Rosen Journal 5

Journal 5

Robert Frost

Robert Frost was born in San Fransisco in 1874, dubbing him one of the 19th and 20th century poets. He was raised in Lawrence, MA and attended Dartmouth for about two months, but in that time was accepted into the Theta Delta Chi fraternity. Yes, Robert Frost was a frat boy. Robert Frost worked many mundane jobs such as factory worker, farmer, delivery boy, and he knew that he hated them all and just wanted to write. In 1894 he sold his first poem "My Butterfly. An Elegy" for a whole $15, which in modern times would be $415. Later on he traveled with his family to England where he published multiple books such as A Boys Will and North of Boston, his most notable works. Frost later on went to earn four pulitzer prizes for New Hampshire: A Poem with Notes and Grace Notes (1924) , Collected Poems (1931) , A Furthur Range (1937), and A Witness Tree (1943). The year before his death JFK awarded Robert Frost with the Congressional Gold Medal for his poetry.

Nothing Gold Can Say

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can say.

This poem depicts Frost's simplistic AABB rhyme scheme that he loved to put in so many of his poems. This poem is one of the shortest of Frost's poems because he tended to write long lengthy poems as well. I just love the simple message that Frost loved to share with the world because for so many of his poems he was trying to just get people to see the actual beauty in life - not the riches or the wealth, not the lust or the power, he wanted people to see the beauty of the Earth, the gift that we get to call home.

Journal 5 from Britnee

My poet is Dorothy Parker. She was an American poet and was born in 1893 and died in 1967. Her mother died when she was five. She hated her father and stepmother. She had a job as a theater critic and developed a reputation as a wit. She was later fired for offending too many big producers. She published over 300 poems in the 1920s. This was the greatest period of success for her. She married in 1917 and had many affairs. One resulted in a pregnancy. She got an abortion and fell into a depression. She soon attempted suicide. She was also a civil rights advocate.She died of a heart attack at age 73.

This poem is called "Observation". It shows her sort of attitude of how she rejects what people believe she should act and change herself to become more or better.

Observation

If I don't drive around the park,
I'm pretty sure to make my mark.
If I'm in bed each night by ten,
I may get back my looks again,
If I abstain from fun and such,
I'll probably amount to much,
But I shall stay the way I am,
Because I do not give a damn.

Journal Five: Amanda Gifford

E.E. Cummings was the pen name for Edward Estlin. He was born in 1894 and was raised in Massachusetts. His father was a Harvard professor which seemed to influence his style of modern poetry. The inspiration to write was a childhood passion developing into his unconventional style. His legacy was based on 2,900 poems, as well as art, novels, plays and essays. Religion was more of a transcendental bias of controversial issues between spiritual and intellectual beliefs. His views later developing into a deeper spiritual connection.

l(a

l(a

le

af

fa

ll

s)

one

l 

iness

Cummings piece l(a is representative of his unique style breaking traditional poetic format. This descriptive piece offers a simplistic metaphor of a falling leaf and comparing it to the loneliness one can experience.  Upon ones first attempt to read this poem is a desire to find meaning in each line as it trails and spirals the reader downward to discover his illustration and intended meaning.

Journal 5 from Jake

Poet: James Wright

Contemporary Poet
December 13, 1927 – March 25, 1980)
From: Martins Ferry Ohio
Depression, mood disorders, nervous breakdowns, alcoholism.
Known for exploring language and different styles of poetry.
Writes about simplistic rural life by capturing these ideas with strong imagery.
Wright has a reoccurring theme of loneliness and the outcasted.


Poem:

Lying In A Hammock At William Duffy's Farm In Pine Island, Minnesota by James Wright

Over my head, I see the bronze butterfly,
Asleep on the black trunk,
blowing like a leaf in green shadow.
Down the ravine behind the empty house,
The cowbells follow one another
Into the distances of the afternoon.
To my right,
In a field of sunlight between two pines,
The droppings of last year's horses
Blaze up into golden stones.
I lean back, as the evening darkens and comes on.
A chicken hawk floats over, looking for home.
I have wasted my life.

