The Oven Bird by Robert Frost

Text:

There is a singer everyone has heard,
Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird,
Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.
He says that leaves are old and that for flowers
Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten.
He says the early petal-fall is past
When pear and cherry bloom went down in showers
On sunny days a moment overcast;
And comes that other fall we name the fall.
He says the highway dust is over all.
The bird would cease and be as other birds
But that he knows in singing not to sing.
The question that he frames in all but words
Is what to make of a diminished thing.There is a singer everyone has heard,

Initial Reaction:

I believe the poem is describing the idea that nature is being destroyed by humans to expand and further industrialization. The poem depicts trees where the birds sing and where “pear and cherry blooms” fall being cleared away to build highways and cities. The poem laments the destruction of nature and questions what the singing bird “is…to make of a diminished thing,” meaning what is the bird to make of the loss of its home and land for the construction of highways and such.

Paraphrase:

There is a singer that we have all heard,
The woodpecker singing loud in the middle of summer,
Who makes the trees sound with its songs.
He said that the leaves are getting old and that for flowers
Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten.
He says that the early fall of the leaves is gone
Where the pears and cherry blossoms fell down in showers
On sunny days there will be an overcast moment;
And then the fall comes that is different from when the leaves actually fell.
He says the dust from the highway covers everything. He
The birds will stop acting like other birds
But he will know not to sing.
The question that he poses without using words
Is what to make of something past.

SWIFTT:

SW: The poem is structured in iambic pentameter format. In addition, the rhyme scheme is aabcbdedeffghg. The poem uses words choice to depict the idea that every peaceful or good thing eventually comes to an end. For example, while summer normally symbolizes hope and life, in the poem the author uses the word “mid-summer” to convey a glass-half-empty ideal. For in the poem, summer did not represent life and hope, but instead, the narrator lamented the fact that summer was half over.

I: The poem contains earthy imagery in addition to dismal imagery that alludes to the ending of all good things. Earthy imagery can be seen throughout the poem as the author writes, “the solid tree trunks sound again” and “early petal-fall.” In addition, the dismal imagery can be seen as the author gloomily stated, “leaves are old” and “what to make of a diminished thing.”

F: The poem is an extended metaphor for the idea that nothing lasts forever, and at some point, even the most peaceful and serene scenes of nature are covered with “the highway dust.” The bird described in the poem symbolized a negative outlook on life, for the bird was heard singing “mid-summer” and was described to be “a mid-wood bird,” showing that instead of enjoy the pleasures of summer, the author lamented the fact that summer was half-way over. Further, throughout the poem, the bird was described to be telling stories about how the “pear and cherry bloom went down in summer” and how there was overcast on sunny days. At the end, the bird finally questioned “what to make of a diminished thing.”

T: The tone of the poem was melancholy and despairing as it lamented the idea that nothing can last forever. For example, the poem described “the early petal-fall” and “sunny days a moment overcast.”

T: The theme of the poem is that nothing in life will last forever. The narrator of the poem continually depicted scenes from the most negative point of view possible. Instead of enjoying the pleasures of summer, the narrator lamented the fact that it was “mid-summer.” At the end of the poem, the narrator even stated that the bird who tells him of the passage of all things will eventually “cease and be as other birds.”

Conclusion:

After analyzing “The Oven Bird,” my concluding thoughts are very different from my initial reaction. The poem was not describing industrialization, but it was simply lamenting the passage of all good things in life. The narrator constantly took on negative points of views on life, as he lamented everything from the fact that it was “mid-summer” to the “highway dust…over all.”

Telephone Poles by John Updike

Text:

They have been with us a long time.
They will outlast the elms.
Our eyes, like the eyes of a savage sieving the trees
In his search for game,
Run through them. They blend along small-town streets
Like a race of giants that have faded into mere mythology.
Our eyes, washed clean of belief,
Lift incredulous to their fearsome crowns of bolts, trusses,

struts, nuts, insulators, and such
Barnacles as compose
These weathered encrustations of electrical debris¬
Each a Gorgon’s head, which, seized right,
Could stun us to stone.

Yet they are ours. We made them.
See here, where the cleats of linemen
Have roughened a second bark
Onto the bald trunk. And these spikes
Have been driven sideways at intervals handy for human legs.
The Nature of our construction is in every way
A better fit than the Nature it displaces
What other tree can you climb where the birds’ twitter,
Unscrambled, is English? True, their thin shade is negligible,
But then again there is not that tragic autumnal
Casting-off of leaves to outface annually.
These giants are more constant than evergreens
By being never green.

