Poetry blog #16 Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

In the spirit of the season I post this traditional Christmas poem! This poem takes me right back to childhood. My dad used to read this poem to my brother and me (in picture book form) when we were very little kids around Christmas time. It was one of his favorite things to do with us to instill the holiday magic in us. We used to have a wonderful picture book, but unfortunately, it burned along with our house in the painted cave fire in 1989.

I have always love the simplicity of the description of Saint Nick; there hasn't been a better description that I've ever discovered. I love the line "like the down of a thistle," because it is an uncommon description, yet very accurate. I like that this poem tells a story. The story is well fleshed out, full of beautiful description and metaphor, yet is super concise/precise. There isn't a word wasted in this poem. I love the repetition of "Dash away dash away dash away all!"

Even though the rhymes in this poem are easy and could be considered simple, they are not cliche. Perhaps this is because of the age of this poem, given that it is likely that many people copied these rhymes--that this poem is the original, pre-cliche. I think my favorite line in this poem is "The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow" because it is beautiful, and is a perfect description.

CAI Lab 11/20

Love Poem- Prose in Minor Key

I heard from a poet that I love, that writing a love poem is the kiss of death. She said, "I have heard some love poems that are so bad they make your ass hurt." I'll just be frank. Chances are this poem will suck a pucker face that lemons bring because I am going down that soiled and much often poorly trodden path of writing love poem.

I had lunch today with a woman I love, my mother. She said that love should be easier than what I've encountered. She said, about my situation, "Men are like buses. Just when you think you've missed one, another is pulling up." I'll just be frank. Chances are I wouldn't recognize the bus I should be on anyway, even if it had my name on it in hot pink.

I talked with a friend I love today, about love, and she thought my idea was totally wonky. She said, "If what you want is to not care, then he shouldn't be your boyfriend." I'll just be frank. Chances are she is right, he shouldn't be my boyfriend because I wouldn't even try to write a punch you in the neck lemon suck love poem about him.

I had a conversation with myself today, about love, and I learned the secret of life! I said to myself, "Well, what you need to learn is how not to care! Because if you don't give a rats ass about someone they can't hurt you." I'll just be frank. Chances are this is some of the best advice I've ever heard.

It then occurred to me: There is a pin needle like a puffer fish thin line between love and hate.

Erotic Poem- Lucky Girl

I wish I had the inspiration to write any number of
wonderful oo-y goo-y drippy sappy love sick things
about you, or your body, or your mind, or your heart.
You probably think you deserve them
and that I'd write a many splendor-ed piece
expounding on your glory and what a lucky girl I am.

I wish I could parody your arms to bulls horns
your chest to spaghetti and meat sauce
or your hands to circus performers and midgets.
You probably think I'd come up with something good
Full of delicious entdres and sensually alluring words
to glorify your name and to detail what a lucky girl I am.

I wish I could be tongue and cheek and
make some joke about lollipops and gum drops
and speak of how you taste like candy.
You probably think you do taste like a strawberry lollipop
That I would just want to lick you all day long
because you are just that glorious and what a lucky girl I am.

I wish I could find a way to explain to you
whisper in your pinprick ears that I understand
why your last girlfriend punched you in the face.
My words an angry badger trapped in my throat
just waiting to explode lime slug puss all over
because you really so very glorious and what a lucky girl I am.

I wish constantly you were someone else
and I wish you'd just go away
leave me alone
Your worth crumbs on the floor
I don't ever want your touch
I only want to be rid of you
And destroy the word together.

"Tired Of Being Sorry"
Enrique Iglesias

I don't know why
You want to follow me tonight
When in the rest of the world
With whom I've crossed and I've quarreled

Let's me down so
For a thousand reasons that I know
To share forever the unrest
With all the demons I possess
Beneath the silver moon

Maybe you were right
But baby I was lonely
I don't want to fight
I'm tired of being sorry

Eighth and Ocean Drive
With all the vampires and their brides
We're all bloodless and blind
And longing for a life
Beyond the silver moon

Maybe you were right
But baby I was lonely
I don't want to fight
I'm tired of being sorry
I'm standing in the street
Crying out for you
No one sees me
But the silver moon

So far away - so outer space
I've trashed myself - I've lost my way
I've got to get to you got to get to you
Maybe you were right
But baby I was lonelyI don't want to fight
I'm tired of being sorry
I'm standing in the street
Crying out for you
No one sees me
But the silver moon

Maybe you were right
But baby I was lonely
I don't want to fight
I'm tired of being sorry
I'm standing in the street
Crying out for you
No one sees me
But the silver moon.

