Chandradat Gir

Prof: J Rosen

ENG2003 Sect: 1248

05/20/2012

“The Red Hat” by Rachel Hadas

Vocabulary

Officially:

             A person appointed or elected to an office, or charged with certain duties or pertaining to an office or position of duty, trust, or authority: official powers.

Definition: in an official manner.

Synonyms: according to protocol, befittingly, ceremoniously, conveniently,  correctly, customarily, fittingly, formally, orderly, precisely, properly, regularly, suitably.

Elastic:

Capable of returning to its original length, shape, etc. after being stretched, deformed, compressed, or expanded; elastic fiber.

Red:

Symbolizes impulsiveness, excitement, energetic.

Red is the first color you lose sight of at twilight.

Annotation 1.

“It started before Christmas.” This is an allusion referring to the month of December.  As Christmas is the birth of Christ according to the Christian faith and the month is December. This also alludes to the new school year which begins in fall. So this gives us a timing of the event and says it had started for a while now.

Annotation 2.

“Already ties are feelings and not fact.” (Ln.8), this is a direct statement of the mother’s feeling on seeing her son gradually walking away from her in his quest to be an independent young man. By saying “Already,” it is as though she is caught off guard as to how fast the time has approached for this event to take place, like it’s too fast, too sudden for her comfort.  Ties mean a physical connection between two objects.  To say it is not fact anymore is to say it does not exist anymore.  What the mother is saying is that the connection between her and her son is no more that physical closeness.  Now it is just emotional, it is just feelings, as he is moving away from her physically, becoming more of an independent young man.

Explication

A Reading of Rachel Hadas

“The Red Hat”

The poem “The Red Hat” by Rachel Hadas speaks of the feeling of a mother on seeing her son gradually becoming independent of her, a bitter sweet feeling. The feeling of happiness and satisfaction of seeing her son developing into a resilient young man but at the same time it’s mixed with the feeling of lost, of gradually losing him to the outer world. The mother experienced a bitter sweet feeling or emotion as she struggles to let her son go. So this poem is not just about a small boy walking to school alone.

The poet starts by saying, “It started before Christmas.” Christmas is in the month of December which is in the fall season. So this tells us the time period of the year is fall that the poet is speaking of. So it is the fall term of school which is the first term in a school year. So this is the start of boy’s education. The poet continues by saying,” Now our son officially walks to school.” By saying our son, the poet is using the mother as the narrator in the poem. This is to build a more personal tone in the poem and makes it possible that actually every mother can relate to this event. The word officially means to be appointed or elected to an office, or charged with certain duty, or trust, or authority in an official manner, by official powers. But here the boy is being given the duty and trust to walk to school alone, as more of a family matter and is not of an official nature. But for the mother to give the event the similarity of duty or trust or authority of an official nature is to emphasize the symbolic or important step this is in the boy’s life, in his quest to becoming an independent young man. The use of the word “officially” here is used metaphorically to relate the two different events and as such shows how important this event is in the mind of the mother. This shows how satisfied and happy she is at her son making this accomplishment in his life. This brings out the happy or sweet feeling of the mother of satisfaction.

The lines “Semi-alone, it’s accurate to say: / I or his father tract him on the way”  speaks clearly of the of the guidance, protection, watchful eyes of the parents , of being right nearby to pick him up if he falls, to give him that sense of security in his initial steps into the outer world.  This is to enable him to learn freely without any burden on his mind, to throw caution to the wind, learning from his trials and errors until he is a grown young man.  By saying “Glances can extend (and do) across the street: not eye contact”  means they can take their quick glances to see each other is there to give that sense of security but not to draw each other attention. This is to allow the boy to think freely and learn the simple things in life to be mentally prepared to confidently and intelligently make decision on his own. However, being there initially in his growing up stage in life is to provide that very much needed love and guidance, and protection to nurture him into a capable young man. But this action by the mother shows how concerned and afraid she is of her son walking to school alone. That’s why she is always there on the first leg of the journey to school, if not, the father is there. This brings out the anxiety of the mother, that bitter feeling she is having of letting her son go.

The poet uses a sequential AA BB rhyme scheme which brings out the anxiety of the mother, the use of words like part and heart; fear and disappear; brings out the different emotions flowing through her mind at the moment.  Also using the phrase,” parallel paths part,” is emphasizing the “p” sound, a harsh sound. This shows the bitter feeling the mother is experiencing in letting her son go, how hard it is on her. Hadas use enjambment lines to create the anxious feelings the parents are experiencing, a rushed nervous feeling. Fear of their son having to face the world alone. This is the lines normally ends with half of a sentence remaining, so it captures the anxious feeling of the reader, in so doing, Hadas is having the reader experience the anxiety of the mother.  This also brings out the bitter feeling of the mother (NsyncFan14.(nd)).

The color red symbolizes impulsiveness, excitement, and energetic, also joy and life. These are mostly the characteristic you will find in a small boy. Hadas speaks of the boy striding briskly whereas before he used to dawdle dreamy and slow holding his mother hands. This shows a great transformation in the boy’s characteristic and also symbolizes the boy growing away from his mother.  It also happens that red is the first color you lose sight of at twilight. I find it ironic that the poem has the name “The Red Hat” and the boy is wearing a red hat that is what the mother see disappear. But looking back at the mixed emotions the mother is having in letting her son go speaks of the satisfaction, the happy sweet feeling of a mother on seeing her son grows into an independent young man who she can be proud of, but at the same time it also shows the feelings of fear and anxiety the mother is experiencing. The shows the mixed emotions of the mother, the feeling of bitter sweet

Bibliography

Casey, Jenessa. http://voices.yahoo.com/analysis-poem-red-hat-rachel-hadas-5270225.html?cat=25. 15 01 2010. Analysis of the Poem The Red Hat by Rachel Hadas. 05 05 2012.

Cusack, Eileen M. http://www1.assumption.edu/users/ady/hhgateway/ExpInt/Redhatexp.html. 2000. 05 05 2012.

Encyclopedia Britinnica Company. http://www.merrian-webster.com/dictionary. 2012. 05 05 2012.

NsyncFan14.(nd). http://aplit-comp.blogspot.com/2010/01/red-hat-analysis.html. 19 01 2010. The Red Hat Analysis. 05 05 2012.

Thomas R, Arp, Johnson, Greg. http://www.ecampus.com/perrines-sound-sense-introduction-poetry/bk/9780155030282. 2002. Perrine’s Sound and Sense “An Introduction To Poetry”. 05 05 2012.

*boon – The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a boon as a benefit or favor that is given in answer to a request

**lea – According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a lea refers to grassland or pasture.

[1] A pagan is described by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as an irreligious or hedonistic person. The speaker of the poem makes a connection between paganism and Greek mythology because Greek mythology is regarded as irreligious or pagan by the Christian religion. The poem’s writer, William Wordsworth, was raised as a Christian in England.

[1] Proteus rising from the sea

The reference of Proteus in the poem stems from ancient Greek mythology. Proteus according to Greek mythology is a shape-shifting, all-knowing sea-god who was also known as “The Old Man of the Sea.” This sea-god was the son and servant of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. One of Proteus’s responsibilities is the herding of Poseidon’s seals and it was not uncommon to see him rise from the sea around noon to slumber among the seals. Legend has it that it is at that time that the sea-god could be captured. In exchange for his release, he would grant his captor the answer to any one question that he/she would ask.