Initial Reaction:

I believe that the poem “Telephone Poles” is about how humans tend to disregard the beauty and serenity of nature, but instead, humans destroy nature to further their own means. For example, in the poem, humans are described to have “eyes of a savage” as they “[sieved] the trees” to build telephone poles. The line depicts the idea that humans have a tendency to grab whatever they can for their own and to transform it into something that they believe will better their own lives.

Paraphrase:

They have been on Earth for a while.
They will be on Earth longer than the elm trees will.
Our eyes, like the eyes of beasts cut the trees
To search for game,
Run through the trees. They blend in on the streets
Like giants who have become purely mythology.
We no longer hold the belief,
We are unbelieving that the large crowns of bolts, trusses,

struts, nuts, insulators, and such
Barnacles as compose
These old pieces of electrical dust¬
Each like the Greek Goddess Gorgon,
Who could turn us into stone.

Yet they are our creation.
See where the shoes of the workers
Roughened the tree into another piece of bark
Onto the bald trunk. And these spikes
Were driven sideways in ways that are fitting for human legs.
The Nature of what we build is completely The
Than the natural Nature
What other tree can be climbed where the birds lay,
Unscrambled, is English? True, the thin shade of our creations is next to nothing,
But then there will not be the tragic autumn
As the tree casts off leaves annually.
These giants are more unchanging than evergreens
Without even being green.

SWIFTT:

SW: The poem is composed of short, simple sentence structure. In the last stanza of the poem, it uses the rhetorical question, “What other tree can you climb where the birds’ twitter, Unscrambled, is English?” to convey the concept of technology versus nature. The poem uses word choice that conveys an earthy image. For example, the poem uses words such as “the elms” and “the birds’ twitter” to convey an earthy image. But at the same time, the poem uses words such as “sieving” to convey the idea that humans tear apart nature to meet their own ends. In addition, the pronouns in the poem have significance, as the pronoun “they” refers to the telephone poles, and the pronoun “ours” refers to the entire human race.

I: The poem is composed of imagery of Nature and industrialization. Throughout the poem, the reader can see the Nature imagery as the author writes, “The birds’ twitter” and “Casting-off of leaves to outface annually.” In addition, the industrialization imagery can be seen as the author writes, “Lift incredulous to their fearsome crowns of bolts, trusses, struts, nuts, insulators, and such.” Further, crucifixion imagery can be seen as the author writes “cleats of linemen, Have roughened a second bark, Onto the bald trunk” and “these spikes, Have been driven sideways at intervals”

F: The poem satirizes the industrialization of nature. While the poem is seemingly praising the fact that humans have cut down countless trees to build telephone poles, in reality, the poem is condemning the destruction of nature. For example, the poem states, “The Nature of our construction is in every way/A better fit than the Nature it displaces.” While the narrator claimed that human constructions are better than nature, the narrator actually feels disdain towards the destruction of nature in its natural state.

T: The tone of the poem is bitter and satirical as the narrator conveys the idea that humans have destroyed nature to achieve their own purposes. The narrator stated, “Yet they are ours. We made them” in an almost disdainful manner, for humans “[sieved] the trees” and built “giants [that] are more constant than evergreens/ By being never green.”

T: The theme of the poem is that as humans push more and more for advancement and industrialization, they also push farther and farther away from nature in its natural state. For instead of appreciating the shade of trees or “the birds’ twitter,” humans are “sieving the trees” and building telephone poles.

Conclusion:

“Telephone Poles” is a satirical poem about how as humans push for advancement, they lose touch with nature. Instead of appreciating the wonders and beauty of nature, the poem conveys the idea that humans simply “[sieve] the trees” with a “savage” look in their eyes and build up more telephone poles. The poem suggests that industrialization is a give and take, for while humans do receive great advancements and additional comforts through it, at the same time, they lose things, like the evergreens that are replaced with telephone poles that will be “never green.”

On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High by D.C. Berry

Text:

Before

I opened my mouth

I noticed them sitting there

as orderly as frozen fish

in a package.

Slowly water began to fill the room

though I did not notice it

till it reached

my ears

and then I heard the sounds

of fish in an aquarium

and I knew that though I had

tried to drown them

with my words

that they had only opened up

like gills for them

and let me in.

Together we swam around the room

like thirty tails whacking words

till the bell rang

puncturing

a hole in the door

where we all leaked out

They went to another class

I suppose and I to home

where Queen Elizabeth

my cat met me

and licked my fins

till they were hands again.

