"Writing" with Jan Dean

This poem, a free-written spout of inspiration coupled with a biting mentor's retort, shows the true path that language takes when put through the steam-press that is schooling. Jan Dean, an apparently talented poet, takes what seems to be the free-writing of a child, which details a grotesque scene of trauma and concern, and pairs it with the eloquent corrections of what the reader can assume to be the child's teacher. Through this juxtaposition of incorrect, untidied passion and curt, cold corrections, Dean takes a jab at the system of education. The poem glows with the idealism of preserving an author's voice and helping that author to better convey his or her message. It shines even more as a critical frown on teachers that read for grading and not for understanding. I hope that, when I become an educator, I remember Dean's sentiment and appreciate my young writers for what they have done correctly and not what they have done wrong.

"Oh, Oh" a Successful Second Attempt

I have long been a skeptic of the 'Read Twice' method of understanding poetry; I have always believed that, for analytical purposes, a poem need only be read once with proper thoroughness. After reading William Hathaway's "Oh, Oh," I find myself rejoicing in the success of the 'Read Twice' method. "My girl and I amble a country lane," Hathaway brilliantly and simply paints a portrait of the true beauty of the countryside: most of this with the connotational naming--country lane. "moo cows chomping daisies, our own" Calling the cows "moo cows" adds credibility and character to the speaker as a man of the country--magnified even mores by the line cut, indicating ownership of the daisies being chomped. "sweet saliva green with grass stems." This is the part that lent itself to a second reading. At this point, I was convinced that the speaker was a cow and that this poem was about cow love. I realized upon a second reading, however, that Hathaway only suggest ownership of the daisies and that the speaker is chewing grass and observing the cows. The imagery thus far is brilliant. After this glorious setting is in place, dialogue kicks in from 'his girl.' The conversation slowly winds its way around their relationship: both in appreciation to the world they have, expressing dreams of a far off future that "loyally" include one another. It's all very delightful, until they "look/ eagerly to the road ahead. And there, poised and growling, are fifty Hell's Angels." This sharp turn in the final line of the poem rhetorically mimics my thought process in terms of existence: when I am surrounded on all sides by nature, I look to the trees, I listen to the birds, I feel the cool water of the lake, and when my perception is complete, my appreciation turns to concern--worry about the road ahead, paved with demons. Being somewhat of a religious wanderer, my concept of Hell's Angels (excluding the biker gang, with which I am all too familiar) is boiled down simply to 'demons,' but with a more understanding connotation: Hell's Angels could be the renaming of harsh experiences that will benefit us in that they are experiences. Anyway, Hathaway very clearly exhibits the harsh turn of thought on a beautiful day to the troubles that lie in wait on the road ahead, "poised and growling." This has been a quality poem, by William Hathaway, who is still alive at age 87 today. Congratulations, living poet. You made it.

By blustin | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

By blustin | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

Blake and I worked together on these, so please give him some credit!

"When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer," I listened elsewhere

This poem, by Walt Whitman (one of my favorite poets), is a blurred and generalized reflection of--or inspiration for--Billy Collins' "Introduction to Poetry." The speaker hears from the accomplished astronomer his analysis of the massive and unquantifiable space and becomes "tired and sick." Annoyed at the blatant arrogance of one attempting to trap the majesty of the universe with a pen and paper, the listener wanders away and seeks the inexplicable wonder simply by looking to the stars. Whitman's genius lies in both his message and his presentation: the structure of the first half of the two part idea rhetorically suggests the structure of the lecture--each line longer and more droning than the last. Then, the lines are cut short, reflecting the calm of the night outside the lecture hall, the same calm as the contented feelings that overtake the speaker. This rhetorical manipulation of the structure allows the reader to truly empathize with the speaker and the situation. Sprinkled with some instances of literary device and imagery, this poem stays true to Whitman's artistic address to language.