The speaker seems to be agonizing as to why his season of prosper has not come in light of his committment to God and his word.
The author writes: "Thou are indeed just, Lord, if I contend
With thee; but, sir, so what I plead is just.
Why do sinners' ways prosper? and why must
Disappointment all I endeavor end? (Lines 1 - 4)
The opening line shows he is giving honage to God as a just God. Even though he knows God is just, he appears to be struggling with why he has not prospered in the things he has asked for and those living a less religious or spirtual life appears to be prospering. While the writer is questioning God, it appears he's still be respectful by referring to God as sir.
I was at a time in my life when I knew God already had worked out a plan for the adversity in my life. I was ready for him to work it out on "my" time rather than his. I believe this is the writer's struggle right now. Faith is not knowing God can, but knowing God will.
Line 14 says: "Mine, O thou lord of life, send my roots rain."
It seems the writer is saying, give me strength. I know I'm weak and the only way I can get past this is to have you give me strength.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Thomas Hardy - On the Departure Platform
This poem focuses on a man leaving the woman he loves to go off to war. I could definitely connect with this feeling having to send a loved one off to the Middle East. It was a gut wrenching feeling. I can relate to the verse that said:
"Then slow again, till I ceased to see
That flexible form, that nebulous white;
And she who was more than my life to me
Had vanished quite." (Lines 13-16)
What a way to describe that scene! In my experience I felt transfixed, I could not force myself to move until I couldn't see any glimple of them at all.
The writer goes on the say:
"We have penned new plans since that fiar fond day,
And in season she will appear again--
Perhaps in the same soft white array--
But never as then!" (Lines 17-20)
The writers suggest the couple already has plans for the next reunion. She could possibly be wearing the same attire, but it seems he feels the emotions he feels today may not be the same then or that the agony of the wait could be difficult to get through.
I really enjoyed the poem! I feel this poem could possibly bring focus to the emotions military families experience when their loved ones go off to defend our country.
"Then slow again, till I ceased to see
That flexible form, that nebulous white;
And she who was more than my life to me
Had vanished quite." (Lines 13-16)
What a way to describe that scene! In my experience I felt transfixed, I could not force myself to move until I couldn't see any glimple of them at all.
The writer goes on the say:
"We have penned new plans since that fiar fond day,
And in season she will appear again--
Perhaps in the same soft white array--
But never as then!" (Lines 17-20)
The writers suggest the couple already has plans for the next reunion. She could possibly be wearing the same attire, but it seems he feels the emotions he feels today may not be the same then or that the agony of the wait could be difficult to get through.
I really enjoyed the poem! I feel this poem could possibly bring focus to the emotions military families experience when their loved ones go off to defend our country.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Felicia Hemans - The Wife of Asdrubal
To be honest I have mixed emotions about this piece. It is so easy to understand the rage and betrayal she felt. To be betrayed by a spouse and father must have left a lot of emotional scarring. With that said, I'm still not certain that this could drive me to murder my own children; but unsettled emotion can possibly drive us to do many things we wouldn't normally do.
"Her walls have sunk, and pyramids of fire
In lurid splendor from her domes aspire; (Lines 3-4)
I feel Hemans is showing a parallel between the destruction of the temple to the decline and destruction of her marriage and family life.
Hemens seems to paint the wife heroically by saying: "But a wild courage sits triumphant there,
The stormy grandeur of a proud despair;
A daring spirit, in its woes elate,
She seems th' avenging goddess of the scene." (Lines 25 - 27, 32)
While some may see this as heroism, I'm having a hard time accepeting this even in light of the emotional unrest of her past. My mother raised my sister and I as a single mother for a good part of our lives. There were a lot of different stressors that impacted our family. I can definitely relate to that, but I still struggle with murdering your children for ANY reason.
Revenge is a powerful thing!
"Her walls have sunk, and pyramids of fire
In lurid splendor from her domes aspire; (Lines 3-4)
I feel Hemans is showing a parallel between the destruction of the temple to the decline and destruction of her marriage and family life.
Hemens seems to paint the wife heroically by saying: "But a wild courage sits triumphant there,
The stormy grandeur of a proud despair;
A daring spirit, in its woes elate,
She seems th' avenging goddess of the scene." (Lines 25 - 27, 32)
While some may see this as heroism, I'm having a hard time accepeting this even in light of the emotional unrest of her past. My mother raised my sister and I as a single mother for a good part of our lives. There were a lot of different stressors that impacted our family. I can definitely relate to that, but I still struggle with murdering your children for ANY reason.
Revenge is a powerful thing!
Gerald Manley Hopkins - Pied Beauty
This was a short poem with a long meaning. Hopkins seeks to encourage us to glorify God for "all" things. We often take so many things for granted and not give proper thanks.
"Glory be to God for dappled things--
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut falls; finches wings;
And all trades, their gear and tackle and trim."
Hopkins points out images and colors like white and blue colors of the sky; streaked hide of a cow, rose moles on trout, coals that are black internally and red inside. All of these things seems to suggest he wants to bring focus to being thankful for nature's full array of beauty and our ability to even witness the beauty of these things through sight, touch, smell, taste, etc.
The last line is short and sweet: "Praise him." (Line 11)
The long and short of it is praise God for all things. This includes stopping to recognize the beauty in all things. I believe we get so busy with "life", sometimes we don't stop to appreciate what life ready is....the beauty of God's creations.
"Glory be to God for dappled things--
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut falls; finches wings;
And all trades, their gear and tackle and trim."
Hopkins points out images and colors like white and blue colors of the sky; streaked hide of a cow, rose moles on trout, coals that are black internally and red inside. All of these things seems to suggest he wants to bring focus to being thankful for nature's full array of beauty and our ability to even witness the beauty of these things through sight, touch, smell, taste, etc.
