Telephone Poles by John Updike

Text:

They have been with us a long time.
They will outlast the elms.
Our eyes, like the eyes of a savage sieving the trees
In his search for game,
Run through them. They blend along small-town streets
Like a race of giants that have faded into mere mythology.
Our eyes, washed clean of belief,
Lift incredulous to their fearsome crowns of bolts, trusses, struts, nuts, insulators, and such
Barnacles as compose
These weathered encrustations of electrical debris¬
Each a Gorgon’s head, which, seized right,
Could stun us to stone.

Yet they are ours. We made them.
See here, where the cleats of linemen
Have roughened a second bark
Onto the bald trunk. And these spikes
Have been driven sideways at intervals handy for human legs.
The Nature of our construction is in every way
A better fit than the Nature it displaces
What other tree can you climb where the birds’ twitter,
Unscrambled, is English? True, their thin shade is negligible,
But then again there is not that tragic autumnal
Casting-off of leaves to outface annually.
These giants are more constant than evergreens
By being never green.

Initial Response:

I believe the poem is about how humans are taking advantage of nature. Instead of valuing nature and trees, humans destroy their beauty and replace them with telephone poles.   

Paraphrase:

They have been with us for a while.
They will be he longer than trees.
Our eyes, like the eyes of a savage sieving the trees
In his search for game,
Run past the trees. They blend with the small town.
Like mythology, the trees have become lost.
Our eyes, blinded by improvement,
Believing in their fearsome crowns of bolts, trusses, struts, nuts, insulators, and such
Barnacles as compose
These weathered creations of electrical debris¬
Each like the Greek Goddess Gorgon’s head,
Could stun us to stone.

Yet they are our own creations.
See where the shoes of our workers
Have weathered the second bark
Onto the bald trunk. And these spikes
Have been constructed to fit for human legs.
 Our creations, In every way,
are better than the nature that used to be there
What other tree can be climbed where the birds lay,
Unscrambled, is English? True, the thin shade of our creations is next to nothing,
But then there will not be the tragic autumn
As the tree casts off leaves annually.
These giants are more unchanging than evergreens
Without even being green.

SWIFTT
    {SW}SYNTAX/ Word Choice:
             The poem is written in short, concise sentences. Updike uses earthly words to represent the beauty of trees. This can be noticed in the lines, “the bird’s twiiter.” Along with the earthly word choice, Updike also uses words to describe how humans due things for their own needs, such as “sieving.”

 {I}Imagery:
              As the poem continues, it adapts from the imagery mechanics and industrialization of telephone poles to the lost imagery of trees. The poem has lines such as, “Lift incredulous to their fearsome crowns of bolts, trusses,/struts, nuts, insulators, and such/Barnacles as compose
/These weathered encrustations of electrical debris¬” which is imagery for the telephone poles, and “What other tree can you climb where the birds’ twitter,/ Unscrambled, is English? True, their thin shade is negligible,” which is imagery for trees.

{F}Figurative Language:
              This poem contains many examples of figurative language- from similes, to imagery. The line, “Our eyes, like the eyes of a savage sieving the trees, /In his search for game,” contains not only simile, but alliteration. Updike uses imagery in both trees and telephone poles; the line, “Lift incredulous to their fearsome crowns of bolts, trusses, struts, nuts, insulators, and such” is an example of the telephone pole used in imagery; the line, “What other tree can you climb where the birds’ twitter,” is an example of imagery used in describing the trees.

    {T}Tone:
               The tone of the poem is bitter, as Updike conveys the idea that humans have destroyed nature to achieve their own purposes. An example is in line, “Yet they are ours. We made them”
     {T}Theme:
                The theme of this poem is that as humas wish to advance in culture and technologically, nature will begin to disappear, as advancement has no room for nature.  
      