Initial Reaction:

My initial reaction to the poem is that the fish imagery is a metaphor for the narrator’s experiences as a teacher. The narrator feels as if he was transported to a different setting and world when he is teaching. The teacher initially felt like he had “to drown [the students] with [his] words” in order to teacher them anything; however, the teacher found that “they had only opened up like gills for them and let [him] in,” suggesting that the students learned more from the narrator than he knew. The fish imagery suggests that the teacher was such an extraordinary English teacher that the students felt transported to entirely different places while in the narrator’s class. At the end of the poem, the narrator even stated that it was not until his cats licked his fingers that he was able to snap back into reality and realize that he lived in the real world, not the worlds he traveled through with literature while at school.

Paraphrase:

Before

I began talking

I noticed the students sitting there

as neatly as fish

in a can.

Slowly, it felt like water was filling the room

Though I barely noticed it

Until the water was up to

my ears

and then I heard the noises

of fish in an aquarium

And I knew that even though I had

Attempted to fill the students’ minds

with my words

They had already opened up

Their minds like gills

and let me in.

The students and I swam around the room

Like thirty bodies whacking the books

till the bell rang

like a puncture

in the door

where we all left

They left for another class

Or to go home

where Queen Elizabeth

my cat met me

and licked my fins

until I realized that they were hands again.

SWIFTT:

SW: The poem is composed of short lines with simple sentence structure. In fact, some sentences only compose of a few words, like “my ears” or “puncturing.” The short lines give the poem a flowing quality that makes it easy to follow. In addition, the author chose words that related to water or fish to convey the ideas of the poem, such as “frozen fish,” “an aquarium,” and “swam around the room.”

I: The poem contains water and fish imagery from the beginning to the end of the poem. For example, in the opening of the poem, the narrator stated that in his mind the students had transformed into “frozen fish” in a package. As the poem continued on, the author felt as if “water began to fill the room.” The teacher even compared the opening of the student’s minds to his teaching to “thirty tails whacking words.”

F: The poem is an extended metaphor for the power of learning and education. The idea can be seen through the fact that through the teachings of the teacher completely transported the students and teacher into a world where “water began to fill the room” and “Together [they] swam around the room.” The fact that the students and teacher alike felt like they were in a completely different world and environment shows that English and learning has the power to completely captivate one’s mind and transport them into a different world.

T: The tone of the poem was light and mystical as the students were transported from their classroom into a completely different environment where they pictured themselves swimming underwater. The light tone can be seen through the simple language structure and bright imagery of the students swimming like fish.

T: The theme of the poem is that English and poetry has the power to transport one to a completely different world. In the poem, the narrator and his students felt as if they were completely transported from hard ground to the underwater world. For as the teacher taught the students, the students felt as if “Together [they] swam around the room.” The classroom was so captivated that the teacher barely felt human again until he got home and his cat “licked [his] fins till they were hands again.”

Conclusion:

My concluding thoughts of the poem remain the same as my initial reaction. The poem is an extended metaphor for the power of education and poetry to transport the reader from one world to a completely foreign one. The story used fish and water imagery to convey the idea that poetry has the power to transport one to any place imaginable.

Musee des Beaux Arts by W.H. Auden

Text:

About suffering they were never wrong,
The old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green
Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

Initial Reaction:
 After reading “Musee des Beaux Arts,” I believe that the poem is about a young boy drowning. While the poem depicts a tragedy, the poem also shows that the whole world does not stop when one dies. When the boy drowned, the poem stated that “everything [turned] away quite leisurely from the disaster.” The calm tone of the poem—in combination with the tragic fall of the boy—further support the idea that one death or tragedy does not have the power to stop all normal activity from occurring.

Paraphrase:

When it comes to suffering, they were never incorrect,
The old masters understood it very well
Its human nature, how it occurs
While someone else is doing something trivial, like eating or walking around;
How when the elderly are dedicatedly waiting
For the amazing birth, there always are
Kids who did not mean for it to happen, skating
At the pond on the edge of the woods:
They will never forget
That even the sacrificial death must end at some point
And in a corner, some unclean place
Where dogs go on with their lives and the cruel man’s horse
Scratches itself on a tree.

In Breughel’s painting, for example: how everything looks away
Quite care freely from the tragedy; the ploughman might
Have heard the splash of the water, the betrayed cry,
But for him he did not feel like he failed anyone; the sun shone
As it did on the white legs as they sunk into the
Water, and the ship must have seen
Something unusual, a boy falling from the sky,
But the boat had somewhere to go, and it sailed on calmly.

