I'm going to try not putting up the poem for this response. I don't think I'm going to like it.
The first stanza is only one sentence long and puts emphasis on the poem itself. It adds to the horror tale feel of it all and makes the reader excited for what's to come.
The second stanza gives of the bunker information. This made my AP class and I think of WWII and how the Jewish people's skin were sometimes used for lamp shades, book bindings, etc . . . Discusting, physically and morally.
It flows into the thirds stanza concluding that the book is in fact bound in skin.
Stanza's 4-7 are the book owners thoughts on the changed book and how they process in his mind. It is a flow and a jumble of the questions that are coming to relization non-stop. The book is changing in his hands. The 7th stanza is the most intriguing. As Corey brought to attention in class the significance in stanza 7, I couldn't help but wonder if it could mean different things to different people. "Who took it off the meat? Some other one who stayed alive by knowing how to do this?"
"I stared at the changing book and a horror grew, I stared and a horror grew, which was, which is, how beautiful it was until I knew." Last stanza. I think it is important because it finalizes how the owners emotions are about the book and the true horror he is holding in his hands. Earlier in the poem it states how the owner kept it to maybe use it as a diary. A diary is usually something you keep to yourself because you pour your soul into it. He pured his soul into someones else's skin.
I like how my thought process works when I don't have the poem to look at but I think the absence of the poem damages the readers experience and keeps them from forming there own opinion through mine rather than believing in my theories alone.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Song of the Powers
Song of the Powers
By David Mason
Mine, said the stone,
mine is the hour.
I crush the scissors,
such is my power.
Stronger than wishes,
my power, alone.
Mine, said the paper,
mine are the words
that smother the stone
with imagined birds,
reams of them, flown
from the mind of the shaper.
Mine, said the scissors,
mine all the knives
gashing through paper’s
ethereal lives;
nothing’s so proper
as tattering wishes.
As stone crushes scissors,
as paper snuffs stone
and scissors cut paper,
all end alone.
So heap up your paper
and scissor your wishes
and uproot the stone
from the top of the hill.
They all end alone
as you will, you will.
This poem has a great twist too it! At first it is humorous. The reminiscent depth into the school play ground game of rock paper scissors. The game to determine all ends! And see who must do the terrible task when their scissors get crushed by rocks.
I connect well with the second stanza in that I sketch a lot. " . . . with imagined birds, reams of them, flown from the mind of the shaper. "Rock Paper Scissors" was never a game I put much thought into. I often found myself thinking, "Rock is much heavier than paper, why doesn't paper cover rock with wind could easily blow the paper off the rock?" That bit never made much sense to me but my thoughts never merged much deeper than that.
The humor and reminiscent feel leaves abruptly with the last stanza. When "Rock Paper Scissors" has knocked out every player but one, that last standing player is alone, alone with his broken scissors, shredded papers, and demolished rocks. He heaps them up and stands alone, with only a pile of rubble and scraps to show for. The poem takes a depressing turn and leaves you frowning. The last line steals all of the happy thoughts from your mind and leaves you, alone. At the end of life you have hundreds of things to show for. Your accomplishment, memories, creations, pride. But does that all matter when your standing alone in the face of death? This is a stretch but it could very well be the meaning behind this poem. I definitely think there is a message behind it and not just a fun poem about a childhood past time.
By David Mason
Mine, said the stone,
mine is the hour.
I crush the scissors,
such is my power.
Stronger than wishes,
my power, alone.
Mine, said the paper,
mine are the words
that smother the stone
with imagined birds,
reams of them, flown
from the mind of the shaper.
Mine, said the scissors,
mine all the knives
gashing through paper’s
ethereal lives;
nothing’s so proper
as tattering wishes.
As stone crushes scissors,
as paper snuffs stone
and scissors cut paper,
all end alone.
So heap up your paper
and scissor your wishes
and uproot the stone
from the top of the hill.
They all end alone
as you will, you will.
This poem has a great twist too it! At first it is humorous. The reminiscent depth into the school play ground game of rock paper scissors. The game to determine all ends! And see who must do the terrible task when their scissors get crushed by rocks.
I connect well with the second stanza in that I sketch a lot. " . . . with imagined birds, reams of them, flown from the mind of the shaper. "Rock Paper Scissors" was never a game I put much thought into. I often found myself thinking, "Rock is much heavier than paper, why doesn't paper cover rock with wind could easily blow the paper off the rock?" That bit never made much sense to me but my thoughts never merged much deeper than that.
