City of IF

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 12:52 pm Post subject: Poem of the Week!

As the title states, this thread will contain one poem per week to be read and discussed. If you have a particular poem that you like, please P.M. me and let me know. If I don't receive a suggestion, I will choose a poem myself and post it every Monday.

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 12:57 pm Post subject:

Poem of the Week - October 27, 2014

One of my favorites.

Thanatopsis by William Cullen Bryant.

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 7:27 pm Post subject:

Long poem. . .I plan to read and discuss, but I will have to wait until the weekend when I has time to do it justice :P

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 5:49 pm Post subject: I Think. . .

Well, first off, wonderful poem, it was very beautiful. Definitely longer than the ones I write, which makes me wonder a bit. . .Anyways, let's move on with my thoughts. . . .

Over all I get the feeling that this would be a great poem for someone to help them remain positive about death. It talks of everyone gathering, being brought together as to not leave the subject feeling alone. I can see this as good for people on the battlefield or on their deathbeds. Sounds funny, I know, but I think imagery like this is good for people facing death. It manages to avoid being overtly religious while still having the calming peaceful afterlife look found in many religions which as you know are the comforting factors for people who try and imagine afterlife. I looked up the name of the poem just now and found out I was right about the death thing, yay me :P

The beginning actually sounds like someone speaking to another who is dying of some illness or something, the dark undertones a great segue into later verses without being too jarring by the difference. The repeated reference to mother nature(for lack of a better phrase) gives this an almost Celtic or Wiccan feel, but again, nothing was too over, it was very well balanced in there.

I am intrigued by the use of so much punctuation coupled with the capitalization at the beginning of each line. A part of me thinks this would have been better in a different format, but that maybe because of my limited understanding of all forms of poetry. I'm kinda a stickler for proper caps and having them in the middle of what are clearly sentences is a bit odd for me. I'll have to do more research on that. Also, this guy uses more commas that I do, heheh.

I can see a lot of the phraseology would not make sense to a lot of people nowadays giving this poem an older feel. Actually make me kinda feel sad for people who wouldn't be able to understand this fine work. . . But that is an old issue of mine along with people who tell me "I don't read" which is a very mournful statement. Anyways, the word choice is fabulous, it really rolls off the tongue and provides a really good tempo for the subject matter.

I must say that the first part was my favorite, but then again I always appreciate a bit of darkness here and there in writing and it did a very good job of talking about the decent into death without being depressing. It was more dark and brooding than depressing, showed some real thought.

Over all a lovely piece I enjoyed reading and got me thinking about some new thoughts and ideas for me to hack at later. I like this poem.

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 8:44 am Post subject: Re: I Think. . .

PopeAlessandrosXVIII wrote:
I am intrigued by the use of so much punctuation coupled with the capitalization at the beginning of each line. A part of me thinks this would have been better in a different format, but that maybe because of my limited understanding of all forms of poetry. I'm kinda a stickler for proper caps and having them in the middle of what are clearly sentences is a bit odd for me. I'll have to do more research on that.

Here's an interesting article on capitalization in poetry.

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 7:43 pm Post subject:

Thanks Hero-kun! I'll got read that now. What do YOU think of the poem?

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 12:14 pm Post subject:

PopeAlessandrosXVIII wrote: What do YOU think of the poem?

It is one of my favorites. It is a sort of naturalistic look at death, but uplifting at the same time. It can make you either happy or sad, depending on how you look at it.

Are you going to choose the next one or should I?

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 12:21 pm Post subject:

I can do the next if you like. Would The Raven be too old fashioned?

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 12:34 pm Post subject:

PopeAlessandrosXVIII wrote: I can do the next if you like. Would The Raven be too old fashioned?

I love Poe, but I haven't the foggiest idea of what to say about The Raven. I'll have to think on this.

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 1:32 am Post subject:

If it's too much of a pain I can pick something else :P

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 11:14 am Post subject:

PopeAlessandrosXVIII wrote: If it's too much of a pain I can pick something else :P

That's cheating!