[1] Triton is a sea-god from Greek mythology. He is the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Amphitrite, the goddess of the sea. According to Greek mythology, Triton was described as “The Messenger of the Sea” – a merman who lives with his parents in a golden palace beneath the sea. Triton is known for carrying a large twisted conch seashell. By blowing this shell/horn, Triton was able to control the waves of the sea by either calming them or agitating them.

Explication of William Wordsworth’s “The World is Too Much with Us”

William Wordsworth uses his romantic sonnet, “The World Is Too Much With Us” to strongly voice his objection to mankind’s focus on the acquisition of material commodities and the disconnection that has developed between mankind and nature. The tone of the poem is generally an angry one; however, the poem’s tone becomes less aggressive as the poem comes to a close. In addition to tone, the poet uses the figures of speech, personification and simile, to emphasize the comparisons between the gift of mankind’s own heart and the gifts given by elements in nature. Wordsworth expresses that, as people, we have been wasting our powers by focusing on getting and spending. He even states that he would prefer to be a pagan who appreciates objects of nature rather than to be a man whose materialistic obsession leaves him disconnected from nature.

In the first two lines of the poem, the speaker states that “The world is too much with us; late and soon, /Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers”. These introductory lines begin to show the poet’s disapproval of the way in which people are living. “The world is too much with us; late and soon.” This phrase conveys that the poet feels that nature or “the world” was always overwhelming for mankind that man never paid attention to it. Instead, mankind’s attention was placed on the pursuit of material things (“getting and spending”). This is something that Wordsworth views as a waste of mankind’s existence as he states that “…we lay waste our powers.” The poet’s choice of words in these lines is much more effective as they are than if this piece were arranged as prose. For example, to say that “we lay waste our powers” is more effective than if the poet had said, “We are not using our existence effectively.”

In lines 3 and 4 of the poem, the speaker states that “Little we see in Nature that is ours; /We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!” In the third line of the poem, the poet shows the grave disconnection mankind and nature. This line also connects to mankind’s consumerism and to the fact that despite mankind’s obsession in owning material things, he does not own many things in nature. This may be a reason for mankind’s disconnection from nature since there are few things therein that man can own, buy or sell. In line 4, the speaker states that “We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!” A boon refers to a blessing or gift that is given as an answer to a request. Sordid is synonymous with ignoble, wretched and vile. This means that despite man has given his heart away, this gift is not a noble one. This may mean that mankind’s obsession with acquiring material things through consumerism has caused a disconnection with between mankind and nature and has, in turn, caused his heart – one’s noblest gift – to be vile.

In lines 5 through 9, the poet gives examples of things in nature that give up their true essences in ways that are nobler and more acceptable than mankind’s sordid heart. “The Sea bares her bosom to the moon; /The winds that will be howling at all hours, /And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers; /For this, for everything, we are out of tune” The poem’s ninth relates to lines 5 through 8 which show an interconnection among natural objects in the world. Despite mankind lives in the world, he is still “out of tune” with this interconnection. All in nature give up their noblest of boons within this interconnection; however, mankind’s heart which he gives away is “a sordid boon!” In this these lines, Wordsworth uses personification as the tool to emphasize the interconnection that the elements in nature share and also to emphasize mankind’s disconnection from his natural environment. By personalizing the Sea and the wind, the poet gives these natural elements humanlike characteristics and shows that even they can share connections with each other; while mankind, being truly human, is unable to participate in these connections due to his focus on consumerism. In lines 6 and 7, the poet uses the figure of speech, simile, to compare the wind to sleeping flowers. This comparison gives the reader an idea of just how much the wind gives. The howling wind gives up its might and howl – its essence – and becomes as mild as sleeping flowers. This is a truly worthy boon as opposed to the wretched heart of man.

Lines 10 and 11 state, “It moves us not – Great God! I’d rather be /A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;” In line 10, the poet seems to be angrily surprised at mankind’s indifference. This line may be showing the poet’s disgust at the fact that mankind is not even concerned about his disconnection for nature as he goes about life only focusing on “getting and spending.” This line may also be conveying the poet’s disgust toward the fact that mankind remains unmoved by nature and the beautiful connections that are shared therein. A glimpse of the speaker’s religious beliefs is given in lines 10 and 11 of the poem. The speaker may be Christian due to references made to “Great God!” The capitalization in the ‘g’ in God is generally used for the god of the Christian faith. A pagan, according to the Christian faith is one who is irreligious or one who does not believe in God. The poem’s speaker is so opposed to mankind’s indifference, disconnection from nature and obsession with consumerism that he states that he would prefer to be a “Pagan” that is raised on outdated beliefs than to be a materialistic person who is disconnected from nature.

In lines 12 through 14, the poem’s tone shifts to a less angry, less aggressive tone. In these lines, the poet expresses scenes that he may prefer to experience had he been raised as a pagan as opposed to being brought up as a Christian raised on consumerism and disconnected from nature. He describes standing on a grassy pasture and observing things that would make him feel less unhappy and hopeless. The poet mentions that, a pagan, he may “have glimpses if Proteus rising from the sea; /Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.” Both observances of sea-gods would not have been possible as a Christian because Christians do not believe in Greek mythology – or any other god than their own. This shows how much the poet is opposed to mankind’s disconnection from nature and focus on consumerism. So opposed is he that he is willing to give up his own religious beliefs to attain a connection to nature and lose focus on “getting and spending.” The fact that the speaker would prefer to stand in a pasture and observe the two mythical sea-gods may also be a sign that he has given up on mankind and prefers to connect himself with a fictitious, mythical world rather than to be connected to the real world in which mankind is disconnected from nature. The shift in the poem’s tone is crucial in conveying the idea that the speaker has given up on mankind. It is as if he has given up on trying to convey the message of mankind’s disconnection from nature. To him, all is lost.

Bibliography

“Boon.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 30 April 2012. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boon>.

“Lea.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 30 April 2012. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lea>.

“Proteus”.  Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 30 Apr. 2012 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/480043/Proteus>.

“PROTEUS : Sea-God, the Herdsman of Seals.” THEOI GREEK MYTHOLOGY, Exploring Mythology & the Greek Gods in Classical Literature & Art. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. <http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Proteus.html>.

“Proteus (Greek mythology).” The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia®. 2005. Columbia University Press 30 Apr. 2012 <http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Proteus+(Greek+mythology)>.

“Triton”.  Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 30 Apr. 2012 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/606023/Triton>.

“Triton.” Encyclopedia Mythica. 2012. Encyclopedia Mythica Online.30 Apr. 2012 <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/t/triton.html>.

“TRITON : Sea-God, Merman.” THEOI GREEK MYTHOLOGY, Exploring Mythology & the Greek Gods in Classical Literature & Art. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. <http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Triton.html>.

Wordsworth, William. “The World Is Too Much With US.” Poetry: An Introduction. Ed. Michael Myer. 6^th ed.  Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 247. Print.

