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.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
"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.
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.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
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.
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