I find some of the elements in this poem surprising such as the line about the "Vampires and their brides" and "with all the demons I possess." I've read this poem over a bunch of times and the best meaning I can come up with as far as what this poem is about: A guy, the singer, has been turned into a monster by his own demons, or (oddly enough) he met a vampire, who turned him into a vampire, and now, b/c of his choices, he lost his love, who, now because he is undead (or something like that) she can't see him. Only the silver moon can see him. I like the creepy element these lyrics proffer. There are great images of darkness, darkness of the world and within, that really make this poem very real and relate-able. Vampire could be a metaphor for some personal monster, such a person in your life that "sucks you dry" every time you see them.

I like the raw desperation in this song, that is repeated in the chorus. It is simple: "cry out for you" but it covers the bases nicely. It very adequately displays the loneliness a person can feel, even when in a relationship.

I am surprised by the line "I've trashed myself." Not quite sure what that means in reference to the rest of the poem. Could mean self punishment, or even giving all to a relationship and walking away feeling trashed because all that person did was use you up.

My response poem:

I don't know why
I can't seem to shake free from you
I'd love a good fight
Anger trapped in my throat
I understand the reasons why
other's only wanted to punch your face.

Makes me worry about all the demons I posses
that I'd stick here for mediocrity
to try to build you up
while I trash myself
to convince you how wonderful you are
when I am the one who needs convincing

I'd bleed the Ocean dry
with all the tears I cried
I am longing for the light
to shine on my face
to show me where to turn
the illuminate the words

I worry I am just lonely
that anyone would be adequate
that I am not as good and I thought
That even a porn star would tarnish
the shine I thought I had
the shine that gets sucked dry by you.

Song For A Winter's Night
Sarah Mclachlan

The lamp is burning low upon my table top the snow is softly falling
The air is still within the silence of my room I hear your voice softly calling
If I could only have you near to breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love on this winter night with you

The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead my glass is almost empty
I read again between the lines upon the page the words of love you sent me
If I could know within my heart that you were lonely too
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love upon this winter night with you

The fire is dying now, my lamp is growing dim the shades of night are lifting
The morning light steals across my windowpane where webs of snow are drifting
If I could only have you near to breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love and to be once again with with you
To be once again with with you

I think this is one of the most beautiful songs I have heard. I think it is a great unconventional Christmas song since it is from her Christmas album New Christmas.

I love the images she evokes such as "webs of snow are drifting" and "smoke is rising in the shadows overhead."

I think that this song encapsulates the loneliness of winter while at the same time being a love song. There is lovely juxtaposition of these two elements, the loving/longing for another person mirrored against the winterscape. Even though this song/poem has sad undertones, since the speaker doesn't have what they want, there are still warm undertones, such as referencing a warm fire. This helps to paint the whole picture--of a person who is sleepless, missing their love, and actually seems to be enjoying the cold bleak of winter. The overall effect is mesmerizing and entrancing.

I especially enjoy how simply she puts her request of what would make her happy: "to hold the hands I love on this winters night." Sometimes just plainly saying something is the most poetic way to go.

11/6/08 CAI Lab Blackbird response

i.

Among the slews and hoards crowding the bar
The only moving thing
Was the flutter flutter of my heart.

ii.

I was of three minds,
Like love,
In which there are many sorts and kinds.

iii.

I twirled my hair and leaned in watching for signs
It was a small part of the smoke dance.

iv.

A girl and a boy
Breathe in and out
A girl and a boy and love
Linked by tendrils of smoke.

v.

I do not understand love, or what type to prefer,
The beauty of my eyes on you
Or the beauty of your visible thoughts
The love smoke signaling
Dance is breathing.

vi.

Warmth fleshes out the dark corners
With red tinted light
The smoke of the dancer
Traces fingers, breathes in and out
The mood
Entranced in the divine
Illuminating a perfect cause.

vii

O empty people out for frivolity
Who do you imagine meeting?
Do you not see how the smoke obscures
Ribbons around the feet
Blinds with sauce friends?

viii

I know there are some
Lucky, loved, smoked for good
But I know, too
That the smoke is deceptive
And flees when there is fear.

ix

When the smoke flies straight into your eyes,
Understand you are marked for beauty
Welcome into one of many circles.

x

At the sight of smoke
Uncurling and unfurling
Even the happiest
Would be affected deeply.

xi

I walked all over State
In a French maid costume
Once, the smoke found me,
In that I understood
What was meant for me,
And my feather duster.

xii

The arms I love are beckoning.
The smoke must be defusing.

xiii

It was Halloween all night.
It was alive
And it was going to burn.
The smoke signals sent
And received in the bar.