“XXII. D. The Water Deities. Vols. I & II: Stories of Gods and Heroes. Bulfinch, Thomas. 1913. Age of Fable.” XXII. D. The Water Deities. Vols. I & II: Stories of Gods and Heroes. Bulfinch, Thomas. 1913. Age of Fable. Web. 08 May 2012. <http://www.bartleby.com/181/224.html>.

Marvell Noir by Ann Lauinger

Glossary:

roadhouse band- A British rock band that constantly tour and plays at events all over the country. There are many of these types of band in America to.

Highballs- an alcoholic drink consisting of a base spirit and a non alcoholic mixer.

Annotations:      1. Marvell was a “metaphysical poet who was born to a church clergyman farther of Winestead –in- Holderness England in 1821.”When he was 3 his family moved to Hull England where he studied at Christian schools. In 1640’s his mother and father died, he was only 19. “He then traveled the continent of Europe extensively for four years writing poetry.” His sojourn provided his materials for them. He eventually went to work for the council of state General Cromwell and his wards, he believed in the system. He was appointed Milton secretary (Milton was secretary for foreign languages in Cromwell’s government) according to an article on poetry.org .he stayed at this post till he was elected into parliament. His style is subtle and introspective and his poems revolved around issues of the changing times in an elegant elaborate conceit way.

2.  Noir: the word used to describe a stylish Hollywood crime drama with emphasis on cynical attitude sexual motives and bad girls. This period of noir films are associated with low key black and white visuals and rooted in Europe. The attitude of noir films derived from the school of crime fiction which encompasses a range of plots where the central character can be a victim, private eye, officer of the law and a woman with questionable virtues.

  An Explication of Marvell Noir

By Alicia Parris- Daley

The poem author Ann Lauinger takes on the persona of the poet Andrew Marvell. This poem is centered around Marvell’s experiences with a woman with questionable virtues along his travels as a reputable man of the political system. The setting is that of English elegant crime film. The word s of Marvell noir to the ear sounds much like an old English script. The tone is sweet, honest and innocent at first but then became subtly harsh and insensitive like police officer.

Marvell being the man he was, welled traveled and involved in parliament met a woman at a road house band. In the poem he starts off with wanting time which means he was probably on one of his trips. As you read the poem Marvell tone sounds sweet to any tramp. The fact that Marvell mentioned in the very first line “Sweetheart if we had the time” indicates a tramp on both sides, the mere fact that he choice those words is indicative that time is a factor in this situation and that it is short and urgent. Further more in line 2 he reveals that he would not mind spending time with her “a week in bed would be no crime”. But to reference one week shows his intention would be to live life to the fullest and get all the pleasures out if life for that one week but not long term. The phrases used to describe their imagined week, phrases like line 3,” I’ll light your Camels (Cigarettes), pour your Jacks “(Alcohol) and line 6 “I’ll write a sonnet to your legs” brings the image of a prostitute to mind. If they had the time they would have a wonderful week. Yes! She would watch his stubble grow.

But then as she revealed her life he interprets it with tones that are insensitive ,harsh and scornful. He states  in line 9 “I’d hear the whole sad tale again:” making it sound as if she’s the victim and confirming that he has been in situations like this before. “A roadhouse band, you can’t trust men.”   These are allusions which lends itself to the idea that this woman is not innocent in Marvell’s eyes. At a roadhouse band is probable where Marvell met the woman. And to talk about not “trusting men” is to indicate past betrayal the woman experiences .He goes on in line 10 and 11 to explaining her life experiences with men and how she did things she did not want to do but had to “He set you up; you had to eat.” She was set up for a crime she did not commit and was using her womanly charm to solicit sympathy from Marvell.

The author  uses cocophony in the end rhyme of lines 13-16 “ lied…died…fake… mistake” all which are distasteful to the ear and in meaning which reveals Marvell’s disgust and dislike for the lifestyle of the woman. After hearing her sad tale and interpreted it his way he becomes cynical and full of attitude.” Aw, can it sport! He barked feeling as if she’s trying to play him. He makes it clear to her in line 17, that she is the one in trouble. He declared “you’re in it doll, up to your eyeballs!” these words are harsh and authoritative and sound cynical and cold which changes the tone of the poem and set the stage for drama.

Marvel becomes condescending and patronizing “Tears? Please!” line 18. The Question indicate Marvell’s disbelief that she would try to sucker him with tears and the exclamation that followed show his disbelief in her innocents, especially because as this is all unfolding they are having highballs (liquor).This does not lend credibility to her innocents. And he sees right through her dirty character.

In line 21 and 22 Marvel made it clear that he is not the guy to sucked because as he himself is not innocent and precious, in line 23 “ and precious, I kind of wish I was.” Marvell was just as cold heated as the man who set her up. His tone in line 24-25 shows a nonchalant attitude “well,” he said when they spring you give a buzz.” “Guess I’ll go back to Archie’s wife” line 25. He continues to prosecute her in line 26-31 saying “you’ll get 25 to life. “you have time more than enough …to reminisce about the stuff that dreams are made of…”and all the men she suckered in her line of work. In the pen your kind of talent goes to waste” she won’t be able to sucker men in jail.

Marvell insults the woman in line 32 -33 by saying “Irish bars are more my taste than iron ones: stripes aren’t my style” meaning that he does not prefer jail. Marvel, like a true backstabber, reminds her that she is going down but he will visit every other year. And just like a man who paid for sexual favor, after using her and insulting her expects that she come over and kiss him as he tells her the cops are here.

Referances:     1. www.wikipedia.org

2. www.poetry.org

3. www.poemhunter.com ;

Alfred, Lord Tennyson: Break, Break, Break. 1842

Definitions

stately(adjective): impressive in size or proportions

crag(noun): a steep rugged rock or cliff

Annotation

During the Victorian period (1837-1901) the novel was the most popular genre in the English middle class community.  The novels were filled with humor and urban life drama that entertained people of all classes.  In the middle of this era where the novel was so popular, the preeminent poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson was named poet laureate.  Tennyson was honored for his artistic excellence as a poet and got his aristocratic title “Lord”.  Tennyson became popular because his poems were about common things that everyone experiences at some point in life.  Readers often found themselves connected to an episode of their lives with one of Tennyson’s poems.  A vivid example of this connection with Tennyson is the old saying, “it’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all”, which in reality is part of “In Memoriam A.H.H.” one his poems.  This poem was published in 1849-1850, about 17 years after the dead of Arthur Henry Hallam, Tennyson’s best friend.  Hallam was 22 years old when he died of a stroke in September of 1933.  Hallam was also engaged to Emily, Tennyson’s sister.  Tennyson mourned the death of his beloved friend for many years and imprinted his feelings in this poem.  Tennyson’s description of his grief in this poem was so real and universal that Queen Victoria was able to find some comfort in it after her husband, Prince Albert died.  Another poem that reflected his grief for his friend Arthur is “Break, Break, Break”.  This poem was published about 11 years after Arthur’s dead, 1942 but Tennyson had composed it in early 1934.

