Haikus by Unknown
I have no idea who wrote this poem. It is simple, short, and funny, and I will quote it here...
"Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator"
This haiku parodies itself, and I love it. The first time I read it, I spend most of the day laughing to myself. It simplifies poetry by poking fun at itself, as though it is saying that it understands poetry isn't the easiest to write. However, complex things aren't always the best poetry, and sometimes something that sounds empty and without form when written in prose can become something beautiful when written as poetry.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Time, Real and Imaginary
Time, Real and Imaginary by Samuel L. Coleridge
This poem speaks of two children racing, one girl and one boy. The "real" time belongs to the girl, who constantly looks over her shoulder, trying to figure out how far ahead of the boy she is. If she wins, she will know. The boy, on the other hand, is blind, and he cannot judge how far away the girl is. If he wins, he was no idea, and the time in which the race takes place, as well as how long it lasts, is his "imaginary" time.
This poem speaks of two children racing, one girl and one boy. The "real" time belongs to the girl, who constantly looks over her shoulder, trying to figure out how far ahead of the boy she is. If she wins, she will know. The boy, on the other hand, is blind, and he cannot judge how far away the girl is. If he wins, he was no idea, and the time in which the race takes place, as well as how long it lasts, is his "imaginary" time.
The Dying Christian to His Soul
The Dying Christian to His Soul by Alexander Pope
Pope's examination of a person with his religion here is very interesting. As he dies, he pleads to the heavens to come take him, to come show him the way to salvation. And, because he is a Christian, they do, and he feels no pain of death, only the ascension to Heaven. It is also an interesting take on karma, as someone is being rewarded for their faith.
Pope's examination of a person with his religion here is very interesting. As he dies, he pleads to the heavens to come take him, to come show him the way to salvation. And, because he is a Christian, they do, and he feels no pain of death, only the ascension to Heaven. It is also an interesting take on karma, as someone is being rewarded for their faith.
A Certain Lady At Court
A Certain Lady At Court by Alexander Pope
Here, Pope praises a woman who seems to be perfect. She is well-liked by all, but he says her only imperfection is that she is deaf. To take this literally would be to assume that is actually deaf, and that all of the praise heaped upon her is something she cannot even hear. To take it figuratively would be to assume that she either ignores or does not believe the praise, and that it falls upon deaf ears. Either way, it is incredibly sad, as she is one of two things: a wonderful lady who cannot hear how wonderful everybody thinks she is, or a wonderful lady who cannot hear how wonderful everybody thinks she is. They are one in the same, as somebody who cannot accept such praise is just as disabled in this case as the one who is deaf to such praise.
Here, Pope praises a woman who seems to be perfect. She is well-liked by all, but he says her only imperfection is that she is deaf. To take this literally would be to assume that is actually deaf, and that all of the praise heaped upon her is something she cannot even hear. To take it figuratively would be to assume that she either ignores or does not believe the praise, and that it falls upon deaf ears. Either way, it is incredibly sad, as she is one of two things: a wonderful lady who cannot hear how wonderful everybody thinks she is, or a wonderful lady who cannot hear how wonderful everybody thinks she is. They are one in the same, as somebody who cannot accept such praise is just as disabled in this case as the one who is deaf to such praise.
The Legacy
The Legacy by John Donne
Similar to Donne's The Expiration, he is focusing on the death of a loved one. This time, however, he is the loved one, and he is trying to get his love across to his partner. I think his closing lines are the most beautiful part of the poem. He says he wishes he could still send his heart, but it cannot be done. Nobody else can hold it but the one he is trying to send it to.
Similar to Donne's The Expiration, he is focusing on the death of a loved one. This time, however, he is the loved one, and he is trying to get his love across to his partner. I think his closing lines are the most beautiful part of the poem. He says he wishes he could still send his heart, but it cannot be done. Nobody else can hold it but the one he is trying to send it to.
The Expiration
The Expiration by John Donne
I believe this poem is about the death of a loved one. The title hints that something has expired (someone is dead), and in the poem the narrator says he has one last kiss. He is both going, and bidding the other to go; he is leaving the dead in the past, while at the same time hoping that they go on to a better place.
I believe this poem is about the death of a loved one. The title hints that something has expired (someone is dead), and in the poem the narrator says he has one last kiss. He is both going, and bidding the other to go; he is leaving the dead in the past, while at the same time hoping that they go on to a better place.
A Burnt Ship
A Burnt Ship by John Donne
This poem is similar to Complete Destruction, as it discusses the complete destruction of a ship and all its passengers. However, I think it goes deeper, and it examines both choosing between evils and the inevitability of death. The sailors must choose between burning with the ship, drowning in the water, or being shot by their enemies. This shows how death is inescapable; no sailor can escape it, and all perish. While we will not all die in a battle at sea, this can be expanded to the whole human race. Whether it is due to heart failure, cancer, or a car accident, death will eventually come.
This poem is similar to Complete Destruction, as it discusses the complete destruction of a ship and all its passengers. However, I think it goes deeper, and it examines both choosing between evils and the inevitability of death. The sailors must choose between burning with the ship, drowning in the water, or being shot by their enemies. This shows how death is inescapable; no sailor can escape it, and all perish. While we will not all die in a battle at sea, this can be expanded to the whole human race. Whether it is due to heart failure, cancer, or a car accident, death will eventually come.
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