"I Will Follow You Into The Dark"
-Death Cab for Cutie

Love of mine some day you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark
No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me
"Son fear is the heart of love"
So I never went back

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
It's nothing to cry about
'cause we'll hold each other soon
In the blackest of rooms

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the No's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Then I'll follow you into the dark

I love this poem! The first few times I heard it I couldn't NOT cry. There are so many rich wonderful lyrics to hold on to with this poem. I am especially fond of the imagry of "our hands clasped so tight, waiting for a hint of a spark." I also love the metaphor of Catholic school being vicious as Roman rule. What I especially enjoy about this poem is that even though it is obvious in its message, there is still depth and interest to the words. There isn't one word that it wasted. I think this is an especially sweet poem written from the perspective of saying good-bye to a loved one--and I want to agrue for either a wife/lover. I think it is an amazingly powerful love where you would so calmly know that you'd never leave that person, that you would follow them, even in death. This sort of plays on the "Luke Havergal" poem, though I think "Follow You" is a little less creepy. In "Luke Havergal" Luke is clearly going to death's gate alone; in this speakers case, he is clearly going with the person he loves. This poem has a very peaceful edge to it, where as "Luke" had a scary, dark quality. Both of these poems are equally haunting however. I suppose you could say that "Follow You" is a little stalker-riffic. Or you could read into it that it is like a gaurdian angel guiding and following their charge, especially since the speaker conveys confidence in their knowing of what they can/will do, and there isn't a questioning tone.

Weekly Poetry Blog

World on Fire
Sarah McLachlan

Hearts are worn in these dark ages
You're not alone in this story's pages
Night has fallen amongst the living and the dying
And I try to hold it in, yeah I try to hold it in

The world's on fire and
It's more than I can handle
I'll tap into the water
(I try to pull my ship)
I try to bring more
More than I can handle
(Bring it to the table)
Bring what I am able

I watch the heavens and I find a calling
Something I can do to change this moment
Stay close to me while the sky is falling
Don't wanna be left alone, don't wanna be alone

The world's on fire and
It's more than I can handle
I'll tap into the water
(I try to pull my ship)
I try to bring more
More than I can handle
(Bring it to the table)
Bring what I am able

Hearts break, hearts mend
Love still hurts
Visions clash, planes crash
Still there's talk of
Saving souls, still the cold
Is closing in on us

We part the veil on our killer sun
Stray from the straight line on this short run
The more we take, the less we become
A fortune of one that means less for some

The world's on fire and
It's more than I can handle
I'll tap into the water
(I try to pull my ship)
I try to bring more
More than I can handle
(Bring it to the table)
Bring what I am able

I absolutely love this song and I think that the lyrics are especially applicable for the political times. Sarah McLachlan wrote this song several years ago now, and it is still relevant and current. I love the line "I'll try to pull my ship" which is a beautiful image for tending to one's own needs.

The one line that confuses me is "We part the veil on our killer sun". I do love this stanza however, for the third line--"the more we take, the less we become." I am not sure if this is a nod to capitalism, to those in political power, or those who did what they had to do to get a ton of money. I also wonder if the planes crash line is a reference to 9/11? This poem is definitely about a crisis: the crisis that our world is facing, whether it be from pollution/global warming, Africa/starvation/AIDS epidemic, or our the political issues that are ever present such as the war in Iraq. I like that in spite of all the things that she has listed--all the terrible things that are going on currently--that this poem still has a message of hope embedded. It is simple: do what you can. I remember the music video budget went to support nonprofit organizations and that the music video was more or less a stripped down version of her singing this song with the explanation of where the money went. I am a huge fan of Sarah McLachlan and especially like this poem.

CAI Lab assignment 10/9/08

1. Luke Havergal is near death. He loves someone who has already passed. He is hopeful that when he too passes into the beyond she will be there to greet him.

2. What is the significance of the name "Havergal"? Is it to indicate the obvious? Is Luke Havergal going to heaven or hell? Is the voice that of an angel, of god, or something else, like that of a loved one, a wife perhaps? What is the significance of of the life "hell is more than half of paradise?" Who is the speaker? What is their relationship to Luke? What is the nature of the poem, is it advice, coaching, or to torment?

3. Many: Luke, the speaker, the "her" that the leaves whisper of, and God.

4. I would argue that you don't find out much about each character. I don't feel like I get a sense of who Luke is: is he an old man? is he sick? The speaker, I feel, is already dead, but is a different person than the voice Luke wants to hear. Then there is God, who is slaying himself with every leaf that flies, which, what does THAT mean?

5. Significant images about time/season: western gate, western glooms, not a dawn in eastern skies (sun starts in the east, sets in the west indicating end of journey or life progression), vines are crimson, indicating fall, heading into winter b/c the leaves have begun to drop and are being torn away by bad weather (winter).

6. The significance is to reference death, life ending, or perhaps the end of a journey of the metaphysical nature.

7. I feel that "western gate" is meant to indicate the passage from life to death. Perhaps another metaphor or play on the term gate, like heaven's gate, pearly gates, Saint Peter's gate, etc.

8. The poem's speaker is dead as indicated from the third stanza "out of the grave". The speaker also either wants to provide love or mercy for Luke, as indicated by the purpose of the kiss on the forehead. The speakers wishes to blind Luke to the way he must go--which means to me that the speaker wants to shield Luke from the nastiness of the transition of death.