Explication

The poem Break, Break, Break by Alfred, Lord Tennyson is focused in the inability of a grieving person to show its feelings.  Tennyson portraits a scenario in front of the ocean at a beach perhaps, where this grieving character is observing and thinking to himself.  This scenario is not a happy or pleasant scenario.  Tennyson describes a dark, cold and probably lonely beach.  The character in this poem is very well aware of everything surrounding him.  The character’s mind and heart seem not to be affected by these surroundings since his mind is somewhere else, where his loved one left him.  He analyses the events around him, he tries to join them in any way, but realizes nothing can take his mind and heart out of the sad memory of the lost loved one.

Tennyson starts his poem with sadness as he says:”On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!” the color of the stones brings up an image of a cloudy day and a cold breeze, a sad day.  This is where Tennyson aims the grief of his character and continues to describe this grief as he lets us know of the inability of expression.  When he says ”And I would that my tongue could utter, the thoughts that arise in me” he implies that he is not speaking but is his mouth that wants to say what he thinks.   Then Tennyson points out that time do not stop, as the waves in the ocean keep breaking the stones at shore while the grief does not stop.  The grief inside Tennyson was so big that he saw the world around him as cruel for continuing its journey without his beloved friend.  Tennyson felt trapped in time, in the time where his beloved friend was still alive.  He is not being able to say a word, not able to express the increasing grief.

Tennyson goes on to show the activity of the surroundings of this character, and how these do not change his estate of mind.  This character is constricted to the memory of the lost loved one to the point where he envies the happiness of others.  This stanza brings up the envy trapped inside these feelings.  When Tennyson mentions the happiness of the fisherman’s kids and the sailor, he implies that not even this happiness is passed on; it only brings memories of the lost loved one and again, the inability to show his feelings.

The third stanza is more direct in showings us that this character is grieving.  The character is aware of the surrounding but yet his mind is focused in the memory of the lost loved one.  The character notices the ships in the sea and a hill in the horizon, but his heart is still focused in his wish to touch and hear the lost loved one again.  Also, this character is aware that time won’t stop, that life goes on and that everything will keep working the way it is meant to, but his grief will not stop.  This character only has one wish, it is to touch and hear the voice of the one he lost.  Tennyson on his last paragraph lets us know that his character, understands that life goes on, and that he will never be able to get rid of his grief.  The character understands that the only thing he has, is the good memories.

Work Cited

• Cummings Study Guides. Michael J. Cummings. 2007www.cummingsstudyguides.net /Guides4/Tennyson.html
• Meyer, Michael. Poetry : an introduction 6^th Ed. Boston: Bedford/St.Martin’s,2010. Print. 

  Poetry @ Suite 101. Linda Sue Grimes. Feb 1, 2007

•  Shmoop, 2012                                                    www.shmoop.com/break-break-break/
• Squidoo,2012                              http://www.squidoo.com/tennyson

“Lonely Hearts” By Wendy Cope

Glossary:

Solvent: something that eliminates or attenuates something especially unwanted.

Touring: participation in a tour.

Libran: to be a Libra (astrological sign).

Annotation 1:

“Executive in search of something new—

Perhaps bisexual woman, arty, young.
Do you live in North London? Is it you?

Successful, straight and solvent? I am too—
Attractive Jewish lady with a son.
Can someone make my simple wish come true?”

This part of the poem stands out to me the most because the author of this poem is a very lonely, but successful person. Who is confused about his/her life style, as well as sexuality. In my eyes I see this person as a desperate and insecure because “Can someone make my simple wish come true?” if this wish is simple why would you ask for someone to make it true. Are you that desperate? Or are you just that insecure? These stanzas also show that our writer needs new inspiration and wants to explore new ways of life “Executive in search of something new—

Perhaps bisexual woman, arty, young.”

Annotation 2:

“Please write (with photo) to Box 152.
Who knows where it may lead once we’ve begun?
Can someone make my simple wish come true?
Do you live in North London? Is it you?”

This part of the poem also shows that the author wants to explore to find his soul mate by giving them a way to contact the author.

“Please write (with photo) to Box 152.

Who knows where it may lead once we’ve begun?”

Author needs love and needs some help to make it true. We know that he lives in North London because he is searching for his muse. He is very lonely and lost. It seems that every shadow that is cast upon him/her highlight the distance between those around (people around) him.

Consequences in loneliness

What is loneliness? We have all sat there on a Friday night staring at the ceiling wondering what could we possibly be doing tonight, thinking why here, why alone… those feelings brings us right to the poem “Lonely Hearts” by Wendy Cope. This poem gives us an idea of loneliness and desperation. Author uses and interesting word choice, repetition which makes us realize the meaning of the poem, also this poem has an interesting tone to it, and it is like a very proud but a lonely person questions himself. In order to understand the meaning of this poem or at least understand the idea you have to really sit there and read this poem a lot of times. You have to imagine yourself living in the age when this poem was written and in the place where it was written at. “Lonely Hearts” is a poem about a person that is looking for someone special in their life, looking for the one that can meet all their needs. Author asks a question “Do you live in North London? Is it you?” many times so by those assumptions this poem was written in North London. The language is very simple to understand even though it was written in 1986. This poem describes a lot in it and could be understood in many different ways because everyone has their own opinion and views on life.

In first three stanzas it seems like the author is kind of jealous of people around him “Male biker seeks female for touring fun.” So he/she is looking for anyone just to be with “Executive in search of something new— Perhaps bisexual woman, arty, young.” It is very hard not to be alone to share your good as well as bad moments of your life. “Each stanza gives a short description of who the person is and what they are looking for when it comes to love. Obviously, these people are lonely and let lonesome feelings compel them to seek love. The stanzas are filled with desperation as at the end of each either the question “Do you live in North London?” or “Can someone make my simple wish come true?” is posed. Aside from desperation, the poem also gives an air of satire. Needy, picky people who have the “perfect” image of someone in his or her closed mind and look only for that person are seemingly made fun of.”

I defiantly agree with everything that was said in this brief example that was taken from curtisaplit.blogspot.com it is very interesting to hear other people’s opinions about the poem. It is very hard to find someone who will be perfect for you. There is no such thing as perfect. It is especially hard to find someone in two cases one when you never loved before that means you do not know how to love and people just run far from you and second is when you loved once so deeply and you cannot let that person go from your hear. That is when people most of the time lonely because they are looking for either for Mr. Perfect or the same person as they had before, but no one actually stopped and thought about why do u need the same person as you had? If you are not with him that means there was something wrong. This poem shows us this person who is looking for Mr. Perfect from the past and still lonely because no one seems to fit the criteria of perfect.

In last three stanzas we can see that our author is a very successful person “Successful, straight and solvent? I am too” but still very lonely and loveless because he has no one by his side. “I’m Libran, inexperienced and blue” he is a Libra sign that has no experience in life, and blue as we know sad color. “Please write (with photo) to Box 152. Who knows where it may lead once we’ve begun?” this shows desperation. He doesn’t care no more he just wants anyone to be with him, but by “Please write (with photo)” means he has high standards. He needs love to be next to someone to be worm, to feel a heartbeat. “In “Lonely Hearts” Cope writes “I’m Libran, inexperienced and blue, need slim, non-smoker, under twenty-one. Do you live in North London? Is it you?” She shows her readers that the man posting this ad is straightforward. He is tired of waiting for the right woman to just pop up out of nowhere. He wants someone now, possibly because he has been “lonely” for so long.”  I totally agree with this statement he was alone for a very long time and spending more time alone puts him in a very deep depression.