Conclusion:
                “Telephone Poles” is a satirical poem about how as humans push for advancement, They begin to lose nature. Although technology and advancement are critical, humans should appreciate the value of beauty of nature. Although the conception of technology being better than nature is conveyed throughout the future generations, technology can “never [be] green. ”

Musee des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden

Text:

About suffering they were never wrong,
The old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green
Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

Initial Response:

The first stanza seemed to talk about how the old and wise men were struggling in life, and how the wished to be young again. Every time they saw a young one having fun, they would reminisce over their past, and wished they could have it back. The second stanza was about a boy who was apparently drowning and crying for help, yet the farmer was ignorance the calls. Out of nowhere, a ship appears and saves the boy, who now calmly sails away.

Paraphrase:

They were never wrong about suffering.
the old masters; they understood everything so well
Everything happens due to human nature
While someone else is eating, opening a window, or just walking dully along;
Although they grow old, they continue to wait,
From birth, they are always,
Children who did not want it to happen, begin skating,
On a pond at the edges of the wood:
They never forgot
Even the dreadful martyrdom continues
Even though, in tough conditions, there are some unclean spots.

Where dogs live their lives in their owner’s house,
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: everything turns away
 Leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the forsaken cry, ,
For him, it was not an important failure; the sun shines
As it had passed from his legs to the grass.
Water, the delicate ship was traveling on
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

SWIFTT
    {SW}SYNTAX/ Word Choice:
             The subject of the poem basically sets the word choice for the story; Blake discusses the devil in this poem, consequently making the word choice evil and dark. This word choice is evident in the lines “When the stars threw down their spears, /And watered heaven with their tears, /Did he smile his work to see? /Did he who made the Lamb make thee?”
     {I}Imagery:
              The poem describes the physical features of the devil. This imagery is especially present in the lines, “And what shoulder, & what art. /Could twist the sinews of thy heart? /And when thy heart began to beat, /What dread hand? & what dread feet?” and the lines, “What the hammer? what the chain? /In what furnace was thy brain? /What the anvil? what dread grasp/Dare its deadly terrors clasp?”

{F}Figurative Language:
              There are no uses of similes, personification, or metaphors.
    {T}Tone:
               The tone is very nonchalant and stream of conscience -esq (first stanza) but in the second stanza, it is very contemptuous to portray the ignorance of the farmer.
     {T}Theme:
                The theme of this poem is to show human indifference to others who are in need of help.

War is Kind by Stephen Crane

Text:

Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind,
Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky
And the affrighted steed ran on alone,
Do not weep.
War is kind.

Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment,
Little souls who thirst for fight,
These men were born to drill and die.
The unexplained glory flies above them.
Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom--
A field where a thousand corpses lie.

Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.
Because your father tumbles in the yellow trenches,
Raged at his breast, gulped and died,
Do not weep.
War is kind.

Swift blazing flag of the regiment,
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
These men were born to drill and die.
Point for them the virtue of slaughter,
Make plain to them the excellence of killing
And a field where a thousand corpses lie.

Mother whose heart hung humble as a button
On the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
War is kind!

Initial Response:

            I believe that “War is Kind,” is a satirical poem. Although the title states that war is kind, Stephen Crane is trying to show how war is very gruesome. Throughout many examples, Crane vividly shows how war can be such a frightening thing.

Paraphrase:

Do not cry woman. War is kind.
Because your lover jumped into the war,
And the bewildered man ran by himself.
Do not cry.

War is kind.

The booming drums of the regiment is heard everywhere.

Many men have a thirst for fighting.
The men were born to train and die.
The glory is hanging above them.

The battle was a fight for the kingdom-
A field where many men have died

Do not cry, baby, war is kind.
Even though your father tumbles in the trenches,
Raged with himself, he died
Do not cry.
War is kind.

The swift blazing flag of the Swift blazing flag of the regiment,
With the emblem of an eagle, colored with a red and gold crest,
These men where born to train and die.
Show them the true ways of slaughter.
Show them the beauty of killing
 where a field of corpses lie.

A mothers heart has sunk at the bottom.
On the blanket where her son lies.
Do not cry.
War is kind.