This poem clearly displays many of the qualities of James Wright's typical works. The poem takes place on a farm in a first person point of view and it is about a man who is not integrated with normal society. The end of the poem contains a unique line that really sticks with the reader because it feels so misplaced. This line is more of a message from the poet to the reader about how he feels the way he has lived his life. The majority of the poem is about James Wright's journey through life and how he is now 'leaning' back and looking on his past and seeing that he has wasted his life chasing material things. The line 'blowing like a leaf in green shadow' portrays a metaphor about how a butterfly's beauty is being hindered like a leaf in green shadow, which colors would then be plain. The green shadow may resemble the darkness the need and longing for money brings to people, when the can be just as happy Lying In A Hammock. 

Journal Five - Brooke Voisard

1.  Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1830. After reaching adulthood she chose to remain in her family home, and very seldom left. She was a writer of the Romanticism era, and most of her poems were not published until after her death in 1886. Interestingly, she chose not to read the poetry of Walt Whitman after hearing it was "disgraceful".
2. Attached is the most popular photos of Emily Dickinson.
3. The poem "The Soul Selects Her Own Society" is very representative of Dickinson's voice as it values true love and sympathy. It also describes being very selective of who you surround yourself with, and that is very representative of Dickinson as she only accepted visitors on rare occasions, and never left the house. 
4. The Soul Selects Her Own Society

The Soul selects her own Society

Then- Shuts the Door-

To her divine Majority-

Present no more-

Unmoved- she notes the chariots- pausing-

At her low gate-

Unmoved- an Emperor be kneeling

Upon her mat-

I've known her- from an ample nation- 

Choose One-

Then- close the valves of her attention-

Like Stone-.

Journal Five from Dathan

Langston Hughes was an African-American poet, play writer, and novelist, among other things. His themes of racial disparity made him one of the main contributors for the 1920s Harlem Resonance. He spent some of his time listening to jazz, and later incorporated jazz into his poetry. The video at the end of this is of him reciting his poem called "The Weary Blues" where he is accompanied by jazz musicians.

His "Poet to Bigot" might not be the best poem to show what he stood for, but it's close. Skip to the poem now it you don't want me to ruin it for you. Basically, he is talking about how some people, the rich, white America, has excessive time on their hands but don't do anything with it, it is spoiled. But, then there are people who have very little time, and struggle and sweat and come out of it accomplished.

Poet to Bigot

I have do so little
For you,
And you have done so little
For me,
That we have good reason
Never to agree.

I, however, Have such meagre
Power,
Clutching at a
Moment,
While you control
An hour.

But your hour is
A stone.

My moment is
A flower.

"The Weary Blues"

Journal 5- Aziz Hamid

Lucille Clifton

1936–2010

Lucille Clifton was an African-American poet, writer, and educator from Buffalo, New York.

Clifton was awarded a scholarship to Howard University. She was the first person in her family to attend college. She decided to major in drama. After two years she lost her scholarship due to poor grades. At that time, she told her father, "I don't need that stuff. I'm going to write poems. I can do what I want to do!" It was at this point when Clifton journey to writing poems began. Lucille Clifton's work emphasizes endurance and strength through adversity, focusing particularly on African-American experience and family life.

Her first complete book of poems, Good Times, was published in 1969. Her first children's book, Some of the Days of Everett Anderson in 1970 launched her into writing children's stories. Many of her children's books, were written expressly for an African American audience.

Lucille's poetry is straightforward. Her poems contain compassion and a high level of emotion. Her African roots and her personal history have become the basis of her writing. Other common themes include family life, racism, gender issues death, birth, and religion.

The Photograph: A Lynching

is it the cut glass

of their eyes

looking up toward

the new gnarled branch

of the black man

hanging from a tree?

is it the white milk pleated

collar of the woman

smiling toward the camera,

her fingers loose around

a christian cross drooping

against her breast?

is it all of us

captured by history into an

accurate album? will we be

required to view it together

under a gathering sky?

Lucille Clifton  

Journal 5- Morgan DeWitt

Rita Dove is a very important literary figure from Akron, Ohio. She attended Miami University of Ohio. She served as Poet Laureate of The United States and received several awards including the 1996 National Humanities Medal from President Clinton and the Pulitzer Prize of Poetry. She was the youngest person and first African American to become Poet Laureate. Her and her husband are avid ballroom dancers!



Rita Dove and President Obama

Rita Dove is known for writing beautiful lyric poems about history, politics, and other art forms. Dove wrote a collection of poems called "On The Bus With Rosa Parks. The poem I chose is called Rosa.There are themes of race, power, and courage in this poem. It really zooms in on Rosa Parks actions on that historical day.