Wendy Cope was born in Erith, England which is in North England on July 21, 1945 just like we assumed after reading the poem. She is a great poet. By writing the poem “Lonely Hearts” she confused us about author’s sex. This poem has very deep feelings that many could not show the way she did. Wendy Cope’s poetry is perhaps best known for its humor and wit. She did amazing job writing about loneliness, depression, and desperation, but was she really trying to show that the author was lonely?

Is the author really lonely? Or he is tricking people into believing in his loneliness because he is comfortable in his solitary existence. This is a very interesting fact that a lot of people face with many times in their life. Sometimes people should just take it easy because life is what you make it. People should always stop and think before doing something because it is very important to be sure then to be unsecured and lonely for the rest of your life because sometimes life can hit you and loneliness will become you best friend.

Works Cited:

~~~http://curtisaplit.blogspot.com/2010/10/lonely-hearts-by-wendy-cope.html~~~

Live. Love. Literature

Thursday October 7, 2010

Posted by Claire Curtis at 5:02PM

~~~http://www.essayforum.com/poetry-writing-7/poetry-analysis-wendy-copes-poems-lonely-hearts-june-31438/~~~

October 7, 2011, 9:02AM

http://literature.britishcouncil.org/wendy-cope

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Cope

The red hat by Rachel Hadas

Vocabulary

Briskly – (adj) in a brisk manner; “she walked briskly in the cold air”; “`after lunch,’ she said briskly”

Dawdle-(Noun) to be slow or lag behind

Vastly – (adj) to an exceedingly great extent or degree; “He had vastly overestimated his resources”;     “was immensely more important to the project as a scientist than as an administrator”

Annotations

The general meaning of this poem is a child traveling to school on his own and being watched by his parents. The title refers to protection from fears and anxieties. It also refers to action and confidence to go after your dreams. However, there is a deeper feeling and picture in this poem. The child going to school alone represents independence also the parents watching their son growing up and being an independent person.

The language of the poem denotes the originality of the speaker as well as the education level. The way the speaker express her words symbolizes how strong her feelings are towards this poem. The poem is conversational because the speaker brought forth feelings and emotions while she speaks as if she was a parent speaking to another.  As you read the poem, it reveals that the speaker is a concerned mother. The poem is a positive celebratory in which the mood of the poem gives a feeling of celebration of the child breaching the barrier into young adulthood.

The Red Hat by Rachel Hadas

Explication

“The red hat” is a poem about a parent in this case a mother watching her child grow up (line 4) “I or his father tracks on the way”. The mother values her child youthfulness and is full aware that the child is growing up. The poem was meant for the public audience especially mothers. The speaker intentions to the audience and fellow mothers are to let them know to cherish the moments they have with their child while they are still young. Line 9 “Straus Park is where these parallel paths part” suggests that this is a circumstance where the physical bond between parent and child ends.

This is the child passing through childhood to pre-adulthood. The poem is set before Christmas on the street (Evidently on the way to the child school). By reading the poem over and over again, I was able to understand the different point of view of the message that the poet is trying to send across to the readers.  Not just to mothers but also to parents. The title of the poem for example, “The red hat” emphasizes the color red as bright and hot.

In other words, the title suggests the warmth of the parents love towards the child. It could also mean maturity. The theme of this poem is about a boy leaving the protection of his parents to strive in the world for himself. Therefore, it is not just about a child walking to school alone. The narrator used tools such as symbolism to symbolize the events to taking fold. “Officially walks to school alone” line 2 suggests that there is no presence of the parents while the child is walking to school. The sentence “Parallel paths part, he goes alone from here” by just looking at it seems of though the parents can’t follow their child to school any further. However, deeper analyst of this sentence also projects the parents’ hold and protection bond is no longer definite.

Now the child walks his own path to adulthood and parents walk their own which severe the bond of always watching over him. This is more of the youthfulness finally reach the step of making independent decisions. Every concerned parent at one point had to watch their child grow up.

This may have started with the child/children finishing school and finally moving out to get their own place or it even could have started as soon as the child can make his/her independent decision. The visible and vivid description of imagery in this poem prolongs the case of the loving and protective parents sustain to the act of nature by letting go of their child to the world.

Throughout the poem the poet gives the reader the feeling that the parents still worry about the child. There are numerous examples to back up this point, one is when the parents follow the son without him knowing to the point where they can’t go any further; line 3 “semi-alone, it’s accurate to say: I or his father track him on the way”.

The poet use the word “dawdle” to describe the parents tracking their son slowly as they glances at him without any eye contact to give the son a feeling of independence.  The “Straus Park is where these parallel paths part” is an allusion created by the poet. It represents the physical street where the parent and child separate. However, it also represents the bond between the parents and child in which it gives an image of the child and the parent going their separate ways. The poet dictate the poem in a manner of a loving, protective mother watching her child grow up and also a narrator trying to send a message to the public about maturity.

To conclude, I have to say this poem is very emotional. To watch your child grow up is a very happy but yet a sad and unwanted seen.  The poet, a mother herself, express her feelings and the events where her son independence started. His first walk to school by himself was just the beginning. It was a huge step that the poet had to accept. Furthermore, parents should keep their children close because one day they will be on their own, them against the world.

Works cited

“Analysis of the Poem The Red Hat by Rachel Hadas.” Yahoo! Contributor Network. Jenessa Casey. Web. 9 May 2012. <http://voices.yahoo.com/analysis-poem-red-hat-rachel-hadas-5270225.html?cat=25>.

Arp, Thomas A., and Greg Johnson. “Perrine’s Sound and Sense : An Introduction to Poetry.”ECampus.com. Web. 8 May 2012. <http://www.ecampus.com/perrines-sound-sense-introduction-poetry/bk/9780155030282>.

Meyer, Michael. POETRY an Introduction Six Edition. Boston: BEDFORD /ST MARTIN. Print.

New Critical Explication of “The Red Hat” Web. 9 May 2012. <http://www1.assumption.edu/users/ady/hhgateway/ExpInt/Redhatexp.html>.

Poem: The Road Not Taken
Author: Robert Frost

Definitions

Diverge: (Intransitive verb) to move or extend in different directions from a common point: draw apart.
Trodden:(Past Participle of tread,Transitive verb) to step or walk on or over

Doubted:(Transitive verb) to lack confidence in: to distrust.

Annotation:
“Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow wood”
The yellow wood is a representation used by Robert Frost to illustrate the decisions we make and the knowledge we gain as older people Yellow is a color in poetry that has a multitude of meanings, two of them being age and intellect. In this poem the author uses the color yellow to describe the, age and wisdom that one has to go through as they travel through the woods, and the diverging path demonstrates to the reader the only way you can move in life is forward no matter what direction your coming from ,and that ‘even though at times in our lives we want to go back on a decision or choice; the truth is there is no chance of going backwards you only have one choice one chance and the only looking back you can actually accomplish is on your thoughts about the past whether they be filled with regret or remembered with happiness. Frost recognized that younger people think there are always ways back, but as we age we understand that no matter what path we take all paths only go forward not backward(spark.N).