SWIFTT
    {SW}SYNTAX/ Word Choice:
             The author uses repetition to convey his sarcastic tone, and he also provides examples and events of war, and then proceeds with the main idea of the poem, which is “war is kind.”This is reiterated through almost the entire poem. The word choice is very dismal, and miserable. The author is portraying the grief of losing a loved one in war, but how in the end, war is kind (satire). This is portrayed in the lines “Mother whose heart hung humble as a button/ On the bright splendid shroud of your son,/ Do not weep./War is kind!”
     {I}Imagery:
              “War is kind” displays many graphic scenes of warfare throughout the poem. In lines such as, “The swift blazing flag of the Swift blazing flag of the regiment,/With the emblem of an eagle, colored with a red and gold crest,/ These men were born to train and die./ Show them the true ways of slaughter” the author tells the reader the difficult times during war.
     {F}Figurative Language:
              The poem uses both alliteration and personification.  An example of alliteration occurs in the line, “Mother whose heart hung humble as a button.” Personification is exemplified through the line, “Mother whose heart hung humble as a button” that shows that her heart is dropping, and “The unexplained glory flies above them” where glory flies above the men.
 {T}Tone:
               The tone for the poem is very sarcastic and dismal. The author constantly portrays the gruesome, graphic war scenes, such as “Swift blazing flag of the regiment,Eagle with crest of red and gold, These men were born to drill and die” showing the fears of war, yet stating that “war is kind.” The dismal tone also occurs when the author paints the war scene. An example would be, “Mother whose heart hung humble as a button On the bright splendid shroud of your son, Do not weep. War is kind!”

     {T}Theme:
                The theme of “War is Kind” is that war is not as simple as it seems- lives, families, and love are all at stake.   The author satirizes the concept of war, stating that “These men were born to drill and die,”

       Conclusion:
                Before reading this poem, I thought that this poem would provide examples of how war is kind, and not a frightful thing. After reading, however, it was evident that the poem’s title is a paradox. The poem was actually about how war is very frightful, and how casualties are not just deaths, but the breaking of relationships.  

The Tiger by William Blake

Text:

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Initial Response:

             I believe that the “The Tyger,” circles around evilness and the devil. The poem directly contrasts with “the Lamb,” also written by William Blake. The Lamb symbolized purity and innocence, while the tiger symbolizes evilness and darkness. “The Tyger” also raises questions about the devil, such as his origin.  

Paraphrase:

Tyger! Tyger! Shining brightly
In the forests of the night,
What immortal person
Could create such a fearful creature?

Is there any where in the world where
The fire shines sho brightly in one’s eyes?
Where did he come from?
Who would dare associate themselves with this fire?

And what structure he has!
Can he even twist the tendons in his heart?
And when his hear begins to beat,
What fearsome hands and feet he has?

What is the hammer for? The chain?
Did his brain come from a furnace?
What about the anvil? What grasp he has.
Does he use it to strangle others?

When meteors are falling everywhere,
And filled the heavens like tears,  
Was he pleased?
Did God create such a treacherous creature?

Tyger! Tyger! Shining brightly
In the forests of the night,
What immortal person
Could create such a fearful creature?

SWIFTT
    {S}SYNTAX/ Word Choice:
             The poem repeats the first and last stanzas to summarize the main idea of the poem. The poem is written in a question and answer form, similar to “The Lamb”. The answer display the mysterious word choice, which are evident in lines such as, “Could frame thy fearful symmetry,” “Could twist the sinews of thy heart,” and “In what furnace was thy brain.”
     {I}Imagery:
              Due to the allusions throughout the poem, Blake contains many example of the evil, fiery devil. The poem begins with, “Tiger, tiger, burning bright” creating the fiery image of the devil; this also occurs in the lines, “Burnt the fire of thine eyes.” The poem  mainly provides vivid details of fire. The poem also describes the physical features of the devil. This imagery is especially present in the lines, “And what shoulder, & what art. /Could twist the sinews of thy heart? /And when thy heart began to beat, /What dread hand? & what dread feet?” and the lines, “What the hammer? what the chain? /In what furnace was thy brain? /What the anvil? what dread grasp/Dare its deadly terrors clasp?”