9. The speaker asks Luke to trust that "she will call." The speaker asks Luke to go to the western gate.

10. I would advise Luke to not go the way that the speaker suggests. It sounds more like the western gate is the gateway to hell rather than heaven. I'd say Luke, Donthaveyourgal!

11. I like the rhymes and I also like the repetition. It sounds almost like a chant or a death dirge.

12. I could read this as either friendly, loving, from a voice of guidance, an angel, or I could read this from a perspective of bitterness, almost revenge, like from a spited lover's perspective.

13. The rhymes make this poem melodic and nicely rhythmic. The rhymes are not so obvious that they are expected, but rather highlight certain passages and to me, make them more significant. The beauty here is that even though the rhymes are simple, i.e. fall and call, they are still original, possibly because the rhyme links to the next line and isn't the end of the thought, but rather a connection or transition word.

Do not go to the western gate, Luke Havergal,
With red vines of entrapment lacing the wall,
In the twilight only misery will come.
She is not worth the whisper, for some
Of her words will only be lies;
Do not go, unless you wish to cry.
Do not go to the western gate, Luke Havergal-
Luke Havergal.

There is always a dawn that comes in eastern skies
The hope of new always there in babies eyes;
Lurking where western glooms are gathering,
Will bring you only darkness, if anything:
God itself cradles every being alive,
Hell is not worth more than wings ripped from a fly.
Yes, there is always dawn in eastern skies--
In eastern skies.

Born from the earth I come to tell you this,
Born from love to offer the kiss
To flame the desire I see in you glow
To tell you of another way to go.
Reconsider what draws you near to where she is,
Trust your faith may the bitter you miss.
Born from the earth I come to tell you this--
To tell you this.

There is another gate, Luke Havergal,
Free from biting crimson leaves upon the wall.
Follow the warm winds they know the place,--
Where love will welcome you with warm embrace,
You will feel safe in those arms you fall;
Trust me when I say she's not worth the call.
There is another gate, Luke Havergal--
Luke Havergal.

Reflecting Light
-Sam Phillips

Now that I've worn out, I've worn out the world
I'm on my knees in fascination
Looking through the night
And the moons never seen me before
But I'm reflecting light

I wrote the pain down
Got off and looked up
Looked into your eyes
The lost open windows
All around
My dark heart lit up the skies

And now that I've worn, I've worn out the world
I'm on my knees in fascination
Looking through the night
And the moons never seen me before
But I'm reflecting light

Give up the ground
Under your feet
Hold on to nothing for good
Turn and run at the mean times
Chasing you
Stand alone and misunderstood

And now that I've worn, I've worn out the world
I'm on my knees in fascination
Looking through the night
And the moons never seen me before
But I'm reflecting light

I think that this is a beautiful love poem. I especially love the repetition of "worn out the world." It says so much in so few words. I also love the juxtaposition of how the moon's never seen me before but I'm reflecting light--the moon is what reflects light to earth--and this image is just lovely.

I find the line "On my knees in fascination" surprising. Being on ones knees does seem to work with the overall image of being so fascinated you can't move or have to bend to inspect further. I wonder in this sense if it is being brought to your knees (with fascination)? I also like the surprise of the stanza that starts "give up the ground" since it breaks from the romanticised tones of the poem. Is the hold on to nothing for good about not holding on to love? Or is this a reference to life and death? "Stand alone misunderstood" is also a striking line for the image it conjures. If this stanza is about how the speaker has lived, and has also worn out the world, it makes sense that the discovery of something sweet and new could bring her to her knees in fascination. I also liked the linking of how her dark heart lit up the skies--like the moon! Every time I read this poem I am trying to figure out WHO is the moon--the object of her love, her heart, or her, or all of the above!

For this week's poetry assignment I submit a song/poem by Tori Amos. Usually her lyrics are hard to understand because they often do not make much sense.

Winter

Snow can wait, I forgot my mittens
Wipe my nose, get my new boots on
I get a little warm in my heart when I think of winter
I put my hand in my fathers glove

I run off where the drifts get deeper
Sleeping beauty trips me with a frown
I hear a voice you must learn to stand up for yourself
Cause I cant always be around

He says when you gonna make up your mind
When you gonna love you as much as I do
When you gonna make up your mind
Cause things are gonna change so fast
All the white horses are still in bed
I tell you that Ill always want you near
You say that things change my dear

Boys get discovered as winter melts
Flowers competing for the sun
Years go by and Im here still waiting
Withering where some snowman was

Mirror mirror wheres the crystal palace
But I only can see myself
Skating around the truth who I am
But I know, dad, the ice is getting thin

When you gonna make up your mind
When you gonna love you as much as I do
When you gonna make up your mind
Cause things are gonna change so fast
All the white horses are still in bed
I tell you that Ill always want you near
You say that things change my dear

