Winter Dreams

2011-08-22

My parents are the antithesis to what I think of as poetic. Practical and pragmatic, yes, but poetic they are most assuredly not. Growing up, everything needed to have a purpose and that purpose needed to be something that would apply to making you an adult. Which is why any attempt to delve into literature, music, or history was met with disdain at best and open derision at worse.

A Thousand Little Deaths

2011-08-15

Since we’ve started this little poetry appreciation project it seems like I am constantly dredging up half-buried memories from high school and college. The entire time I was reading about Dorthy Parker I kept feeling that I knew her work from somewhere; when I came across her poem Resume I finally remembered where. Senior year in High School I was introduced to that particular piece by my Literature teacher who remarked that Ms. Parker was known for her sarcasm and satire and invited comparisons to yours truly.

Our American Cousin

2011-08-08

I’ve been listening to podcasts and reading books about the American Civil War - 150th anniversary and all - for the last few weeks, so for this week I thought I would pick a poem tied into that conflict. For Civil War era poetry - at least when I’m picking - the choice comes down to Melville or Whitman, and since I’ve shared a Melville piece on a previous Poetry Monday, I’ve decided to go with Uncle Walt today.

Not Gone Yet

2011-08-01

At first glance this is a rather depressing poem, but I tend to view it differently. After all, loss is part of life and even though the author bemoans the fact that they are all gone at least he had the chance to know those old familiar faces. I know, it’s a real “glass is half full” type attitude that stands in stark contrast to the fact that the final line of each stanza hits you with the force of a funeral dirge.

To Sail Beyond the Sunset

2011-07-25

When I first read The Lord of the Rings in grade school I remember being horribly depressed at the end of the book. Reading about how Sam, Merry, and Pippin moved on with their lives, got married, and started having kids really paled in comparison to reading about their adventures. Now, I’m not a total ass - I was happy that they were reaping the fruits of their labor, but in the back of my mind I always wondered if they really enjoyed it as much as they did when they were kicking ass over in Mordor back in the day.