Hello everyone,
As we have been writing about poetry, and learning the many ways in which a poem can be read and interpreted, I have marvelled again at how much I gain each time I re-read a poem.
I know that some of you have favourite poets - Keats has been mentioned! I'm curious to know about other poems that you have read in our text, or poets that you have been interested to learn more about. Perhaps you have read a few more of Donne's poems, or read about Shakespeare's sonnets ( there is a theory that some of his love sonnets were addressed to a man instead of a woman). Have you wondered about Ted Hughes's poetry, or maybe Marvells? We will be looking next at Emily Dickinson, and then William Blake. Personally I enjoy reading the poetry of Gwen Harwood - The BarnOwl is a very well known poem of hers; and Les Murray, Bruce Dawe. Robert Frost is also a favourite.
I'd like each of you to contribute your thoughts about a favourite poem, or an interesting poem, or a poet you are enjoying reading. You could find them in the text, or on line, or in a poetry book that you have at home.
I'll start. "The Road Less Travelled" by Robert Frost is a poem I have loved for a long time. So do a gazillion other people, as it's an oft-quoted poem. It captures that feeling of longing for a past time, whilst also being a reminder of how we can choose a path that makes "all the difference" in our life, but we never know what might have been. The regular rhyme and rhythm of the stanzas add to the reflective nature of the speakers musings. I hear it being spoken by an old man, that is the voice that comes to my head. Please google the poem and read it, I hoope you like it too. Remember to read it aloud!
Over to you all now...
JC
I really love Sonnet 141 by William Shakespeare. His speaker doesn't seem to know why he is love this woman(or man) as she is not beautiful and doesn't seem to please him; but still he is infactuated.
ReplyDeleteGeorgia
Most of the poetry I read is not written by accomplished writers, except Auden of course, but one of my favourites - a terrible sad story - is Melanie Woss. She wrote a lot when she was seventeen and eighteen (in the 80's), but killed herself because the stress of what came after school and the pressure people put on her to be great was too much. Anyway, I love the poem, "A Poem for Jacqui", her art teacher. It has this soft, gentle tone, as in Emily Dickinson’s "Because I could not stop for death", as if it is just moving along at a slow pace, and it just flows out, like you do waking from a lovely sleep. The ending, though, is magnificent, because after you get yourself into that dreamy state, you wake up again, very abruptly! It is amazing, and always makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteSarah
Hello all...
ReplyDeleteI wanted to thank all of you for such a beneficial discussion (especially for first thing on a monday morning), i found it quite helpful and i am now putting it into practise. As today i am at home, thanks to a orthondist appointment yesterday, i have decided to use some of this time to read over some poetry.
I have been thinking about which poem i would state as 'a favourite' and i discovered one of those is one written by my brother. He wrote it about six or seven years ago, it is called 'could you love'. Of course, my brother is an amateur poet, and his standard of writing is not by any means comparable to that of Shakespeare or Dickinson, but i do feel that in regards to his situation and the raw emotion expressed within the piece, it really is something special.
In regards to poems of prefessional poets, 'a favourite' does not present itself as simply, i like to think that there is something worthwhile in every poem. Besides that, i have not had a huge amount of exposure when it comes to poetry. But from the poems we have read in class, i liked the metaphor used in 'A Validictation: Forbidding Mourning'. It was very sweet!
Well i am off.
Hope your poetry study goes smoothly.
elisha.
hey everyone,
ReplyDeletesomething amazingly exciting has happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i remembered my blog password from yr 8........i think, well we'll see if this works. So here it goes, my first blog.... it's utter nonsense but i'm too happy that it's finally working to regard my own nonsensical post. ready set GO. 9fingers crossed) :)....oh and yes i kno i have an odd screen name but i chose it in yr 8....
hey guys!!
ReplyDeleteok well my favorite poem is on page 119 of 'lines to time.'
NEVER SEEK TO TELL THY LOVE, by william blake.
the saddest cutest poem ever. i just want2 reach inside the poem and give the poor guy a hug. great little message in it too: DON'T TELL SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE THEM!!!!! .....sigh at them instead,... actually don't do that on second thoughts, it may be a little creepy.
"love that never told can be;/ for the gentle wind does move/ silently, invisably." so sad, he starts with a warning. note the words SILENTLY INVISABLY, they appear later again in the last/third stanza. in the 2nd stanza he told the reader/listener how he told the girl he loved that he loved her. she didn't love him back.