Hair is grey and the fires are burning
So many dreams on the shelf
You say I wanted you to be proud of me
I always wanted that myself

When you gonna make up your mind
When you gonna love you as much as I do
When you gonna make up your mind
Cause things are gonna change so fast
All the white horses have gone ahead
I tell you that Ill always want you near
You say that things change my dear

Never change

All the white horses

I think in this poem, the speaker, possibly Tori, writing/talking to her father and relating into the poem what he used to tell her. The poem changes tenses through out, from I to you. I think the line "when you gonna make up your mind" is the beginning of what her father would tell her. It does sound fatherly, like father's love, when you read it on its own. Additionally, a father would love their child and not want them to change into something that isn't who they really are. I love the metaphor about the white horses. I am still not clear what that is referring to, whether it is adulthood, her friends who have blossomed into adults, or something else.

I do not think that this poem is about a crisis, but rather, about questioning and sadness. If this poem is about adolescence, and the bumps in the road, then the father's words would act as mollification and comfort. In any case, it is always good to know that your parents love you and accept you, which is what I feel the chorus is telling. I especially love the image of "I put my hand in my father's glove." The first stanza seems like it is from a child's perspective as they endeavor out into the world, perhaps in this case meaning that she sets out to follow in her father's footsteps aka the glove? I think that the sleeping beauty is perhaps herself as she is realizing she is becoming an adult? It could also represent self awareness.

I also like how the poem sort of comes full circle and is telling a story--from childhood to now, at the end, the poem reads like the speaker is now an adult. There are dreams on a shelf--indicating that the speaker has lived enough to have dreams to shelve--and in this stanza it is very much like a conversation between a daughter and her father. I just get the image of so many years and winters have gone past, and yet, they are still close, and sit beside the fire, he is now older as is she, and he maintains what he has for all the years, that he will always want her near. I think this is a very sweet and sentimental poem full of wonderful imagery. There are many fun things to think about here--my reading this as a father's love for a growing child is only one interpretation.

Fields of Gold

You'll remember me when the west wind moves,
among the fields of barley.
you can tell the sun in his jealous sky,
when we walked in fields of gold.
So she took her love for to gaze a while,
Among the fields of barley.
In his arms she fell as her hair came down,
Among the fields of gold
Will you stay with me, will you be my love,
Among the fields of barley.
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
when we walked in fields of gold.
I never made promises lightly,
there have been some that I've broken.
but i swear in the days still left,
we'll walk in fields of gold,
we'll walk in fields of gold
Many years have past since those summer days,
among the fields of barley.
See the children run as the sun goes down,
As you lie in fields of gold.
You'll remember me when the west wind moves,
among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky,
when we walked in fields of gold.
when we walked in fields of gold.

I love this song and I think it makes an excellent poem. The repetition of the image of fields of gold as well as fields of barley is just beautiful. It conjures ideas of the Midwest, lazy summer evenings, and lemonade. Barely is just so earthy and nurturing an image. I personally think that this poem is about two lovers, one of which is dying. I get the sense that it is the man who is dying based on the line in his arms she fell, but it could be either person now that I reread the poem. I also like that the image of fields of gold could be a metaphor for heaven--in this case heaven in here on earth, the physical actual field of barely, and also the spiritual realm of heaven.

I also enjoy the idea of the sun being jealous. Because the sun is the live giver it could be implied that the sun in this poem is representative of a father image, possibly God. Furthermore, the sun is allocated a gender, male. I can't really support it, but I want to say that this poem is about two lovers, one is dying, and this sun character (God, if you will) is jealous of the deep love between the two--and even though they will be parted, they will always have the fields of gold/barley.

I also absolutely love the line "will you stay with me, will you be my love." I think that its beauty rests in its simplicity. I have read some poems that are laden with huge grandiose ideas and words to proclaim love as loudly as possible and I find these simple words more heartfelt then any Shakespearean sonnet or Byron inspired love poem. I really think they get the job done. It is for this reason that I am every time surprised to hear this line in the song--it is clearly stated and obvious--and so often you have to go digging to get to the message of the poem. I think that this poem's meaning can be actually summed up neatly with this one line.

"Cherrylog Road" In Class Assignment

In response to the first question, to paraphrase the first four stanzas:

He is in a car. He sees other cars. He heads to junk yard to rendevou with his girl.

In response to the second question or the free write poem:

Via Clarice

Carpet of twinkle overhead mates the
confounding darkness enfolding embrace.
The nights blanket, still and alive, is
a mouth full of tender kisses.
Hands seeking warmth, love, comfort, anything!
The nights willing partner
reaches out to grasp desperation
holds it close, enjoying the tender kisses
soft hands in hair, on neck.
Maybe turn off the car to linger here
in delight of concealment which
leads to the ground pressing hard up
as a body presses hard down.
Bird song into the night fades mixt with
voices blurred together, breathing succinctly.
Close, so close its painfully amazing.
The night rears up to greet its children
the sneaky little devils
have snuck out of their beds to make the
ground their nest,
to hide in each others arms
under her magical cloak of stars
mists, shadows and breath.

