Jeez, Louise. What on earth are you talking about? I can barely find anything offensive in that poem at all. And I think it's often really beautiful.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
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Jeez, Louise. What on earth are you talking about? I can barely find anything offensive in that poem at all. And I think it's often really beautiful.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
I did not say that I find it offensive but just not 'tasteful' and, bar couple of lines, I can't see the 'poetic beauty' in this poem. He seems to be complaining about a stagnant life but wrote even more stagnant poem.Quote:
Originally Posted by blp
But he found a lot of strong images to express it, and some humour.
OK! What a very stimulating chat. But now it's time for another...poem of the week:
Dream Song 29
by John Berryman
There sat down, once, a thing on Henry's heart
só heavy, if he had a hundred years
& more, & weeping, sleepless, in all them time
Henry could not make good.
Starts again always in Henry's ears
the little cough somewhere, an odour, a chime.
And there is another thing he has in mind
like a grave Sienese face a thousand years
would fail to blur the still profiled reproach of. Ghastly,
with open eyes, he attends, blind.
All the bells say: too late. This is not for tears;
thinking.
But never did Henry, as he thought he did,
end anyone and hacks her body up
and hide the pieces, where they may be found.
He knows: he went over everyone, & nobody's missing.
Often he reckons, in the dawn, them up.
Nobody is ever missing.
Darn. Oh well.
Time for another. Who's posting?
Since it is Wednesday, and no new poem, I'll post one.
The Sun Rises and Sets
by Li Po, translated by Stephen Owen
The sun comes up from its nook in the east,
Seems to rise from beneath the earth,
Passes on through Heaven,
sets once again in the western sea,
And where, oh, where, can its team of six dragons
ever find any rest?
Its daily beginnings and endings,
since ancient times never resting.
And man is not made of its Primal Stuff--
how can he linger beside it long?
Plants feel no thanks for their flowering in spring's wind,
Nor do trees hate losing their leaves
under autumn skies:
Who wields the whip that drives along
four seasons of changes--
The rise and the ending of all things
is just the way things are.
Hsi-ho! Hsi-ho! [goddess who drove sun's carriage]
Why must you always drown yourself
in those wild and reckless waves?
What power had Lu-yang [legendary figure stopped sun's path
to continue a fight]
That he halted your course by shaking his spear?
This perverts the Path of things,
errs from Heaven's will--
So many lies and deceits!
I'll wrap this Mighty Mudball of a world
all up in a bag
And be wild and free like Chaos itself!
[these are much needed side notes]
oops, I just found this and it looks like no one has posted a poem for this week yet so I'll sneek on up even though it's a few days late.
11/2/05-11/7/05 by Margaret Atwood
Siren Song
This is the one song everyone
would like to learn: the song
that is irresistable:
the song that forces men
to leap overboard in squadrons
even though they see the beached skulls
the song nobody knows
because anyone who has 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 everytime.
Well I too am a few days late, but this week is free. Though not my favorite poet, this is my favorite poem. He seems to be able to introduce with such subtle euphony. and the last line ... well i love it.
SHE WLKS IN BEAUTY by Byron
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:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
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!
I liked it, very nice. I hope people will start sharing more poems.
One of my favorite poems.
THE LABORATORY by: Robert Browning (1812-1889)
I
Now that I, tying thy glass mask tightly,
May gaze thro' these faint smokes curling whitely,
As thou pliest thy trade in this devil's-smithy--
Which is the poison to poison her, prithee?
II
He is with her; and they know that I know
Where they are, what they do: they believe my tears flow
While they laugh, laugh at me, at me fled to the drear
Empty church, to pray God in, for them! -- I am here.
III
Grind away, moisten and mash up thy paste,
Pound at thy powder, -- I am not in haste!
Better sit thus, and observe thy strange things,
Than go where men wait me and dance at the King's.
IV
That in the mortar -- you call it a gum?
Ah, the brave tree whence such gold oozings come!
And yonder soft phial, the exquisite blue,
Sure to taste sweetly, -- is that poison too?
V
Had I but all of them, thee and thy treasures,
What a wild crowd of invisible pleasures!
To carry pure death in an earring, a casket,
A signet, a fan-mount, a filligree-basket!
VI
Soon, at the King's, a mere lozenge to give
And Pauline should have just thirty minutes to live!
But to light a pastille, and Elise, with her head
And her breast and her arms and her hands, should drop dead!
VII
Quick -- is it finished? The colour's too grim!
Why not soft like the phial's, enticing and dim?
Let it brighten her drink, let her turn it and stir,
And try it and taste, ere she fix and prefer!
VIII
What a drop! She's not little, no minion like me--
That's why she ensnared him: this never will free
The soul from those masculine eyes, -- say, 'no!'
To that pulse's magnificent come-and-go.
IX
For only last night, as they whispered, I brought
My own eyes to bear on her so, that I thought
Could I keep them one half minute fixed, she would fall,
Shrivelled; she fell not; yet this does not all!
X
Not that I bid you spare her the pain!
Let death be felt and the proof remain;
Brand, burn up, bite into its grace--
He is sure to remember her dying face!
XI
Is it done? Take my mask off! Nay, be not morose
It kills her, and this prevents seeing it close:
The delicate droplet, my whole fortune's fee--
If it hurts her, beside, can it ever hurt me?
XII
Now, take all my jewels, gorge gold to your fill,
You may kiss me, old man, on my mouth if you will!
But brush this dust off me, lest horror it brings
Ere I know it -- next moment I dance at the King's!
Strange poem. But interesting. My favorite stanza: X
Not that I bid you spare her the pain!
Let death be felt and the proof remain;
Brand, burn up, bite into its grace--
He is sure to remember her dying face!
Strange indeed but it’s full of emotion namely revenge. I don’t know, I’ve enjoyed this since my high school years. If sounds so conniving and convincing. One of my favorite stanzas is:
He is with her; and they know that I know
Where they are, what they do: they believe my tears flow
While they laugh, laugh at me, at me fled to the drear
Empty church, to pray God in, for them! -- I am here.
There plotting death! And the last line – he’s off to dance at the Kings and to wreak that havoc! *insert evil laugh* Morbid perhaps but well done! :D
i know that it is not a monday, and that i am not supposed to do it, but i can't help it! Well, first i wanna ask, can i put one of my own poems up for poem of the week?
YFL,
This thread is for already published and somewhat known poets and poems to give us a chance to discuss those. You can always post your own poems in the Personal Poetry section.
I do but i am not really a fan of the layout...
I am sorry that the Forum's layout does not satisfy you. Maybe you can take your suggestions to the Admin at the Literature Network subforum: http://www.online-literature.com/for...isplay.php?f=9