SWIFTT:
SW: The syntax of the poem includes several colons throughout the poem, as seen in the lines, “The old Masters: how well they understood,”  “Its human position: how it takes place,” and “In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away.” The words before the colon commonly depicted a character or an ideal, and the words after the colon explained the thoughts or actions of the person or idea before the colon. In addition, the poem had very little evidence of rhyme scheme and was written in free verse. The poem had no definite beat, and it was broken into two stanzas. The poem uses simple, child-like diction to convey its ideas. For example, child-like diction is evident in lines such as, “dogs go on with their doggy life” and “its innocent behind.”

I: The imagery in the poem is based off the painting “Fall of Icarus” by Breughal. Breughal’s painting depicted a young boy who got too close to the sun and drowned in the ocean. The poem describes “a boy falling out of the sky” and his “white legs disappearing into the green.” The line demonstrates imagery connected to Breughal’s painting, in addition to bright imagery represented by the sky, in addition to dark imagery that depicted a young boy drowning. Imagery of death was further evident in the poem when the author wrote “dreadful martyrdom,” and imagery of life and brightness was further seen when the author wrote “the miraculous birth.”

F: The poem is an extended metaphor for the lonely nature of death. The drowning of the young boy depicted the idea that the loss of one life leaves little to no impact on the world. When the boy fell into the water, “white legs disappearing into the green/ Water… everything [turned] away/ Quite leisurely from the disaster.” Even the ploughman barely “heard the splash” as the young boy fell to his death. Therefore, the poem shows that even something as tragic as the death of the young boy is insignificant in the grand scheme of the world, and the poem figuratively represented the loneliness of death. In addition, the poem contained allusions to the Bible. “The miraculous birth” represented the birth of Jesus, while “dreadful martyrdom” represented the crucifixion of Christ.

T: The tone of the poem was nonchalant, despite the fact that it was an extended metaphor for loneliness in death. Lines such as “the miraculous birth” and “sailed calmly on” give the poem a tranquil and bright tone. However, the poem is an extended metaphor for the greatest symbol of darkness, death. Therefore, the bright tone provided a contrast to the dark message of the poem.

T: The theme of the poem is that no matter how bright the world appears, at some point, everyone will die alone, and the sun will continue to shine just as brightly despite the loss of life. The poem stated that “The old Masters” understood that it was just the way of the world that while others were performing trivial tasks, “dreadful martyrdom” could be taking place. And in the same place where “dreadful martyrdom” took place, a horse may be found “[scratching] its innocent behind on a tree.” The horse’s carefree action at the location where one lost their life demonstrates human apathy for the tragedies of others. Further, the poem depicted a young boy plunging to his death, but no one went to his aid. Instead, everyone continued on “quite leisurely,” and a boat even “sailed calmly on.”

Conclusion:
My concluding thoughts are the same as my initial reaction. The poem portrays the idea that the loss of one human life does not have the impact to stop the world from moving forward in its normal fashion. The poem conveys the idea that even “the dreadful martyrdom” will not last forever, and a place of death does not become consecrated ground, for the location of the martyrdom eventually became the place where a horse “[scratched] its innocent behind on a tree.” In addition, the poem conveys the idea that death is lonely, for when a young boy fell into the water and his “white legs” sunk, no one ran to his rescue. Instead, everyone continued on “quite leisurely.” Despite the dark message of the poem, the tone remained relatively bright. Therefore, the tone provided a contrast to the message of the poem that all people die alone, and the world will never cease to stop spinning at the loss of one human life.

War is Kind by Stephen Crane

Text:

Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind,
Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky
And the affrighted steed ran on alone,
Do not weep.
War is kind.

Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment,
Little souls who thirst for fight,
These men were born to drill and die.
The unexplained glory flies above them.
Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom--
A field where a thousand corpses lie.

Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.
Because your father tumbles in the yellow trenches,
Raged at his breast, gulped and died,
Do not weep.
War is kind.

Swift blazing flag of the regiment,
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
These men were born to drill and die.
Point for them the virtue of slaughter,
Make plain to them the excellence of killing
And a field where a thousand corpses lie.

Mother whose heart hung humble as a button
On the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
War is kind!

Initial Reaction:

I believe “War is Kind” is a satire for the concept of war. The poem has a highly sarcastic tone as it lists all the horrors of war, and then contrasts the depiction of the horrors with the line “War is kind.” While the narrator states “glory flies above [the soldier]” and urges family members “Do not weep,” in reality, it can be inferred through the poem that the narrator is extremely anti-war.

Paraphrase:

Do not cry young lover, for war is good,
Since your boyfriend threw his scared hands toward the sky
And his frightened horse ran away alone,
Do not cry.
War is good.