Explication

Road Not Taken is a Poem by Robert Frost it is one of his better known pieces, it is a positive poem , with a theme that focuses on the choices of an Individual. The poem can be viewed from a number of different viewpoints although this poem is usually taken as a positive message of the choices one make in life , but when looked at from a different aspect, a negative aspect, then the poem turns out being less ,feel good, reading and more healthy dose of reality, the reality of missed opportunities and regret , thus deviating from the normal popularly held view.
At the beginning of the poem we find the speaker at a fork in the path of his life, he is faced with the decision of which way should he go. He knows he can’t have his cake and eat it too or in other words he “could not travel both” in (line 2) he states a realization of this fact since he doesn’t expect to return to that particular spot which he expresses in (line 15), Despite all this however he says he “kept the first for another day” in (line 13). He studies both choices or paths for some time, “long I stood” he says in (line 3), before choosing which path to take. The speaker finishes the poem by apparently peering into the future, at which time he will be thinking of this choice and realize the one he took, the “one less traveled by” (line 19), “has made all the difference” in his life (line 20).This mostly leaves the reader with a very warm feeling and a positive outlook on life.
As I inferred earlier the casual reader who reads this poem usually understands the narrative to be positive in nature and that the speaker chose the more difficult path , despite the easier being more appealing, and that now that he has matured , he is pleased with the path that he has decided to take.So where exactly is the evidence for this in the poem?
Upon a closer examination of the poem we may see that things are not as they appear to be. The first thing I believe should be looked at is the choices that the speaker is faced with. The first is a path that is apparently pleasant and simple while the second is arduous and un- trodden. But upon a closer inspection, although the speaker says the second path, the one he took, “was grassy and wanted wear” (line 8), the two were not ,at all, so different. In fact he says the traffic and weather had “worn them really about the same” (line 10) and that at this time they “equally lay/in leaves no step had trodden black” (line 11-12). Which means that the speaker could not know what he faced in either direction and simply picked a path in order to continue his journey, not because he had a sense of what kind of future he will be facing.
The ending of the poem is open ended and doesn’t really support the positive happy ending most readers apply to it. When you look at the last line in the poem it is written in a future tense, not present, so the person reading the poem is not given clear picture of whether the speaker has finished his journey down the chosen path or not. Regardless, the speaker won’t be talking about the choice until “ages and ages hence” (line 17). That is when he will say he took the road “less traveled by,/and that has made all the difference” (line 19-20), which he will be telling “with a sigh” (line 16).
I believe the sigh is of great Importance in the poem because It could mean that the speaker is content, just as well as it could be a signal of regret(spark N). There is a weird sort of double meaning to it. This leads me to believe that just because the story has an apparent positive ring to it. That it does not necessarily mean that things have turned out well for the speaker. The author could be writing this in a time of deep regret from an unfortunate circumstance like a person in prison. If that is the case such a person would most likely be thinking about choices like those the speaker faces at the beginning.
In conclusion when a closer look is given to this poem it reveals a far darker look at life than the casual reader would realize. It shows us that we are all faced with that fork in the road at some point in our lives, we may not all choose the ‘Right button’ or ever know if we did. The same can be said for the speaker for all we know the other path that the speaker was given could have taken him to an even darker end, or exactly at the same place he was at the moment. What makes frost poem such a stunning classic is the double meaning behind his poem, not the apparently happy ending that has been tacked on to it by casual readers as its true and only meaning.

References
• Enotes. (2010, Febuary 02). Retrieved from http://www.enotes.com/road-not-taken/q-and-a/why-does-poet-descrice-wood-yellow-do-you-think-135239
• spark, N. (n.d.). Spark notes: Frost early poems. Retrieved from http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/frost/section7.rhtm
• Meyer, Michael. Poetry an Introduction. 5th. 1. Boston: BedfordStmartin, 2007. 348. Print.
• “The Road not taken (Poem).” Wikipedia. N.p., 08May2012. Web. 11 May 2012. .
• What does the color yellow mean in literature. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_the_color_yellow_mean_in_Literatur
• Websters Dictionary (2012)

Vocabluary

• Still– (Adjective) – Not moving or making a sound. Word changed over time becoming from “Still” to “Always “ and you can get the sense of it if you change “Still” to “always” ,it will help to understand the poem.
• Art – (Noun) – Shakespearean word meaning “Are”. The word changed meaning over time and used in the Shakespearean times instead of “Are”.
• Taketh– (Verb) – Shakespearean word meaning “Take”. Meaning changed over time into the present word used as “Take”.

“Still to be neat” by Ben Jonson

Still to be neat, still to be drest,

 As you were going to a feast;

Still to be powder’d, still perfum’d:

 Lady, it is to be presum’d,

 Though art’s hid causes are not found,

 All is not sweet, all is not sound.

Give me a look, give me a face,

That make simplicity a grace;

Robes loosely flowing, hair as free:

 Such sweet neglect more taketh me

 Than all th’adulteries of art.

 They strike mine eyes, but not my heart.

Annotations:

Bathing – Bathing was not commonly practiced until the fifteenth century.  Mostly the wealthy bathed almost every morning and could afford hot baths with clean water. But the middle class people took baths as often as once a week where the Monks would have a selected day to bath and Danes would normally bath once a week (Wiki.answeres.com). The middle class could not afford hot water because of the firewood being too expensive causing them to take less baths. They were forced to bath in barrels and sometimes families bathing in the same water. (Medieval-life.net)Seeing in this poem “Still to be powdered, still perfumed” you could imagine the women as a middle class women who probably didn’t bath as often like any other middle class women where they would need to be powdered and perfumed in order to cover up the smell of body odor and any other bodily smells. Perfumes were a large part of middle ages where herbs and flowers were used to create and used as perfume. Herbs like rosemary was used by royalties like Queen Philippa for its aroma but roses were commonly used. (triviumpublishing.com)

Robes – Clothes were a sign of reputation and social states as well as well. In the Elizabethan times dresses robes were not just a choice. These laws stated the colors as well as the type of clothing an individual was allowed to own and wear. These laws were called ‘Statutes of Apparel” and was enforced by the Queen herself in Greenwich on June 1574. The intent was to maintain social structure as well as to keep a firm restrain on the people’s expenditure towards clothing. (elizabethanlandlife.com)People were forced to wear cloths depending on their economic position in the society and the laws also prevented and fined people for impersonating or wearing cloths of a different class other than their own. (Library.thinkquest.org) These robes were worn with corsets tightly and kept the women covered. Women wore dresses which were so high enough to cover their neck until the 1500 where they started to uncover the neck to wear necklaces. Robes were long and tight to display the elegance of the women’s body form. (Middle-ages.org)Knowing this you can imagine the women in the poem with “Robes loosely flowing, hair as free” to see what the author of the poem was trying to imply about the women in the poem.

