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Wednesday, September 1, 2010

3 poems

Wanted to share 3 poems that are some of my favorites,
I also have a favorite from college that I shall not share
here, as it is dark and sad. it is called The Girl, by Sharon Olds.
Look it up if you would like, but it is not for all. It is a graphic
depiction of two young girls being raped. This is NOT why I like
it. I like it because it is a graphic look into a event I have feared
my whole life. It tells of strength of survival and in the end is
more about life than death. I would be lying if I did not say that it
took me several times to read the entire poem in school. Shock,
bewilderment and than a final desensitization and I could
than understand it. I have never forgotten it, and because of
that, it is the most powerful poem I have ever read.
I admire Olds for her poetry and her strength of character.
When invited to a dinner by Laura Bush she sent a letter declining
to attend:
"
So many Americans who had felt pride in our country now feel anguish and
shame, for the current regime of blood, wounds and fire. I thought of the clean
linens at your table, the shining knives and the flames of the candles,
and I could not stomach it.
"

Below are 3 tame poems I have also admired.

Something these poems all share are the imagery that I feel,
the emotion that it brings out on me. It reflects the fears,
and joys in life and makes you think. I believe a good piece of writing
will always make you think.

i carry your heart with me




i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

Edward Estlin Cummings

The Old Astronomer to His Pupil

Tycho Brahe

Reach me down my Tycho Brahe, I would know him when we meet,
When I share my later science, sitting humbly at his feet;
He may know the law of all things, yet be ignorant of how
We are working to completion, working on from then to now.

Pray remember that I leave you all my theory complete,
Lacking only certain data for your adding, as is meet,
And remember men will scorn it, 'tis original and true,
And the obliquy of newness may fall bitterly on you.

But, my pupil, as my pupil you have learned the worth of scorn,
You have laughed with me at pity, we have joyed to be forlorn,
What for us are all distractions of men's fellowship and smiles;
What for us the Goddess Pleasure with her meretricious smiles.

You may tell that German College that their honor comes too late,
But they must not waste repentance on the grizzly savant's fate.
Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.

Sarah Williams


O Captain! My Captain!
by Walt Whitman


1

O C
APTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart! 5
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

2

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills; 10
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck, 15
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

3

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won; 20
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.



3 comments:

Unknown said...

very emotional poems...

The Rambler said...

You know EE Cummings is my fav!!

Evelyn said...

Interestingly the e.e. cummings poem is one that impressed me so much a few years ago that I put it on my main Live Space blog and about two weeks ago I translated it into French and put it on my French blog for a friend's birthday. I tried to keep the integrity of it in the translation which is generally seriously lacking in most of the translations I've seen on the internet. If you're interested you can check them out.
http://matite.over-blog.com
and the English version is on my Live Space some time back in Nov of 2007 I believe. I remember Walt Whitman's poem on that first serious movie Robin Williams starred in years ago DEAD POETS SOCIETY. It makes me cry when I read it now.
; )