Loud, booming drums of the soldiers,
Young boys who long to fight,
These men were born to fight and die.
The ceaseless victory flies above them.
The god of battles is great, and his lands --
A field where countless dead bodies lie.

Do not cry, child, for war is good.
Because your father died in the trenches,
His chest inflamed, gulping before he died,
Do not cry.
War is good.

Fiery flag of the soldiers,
With the symbol of an eagle and red and gold crest,
These men were born to fight and die.
Point them in the direction of virtuous death,
Teach them about the honor of killing
And the field where countless dead bodies lie.

Mother who has a humble heart
On the beautiful burial sheet of your son,
Do not cry.
War is good!

SWIFTT:

SW: The author uses repetition throughout the poem to convey his sarcastic and dark message about war, which can be seen as he writes, “These men were born to drill and die” and “War is kind.” The only rhyme that can be found in the poem is in the second and fourth stanzas where the poem has an abcdec rhyme scheme.

I: The poem contains graphic imagery of war. For example, lines such as “your lover threw wild hands toward the sky, And the affrighted steed ran on alone” and “your father tumbles in the yellow trenches,
Raged at his breast, gulped and died” convey an image of the horrors of war. In addition, the poem contains imagery of families of fallen soldiers, as it reads, “Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind” and “Mother whose heart hung humble as a button.”

F: In the poem, war is symbolizes death. Throughout the poem, the author does not focus on war victories, but he focuses on the loss of family members to war, presenting war as simply a stealer of life. For example, the poem reads, “These men were born to drill and die” and “A field where a thousand corpses lie.” Further, the poem reads, “Swift blazing flag of the regiment, Eagle with crest of red and gold.” The flag depicted symbolizes the glory of war, while the following line, which state “These men were born to fight and die” represents the idea that despite all the imagined glories of war, in the end, the soldiers are simply pawns of a deadly game.

T: The tone of the poem is highly sarcastic and dark as the author states that the soldiers in war were simply “men born to fight and die.” It is sarcastic because the author constantly states “War is kind” in combination with lines depicting the horrors of war. In addition, lines like “Little souls who thirst for fight” and “A field where a thousand corpses lie” give the poem a dark tone.

T: The theme of the poem is that war is simply a deadly game that takes life and gives nothing in return. While the narrator constantly states, “War is kind,” in reality, he is satirizing the entire concept of war. The sarcastic tone of the poem further contributes to the author’s dark thoughts about war. Throughout the poem, death is a constant theme as the author writes, “the affrighted steed ran on alone,” “These men were born to drill and die,” and “Raged at his breast, gulped and died.”

Conclusion:

My concluding thoughts on the poem are the same as my initial reaction. The author’s tone throughout the entire poem was highly sarcastic, suggesting the fact that he is anti-war despite his words “War is kind.” In addition, the poem reveals the darkest side of war as it depicts fallen soldiers that die alone, then depicts the mourning families of the soldiers. The entire poem is a satire for the darkness of war.

The Tiger by William Blake

Text:

TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Initial Reaction:

I believe that the tiger symbolizes evil, and further, I believe the tiger represents the devil. The poem asked, “Did He who made the lamb make thee?” alluding to the Bible and Blake’s previous poem, “The Lamb.” While the lamb symbolized innocence and purity, the tiger provides an extreme contrast as it is described to be deadly and dreadful. The poem raises the question of if the God who created goodness in the world also created evil. Further, the poem raises the question of where did evil originate from.

Paraphrase:

TIGER, tiger, burning intensely,
In the forests at night,
What supernatural being
Framed such a terrifying body?

In what depths of the earth or heights of the skies
Created the fire in your eyes?
What purpose did he aim to achieve?
Would anyone dare to grab the fire?

And what creativeness
Could put together your heart?
And when your heart began beating,
Did your maker dread what it created?

From what tools? From what materials?
In what fiery pit was your brain taken from?
What the metal? What people dreaded your grasp
If your deadly nature ever struck?

When the stars threw away their weapons,
And rained on heaven with their tears,
Did your creator smile at his work?
Did the person who created the lamb also make you?

Tiger, tiger, burning intensely
In the forests at night,
What supernatural being
Framed such a terrifying body?

SWIFTT:

SW: The first stanza is repeated in the last stanza to place emphasis on the terrifying nature of the tiger, and to tie together the message of the poem. The poem is written as a series of questions that reference to the deadly, frightening nature of the tiger and questions what being would create such a beast. Further, the author uses ominous word choice, such as “fearful symmetry” and “sinews of thy heart,” to depict the terrors brought about by the tiger.

