

Both “America” and “If We Must Die” by Claude McKay are representations of American society in the 1920s. They are similar in that they reflect a disparity within society at the time, but the former is less critical much more patriotic than the latter.

The beginning of the poem “If We Must Die” begins with a plea, stating that the if the speaker “must” die, then let him do it with dignity, unlike a hog. The metaphor continues as the speaker compares his attacker to a dog, one that has not yet killed but that harasses its prey in a humiliating way. The speaker continues the plea by asking that if he must die against his will, to let it mean something, to let it be for a noble cause. The plea shifts into a persevering tone, encouraging the small group of “hogs” or “kinsman” to fight back against the large “murderous, cowardly pack.” This is a clear reference to the social discrimination of the time, stating that society oppresses those of color and that it is worth fighting against. It is unclear whether the speaker references physical death, or if he is alluding to the death of his soul, as the discrimination of the time often represented a lack of social appreciation, thus a social death of some degree. Additionally, the poem raises a lot of questions about the honor in mortality, because in this instance, it is clear that the opposing “dogs” will not honor their death. It is evident that the speaker knows he will die, but fights to do it in a way that is noble, that is meaningful, thus posing further question to the reader about the true honor found in a social struggle.

The poem “America” also poses a social struggle, but rather than exposing the conflict between two groups, it represents the conflict between the love for one’s country and facing the social struggles that plague it. America is personified through the poem, in a way that exposes the resent the reader feels while also showing the deeper appreciation he has for his country. For example, in the first line, it states that America feeds “the bread of bitterness.” Metaphorically, this states that the reader is bitter and angry toward certain parts of society, yet accepts the food anyway. Though America “steals his breath of life,” he follows by saying he still feels love for his country. After addressing the difficulties that America presents him with, the speaker then states that America gives him hope, despite its “cultured hell.” The poem ends with tone that is an interesting balance of hopeful and ominous, stating “Darkly I gaze into the days ahead, And see her might and granite wonders there.” Though the speaker doesn’t necessarily have hope in the future, he does have hope and trust in what America will have to offer in the future. This is particularly interesting as it relates to civil rights, almost signifying that there will be a difficult struggle to reach the ultimate goal of equality.

Overall, both poems represent a struggle between the speaker and an opposing group. “If I Must Die” is much more direct, clearly exposing the battle between those who are discriminatory, and those who are being oppressed. “America” is much more subtle of a struggle- it conveys the complexities associated with a national problem. It explores the balance between resenting a part of one’s own society while also deriving strength from the same culture.

What Rhymes with Sonnet?

Can I attempt to write a sonnet?

Poetry has never been my strength.

The only word that rhymes is bonnet,

And I’m just a quarter through the length.

Oh, why can’t poetry be easy?

Analyzing it rattles my brain.

Long poems make me wheezy,

And short poems are rather mundane.

They say you can truly learn a lot,

By writing a poem of your own,

If there’s one thing that this has taught,

Is that I should stick to reading alone.

I’m so glad that is over and done,

Don’t tell, but poetry is actually kind of fun.

Peeing is Freeing

Thomas Lynch’s Liberty argues for freedom in a way that is defiant, untraditional, and symbolic. He begins the poem by stating “some nights I go out and piss on the front lawn as a form of freedom.” Immediately, he sets the tone for the poem, suggesting that he lacks typical forms of freedom in his own life. He uses alliteration to describe liberty from the “porcelain and plumbing.” Essentially, he is peeing outside to make a statement against conformity, against the restraints of daily suburban lifestyle. He also does it as a form of defiance and personal escape. He then alludes to his ancestors, wishing that he still had their form of freedom. One line that is particularly interesting is the reference to West Clare, where he states that the darkness in suburbia is not as “dense” as the darkness in West Clare. West Clare is part of Clare county, located in the Mid-West region of Ireland and part of the province of Munster. The diction of the word dense has a double meaning, thus making it somewhat ironic. He refers to the literal density of suburbia and contrasts it with the abstract density of West Clare. Because West Clare is not overcrowded in the eyes of the speaker, the density of the darkness is freeing, as opposed to the stifling density of the suburbs.  This notion is solidified when looking at Steve Dunwell’s photo of Somerville, Massachusetts. Each street looks identical, lacking originality or spark. Not only does this imply a conformist nature about American society, but it also validates Thomas Lynch’s poem. To us, peeing outside of a toilet would not necessarily be a way to celebrate a personal freedom, thus making the poem seem somewhat dramatic. However, when put it partnership with the photo, it really does show the lack of freedom in society at the time, making the tone of the poem much more aggressive and serious. Though the speaker uses something so minor (the place he pees) to express his freedom, it truly is symbolic of the lack of freedom found in American society during that time period.

