#8- "Getting Out"

The tone of this poem is sad rather than bitter. This surprises me because divorces are usually very disruptive and an angry process. The couple is having problems because they have matching hair and eyes, so they only have physical similarities, and nothing else in common. Also, they are imprisoned by each other and when the man tried to leave, he was stopped by all of the things they hadn't worked out or the things that need to be addressed. Those things were like the piles of clothes on the floor and unstrung tennis rackets. At first the couple tried to ignore it, but finally they had to part. Another thing is that they do not assign blame, they just fell out of love. In the end, they were crying and sad and it showed that the tone was correct from the beginning. A theory is that the couple is unable to conceive a child and that inability drove the couple apart.

"The Apparition"

I think this is a kind of strange poem because the speaker is worrying over something that has not happened yet. He warns his lover that if she leaves him, her new lover will not be able to protect her like he can. He keeps saying when you reject and scorn me, and it is like he is waiting for his lover to leave him. This makes me think that there is something wrong with the couple. Therefore, the man believes that he will be left. This poem is interesting because it is written in the future tense. Since it is written in the future tense, the tone is shown to be one of worry and a little bit of anger. The man is the one who might be causing the problems and he might be driving his lover away. However, that is just a theory. The only thing we know is that for some reason, the man is warning his lover that if she leaves him, she will regret it.

#10- "Crossing the Bar"

In this poem, the speaker is using ocean images to represent death. I think that the choice of imagery is helpful because so many of the functions of the ocean can represent a cycle, life, and death. The boundless deep image reminds me of a vast and calm ocean and that represents heaven because it is also described as home. A person is created by God in heaven and returns to heaven(hopefully) in the end. Also, the tide represents fate. It is a beautiful image of fate and the feeling that you'll go when you go because tides are strong forces of nature, but are not as conspicuous as waves, but ever present. The sand bar represents that step from shallow water to deep water or crossing over into heaven=death. The images in this poem support the peaceful and quiet tone of this poem. The author wants to meet his Pilot(God) in a quiet and calm way, just like the ocean on a calm day.

"My Mistress' Eyes"

When I read this I automatically thought of a ridiculous line in Dawn of the Dinosaurs(don't judge, yes I watch animated movies!). "I fell in love with a pineapple- an UGLY pineapple! But I love her." At first this poem reminded me of this silly kid's movie because I thought that the speaker is saying that his love is not the prettiest but he loves her. However, after discussion, I realized that the speaker is actually saying more by contrasting her to the objects that most people of the time compared women to. The speaker is satirizing the men who wrote poems to women and compared their beauty to the sun and the snow. The speaker makes the argument that his lover's eyes cannot be like the sun, because they are not the sun, but she is just as beautiful as the women who are having those poems written for them. I think the honesty of the speaker makes this poem more beautiful and true than the other poems written because of the "lies." Also his love for this woman is rare because it is not made under false pretenses like some are. It is rare because it is not exaggerated, it is honest, and it is true.

next of course god america i

This poem was really overwhelming for me because of the lack of significant punctuation and the speed at which you read the poem. After class discussion though, I felt like I really understood what the poem is about. A lot of Americans go through the patriotic motions but really do not feel or know what they are saying. It has become mindless, the Pledge of Allegiance, and something I don't even have to think about. This is what the speaker is warning against and what he is angry about. I think he is posing the question, "Do we really know or care?" With this satirical piece, he is calling the audience to action and to take pride in their country. The identity of quoted speaker is never really said, but I think that it is a person just like the rest of us. He talk fast in a jumble of nonsense at first, but then starts to form actual coherent thoughts toward the end. I think that he is unsure and doesn't want the attention on him, but is trying to figure out patriotism. His last couple thoughts really strike a cord, especially the one on the soldiers. This poem is trying to help the common people figure it out just like the speaker is trying to.

APO 96225

This poem reminded me overwhelmingly of The Things They Carried. There is a similar motif in that the people at home pretend to care and understand, but really just want to forget about the war. I think that this poem is written in the objective point of view because there is not embellishment or feelings that the writer conveys, just the facts. However, while the POV is objective, the author assumes the role of the speaker to convey his thoughts on the war through the poem. I think that by being objective, the speaker really shows how he feels and conveys that emotion. The Vietnam War and the Iraq War are very similar in the regard that after awhile people stopped being horrified and just wanted to forget. I will always remember something Mrs. Helbing taught us that is that the veterans of WWI and WWII received floats and parades and were considered heroes when they returned, but the veterans of Vietnam received nothing and people would not even listen. The author is expressing frustration in the American public for their lack of compassion and concern.

#10- Barbie Doll

I think the Barbie Doll is a symbol of the ideas of society and the plastic surgery the girl goes through is society's hold on youth. The beginning is characterized by a beautiful little girl playing with her Barbie, not caring about the Barbie as much, but her game. As she grows older, she cares less about her creativity, her individuality, and more about becoming that very Barbie she grew up with. The Barbie has different purposes throughout the girl's life and ultimately leads her to change who she is. The casket has its own meaning. It symbolizes the death of the old image of the girl and her individuality and marks her entrance into society and blending in. I think this girl was told that she had a weird nose and fat legs and that she was not pretty. In doing that though, the girl became less beautiful, I think, because she gave up her uniqueness and now fits the mold. Finally, the overstatement of "cutting off" her limbs shows the sacrifice she made to society... she cut herself up.