The last line is short and sweet: "Praise him." (Line 11)
The long and short of it is praise God for all things. This includes stopping to recognize the beauty in all things. I believe we get so busy with "life", sometimes we don't stop to appreciate what life ready is....the beauty of God's creations.
George Gordon, Lord Byron - She Walks in Beauty
In "She Walks in Beauty", Byron expresses his thoughts of internal and external beauty. It may be a little unusual that the woman he is admiring is related to him; his cousin. Never the less, he finds her extremely beautiful.
"She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes" (Line 1 - 4)
Gordon seems to be contrasting light and dark. Her beauty illuminates like a well lit sky of stars at night, it shows even in darkness there still is light. I think its admirable that he compares her beauty to nature as well (stars, skies, etc.)
"And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent." (Lines 13 - 18)
He continues to talk about her physical beauty, but also talks about the smiles that win and a peace of mind. This suggests that her beauty is also internal, that she wins smiles through her personal interactions and relationships. A heart being innocent may symbolize her kindness and unselfish spririt.
"She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes" (Line 1 - 4)
Gordon seems to be contrasting light and dark. Her beauty illuminates like a well lit sky of stars at night, it shows even in darkness there still is light. I think its admirable that he compares her beauty to nature as well (stars, skies, etc.)
"And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent." (Lines 13 - 18)
He continues to talk about her physical beauty, but also talks about the smiles that win and a peace of mind. This suggests that her beauty is also internal, that she wins smiles through her personal interactions and relationships. A heart being innocent may symbolize her kindness and unselfish spririt.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson - Tears, Idle Tears
I'm not certain if Tennyson's plan was to evoke emotion in readers from this piece, but it did for me. It took me back to my grandfather's passing and the raw emotions I still feel around his death. I'm not certain that my interpretation is what the author meant, but here are my takeaways.
"Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean;
Tears from the depth of some divine despair
Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes,
In looking on the happy Autumn fields,
And thinking of the days that are no more. " (Lines 1 - 5)
Idle tears in my mind means the event that is causing the pain may be in the past, something happened at that moment that triggered the memory of the pain. Therefore, your eyes fill up with water and you begin to cry. Even though I've never thought of the phrasing "idle tears", I've experienced that reaction after seeing something that reminded me of my grandfather. Just in that instant, you transition back to those emotions of heart throbbing grief.
"Dear as remember'd kisses after death,
And sweet as those by hopeless fancy feign'd
On lips that are for others; deep as love,
Deep as first love, and wild with all regret;
O Death in Life, the days that are no more." (Lines 16 - 20)
I interpret these verse to mean we have our dear memories of our loved ones that we will hold forever. Even though those experiences will be no more.
"Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean;
Tears from the depth of some divine despair
Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes,
In looking on the happy Autumn fields,
And thinking of the days that are no more. " (Lines 1 - 5)
Idle tears in my mind means the event that is causing the pain may be in the past, something happened at that moment that triggered the memory of the pain. Therefore, your eyes fill up with water and you begin to cry. Even though I've never thought of the phrasing "idle tears", I've experienced that reaction after seeing something that reminded me of my grandfather. Just in that instant, you transition back to those emotions of heart throbbing grief.
"Dear as remember'd kisses after death,
And sweet as those by hopeless fancy feign'd
On lips that are for others; deep as love,
Deep as first love, and wild with all regret;
O Death in Life, the days that are no more." (Lines 16 - 20)
I interpret these verse to mean we have our dear memories of our loved ones that we will hold forever. Even though those experiences will be no more.
William Blake - The Little Black Boy
This poem talks focuses on a black child's perspective of learning what God is (love), who he is as a black child, and how pure love can transcend race.
"My mother bore me in the southern wild,
And I am black, but O! my soul is white
White as an angel is the English child:
But I am black as if bereav'd of light." (Lines 1 - 4)
Here the author is making the contrast between light and dark. The child's black skin compared the the whiteness of his soul; indicating the purity of his soul and love regardless of skin color.
"And we are put on earth a little space
That we may learn to bear the beams of love.
And these black bodies and this sun-burnt face
Is but a cloud, and like a shady grove.
For when our souls have learn'd the heat to bear
The cloud will vanish we shall hear his voice
And round my golden tent like lambs rejoice." (Lines 13 - 20)
These verses seems to suggest the mother's way of teaching him that skin color will not exist in heaven. That love transends all in heaven and to value relationships more than anything.
The last verse:
"And then Ill stand and stroke his silver hair,
And be like him and he will then love me." (Lines 27 - 28)
The child is showing he has received and understands the message his mother was teaching him. The boys explains to his friend that they will be equals once in heaven. I also believe the message is, we have a responsibility now (prior to death) to start this process and dialogue.
"My mother bore me in the southern wild,
And I am black, but O! my soul is white
White as an angel is the English child:
But I am black as if bereav'd of light." (Lines 1 - 4)
Here the author is making the contrast between light and dark. The child's black skin compared the the whiteness of his soul; indicating the purity of his soul and love regardless of skin color.
"And we are put on earth a little space
That we may learn to bear the beams of love.
And these black bodies and this sun-burnt face
Is but a cloud, and like a shady grove.
For when our souls have learn'd the heat to bear
The cloud will vanish we shall hear his voice
And round my golden tent like lambs rejoice." (Lines 13 - 20)
These verses seems to suggest the mother's way of teaching him that skin color will not exist in heaven. That love transends all in heaven and to value relationships more than anything.
The last verse:
"And then Ill stand and stroke his silver hair,
And be like him and he will then love me." (Lines 27 - 28)
The child is showing he has received and understands the message his mother was teaching him. The boys explains to his friend that they will be equals once in heaven. I also believe the message is, we have a responsibility now (prior to death) to start this process and dialogue.
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