Wilting

In William Blake’s “The Sick Rose,” themes of lust, corruption, deceit, and destruction are explored through an allegorical story detailing the relationship between a rose and a worm. Though the rose maintains its most traditional meanings, love and purity, those meanings are explored in a non-traditional sense. The poem begins with “O Rose thou art sick.” From the very beginning, the speaker articulates that the rose is not normal; it is one that is “sick,” therefore clueing the reader in that the rose is not in its normal state. It then begins to describe the “invisible worm” that travels through the night to destroy the rose’s “crimson bed” with its “dark secret love.”

I believe the poem likens the sick rose to the soul when it is exposed to corruption. It depicts the worm, “invisible” in the night that comes to eat away at the rose. The symbolism of the worm equates to a vice that the soul may be susceptible to falling victim to- such as lust, greed, or addiction. Just as worm delights in the immediate satisfaction of its actions, the soul delights in its most secret of desires. The sickness of the rose is in direct correlation with the deterioration of the soul as it loses its true virtue.

A Plea in a Hopeless Place

Both Wordsworth’s London, 1802 and Blake’s London provide a creative, insightful critique into London’s society of the time. They evoke different emotions from the leader, Wordsworth’s sonnet being more of a plea for help in comparison to Blake’s dramatic display of societal despair. Though Blake’s poem provides a slightly more intense illustration, I would agree that it is Wordsworth’s London, 1802 that provides a more effective, thorough, and powerful critique of nineteenth-century London’s social and political corruption.

Blake’s poem is more dramatic, touching on themes on loneliness and despair, but in comparison to Wordsworth’s poem, it merely touches on some of the harsh aspects of society rather than exposing its corruption as a whole. Through the use of various figurative tools, Wordsworth exposes the desolation of London society. His sonnet excellently conjures a deep feeling of sadness within reader, as if the reader is experiencing the hopelessness that Wordsworth feels himself. His poem is effective for this reason, because it creates such a strong emotional response. He begins the poem by calling out to John Milton, a famous poet who was known for his passion for political freedom and courage in condemning societal corruption. From the very beginning, we know that this poem is a plea, and given that it is a plea to Milton, we also begin to get a sense of the corruption of the time. It is clear that Wordsworth thinks very highly of Milton, as he refers his soul to a “star” and his voice to the sound of the “sea” on line ten. Wordsworth says that England is in need of Milton, again effectively emphasizing the societal corruption. Wordsworth also uses symbolism in the “altar, sword, pen, and fireside” to represent how religion or marriage, the military, current literature, and even the home have lost touch with the “inward happiness” he later mentions. Through the use of symbolism, Wordsworth properly conveys that some major, fundamental aspects of human life are no longer sources of happiness. He later complements these symbols by demanding “manners, virtue, freedom, and power” from Milton. He ends the poem with several notions of natural imagery, as if to convey Milton as a source of peace from the turmoil of London.

As a whole, Wordsworth’s poem is a much for thought-provoking and effective critique of society, as the figurative language employs a sense of hopelessness in the reader. Because the poem is constructed as a plea, it almost comes off as a last resort, thus reinstating the idea that London in the 1800s was corrupt, and perhaps beyond fixing.

Living in Contrast

I must admit, this poem was initially somewhat difficult to interpret. When I read the poem, I instinctively inserted my own vocal fluctuations and variations. However, when listening to Ginsberg’s recitation, two major things were revealed. The first was that specific emphasis was placed in places that I previously did not focus on. The second was that this entire poem is based on stark contrasts. There is contrast in tone, contrast in punctuation, contrast in voice fluctuation, contrast between the first half and the second half, and even contrast in the internal imagery. It is clear that when Ginsberg puts two things in contrast with one another, he has strong, opposing feelings towards those things. Specifically, he conveys his attitudes on Walk Whitman and about America through a contrasting setting and a contrasting tone.