Rosa

How she sat there,
the time right inside a place,
so wrong it was ready.

The trim name with
its dream of a bench
to rest on. Her sensible coat.

Doing nothing was the doing:
the clean flame of her gaze
carved by a camera flash.

How she stood up
when they bent down to retrieve
her purse. That courtesy.

Journal Four

Mary Oliver's "A Poetry Handbook" was very informational and provided a lot of material especially for beginner poets. The biggest take away was that while workshop is good and very helpful, the poem needs the writer and not society. It needs solitude. She tells that workshop is important to receive ideas and support from others so that you can continue and finish a well written poem. At the same time, you are the only person who can write that poem.
Another big take away was that imitation is good and healthy. We are also told that copying is not allowed and is this terrible thing but in poetry, copying a persons style is a good way for new poets to get started. It is a good way to develop your own style.

Sharon Olds poetry is heavily criticized but some and enjoyed by others. I found it odd that she was so criticized for writing of herself and her life. It seems that she shares the truth and is open with her life.
The poem "The  Unborn" really caught my eye. It is shorter than the rest in the packet and reminded me of a poem by Sylvia Plath called "Stillborn". I really liked the lines "Sometimes I see them lying like love letters In the Dead Letter Office"

Journal 4

PART 1:

Mary Oliver's A Poetry Handbook was a very engaging and easy to read book that provided many different techniques, terms, and even examples throughout the book to help my understanding of poetry. One in particular that stood out was the theme throughout the entire book which in my opinion was to stay honest and true to your word because poetry is supposed to be an atmosphere of emotional freedom. Oliver does a wonderful job by reminding the reader throughout the book. On page 106, Oliver says "Also it began through the process of seeing, and feeling, and hearing, and smelling, and touching, and then remembering - i mean remembering in words - what these perceptual experiences were like, while trying to describe the endless invisible fears and desires of our own inner lives." This quote supports the fact that Oliver wants poets to write what they feel and what they truly are almost scared to write about because in the end sometimes the writing that you're most scared to write about ends up being the most brilliant. 

Another thing that I took away from reading this book was how to properly use imagery and the wild array of possibilities there truly are. On page 105, Oliver talks about Universal Images and how we create imagery "Through our imagination and our intelligence, we recall, organize, conceptualize, and meditate." (pg 105, Oliver). And this concept rings true for me because for me personally when I visualize something I create a workshop in my head and I let an idea sit and then let it blossom until I can truly see - once I see it, I write it. Another technique that meshes with this imagery is the use of sound, something I've never even thought of consciously, and now when writing I try to have more of an ear for the poem. I think prior to reading this book I was almost deaf with my imagination when truly if you want a perfect piece you need to SEE and HEAR. This book has overall helped me open up a new section of creativity and helped me improve my poetry writing for the future.

PART 2:

A) Sharon Olds is a very fascinating author due to her wide variety in subject matter but then also because of her critiques over the years. Honestly, I'm impressed with her because of all of the awards she has won even when she put out some pretty edgy pieces. Something I noticed when reading her poetry is that it IS very dark just how the critics said and it shows through her nonchalant attitude when it comes to heavy material such as in "Space Heater". I loved how the packet went into detail and showed the interview with her because it gave me an idea of her as a writer and inspired me to write the way that she writes in the sense that she doesn't think she's some master of poetry or superior to anyone - she's just a spirit going through life just like anyone else.

B) The poem that stuck out most to me was "I Go Back To May 1937". This poem stuck out to me and I got physically excited reading it because I realized that it was the poem that Chris McCandless reads in Into The Wild in the movie. As I read it I realized it and then had one of the best moments of "Oh my gosh I've heard this before". I really enjoy this poem because it's so honest that it hurts, and I mean that because of lines such as "you are going to do things bad to your children" and that is an honest blow straight to her parents. Even if they weren't dead, she took so much risk writing this piece - but I'm happy she did because it probably gave so many people something to relate to, or someone to empathize with, and overall this poem most likely affected so many lives that Sharon Olds never even thought would affect.