I: The author uses dark and fiery imagery throughout the poem. He uses phrases like “forests of the night” to create the image of the dark and fearful tiger. Further, images of fire are present throughout the poem as the author writes, “burning bright” and “Burnt the fire of thine eyes.”

F: The tiger in the poem is an extended metaphor for the devil. The line “TIGER, tiger, burning bright” is a metaphor comparing the tiger to fire, and further, comparing the tiger to the devil. In addition, the references to fire made throughout the poem are allusions to hell, and the idea that hell is where evil is destined to spend eternity. The line “Did He who made the lamb make thee?” is an allusion to Blake’s previous poem, “The Lamb,” and the Bible, where both works of literature refer to God as the creator of all things. The poem also contains personification, as it reads, “When the stars threw down their spears,/ And water'd heaven with their tears.”

T: The tone of the poem is dark and daunting as it depicts the deadly and terrifying tiger. Words used to describe the tiger like “fearful symmetry” and “sinews of thy heart” paint an image of the tiger as a fearful being, contributing to the dark nature of the poem. In addition, the creator of the tiger’s intentions are questioned throughout the poem, as the narrator speculates “On what wings dare [the creator] aspire” when he created the beast. The questioning of the creator’s intentions greatly contributes to the daunting tone of the poem.

T: The theme of the poem is that while God created good, he also created evil. The entire poem raises the question of why anyone would create a beast like the tiger. The tiger is consistently described as “twisted” and “fearful,” and the narrator continually asks why any being would create such a beast. Throughout the poem, the narrator contemplates what God felt or thought of when he created the tiger, who symbolizes the devil and evil in the world.

Conclusion:

My concluding thoughts on the poem do not differ at all from my initial reaction. I still believe that the tiger represents the devil and evil in the world. Further, the poem alludes to the previous poem, “The Lamb,” as the author questions “Did He who made the lamb make thee?” The poem raises the question, if God created goodness and purity, why did he create evil and darkness?

The Lamb by William Blake

Text:

Little Lamb, who make thee

Dost thou know who made thee,

Gave thee life, and bid thee feed

By the stream and o'er the mead;

Gave thee clothing of delight,

Softest clothing, wolly, bright;

Gave thee such a tender voice,

Making all the vales rejoice?

Little Lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee;

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:

He is called by thy name,

For He calls Himself a Lamb

He is meek, and He is mild,

He became a little child.

I a child, and thou a lamb,

We are called by His name.

Little Lamb, God bless thee!

Little Lamb, God bless thee!Little Lamb, who made thee?

Initial Reaction:

My initial reaction to the poem “The Lamb” is that the poem is an allusion to God and his followers. The lamb symbolizes all people created by God, and the creator that “gave [the lamb] life” represents God. Further, the poem stated, “He became a little child,” referencing the Bible story where God’s son, Jesus, came down from heaven to earth as a baby boy to save all people’s souls. Because the Bible states that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three in one, the reference to the baby Jesus is still a continued allusion to the Bible, which states that God is the creator of all things. In addition, the bright statements in the poem like “Gave thee clothing of delight” and “Gave thee such a tender voice” allude to God’s love for his creation.

Paraphrase:

Who created you, Little Lamb

Do you know who made you,

Gave you life and fed you

By the water;

Gave you beautiful clothing,

Soft, bright clothing;

Gave you a soft voice,

Made all the valleys rejoice?

Who created you, Little Lamb?

Do you know who made you?

Little Lamb, I'll tell you who made you;

Little Lamb, I'll tell you who made you:

He has the same name as you,

For He also calls himself the Lamb

He is humble, and he is kind,

He became a little child.

I am a child, and you are a lamb,

We are also given his name.

Little Lamb, God loves you!

Little Lamb, God loves you!

 SWIFTT:

SW: “The Lamb” is a lyrical poem that contains repetition throughout the stanzas. For example, in the first stanza, the words “who made thee?” are repeated twice at the beginning and end. Then, in the last stanza, the phrase, “I’ll tell thee” is repeated twice at the beginning, while the phrase, “Little, Lamb, God bless thee” is repeated twice at the end. The repetition of the phrases gives the poem a song-like quality. In addition, the repetition at the beginning of the poem forms a question that is answered by the repetitions in the last stanza of the poem. In addition, word choice, such as “Softest clothing” and “tender voice,” gives the poem a bright mood.

I: The poem uses earthy, bright imagery to represent the goodness and love of God for his creation. For example, the author writes, “Gave thee life, and bid thee feed/By the stream and o’er the mead.”