In the third stanza because he sora\ta scared her off with his declarations of love, as soon as she was gone some random came as just SILENTLY, INVISABLY took her with a sigh, no words just a simple sigh. so there you have it; actions really do speak louder than words. Or so they did for the sad guy, the sort after girl, and the traveller who took said girl with a sigh. basically go read it for yourself. it's simply lovely!!!!!!!!!!!!!
now someone comment on the next few days or there will be trouble as it is simply wonderful and not to read as soon as you can you be an action to terrible for words.
see you all 2moro!!!!!!!!!
yes many typo's, was a tad excited. i promise to proof read next time. byeeeeeeeeee
ReplyDeletehey guys,
ReplyDeletei changed my name to a much cooler one!!! no more is the name ms lindal. hooray. :)
i found this "illiterates guide to king lear" a while ago. it's a funny way to understand the play. its more of an overview. the voices make me laugh. i find it help to understand the play though, dunno if it'll help you guys but i loved it.
here's the address:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZBS6e1msHs&feature=related
In response to Lindel, that was one STRANGE video, but it really does... summarise the plot. Couldnt think of the right word. On the side bar, there are a lot of other videos about King Lear too! Sarah
ReplyDeleteWell one of my favourite poem's in the line to time book is Shakespeare's sonnet 18! I think it is such a beautiful and sweet poem and i just love that he compares his love to a summers day :) It's adorable.
ReplyDeletehey everyone!
ReplyDeletemy favorite poem is from Christina Rossetti. its called "When I am dead". its quite beautiful and simple.
And Zoe.. i took a look at Shakespeare's sonnet, and your right, its beautiful.
About the reading journal, i just borrowed a new book tonight.. so I'm leaving right now to make a nice cup of tea and start reading...
love you all..
xx Cinda
hey everyone.
ReplyDeletefirst of all i liked to say that i do agree with zoe, it is a very beautiful poem!
as for my favourite poem...well i'm not quite sure exactly. But i have really enjoyed the poems "to his coy mistress" (Marvell) and "because i could not stop for Death" (Dickinson). they both talk about a really difficult subject but each capture it in a different way if that makes sense. i really enjoyed the imagery of Dickinson's poem and i also enjoyed the structure of marvell's. he seduces and compliment her and then gets down to business! Straight forward way to put it i no! anyway see you all in class on wednesday.
Rosa xoxo
hi everyone.. i was looking at some poems and i couldnt pick but i decided that my favourite poem is one that my mum wrote when she was in her late 20's.. i would love to bring it in our next poetry lesson and you all could hear it... its called "Maralinga" it only has one stanza but is very powerful. it's about the stolen generation.. so i'll bring it in next lesson :) thanks Rosie xx
ReplyDeleteOoh Ooh i remember another poem.. The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe.. you probably remember it from the simpsons.. when ever i read it i always get that eerie feeling that somebody is watching me or something however i love how it rhymes and its read very smoothly though the subtlety does scare me just a touch. as i read it i can just imagine all the events playing out in my mind.. which is helpful in understanding it.. it still gives me that ghostly feel though, the thought of a knocking at your chamber door and a raven coming in.
ReplyDeleteGreat now i've freaked myself out..
Great poems, I've never studied Poe, and only know a few of his poems. And I always have Bart Simpson's voice in my head when I think of The Raven - damn you Matt Groenig!
ReplyDeletePlease bring your mother's poem into class.
If you are enjoying the poems we are reading and studying in class you should defintely seek out more by the poets you love. I was captivated by Yeats Poetry in first year at Uni, and bought an Anthology, so I could read more. I read so much about him, and his poems. So, as you would with a band that you enjoy or a novelist that you love, son;t just stop at one sample of their work - buy the CD/ buy another book/ read more of their poems!
JC
Yes guys, the rumors are true,
ReplyDeleteI am officially back on the Lit Blog!
My apologies for going missing, I too lost my password and had to resort to starting up a new one.
Firstly, yes Zoe we all know your obsessed with Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 and I agree it is quite a cute one.
Elisha, I love what you said about your brother and each poem having something different that you love, I agree with that entirely, very well spoken ( as always).
And finally to a poem that had me captured,
John Donne's “Song”, page 76 of your "Lines to Time". Something to note however if your gong to check it out is beware of Google, the one I speak of is "Sweetest Love, I do not go" NOT "Catch a Falling Star." (Although I had a read and it is quite good also.)
Anyway, good to be back on board.
JR.