Ginsberg enters the supermarket in hopes of potentially finding value and solace among the simplistic beauty it has to offer. The first stanza is filled with short, brief, exclamation points. Though exclamation points express excitement, they also express a certain superficiality and lack of depth within a statement. Perhaps Ginsberg overuses exclamation in an effort to emphasize the artificial nature of modern day society. On a surface level, things seem positive, but there is no complexity beyond that. He puts Whitman in contrast with these statements in order to showcase how Whitman stands above this superficiality, as Whitman is able to find and appreciate beauty in the grocery store products despite society’s lack of individuality.

In the second stanza, Ginsberg asks many questions. After asking a question, one naturally pauses before continuing on to the next phrase. In addition, questions without answers are often read in an exponential tone, naturally leaving room for further exploration after the statement. The second stanza is filled with questions to express Ginsberg’s dissatisfaction with the current America, and desire to seek out Whitman’s version of a natural society. Perhaps the sadder tone in the second stanza can be attributed to the fact that Whitman’s society does not exist, thus leading to the “solitary streets” and “loneliness” he mentions in the second half. Lastly, Ginsberg compares the current America to Lethe, one of the five rivers in Hades. This reflects the notion that modern day society is lost, dark, and forever doomed. He notes, however, that Whitman does not proceed into Hades, further showcasing his respect for Whitman and the ways in which Whitman stands in contrast to modern day society.

 

A Fine Distraction

Both Ben Johnson’s “Still to be Neat” and Robert Herrick’s “Delight in Disorder” serve to convey the message that an individual’s true beauty is found within their imperfections. In fact, both even go so far as to claim that showcasing imperfections can potentially augment a person’s attractiveness. However, both authors express this message in very different ways. Though the prosody of both poems is iambic tetrameter, the ways in which the authors stray from the defined meter are extremely different. Herrick’s poem maintains a certain flow, excluding lines 2 and 8 from its typical rhythm. Johnson’s poem, in contrast, does not maintain this specific flow. Rather, the flow of the poem feels much more uneven.

 What is particularly striking about these two poems is that they communicate the same message in a very contrasting way. Herrick emphasizes imperfection by inserting changes in the metrical pattern in both lines 2 and 8. By disrupting the flow of the rest of the poem, he shows how imperfection can be a “sweet disorder” and a “fine distraction” in the midst of simplicity and tradition. Johnson, on the other hand, takes an entirely different approach by making his entire poem somewhat dissimilar. By doing so, it makes it slightly more difficult to follow for the reader, but also slightly more intriguing. Perhaps, Johnson’s intentions in doing so were to suggest that he views imperfection in the same way, sometimes difficult to understand while also much more intriguing. Johnson’s approach was to make the entirety of his poem an “imperfection,” thus showing that a combination of imperfections can still create something meaningful and beautiful.

 Overall, I think both are effective in conveying their message, and the defined effectiveness of each poem will vary based on the views of the reader. I personally identify more with Herrick’s approach, only because one idea in stark contrast with another resonates more with me. Johnson’s approach is much more subtle, and the poems specific implications were initially not as obvious.

A Place for the Genuine

 

Marianne Moore’s initial 29-line poem delves into the various ways in which poetry is understood, interpreted, and implemented into the world around us. Because it is a poem about poetry, it offers a unique perspective into poetic critique, both serving as a critique of itself as well as a broader critique of poetry as a method of expression. I think that one of the broader purposes of the poem in its original form is to challenge what poetry actually is, in its truest, most genuine form. In the fourth line, Moore refers to the poem as a “place,” when later she refers to it as a “phenomena” (line 18) and then as “raw material” (line 26). In some ways, these different classifications encourage the reader to define poetry for himself, allowing for personal clarity to manifest among the impersonal nonsense. The fact that every poem doesn’t offer the same “high-sounding interpretation” or strictly follow a certain formula allows for each poem to be understood slightly differently, thus making it both genuine and personal.

With this theory in mind, perhaps one of the reasons that Moore shortened her original poem was to reinforce this idea that poetry does not need to follow certain conventions in order to remain genuine. Poetry does not always make sense, which essentially forces the reader to question the poem’s meaning and then make his or her own interpretations. In some ways, I think that Moore’s decision to shorten the poem was her way of continuing to challenge poetry as well as leave for room for the reader to make those interpretations, thus emphasizing the individual place for the genuine within a poem.