Poetry Week 4

I submit for this weeks assignment this song/poem which I absolutely love. The version I am partial to is done by Irish group The Corrs featuring Bono. The melody is simple and which allows the listener to focus on the lyrics.

When the Stars Go Blue

Dancin' where the stars go blue
Dancin' where the evening fell
Dancin' in your wooden shoes
In a wedding gown
Dancin' out on 7th street
Dancin' through the underground
Dancin' little marionette
Are you happy now?

Where do you go when you're lonely
Where do you go when you're blue
Where do you go when you're lonely
I'll follow you
When the stars go blue, blue
When the stars go blue, blue
When the stars go blue, blue
When the stars go blue

Laughing with your pretty mouth
Laughing with your broken eyes
Laughing with your lover's tongue
In a lullaby

Where do you go when you're lonely
Where do you go when you're blue
Where do you go when you're lonely
I'll follow you
When the stars go blue, blue
When the stars go blue, blue
When the stars, when the stars go blue, blue
When the stars go blue
When the stars go blue, blue, blue
Stars go blue
When the stars go blue

Where do you go when you're lonely
Where do you go when you're blue, yeah
Where do you go when you're lonely
I'll follow you, I'll follow you, I'll follow you
I'll follow you, I'll follow you, yeah
Where do you go, yeah(repeats out)Where do you go, Where do you go

This poem is full of rich imagery even though the lyrics tend to repeat themselves. I personally love the image of the stars going blue. I like how this image is linked to being lonely: where do you go when you are blue/when the stars go blue. It is neat how the color is the unifying element and how the stars going blue could mean many things--the person (to whom the poem is directed) is the star who goes blue because they are lonely, or the stars in the sky become sad and stop shining their light, thus, going blue. Even though we equate the color blue with sadness, in actuality it is one of the hottest colors, second only to white hot. I like the duality of this meaning--sad and also burning. I also think that the repetition of "I'll follow you" is a little stalker-y, perhaps haunting? I am not sure how it is intended: like a ghost following a person they loved in life? Or a man who loves an unattainable woman? Or a father who loves their child and doesn't want them to suffer lonliness? I could read many relationships into this poem.

There are many puzzling aspects to this poem, namely who is the speaking talking to, especially in the first stanza? I get the feel that they are speaking to a female, since I wouldn't join the word marionette (a little doll or poppette) with anything obviously masculine since girls play with dolls, and also, little girls can be like dolls to their parents. Furthermore, the image just works better in my frame of refference to think of someone yanking a girls strings--it doesn't work nearly as well to envision a man getting his strings pulled in marionette fashion. I want to say that this poem is being spoken to maybe a young girl? With the addition of a wedding dress and words like "pretty," and "broken" further support the idea that the speaker is talking to a woman. Is there a crisis with this person? I am not sure, but the poem asks "are you happy now?" and I feel this is a specific jab, akin to "look at what you have done, are you happy now?"

Who dances in wooden shoes and a wedding gown? I love this pairing. I can see a young girl twirling in a voluminous dress wearing dutch wooden shoes, and her twirling is made clunky because of this. It is an unusual image--I wonder if it is meant to infer that in spite of getting something desirable (marriage) this comes with something unfortunate, hence, the wooden shoes? This unique pairing is the line I find most surprising.

CAI Lab Assignment

In response to The Leap by James Dickey:

Personally I feel that this is a sad love poem. I say this because I get the impression that when he saw her at the dance, he in a way, fell in love with her, and perhaps loved her even before then, hence the line "that ring I made for you, Jane." The speaker is conversing with the reader, sharing almost a string of consciousness, or a walk down memory lane. This poem is imagery rich, like a memory, and has a scattered feel. I get the sense that perhaps this was Dickey's approach--to display for the reader his memories, not necessarily detail them, since memories are hazy creatures.

What struck me as a surprise is how the speaker, which I assume is Dickey, remembers her happy, challenging life, by use of words like "wide mouthed, eager to prove." This is contrasted by her fate, suicide. As I read I wondered what I feel Dickey must have wondered, which was "What happened to her during her life that drove her to take her own life in such a desperate fashion?" Also I found surprising was the tone of regret; that perhaps if he'd been a little more bold and brave, he would have asked her to dance, which might have changed her life course, and perhaps she'd still be alive. It is almost like the sliding glass doors idea in this case.

