The Poem as Life

Basics Origins (formal or informal ceremonies/ Origins (formal or informal ceremonies/ public moments) Life in spatial environment Life in spatial environment Seasonal or ritual moments of time Seasonal or ritual moments of time

Important Questions What piece of life, private or public, is a poem concerned with? What piece of life, private or public, is a poem concerned with? Where and when is this life being lived? Where and when is this life being lived?

Clichés In greeting cards and magazines: Babies are lovable Babies are lovable Brides are beautiful Brides are beautiful 50 th wedding anniversaries are happy 50 th wedding anniversaries are happy Young men should fight in war Young men should fight in war Americans should take pride in their countrys history Americans should take pride in their countrys history

Clichés--Continued Time and Space Time and Space EX: The springtime of life leads only to the narrow space of the grave. EX: The springtime of life leads only to the narrow space of the grave.

Originality Good poets avoid cliché. Good poets avoid cliché. They help us to see events in a new light. They help us to see events in a new light. Great poems transcend being mere representations of life and become works of art. Great poems transcend being mere representations of life and become works of art.

The Private Life Birth poems Infant Sorrow William Blake What is arresting about this poem?

Baby as a fiend hid in a cloud

Other private life poems Poems about Childhood The School Children Louise Gluck The School Children Louise Gluck What makes this poem disturbing?

The new clothes and apples are here strangely sinister The new clothes and apples are here strangely sinister

The Public Life Some commemorate communal celebration EX: The Night Before Christmas Some commemorate communal celebration EX: The Night Before Christmas Some concern crucial single public events Some concern crucial single public events EX: American History Some question the state of common life (at a certain time and place) Some question the state of common life (at a certain time and place)

Public and private lives as mirrors Public and private lives as mirrors

Nature and Time Nature (the earth, sun, moon, stars, animals, planets) Nature (the earth, sun, moon, stars, animals, planets) Time (seasons, months, etc.) Time (seasons, months, etc.)

Ancient resources for poetry Ancient resources for poetry A great achievement to write an original poem about spring A great achievement to write an original poem about spring Poets link human seasons and their counterparts in the natural world Poets link human seasons and their counterparts in the natural world

Time Images linked to cultural memory waves of the sea waves of the sea progress of the sun from dawn to dusk progress of the sun from dawn to dusk the fall of great men the fall of great men

The tragedy of early death The tragedy of early death Time as the Grim Reaper Time as the Grim Reaper

In Brief: The Poem as Life What piece of life is the poem about? A disappointment in love A disappointment in love The death of a parent The death of a parent An absence of a friend An absence of a friend A crisis of personal confidence A crisis of personal confidence A moment of fear A moment of fear

Seek Out: Moments of Disequilibrium EXAMPLES: Hope has come to rebuke despair Love has come to thaw coldness Envy has come to upset happiness Shame has come to interfere with self-esteem

Ask Yourself Under what circumstances would I find myself saying these words? Under what circumstances would I find myself saying these words? Poem is written for you to SAY Poem is written for you to SAY A lyric poem is a speech made for us to utter. A lyric poem is a speech made for us to utter. The poem is ABOUT lifeIt is NOT life. The poem is ABOUT lifeIt is NOT life.

General Questions What has recently happened to the speaker? What has recently happened to the speaker? What aspect of his or her life has the speaker been thinking about? Is this a private life situation (a family death, for instance) or a public situation (a religious massacre, a war memorial)? What aspect of his or her life has the speaker been thinking about? Is this a private life situation (a family death, for instance) or a public situation (a religious massacre, a war memorial)?

Other Questions? What stage of life has the speaker reached? What stage of life has the speaker reached? How much does the speaker tell you about his or her feelings? How much does the speaker tell you about his or her feelings? Are the feelings expressed normal? How do they compare with what people might normally say or feel? Are the feelings expressed normal? How do they compare with what people might normally say or feel?