F: Alliteration can be seen throughout the poem as the narrator spoke to the “Little Lamb.” In addition, the Lamb symbolizes God’s son, Jesus, who is referenced to as the Lamb of God in the Bible.

T: The tone of the poem is soothing and spiritual, as the author uses simple, child-like diction to convey the message of the poem. The poem is written in question and answer form, and word choice like “By the stream o’er the mead,” “clothing of delight,” and “tender voice” contribute to the soothing tone of the poem. In addition, the imagery that the lamb’s creator “Gave [it] life, and bid [it] feed” alludes to God’s goodness and love, giving the poem a spiritual tone.

T: The theme of the poem is that God is good and kind, and he loves and takes care of his creation. The “Lamb” symbolizes God, and by stating that “He is meek, and He is mild,” the poem alludes to the Bible’s claims of God’s goodness and grace. Further, by stating that the lamb’s creator “Gave [it] life, and bid [it] feed,” the author is alluding to God’s care for his creation.

Conclusion:

My concluding thoughts on the poem do not differ greatly from my initial reaction. I still believe that the poem is an allusion to God and his followers. The lamb not only represents God’s children, but it also represents Jesus himself, for the poem stated, “He calls Himself a Lamb,” referencing the Bible, where Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God. The “Little Lamb” symbolizes purity and innocence, symbolizing Jesus, the sinless, sacrificial lamb of the Bible. The child-like tone of the poem contributes to the biblical idea that Jesus loves all the little children. Like the Bible claims that God is good and loves all his creation, the poem states, “God bless thee!”

Siren Song by Margaret Atwood

Text:

This is the one song everyone
would like to learn: the song
that is irresistible:

the song that forces men
to leap overboard in squadrons
even though they see beached skulls

the song nobody knows
because anyone who had heard it
is dead, and the others can’t remember.
Shall I tell you the secret
and if I do, will you get me
out of this bird suit?
I don’t enjoy it here
squatting on this island
looking picturesque and mythical
with these two feathery maniacs,
I don’t enjoy singing
this trio, fatal and valuable.

I will tell the secret to you,
to you, only to you.
Come closer. This song

is a cry for help: Help me!
Only you, only you can,
you are unique

at last. Alas
it is a boring song
but it works every time.

Initial Reaction:

My initial reaction to “Siren Song” is that the poem is about a bird that sings to others to lure them in. Further, the bird is a highly attractive and alluring bird, and while the bird does not understand why its song attracts other, its singing never fails to bring in new victims. The bird wishes that it could be different and not have to sit around and lure people in all day, but it cannot escape its fate in life, and it will forever sing to others.

Paraphrase:

This is a song that everyone
wants to hear: the one
that no one can resist:

The song that leads men
To jump out of their boats
Even though they see dead bodies of others on the beach shore

This is a song that nobody else knows
Because if anyone has heard my song
They are dead, and the other people that have heard it can’t remember it.
Do you want me to tell you a secret?
And if I tell it to you, will you help me
Escape this bird suit?
I don’t like being here
Uncomfortably sitting on this island
Looking beautiful and mysterious
With the other two sirens,
I don’t even like to sing
The three of us are, this trio, deadly and priceless.

I will tell you my secret,
But only to you.
Get closer to me. This song

Is my cry for help!
And only you,
you are different

Finally. I lied
It is just a dull song
But it never fails.

SWIFTT:

SW: The poem uses simple language to convey the mysterious nature of the siren. For example, lines such as “I will tell the secret to you” are plain and short, but the siren uses these words to lure in the sailors. In addition, the poem uses repetition to lure in the sailor as the siren states, “Only you, only you can.” Further, the author uses word choice that suggests the seductiveness of the siren, such as “irresistible,” “picturesque,” and “mythical.”

I: Throughout the poem, there is bird and mythical imagery. The imagery of the bird is obvious as the author uses words like “bird suit” and “feathery maniacs.” Then the mythical imagery is evident as the author describes the bird’s “picturesque and mythical” nature, and the author expresses the idea that the bird has some deep secret that no man will ever learn.

F: The poem is an extended metaphor for the idea that the siren possesses supernatural powers that allow it to captivate men and lure them into their death. The siren’s song is a metaphor for beauty that acts like a mask to hide its true, deadly nature underneath.

T: The tone of the poem is alluring and secretive as the siren attempts to lure unsuspecting sailors with its song. Lines like “the song that is irresistible” depict the alluring nature of the poem, while lines like “I will tell the secret to you” show the secretive nature that the siren possesses.