JOURNAL 4- Jake Ritzert

Part One: 2 biggest take aways
1.) Imitation is a good thing for students learning to write poetry. I find this to be a very essential point in the book because it helps the student develop new skills and techniques that have proven to be loved and taken to throughout history. By trying to use the style of previous world renowned poets it helps to student realize what is important with their style of writing. But, in a addition to finding what works for the young poets imitating, they can more easily see what does not work for them also and alter things to help them better relate their poems to the reader. This helps shape their own and unique style. Mary Oliver states, "Let them (students) imitate and imitate- and learn and learn"(page 18). We learn from imitating from a young age. We are constantly imitating our parents, friends, athletes, teachers, and anyone else who has an impact on our lives, so imitating influential poets should not be any different.
2.) I think the overall approach Mary Oliver has on the aspect of poetry has changed my view from my early notions. "It reflects from the writer's point of view-his or her perspective- out of all the sum of his or her experience and thought"(122). I love the idea that poetry is more than just poetic words and rhythm, it speaks the persons thoughts and feelings. "Poetry is a life-cherishing force"(122). She is so passionate about the way she approaches poetry that it inspires students to really indulge in their work.

Part Two: Sharon Olds response:
1.) Sharon Olds has won many rewards for her "human voice" that many find "self-indulgent." There are many opinions on her because some people feel like she is too personal with her writings, where as, others enjoy her "power to move and eroticism." I think people have been too harsh on Sharon Olds because how can somebody critique or put down her style of poetry when she is just expressing herself through her writing. I have always been a believer in just being yourself and not worrying about how others view you. I think Sharon is just expressing herself in her writings and critics have taken her work and twisted them into their own opinions on her. I enjoy her humanistic approach to poetry and I like seeing people do something different from others, and for this I respect her style and poetic career.
2.) My favorite poem was The Space Heater because it seemed to have the better flow and had a better story entailed inside it compared to the other poems. Although I am not a huge fan of her style and poem design, I can really appreciate this poem. The poem has a very human and basic interaction  between the doctor and the narrator that seems so simple but provided a great significance to the patient. Sharon Olds gives the patient and doctor in the poem a very basic human voice by adding a simple question/response conversation that results in the doctor going through more than the patient expected him to do for her. She realizes that if he would go through all that work just to unplug the heater than she was in good hands. I really enjoy the way the poem seems stream of conciseness.

Journal #4: Morgan DeWitt

Part one:
Mary Oliver offered a lot of good advice in her Poetry Handbook, so it was hard to pick just two ideas to focus on. My first takeaway was from the Imagery chapter, under the 'some cautions' section where she talks about the purpose of literature. She describes in a beautiful way, "Literature is the apparatus through which the world tries to keep intact it's important ideas and feelings" (108). She took a huge concept and boiled it down to one simple and strong sentence here. The reason we read literature is because it holds something that we want to experience, we can live a million lives through literature.  We can understand important ideas through literature and we can feel different ways though literature. Literature gives us an opportunity to learn more about ourselves and more about the world, it's a beautiful thing and Mary Oliver understands this and brings it to life in this section.

My second takeaway was from The Workshops and Solitude chapter, under the section of 'solitude'. This is where she expresses the importance of the working in solitude, "The poem requires of the writer not society or instruction, but a patch of profound and unbroken solitude" (117). This  tuck out to me because I feel like it shows the importance of the relationship between a writer and his/her pen and paper. We always stress the importance of Workshops and building the relationships in the writers community, but we must also remember the importance of the writer in solitude. Sometimes it's hard and challenging to be alone with your thoughts and the pen and the paper but that's where the magic happens.

Part two:

I thought it was interesting how Sharon Old's received a lot of criticism for her poems because people thought she was 'too selfish'. I have no problem with the fact that she only writes about her experiences and thoughts. Poetry is for readers, but first it is for yourself. I enjoy reading her thoughts and how she expresses her experiences, sometimes you can learn more about yourself based on your actions to different poems. She really remind me a lot of Cheryl Strayed who starts one of her stories called "The Love of My Life" with the the line, "The first time I cheated on my husband...". It has the shock value and it's a story about her experiences but it provokes several different reactions from readers. If you liked Sharon Olds, I suggest you read it!

The poem, "Sex Without Love" really caught my attention. I think it addressed a subject that needs talking about, especially in our generation. The everlasting fight between lust and love. We've all felt that fight and I like how Sharon Olds just addressed it with no regrets. It was a beautiful poem about a grotesque subject.