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 5:00 pm Post subject:

WHaaaat? If it's not thought provoking then it kinda defeats the purpose! Anyways, I was mostly joking :P

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 4:27 am Post subject:

I guess I would say that it is a good representation of man's grief, and how a person in mourning can find a lost love in anything. That's pretty much all I got. Now it is YOUR turn ;)

After you are done with Poe, I have already picked the next one. It is quite short, so that should make you happy!

It is the first poem here. I don't think it has a title, but it is the introductory poem to The Celtic Twilight by W.B. Yeats.

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 12:15 am Post subject:

To me it is a beautiful if a bit beguiling bit of story telling that manages to pack a lot of feeling into a bewildering happening that is very moving if you can keep up with what Poe was saying as his style has often lead to much confusion in my peers and most definitely more so in the youth of today. The rage an passion is unmistakable and settles along sine the loss and mourning in such a way that it leaves me a bit breathless by the end. *Is having fun with 'b' words today*

*Wanders off to check out Hero-kun's poem choice*

Ah, a wonderful little tidbit reveling in the undying nature of the unforgiving passage of time. I like it. It's simple, and comforting it it's own way.

I shall now go and hunt down my next share!

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 2:24 am Post subject:

PopeAlessandrosXVIII wrote:
*Wanders off to check out Hero-kun's poem choice*

Ah, a wonderful little tidbit reveling in the undying nature of the unforgiving passage of time. I like it. It's simple, and comforting it it's own way.

I shall now go and hunt down my next share!

Actually, I don't think it is about time. He mentions time, but I think the point of the poem is in the last three lines. Try reading it one more time.

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 2:49 am Post subject: I Think. . .

Time drops in decay
Like a candle burnt out.
And the mountains and woods
Have their day, have their day;
But, kindly old rout
Of the fire-born moods,
You pass not away.

Actually the first half makes more sense to me than the last half. The last line about the fiery rout makes me think of anger that never fades, but since I don't believe in that I'm not sure what to make of it. . .

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 2:59 am Post subject: Re: I Think. . .

Time drops in decay
Like a candle burnt out.
And the mountains and woods
Have their day, have their day;
But, kindly old rout
Of the fire-born moods,
You pass not away.

PopeAlessandrosXVIII wrote:
since I don't believe in that

An optimist, are we :D

Anyways, my interpretation of it is, in a far less sophisticated voice, that group anger is hard to disperse. I'm not sure this quite describes what I think it means, but a deeper meaning will have to wait until a time that is later than 6am.

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 3:06 am Post subject:

*Giggles* Always.

Also, we could just agree that poetry means something different to each person that reads it, though I do find your interpretation interesting and understandable *Smile*

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 3:13 am Post subject:

PopeAlessandrosXVIII wrote: Also, we could just agree that poetry means something different to each person that reads it, though I do find your interpretation interesting and understandable *Smile*

Sure. However, author's intent vs reader's interpretation is a contentious debate in the literary world. Maybe your interpretation is closer to the author's intent, maybe mine is, maybe we are both far off. Whether that matters or not is up for debate. I sometimes have an opinion on it, although I generally try not to think too much about anything.

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 4:44 am Post subject:

I think authors intent has it's place, but as with everything put out there for people to see and judge the author opens their work up to all sorts of interesting things like controversy and inspiration :P I mean, if I put out a poem about puppies and someone interpreted it to mean they should go and kill millions of ducks sure that would feel a bit odd, but hey, things happen :P In short, authors can intent all they want, but once they present their work to the public, they have no say in the matter :P

HalfEmptyHero · Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 2:49 pm Post subject:

I guess I'll pick the next.

All Things will Die by Alfred Tennyson.

I must confess, this brought a smile to my face while reading it. I can't say why, and I certainly have read it before in a more somber disposition. But for some unknown reason, tonight it brought a smile to my face. How strange!

PopeAlessandrosXVIII · Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:25 am Post subject: I Think. . .

Oh, I really like this one. I seem to recall reading it before, but I'm not positive. . . .I think I have, but that's besides the point :P The phrasing and tempo were very entertaining and despite the dark subject matter, the way it is addressed is very straight forward and I can see why it makes you smile.