Chastity's American Literature

Love Poems

chasmillercsm — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:27:38 +0000

My favorite love poem is “True Love”, because it is very realistic and honest. This poem is based on a married couple who has their good and bad times, but they still have unconditional love for each other. I would describe this poem honest and also humorous, because she says, “He is willing to wear unironed undershorts…Out of respect for the fact that I am philsophically opposed to ironing.” This poem have many aspects on marriage life, which makes the poem so realistic, like for example, “When he is late for dinner and I know he must be either having an affair or lying dead in the middle of the street,…I always hope he’s dead.” I believe that if a couple, can go through their good times and bad times, and still love each other has a real marriage.

The love poem “Oranges” is very innocent, for example, “The first time I walked…With a girl, I was twelve,” is not mature as “True Love’. The love poem, “I’ve Been Under Many Ceilings” is experienced, but I don’t want my boyfriend telling me about all of his sexual partners. Like for example, “…random ceilings…above random houses…of random people.” The love poem, “Beneath My Hand and Eye the Distant Hills. Your Body” is intimate, sexual, lustful, passionate and very intense. Like for example, “…hand curves over, following the line…”hip” and “groin”, this poem is not as realistic as “True Love”.

Langston Hughes

chasmillercsm — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:08:36 +0000

Langston Hughes poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”, is about the history of African Americans. In this poem, Hughes focuses on specific historical events, such as, “I heard the singing of Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans”. Hughes also mentions the ancestors and how far African Americans have come, when he says,”I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older that the flow of human blood in human veins.” The rivers represents a constant movement, Hughes used rivers to symbolize the process being made or the change in the African American culture. Hughes is proud of his cultural background. When he says, “My soul has grown deep like the rivers”. I love this poem, because Hughes uses the river as a metaphor to change and progress.

Langston Hughes wrote a poem about a college experience in an all white english classroom called, “Theme for English B”. His professor gave an homework assignment, and says write a paper. Hughes began to think about writing as a black person, “Being me, it will not be white.” He goes on to say that we are all human regardless of your race, ”I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like.” In addition, Hughes believes that we all have the same desires and needs,”Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink and be in love.” I think Langston Hughes was trying to say that no matter what background you come from, we are all Americans.

Langston Hughes writings are very different from William Carlos William, because Hughes poems are very specific and detailed. While William’s writings are vague, and very concise. Langston focuses on historical events of African Americans and has a one specific meaning. While, Williams has multiple meanings that are very abstracted.

“The Fall of Icarus”

chasmillercsm — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:59:07 +0000

William Carlos William poem, “The Fall of Icarus” is about Icarus death being unnoticed, and that no one cared. I think Icarus represents people who have died, and the world keeps going on. The landscape represents the people who are still living and how they are busy with their lives. In the painting, Icarus is drowing in the sea, while people are talking and boats sailing by him. I think William Carlos William is saying that when you die, people will not notice or care. I agree with him, because we cannot have a celebration for every one that dies, it would be non-stop. Even if I died, I would want my family to remember me, but life still goes on.

Whitman and Dickinson

chasmillercsm — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:57:09 +0000

Walt Whitman poems are very expansive, gregarious, self-celebratory and is very open about his life experiences. His writings are very detailed with alot of images. He is described as gregarious, because he loves talking about groups of people, like for example the poem, “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” he said, “Crowds of men and women attired in the usual costumes, how curios you are to me!”

Whitman is also described as self-celebratory, because of his poem, “Song of Myself” he said, “I celebrate myself, and sing myself…” He uses an open form to describe his self and his experiences, like for example in “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” he said, “Flow on river! Flow with the flood tide, and ebb with the ebb tide!” However, Emily Dickinson have completely different writings skills from Whitman.

Emily Dickinson poems are private, idiosyncrasy, and very concise. Her writing are very short and concise, like for example, her poem called, “185″, only consists of four lines. Dickinson is described as a “private” poet, because she tells you about how she feels emotionally. Like for example, “280″, she said, “I felt a funeral, in my brain…And Mourners to and fro.” This is how she felt at the time that she written this poem. I also describe Dickinson as idiosyncrasy, because her writing are very unique, like for example, “The Yellow Wallpaper” about a mentally ill women. Dickinson seemed to be a withdrawn person like in her poem, “324″, she said, “I keep it, staying at home-”.