     {F}Figurative Language:
              The poem contains many examples of figurative language, from extended metaphors, to personification, and alliteration. The tiger is an extended metaphor of the devil, who represents evilness, darkness, and fire. In the first line, “Tiger, tiger, burning bright, ” is relating the tiger to fire, which in turn, relates the tiger to the devil. Personification is used in the lines, “When the stars threw down their spears,/ And water'd heaven with their tears.” The use of alliteration is the only use of figurative language in this poem. This language is evident in the line, “In what distant deeps or skies.”
    {T}Tone:
               The tone is very dark and evil, as Blake is describing the devil physical features, evil acts, and tools. Many examples relay this tone from lines such as, “And what shoulder and what art  Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand and what dread feet?”
     {T}Theme:
                The theme of “The Tyger” is that along with good, God also crated bad. Throughout the poem, the narrator continually asks why something so frightful would be created. An example of this occurs in, “When the stars threw down their spears, And water'd heaven with their tears, Did He smile His work to see? Did He who made the lamb make thee?”
      

Conclusion:
                My concluding thoughts are similar to my initial response. The tiger symbolizes evil and darkness, and the narrator asks why God would create such a fearsome creature. The poem also discussed his physical features in a unique way, and showed how sinister he was.

The Lamb by William Blake

Text:

Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Gave thee life, and bid thee feed,
By the stream and o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, woolly, bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee.
He is called by thy name,
For He calls Himself a Lamb.
He is meek, and He is mild;
He became a little child.
I a child, and thou a lamb,
We are called by His name.
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
Little Lamb, God bless thee!

Initial Response:

            When reading “Lamb” I knew that the poem would have some reference to God/ I also assumed that, just by glancing, that the theme of this poem would be quite easy to identify, as the poem does not usher allusions, and complex metaphors and similes.  

Paraphrase:

Little Lamb, do you know who created you?
Do you know who made you?
Who gave you life, and gave you food,
By the water that runs over the mead;
Gave you warm, comfortable clothes,
Clothes that are soft, wooly, and bright;
Who gave you such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little Lamb, who made you?
Do you know who made you?

Little Lamb, I'll tell you,
Little Lamb, I'll tell you.
He is called by a name,
He calls Himself a Lamb.
He is meek and mild;
He became a little child.
I am a child, and you are a lamb,
We are called by His name.
Little Lamb, God bless you!
Little Lamb, God bless you!

SWIFTT
    {SW}SYNTAX/ Word Choice:
             Written as a song-esq poem, “The Lamb” contains many repetitions, along with a bright selection of word choice. In the first stanza, the phrase “who made thee” is repeated in the first two lines in the stanza, and the last two. In the second stanza, the line, “Little Lamb, God Bless thee” is repeated in the first two and last two lines in the poem. With lines such as, Softest clothing, woolly, bright; Gave thee such a tender voice,” the poem also has a touch of brightness.

     {I}Imagery:
              In this poem, you not only see the imagery of the sheep, like in the lines “ Gave thee clothing of delight,” but you also see imagery toward the landscape around the lamb such as the water and food.   
     {F}Figurative Language:
              The poem displays traits of personification, if the poem is analyzed as another sheep talking to another sheep.  Additionally, the use of alliteration can be seen in the phrase “little Lamb,” which is repeated throughout the poem.
     {T}Tone:
               Written in question and answer form, Blake uses child-esq diction which provides a soothing flow. Additionally there were some spiritual moments.
     {T}Theme:
                The theme of “The Lamb” is to be thankful for everything you have, and to always thank God for providing you with the necessities. It also emphasizes that God is good and kind, and he loves and takes care of his creation. This is evident in lines such as, “He is meek, and He is mild.”
      

Conclusion:
            My concluding thoughts an initial thought are similar, as the poem alludes to God, and the gifts he has provided to humans. Additionally, the lamb also alludes to Jesus, symbolizing innocence  and purity.