I loved the last three lines, especially the second to last, "By dust I swallowed thirty years ago-". It is precise and at the same time descriptive. Really, who hasn't felt like this at some point? This poem made me think about childhood friends and people I've lost touch with from high school. It made me think of all the kids that I thought were happy, outgoing individuals and made me question whether what met the eye was what was really there. Were they really happy? Were they abused at home? Did their parents love them? Were they ever troubled by things? It goes to show that even the person you think at that time--the one who "has it all"--might actually be unhappy, troubled, etc. How well do we really know anyone? Does it take a eulogy in the paper to jar us into looking beyond the skin?

Something that I feel adds to the mystery of this poem is the line: "Most obsessively wrong with the world Come out of her light, earth-spurning feet Grown heavy: would say that in the dusty heels of the playground some boy who did not depend On speed of foot, caught and betrayed her." I have read this line several times and I am still unclear as to its meaning. Does it mean that he chased her until she was tired and then caught her? Was this referring to the fact that because he didn't dance with her he betrayed her? Or does this have a broader meaning, such as him expressing regret that he didn't do more to be a presence in her life, the person that he loved, and that in turn, helped build toward her death?

In Response to Dickey, as per the Requirement I submit a response poem.

Kitchen dated, yellow, jug of boiled water
counters spick, stove span,
This was your domain.
You made your own ground beef here,
And churned raisin bread there.
The butter cookies hidden by the candied apricots
Rack of lamb and mint jelly
The smell haunting, delicious, scary.

Slim asparagus, zucchini, tomatoes lounge out,
Peaches, plums, all protected by a
Large, plastic owl: I thought I was helping
Instead I picked a plum not yet ripe
Fly at me with anger I've never seen.
Do not waste food: a pause,
These will ripen. And you look sheepish
For your anger haunting, delicious, scary.

Chiseled brow, brain to match
Life filled with war, torment, beauty, fear
Redemption never given, never sought:
It was a life filled with a wall full of preserved pears.
And in that kitchen you blew your brains out,
head in the sink, first shot missed
Embedded into the side of the fridge
A token to remember haunting, delicious, scary.

I stare at it now, covered by a magnet
A stupid beach themed magnet. My dad discovered
What you did there, sour mix of blood and brain
A life gasping, spilling all over the floor.
He still hasn't forgiven you.
For that matter, neither have I.
I suspect this doesn't matter much.
What a legacy haunting, delicious, scary.

But I'd rather remember you alive
With anger for my ignorance of ripeness
I'd rather see you proud, mistrustful of the tap water
I'd rather feel the shock of displeasing
Feel the smart of stupidity and be stunned than
Feel the gaping hole in the fridge
Burning in my chest haunting, delicious, scary.

Poetry Week #2

For this weeks poetry blog I submit an Egyptian Love Poem.

If I Am Not With You, Where Will You Set Your Heart?

If I am [not] with you, where will you set your heart?
If you do [not] embrace [me], [where will you go?]
If good fortune comes your way, [you still cannot find] happiness.
But if you try to touch my thighs and breast,
[Then you'll be satisfied.]

Because you remember you are hungry
would you then leave?
Are you a man
thinking only of his stomach?
Would you [walk off from me
concerned with] your stylish clothes
and leave me the sheet?

Because of hunger
would you then leave me?
[or because you are thirst?]
Take then my breast:
for you its gift overflows.
Better indeed is one day in your arms....
than a hundred thousand [anywhere] on earth.


I just love this poem. I think it is thick with rich imagery; you can easily make a meal on one stanza alone! I am exceptionally partial to the second stanza. It is too obvious to assume that the author means hunger for food alone. In this case, I think that the "hunger" mentioned is for another person, someone new, different and therefore, exciting. I think almost everyone has experienced both sides of this poem: loving another person to oblivion (and it isn't returned) or being loved by another and not responding in the way that they want, i.e. returning their love.

Yes, this is a love poem in my opinion. I for some reason would infer that a woman wrote this, however, I think that upon further consideration, a man could have also easily written this. It is my personal bias that a woman would be more likely to pour her heart out and love a man (only to have it not returned) than visa versa. This does make for a slanted reading of this poem. There are indicators that this could have been written from a male perspective about a woman. Namely the line that references "stylish clothes". The words "thigh" and "breast" are indeed woman inclined as these are two highly sexually charged female terms, however, they can be viewed gender neutral. If it were to say "breasts" plural, then I would say that the speaker is female. I feel that it is nearly impossible to ascertain for certain the gender of the speaker, and this adds mystery to the poem. It allows for multiple readings and interpretations. I chose to read it, (because of current events in my life) from the place of "the speaker is a woman, she wants this man, she's in love with him, and it seems he isn't as interested in her as she'd like." I read this poem as this was her way of speaking her true hearts feelings to him in the hope of winning him over.

I especially enjoy the line "If I am not with you, where will you set your heart?" I love the gentle image this evokes. I like that the speaker is wise--material possessions will not bring happiness. Though, the speaker does seem a little full of themself--that carnal fulfillment will make that person satisfied! I definitely delight in this idea!