Journal Four from Amanda Gifford

The chapter on imagery was very insightful describing the many different forms that help efficiently develop the scenes, settings, and characters. When one imagines a setting or object they can see it clearly and trying to portray it to someone else through poetry can be challenging. Not everyone will perceive it exactly as the writer intends or as it is portrayed in the line.  Along with the help of similes and metaphors the other devices are very helpful in the development of the subject matter. Alliteration is descriptive using the same starting letter of the word to give a smooth flow. Figurative language creates expression allowing depth of perception to what the writer feels or imagines.  Although these techniques are helpful, they can be overwhelming when used excessively.  By applying the thought process, poetry style and rules has made me more conscious of word choice and placement within the poem.

Poetry may express a personal reflection of the writer’s worldview.  Passion and personal experiences provide insight and knowledge which spark inspiration for poems that can enlighten others.  Throughout history generations and societal norms can be depicted by challenging or defining an individual’s perception. Criticism can play a role of keeping with traditional thought process or create division to creatively open new ideas for society. Inspiration for your perspective can be found where its least expected and have a rewarding insight on this journey of understanding life.

It was interesting reading Sharon Olds subjects that inspired her to write of her personal experiences that could be considered taboo to societal standards. Expressing profound emotion is may be portrayed as vulnerability and receives criticism almost as if the act of expressing is too emotional. Although she’s received crude criticism towards her work that some consider as being borderline pornographic with a flair of narcissism did hinder her desire to succeed. The poem the “Unborn” caught my attention for being short, but packed with emotion. Her imagery of the children hanging around her conscience like gnats was very powerfully portrayed.  She expresses a deep mourning for motherhood and children, many children, and her emptiness and endless longing.

Aziz Hamid- Journal 4

Part One:

I really enjoyed reading A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver.  Her book was very useful and practical. Her book covers the basics of poetry, including sound, diction, tone, meter, rhyme, imagery and much more. This book is helpful for anyone interested in understanding and writing poetry. In order to be a good poet, a person needs to be able to know the terms and techniques of poetry and this book teaches you it!

One of my biggest takeaways from reading A Poetry Handbook comes from the chapter on Imitation.  In this chapter I learned that in poetry imitation is actually encouraged. "But in the world of writing it is originality that is sought out, and praised, while imitation is the sin of sins." (pg 13)  Nowadays when somebody imitate/plagiarize another person work it is frowned upon and considered morally wrong. But in this chapter the author encourages imitation because imitation helps you learn.  After you practice imitating other poets' styles you will slowly develop your own style. Now I like to imitate my favorite poets style and incopporate my own style.  The more I imitate my favorite poets the more I develop my own style. When I imitate my favorite poets I learn what I like and don't like. Imitation is very important for anyone who is a beginner poet.

Another of my biggest takeaways from reading A Poetry Handbook comes from the chapter "Some Given Forms" In this chapter I learned about the importance of the design of a poem. There are many things that are important when choosing a design of a poem. These include rhyme, meter length of line and the sounds of the various letters. The overall length of the poem, its tone and the use imagery is also important. One thing I noticed that I think is important is that any change from an established pattern indicates that the poet wants the reader to feel something different at that point. This technique acts as guide to the way the poet wants the reader to feel and understand the poem. I usually like to center my poems. But I learned that when I center my poems it actually hurts my poem. I get rid of my ability to use enjambment and turning the line.

Part Two

I never heard of Sharon Olds before I read the packet on her. I found it interesting that some of her work is built on her sex life.  I would personally never write about my sex life. It seems to me that either the critics love or hate Olds. I was surprised that some critics thought she was to selfish because I think being selfish to yourself is sometimes good. Being selfish sometimes helps you grow as a person and be more independent. If it wasn't for Old's selfisness she might now have written all the great poems she wrote. " Her poetry is remarkable for its candor, its eroticism, and its power to move." Some critics thought her poetry was amazing.

The poem that caught my attention the most is "The Unborn" When I first read this poem I thought it was very powerful and has a lot of meaning.  This poem seems like a sad poem.  The poem flows very nicely.  I was able to feel Old's emotion in this poem. " The children we could have, The glimmer of them." This poem reminds me of all the children that never had a chance to experience the world.