The humor and reminiscent feel leaves abruptly with the last stanza. When "Rock Paper Scissors" has knocked out every player but one, that last standing player is alone, alone with his broken scissors, shredded papers, and demolished rocks. He heaps them up and stands alone, with only a pile of rubble and scraps to show for. The poem takes a depressing turn and leaves you frowning. The last line steals all of the happy thoughts from your mind and leaves you, alone. At the end of life you have hundreds of things to show for. Your accomplishment, memories, creations, pride. But does that all matter when your standing alone in the face of death? This is a stretch but it could very well be the meaning behind this poem. I definitely think there is a message behind it and not just a fun poem about a childhood past time.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The Day Millicent Found the World
The Day Millicent Found the World
Every morning Millicent ventured farther
into the woods. At first she stayed
near light, the edge where bushes grew, where
her way back appeared in glimpses among
dark trunks behind her. Then by farther paths
or openings where giant pines had fallen
she explored ever deeper into
the interior, till one day she stood under a great
dome among columns, the heart of the forest, and knew:
Lost. She had achieved a mysterious world
where any direction would yield only surprise.
The spirit of the forest is often referred too as The Green Man. I strongly believe in The Green Man and understand that is presence is in every leaf of every tree. He lives through the roots and travels in the forest air. When you find him he is a beautiful thing and brings peace to mind. I believe Millicent has found him and through him, herself. She finds herself being drawn in until she is lost. Notice that Stafford explains Millicent's misplacement as "achieved." Millicent being lost is a positive thing, she is surrounded by unknowing but she will learn something from every surprise.
And now not only the giant trees were strange
but the ground at her feet had a velvet nearness;
intricate lines on bark wove messages all
around her. Long strokes of golden sunlight
shifted over her feet and hands. She felt
caught up and breathing in a great powerful embrace.
A birdcall wandered forth at leisurely intervals
from an opening on her right: “Come away, Come away.”
Never before had she let herself realize
that she was part of the world and that it would follow
Wherever she went. She was part of its breath.
The Green Man is winding messages into the bark for her, embracing her through the air and in the breath her lounges intake! He communicates through the birds, encouraging her to not be wary of the unknowing and to continue exploring, discovering herself through what she sees. Millicent finds herself as part of the forests breath. Like me, she has found a significant connection with the forest and it's spirit.
Aunt Dolbee called her back that time, a high
voice tapering faintly among the farthest trees,
Milli-cent! Milli-cent! And that time she returned,
but slowly, her dress fluttering along pressing
back branches, her feet stirring up the dark smell
of moss, and her face floating forward, a stranger’s
face now, with a new depth in it, into the light.
The Green Man has changed Millicent. She is called back by reality, by the "real world" but with a new gleam in her eyes. She has matured and gained knowledge from her expirience of unknowing.
-William Stafford
William Stafford is brilliant! I'm glad I have come across this poem, it is easily in my favorites! As I have said before, I believe in the spirit of the forest strongly and it is a wonderful thing! It is described and depicted very well through Stafford's words. Very good poem!
Every morning Millicent ventured farther
into the woods. At first she stayed
near light, the edge where bushes grew, where
her way back appeared in glimpses among
dark trunks behind her. Then by farther paths
or openings where giant pines had fallen
she explored ever deeper into
the interior, till one day she stood under a great
dome among columns, the heart of the forest, and knew:
Lost. She had achieved a mysterious world
where any direction would yield only surprise.
The spirit of the forest is often referred too as The Green Man. I strongly believe in The Green Man and understand that is presence is in every leaf of every tree. He lives through the roots and travels in the forest air. When you find him he is a beautiful thing and brings peace to mind. I believe Millicent has found him and through him, herself. She finds herself being drawn in until she is lost. Notice that Stafford explains Millicent's misplacement as "achieved." Millicent being lost is a positive thing, she is surrounded by unknowing but she will learn something from every surprise.
And now not only the giant trees were strange
but the ground at her feet had a velvet nearness;
intricate lines on bark wove messages all
around her. Long strokes of golden sunlight
shifted over her feet and hands. She felt
caught up and breathing in a great powerful embrace.
A birdcall wandered forth at leisurely intervals
from an opening on her right: “Come away, Come away.”
Never before had she let herself realize
that she was part of the world and that it would follow
Wherever she went. She was part of its breath.
The Green Man is winding messages into the bark for her, embracing her through the air and in the breath her lounges intake! He communicates through the birds, encouraging her to not be wary of the unknowing and to continue exploring, discovering herself through what she sees. Millicent finds herself as part of the forests breath. Like me, she has found a significant connection with the forest and it's spirit.
Aunt Dolbee called her back that time, a high
voice tapering faintly among the farthest trees,
Milli-cent! Milli-cent! And that time she returned,
but slowly, her dress fluttering along pressing
back branches, her feet stirring up the dark smell
of moss, and her face floating forward, a stranger’s
face now, with a new depth in it, into the light.
The Green Man has changed Millicent. She is called back by reality, by the "real world" but with a new gleam in her eyes. She has matured and gained knowledge from her expirience of unknowing.
-William Stafford
William Stafford is brilliant! I'm glad I have come across this poem, it is easily in my favorites! As I have said before, I believe in the spirit of the forest strongly and it is a wonderful thing! It is described and depicted very well through Stafford's words. Very good poem!
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