Sayam Sajjar

Introduction to Poetry: Envisioning Poetry

ENG 2003, section 1248

Prof Jody R. Rosen

Explication

“Still To Be Neat” Analysis

The poem “Still to be neat” By Ben Jonson is also titled as “Simplex Munditiis” in order to refer to the Latin poem by Horace. “Simplex Munditiis” translates to “so trim, so simple” or “plain in thy elegance” (Unix.cc). In this poem the author uses details to give us images to give a sense of what he is trying to portray in the poem. As he begins his poem by giving us a little detail by telling use “Still to be neat” .At first glance it may not sound that comprehensible but after reading it a few times you get the understanding that the word “Still” means always “Always”. The word “still” has changed meaning over time and Reading “Still” as “Always” gives the poem its true meaning. After switching out the words the first line becomes “Always to be neat, Always to be dressed” here he uses a judgmental tone where he is judging a women and asking “Do you need to always be clean?, Do you need to always be dressed?” and giving use the image of a women who is very neat, clean and always dressed. Also in line 2 the author uses a judgmental tone and says “As you were going to a feast”. People in the middle ages dressed up plentifully when attending an event or a feast (paigesbritlitblog). The author wants to give us the image of a woman’s appearance, in which she is very well dressed and decorated with jewels. Imagining a woman from the Elizabethan wearing a gown can help you to understand better (unix.cc). Line 3 talks about a women’s presence by makes points about her smell and her habits. As he says “Still to be powder’d, still perfum’d: “he tries to tell us about her habits. The author tries to tell us that she is always powdered and always perfumed like a royal women. He uses use the judgmental tone to give us his feeling towards her habits as if he is trying to say that it is not necessary (paigesbritlitblog). In line 4 the author tries to give us a hint of his point of view and what he thinks of the women. As he says “Lady, it is to be presum’d, “ as if he is saying “ want everyone to think you are a lady” or “looks like a lady” meaning she is just covering her true self as if the women isn’t actually a lady meaning civilized and sophisticated. Trying to give us the sense that the women really isn’t what she is trying to be and is actually the opposite of it. In line 5 the author trying to tell us what he thinks as he says “Though art’s hid causes are not found,” meaning “I do not know the reason why you hide your true self”. He gives us his opinion and tells us that she is not who she is trying to be by dressing up and being lady like. As he goes on in line 6 about her habits and dressing as he gives us his opinion about his idea of a lady. As he says “All is not sweet, all is not sound” meaning that not everything is perfect and sweet as if everything is not sound .He gives us his idea of perfect and beauty (courtneybritlit).

In the next stanza the author or speaker of the poem tries to tell us about his feeling and what he prefers as he says in lines 7 and 8 “Give me a look, give me a face, That make simplicity a grace;”. He tries to tell us that he prefers true and natural beauty over the fictitious unnatural beauty which is created from clothing and accessories. He says “give me a face, That make simplicity a grace;” as he is trying to say “Show me a face that makes graced with simplicity” gives us the idea that he wants simplicity and natural beauty. In line 9 the speaker of the poem tells us more about the women as he says “Robes loosely flowing, hair as free:” .Telling us that the women tries to be lady like on the outside but she is something else inside. That she is a seducer trying to seduce the speaker or other men with her “loosely” dressed robes. As he goes on about her trying to seduce the speaker by ignoring her as he says “Such sweet neglect more taketh me” on line 10. He is trying to say that her ignoring him takes his or captures his attention as she is trying to get his attention because she is an adulteress as he says on line 11  “Than all th’adulteries of art.” He is trying to imply that she is an adulteress trying to seduce him but she captures his attention unlike the rest of the adulteresses. But in line 12 he tells us his feelings about the women as he says “They strike mine eyes, but not my heart” meaning “they may catch my eye but cannot catch my heart or make me fall in love” (paigesbritlitblog). That the other adulteresses may not have caught his heart maybe the women in the poem has or he could be telling us that they all have caught his eyes never his heart including the women described in the poem. It could be so because he asks for natural beauty but the women in the poem is described as someone who is superficial. He may be trying to warn us and give us a lesson through the poem in which he tells us not to “judge a book by its cover” or to not get fooled by what you see (engl125002). Maybe from his own experience and he personally has gone through this and was mistaken but now trying to warn us about the reality and what we should really be looking for.

Work cited

Resource # 1

• Hodson, Jacquelyn. “The Smell of the Middle Ages.” Trivium Publishing. 2002. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://www.triviumpublishing.com/articles/smellofthemiddleages.html>.

Resource # 2

• “Bathing during the Middle Ages.” Bathing during the Middle Ages. 2000. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://www.medieval-life.net/bathing.htm>.

Resource # 3

• “How Did People Bath in Middle Ages?” WikiAnswers. AnswersTM. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_did_people_bath_in_middle_ages>.

Resource # 4

• Andrea. “Medieval Clothing.” ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://library.thinkquest.org/J002390/clothing.html>.

Resource # 5

• “Middle Ages Ladies Dresses.” Middle Ages Ladies Dresses. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-ladies-dresses.htm>.

Resource # 6

• “Elizabethan Era Clothing,Clothes,Costumes,Men,Women,Kids,Children.” Elizabethan Era Clothing,Clothes,Costumes,Men,Women,Kids,Children. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://www.elizabethanenglandlife.com/clothing-in-elizabethan-england.html>.

Resource # 7

• Venessa. “English 125 Section 002.” : “Still to Be Neat”–Ben Jonson. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://engl125002.blogspot.com/2011/03/still-to-be-neat-ben-jonson.html>.

Resource # 8

• “Ben Jonson.” Jonson’s “Still to Be Neat . . .” Web. 11 May 2012. <http://homepages.wmich.edu/~cooneys/poems/jonson.neat.html>.

Resource # 9

• Teves, Paige. “BritishLiterature.” : Still to Be Neat Analysis. Tuesday Nov. 2010. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://paigesbritlitblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/still-to-be-neat-analysis.html>.

Resource # 10

• Muraoka, Courtney. “British Literature.” : “Still to Be Neat” Analysis. Tuesday Nov. 2010. Web. 11 May 2012. <http://courtneybritlit.blogspot.com/2010/11/still-to-be-neat-analysis.html>.

Alzheimer’s

By Kelly Cherry

He stands at the door, a crazy old man
Back from the hospital, his mind rattling
like the suitcase, swinging from his hand,
That contains shaving cream, a piggy bank,
A book he sometimes pretends to read,
His clothes. On the brick wall beside him
Roses and columbine slug it out for space, claw the mortar.
The sun is shining, as it does late in the afternoon
in England, after rain.
Sun hardens the house, reifies it,
Strikes the iron grillwork like a smithy
and sparks fly off, burning in the bushes–
the rosebushes–
While the white wood trim defines solidity in space.
This is his house. He remembers it as his,
Remembers the walkway he built between the front room
and the garage, the rhododendron he planted in back,
the car he used to drive. He remembers himself,
A younger man, in a tweed hat, a man who loved
Music. There is no time for that now. No time for music,
The peculiar screeching of strings, the luxurious
Fiddling with emotion.
Other things have become more urgent.
Other matters are now of greater import, have more
Consequence, must be attended to. The first
Thing he must do, now that he is home, is decide who
This woman is, this old, white-haired woman
Standing here in the doorway,
Welcoming him in.