T: The theme of the poem represents the manipulative and deceptive power that even the most alluring creatures can possess. For while the siren was beautiful and could sing captivating songs, all those enchanted by it would soon find themselves dead.

Conclusion:

After analyzing “Siren Song,” my concluding thoughts differ from my initial reaction. I now know that the siren was not simply a bird, but it is an alluring, mythical creature. The siren’s song lures in unsuspecting men and sailors, who are completely helpless to the creatures. No one knows the siren’s song because everyone that hears the song is quickly killed by the creature. Further, while the men are able to see the “beached skulls” in front of them, they cannot stop themselves from moving towards the siren. The poem depicts a siren in the action as it allures in a new victim. The siren claimed it longed to get out of its “bird suit” and that its song was a cry for help. However, by the end of the poem, readers realize that the siren is not simply a helpless, vulnerable creature as the siren states its song “works every time,” suggesting that the bird has just captivated and killed the reader.

To Marguerite by Matthew Arnold

Text:

Yes! in the sea of life enisled,

With echoing straits between us thrown.

Dotting the shoreless watery wild,

We mortal millions live alone.

The islands feel the enclasping flow,

And then their endless bounds they know.

But when the moon their hollow lights,

And they are swept by balms of spring,

And in their glens, on starry nights,

The nightingales divinely sing;

And lovely notes, from shore to shore,

Across the sounds and channels pour;

O then a longing like despair

Is to their farthest caverns sent!

For surely once, they feel, we were

Parts of a single continent!

Now round us spreads the watery plain--

O might our marges meet again!

Who order'd that their longing's fire

Should be, as soon as kindled, cool'd?

Who renders vain their deep desire?--

A God, a God their severence ruled!

And bade betwixt their shores to be

The unplumb'd, salt, estranging sea.

Initial Reaction:

My initial reaction to the poem “To Marguerite” is that it is a poem about the lonesome nature of life. I believe that the narrator is a man that is extremely lonely because he is stranded on an island by himself. Further, while the narrator appreciates the beauty of nature, even that brings him a sense of loneliness. In addition, the man believes that the waters of the ocean will forever separate him from human companionship.

Paraphrase:

Yes: in the life where we each live in isolation,

With reoccurring obstacles thrown between us.

All along the never ceasing problems in life,

We humans live alone.

We all feel the pressures of isolation around us,

And we all feel the endlessness of the lonesomeness.

But when they see the moon’s light,

And when they feel the calmness of spring,

And when they are in the valleys when the stars are in the skies,

The birds sing;

And the beautiful songs are heard by all people

From one end of the world to the other it is heard;

Then a deep sense of loneliness

Is felt by all humans!

For at one point they all were

Parts of a whole.

Now all around us is the boundaries that separates people—

O might our paths meet again!

Who ordered that burning passions

Are to be cooled as soon as they are felt?

Who labels deepest desires as pointless?

A God, who rules separation;

And ordered for life to be

Uncontrolled and lonely.

SWIFTT:

SW: The syntax of the poem includes several interjections, such as “Yes!” “Parts of a single continent!” and “A God, a God their severance ruled!” The interjections represent the author’s frustrations and show him trying to bring extra attention to specific ideas. In addition, he used words like “island” to represent the idea of being alone. Further, he used the word “severance” towards the end of the poem to symbolize the idea that all people are separated.

I: The author uses ocean imagery to convey the message of his poem. Throughout the poem, the reader can see the imagery as the author writes, “the sea of life,” “shoreless watery wild,” “watery plain,” and “estranging seas.”

F: The poem is an extended metaphor for the separation between people. For example, the “echoing straits between us thrown” is a metaphor for the difficulties of life. In addition, the lines “The islands feel the enclasping flow, and then their endless bound they know” is a metaphor for the pressures of life and endless feelings of loneliness. Further, the island is a metaphor for isolation.

T: The tone of the poem is despairing and longing as the author contemplates the lonesomeness of his life and his separation from others.

T: The theme of the poem is that all people are separated by the invisible barrier of loneliness that cannot be overcome. The theme can be found throughout the poem through the ocean imagery and the idea expressed that life is difficult and lonely.

Conclusion:

After analyzing “To Marguerite,” my conclusion of the poem differs from my initial reaction. While I still believe the poem is about the lonesome nature of life, I now realize that the man alone on the island is a metaphor for his separation from a lover. The poem depicts a man and a woman who were once like two parts of a whole, but for some reason, are now separated. In addition, the allusions to nature represent the idea that even the most beautiful things in the world bring the narrator loneliness because he is not with his lover.