This poem inspires me. It is hard to pin point why. I just absolutely love the yearning that this poem embodies. I like every single line. Each line serves a purpose. The poem feels complete, unified and is very persuasive. I ask, who in there right mind would dare leave this speaker? They emote such passion, you'd have to be a fool to walk away and leave them just the sheet.

This is my response to the above poem:

If I Am Not With You, Where Will You Seek Your Comfort?

If I am not with you, where will you seek your comfort?
If you do not lay beside me, where do you sleep?
If you are happy with the days events, you have no one to share it with.
But if you just reach out for my hands
I promise you'll be mollified.

Because you are bored or lonely
would you look elsewhere?
Are you a man
thinking only of his next conquest?
Would you walk away from me
without asking your questions
and leave me holding the ball?

Because of distance
would you then leave me?
or because I am not enough?
Take then my heart:
for you its gift overflows.
Better one moment spent in your arms...
than a hundred thousand anywhere on earth.

Poetry Blog Week One

chaste pomegranate
glitters merrily, owls slide
slide, fear

Courtesy of: http://www.everypoet.com/haiku/default.htm

This website creates haiku poetry by randomly pairs words together in the haiku form, which for the record, follows a 5-7-5 beats or syllables.

I was inspired by all the Haiku poetry and tried my hand at a few. Here are my attempts:

Stupid moth I am
Captivated and drawn in, you
Incinerate me

Smiling with bruises
Received while laying with you
Neath your pepper tree.

It is amazing the change in effect if you alter even one word in a haiku. But when you are dealing with a sum total of roughly 12-15 words, one word does make a huge impact. This is actually a very good lesson in poetry writing. I played around with the wording on the first haiku to different effects. The one that I liked second best was:

Blissful moth I am
Captivated and drawn in, you
Incinerate me

I submit for my poetry journal this song by Jewel, entitled Rosy and Mick. The song is very beautiful and I found something about the lyrics entrancing.

Mick came home late last night
he drank enough beer to take the edge off a knife
She opened the door
looking older than before
He said "Rosy, you're too girl a girl"
She let him in and lifted up her dress
like an apology he began to kiss her neck
he felt much relief
as the ceiling fan tapped out a broken melody

And she said "Do you remember when we were younger,
bitter words were said
making up was always your favorite part.
Well I ain't young no more
and 'I'm sorry' can not mend a broken heart."

He came back home
threw his things on the floor
she worked up the courage to say what she never had before
the words got lost inside
he got that look in his eye
and the sun went shining on

Do you remember when we were younger
bitter words were said
making up was always your favorite part
well I 'aint young no more
and "I'm sorry" can not mend a broken heart

The church knew well Mick was a violent man
She got a few head lines
she got a slap on the hand
And there ain't no villains
and there ain't no heros
people on both sides of the tracks
try to add a whole bunch of zeros
time marches on
until its all gone

She said, "Do you remember when we were younger
bitter words were said
making up was always your favorite part
I ain't young no more
and 'I'm sorry' can not mend a broken heart

I would say that this poem is about a crisis. Rosy is having a crisis over this man she loves, Mick. The force that propels this poem is that of a love story gone wrong. That the poem is mostly in present tense also leads me to feel that the narrator is telling a story to the audience, which can be anyone who wants to listen.

What surprised me about this poem is that I found it initially to be a love poem. However, upon further inspection, I decided that it is a poem about a woman who is abused by her lover, who in turn, gets even and kills him. The stanza that starts with “the church knew Mick was a violent man” is what really got me thinking that perhaps this is a poem about a battered woman. For me, this is where the poem shifts gears and changes to tell something different from a love poem, man and a woman together. The lyrics that follow this line only deepen the complexity and mystery of the poem. This particular stanza confuses me and therefore, I cannot provide concrete proof to substantiate my suspicion that this is the stanza that explains that Rosy has killed Mick. What did she do to get a few head lines in? The song beaks here also, the beat changes and Jewel stops singing and speaks. This all leads me to feel that this is a significant part to the song and poem. The narration of the story changes from being one of a story to being one that is talking about “no heros, no villains,” and it is almost like this is the conclusion of the story, but it doesn’t really explain anything. The poem in a way, is talking to itself here. I find this to have a haunting effect. I start asking questions like “what caused the broken heart?” This poem seems to have a narrator who is speaking to anyone reading the poem. The narrator is telling a story about Rosy and Mick. The chorus is what grounds this poem, especially since the ending of the poem is what would be the chorus.

Additionally, I thought that the words were “Rosy you’re too good a girl” not “Rosy you’re too girl a girl.” This line confuses me. Also, when I hear the song, the line “take the edge off a knife” sounded like “take the edge off the night.” My words seem to make more sense to me. However, I like the intended lyrics since they add more mystery to the poem.