Glossary

Columbine: an aquilegia with long-spurred flowers

Reify: make something abstract more concrete or real

Rhododendron: a shrub or small tree of the heath family, with large clusters of bell-shaped flowers and typically with large evergreen leaves, widely grown as an ornamental.

Tweed: a rough-surfaced woolen cloth, typically of mixed flecked colors.

Annotation

“Alzheimer’s” written by Kelly Cherry is a poem about an Alzheimer’s disease patient as we can know from the title. A middle school teacher, mkcapen1 wrote that the poem draws a picture of Alzheimer’s disease patient’s dynamic changes of long term memory to short term memory (mkcapen1). This poem describes the main characters’ outside and inside with simple language. A college student, Emily said that author is the speaker of the poem and the man with Alzheimer’s is her father (“emily”).

In the first line, ‘a crazy old man’ (1) is standing at the doorstep of a house. Once again, in the next line, the speaker says that crazy old man’s mind is rattling like his suitcase swinging in his hand. From the title to the second line, Cherry shows the main characters’ mind in not normal because he has something more than just ‘crazy’. Then, the speaker of the poem describes his belongings and they show awkwardness.  The mismatch of old man and piggy bank shows the oddness of the main character. Moreover, in the line 5, we can notice that he is no longer able to read a book which shows that he is losing his intellectual abilities.

After describe his appearance, the speaker gives details of the house that the old man stands at and the old man is suddenly dragged to his memories which he remembers clearly. He remembers his house as roses and columbines are on the brick walls, and sun enlightens the house.  However, there is no clue that reader can guess that appearance of the house is in present or in the past. The fragmental descriptions of the house let reader be confused what tense it is (Meyer, Wortman, Kuhl, McDonough, Repp, Francis, Drowne, and Miller) (p.130). Unlike readers and the old man’s mind, the “white wood trim defines solidity in space” (14). As the wood trim defines solidity, the shape of the house or familiarity of the house triggers his old memory. He remembers that he built and fixed the house and planted trees in back.  Memories leads other memories as well and he completely back to his past. He remembers his car that he used to drive and himself as young man who loved music.

While he strays in his memory, he noticed that something more important is happening. No time, no time for the past, he repeats (20).  However, he still cannot get lead of his memory (21, 22). Finally, he faces the “urgent” thing that he must to do for the first at the doorstep of his house which is to decide who the “white-haired woman” greeting him is (27).

Sung Jin Park

Eng 2003/1248

Prof. Jody R. Rosen

Essay # 2

A Moment to Remember

“Alzheimer’s” is written by Kelly Cherry and it is about a man with Alzheimer’s disease. It is a short poem with simple language but the detailed character’s personal and emotional descriptions and the background make this poem meaningful and insightful. From the moment I saw the title “Alzheimer’s”, this poem captured my mind for long because it reminds one of my favorite movie “A moment to Remember”. The movie is about a wife with Alzheimer’s disease and her husband who takes care of her and tries to make her memory back. At the end of the movie, the husband rent a place where they met first and eventually her memory back for short.  Normally, when we think of Alzheimer, it associates with sadness and sorrow. However, I saw humors and happiness in the poem. “Alzheimer’s” has three scenes. The first scene takes place at the doorstep of a house where “crazy old man” stands and then, it moves to the man’s mind. At the end, the scene backs to the doorstep again.

From the first line to line 6, Kelly Cherry describes about a man with one sentence. “He stands at the door, a crazy old man/ back from the hospital, his mind rattling/ like suitcase, swinging from his hand, / that contains shaving cream, a piggy bank, / a book he sometimes pretends to read, / his clothes.” She breaks this sentence into six lines so that the reader can focus to the man one by one. At the beginning, the speaker of the poem see the man as a “crazy old man” then the speaker find that the old man’s mind is not stable as his suitcase is swinging from his hand.  When we imagine an old man, it is hard to draw a picture of an elder swings his suitcase back and forth. The picture I drew about the old man was very merry. Moreover, a funny and odd connection between an old man to a piggy bank makes me to sympathize with the man little more. Furthermore, when I realized that the man cannot read a book but pretend to, it gives a great sense of humor to me.

After describes the old man, the speaker gives details of the house where the man stands and his memory of his past. Between line six to twenty, the man enjoys the cozy and mellow memory in his head. We don’t know how long the man stayed in the hospital, yet it is very obvious how pleasing it is to be home again. There is brick wall with roses and columbines beside him and sun shines and enlightens the house. Sun light warms the brick wall and roses blossom under the sunshine. The glares break down to rosebushes and sparkles flow like river around the house. This snug and warm scene takes the man to his old past. “Sun hardens the house, reifies it,” shows that the man’s memory of the house becomes concrete. He recalls his memory of the walkway that he built, trees that he planted, and the car that he used to drive. Once he reminds his past, more memory surges to him. He becomes young as he remembers, with his favorite hat and music that he loved. His memory floats down on his beautiful past that he spent in the house. Between line six to twenty, the man enjoys the cozy and mellow memory in his head undisturbed.

Suddenly, something pull him back to the present. Something happened. The music he loved turns to something “peculiar” and strings are screeching. The door is opened, and he sees an old woman behind the doorstep. But he doesn’t remember her. He knows that he has no time to decide who she is.  He is confused. The line twenty one and twenty two show how he confused by the happening at the doorstep. He wants to stay in his comfortable memory but he senses there is more important thing then stays in his memory of his past. He sees a “white-haired woman” but can’t remember who she is.  However, he realize he is home now by the woman who opens the door and welcoming him. The poem ends here and the speaker doesn’t tell us what is happening after. There is a question remains: Does the old man figures out whom is she? For me, that doesn’t matter. Even though the speak stop telling the story, I can see a bright grin on the old woman’s face and his face too. He is home now.

“Alzheimer’s” is a short poem but the content is neither short nor shallow. Kelly Cherry successfully describes the man’s delicate emotional changes and leads the readers into the man’s memories. At the last sentence, the poem hits the emotional climax with happiness –at least for me- and delivers a lot of meaning to readers.  I read “Alzheimer’s” again and again, and could feel something fill me from inside. The warmth of sun, the scent of roses, the melody of a song and unchanging love of the old couple made me smile from the bottom of my heart. “Alzheimer’s” could be a sad poem to others but for me, it will be remembered as a romantic and nostalgic poem.

Citation

“Alzheimer.” emily. blogspot.com, 12 03 2008. Web. 11 May. 2012. <http://emilyg082.blogspot.com/2008/03/alzheimers-kelly-cherry.html>.

Meyer, M., S. Wortman, E. Kuhl, J. McDonough, J. Repp, C. Francis, K. M. Drowne, and Q. Miller.Resources for teachers: Poetry an introduction. 5th. boston & new york: Bedford St. Martin, 2007.

mkcapen1, . “What is the interpretation of this poem “Alzheimer’s” by Kelly Cherry?.” enote.com, 07 Dec 2009. Web. 11 May. 2012. <http://www.enotes.com/arts/q-and-a/what-interpretation-this-poem-alzheimers-by-kelly-121815>.