The Poem as LifeThe Poem as Life

BasicsBasics

Origins (formal or informal ceremonies/Origins (formal or informal ceremonies/

public moments)public moments)

Life in spatial environmentLife in spatial environment

Seasonal or ritual moments of timeSeasonal or ritual moments of time

Important QuestionsImportant Questions

What piece of life, private or public, is a poem What piece of life, private or public, is a poem concerned with?concerned with?

Where and when is this life being lived?Where and when is this life being lived?

ClichésClichés

In greeting cards and magazines:In greeting cards and magazines: Babies are lovableBabies are lovable Brides are beautifulBrides are beautiful 5050thth wedding anniversaries are happy wedding anniversaries are happy Young men should fight in warYoung men should fight in war Americans should take pride in their country’s Americans should take pride in their country’s

historyhistory

Clichés--ContinuedClichés--Continued

Time and SpaceTime and Space

EX: The springtime of life leads only to the EX: The springtime of life leads only to the narrow space of the grave. narrow space of the grave.

OriginalityOriginality

Good poets avoid cliché.Good poets avoid cliché. They help us to see events in a new light.They help us to see events in a new light.

Great poems transcend being mere Great poems transcend being mere representations of life and become works of representations of life and become works of art.art.

The Private LifeThe Private Life

Birth poemsBirth poems

““Infant Sorrow” William BlakeInfant Sorrow” William Blake

What is arresting about this poem?What is arresting about this poem?

Baby as “a fiend hid in a Baby as “a fiend hid in a cloud”cloud”

Other private life poemsOther private life poems

Poems about ChildhoodPoems about Childhood

“ “The School Children” Louise GluckThe School Children” Louise Gluck

What makes this poem disturbing?What makes this poem disturbing?

The new clothes and apples are here—The new clothes and apples are here—strangely sinisterstrangely sinister

The Public LifeThe Public Life

Some commemorate communal celebration Some commemorate communal celebration EX: The Night Before Christmas EX: The Night Before Christmas

Some concern crucial single public eventsSome concern crucial single public events

EX: American HistoryEX: American History Some question the state of common life (at a Some question the state of common life (at a

certain time and place)certain time and place)

Public and private lives as mirrorsPublic and private lives as mirrors

Nature and TimeNature and Time

Nature (the earth, sun, moon, stars, animals, Nature (the earth, sun, moon, stars, animals, planets)planets)

Time (seasons, months, etc.) Time (seasons, months, etc.)

Ancient resources for poetry Ancient resources for poetry

A great achievement to write an original poem A great achievement to write an original poem about springabout spring

Poets link human seasons and their Poets link human seasons and their counterparts in the natural world counterparts in the natural world

TimeTime

Images linked to cultural memory Images linked to cultural memory waves of the sea waves of the sea

progress of the sun from dawn to duskprogress of the sun from dawn to dusk

the fall of great menthe fall of great men

The tragedy of early death The tragedy of early death

Time as the Grim ReaperTime as the Grim Reaper

In Brief: The Poem as LifeIn Brief: The Poem as Life

What piece of life is the poem about? What piece of life is the poem about? A disappointment in love A disappointment in love The death of a parentThe death of a parent An absence of a friendAn absence of a friend A crisis of personal confidenceA crisis of personal confidence A moment of fearA moment of fear

Seek Out:Seek Out:

Moments of DisequilibriumMoments of Disequilibrium

EXAMPLES: EXAMPLES:

Hope has come to rebuke despairHope has come to rebuke despair

Love has come to thaw coldnessLove has come to thaw coldness

Envy has come to upset happinessEnvy has come to upset happiness

Shame has come to interfere with self-esteemShame has come to interfere with self-esteem

Ask YourselfAsk Yourself

Under what circumstances would I find myself Under what circumstances would I find myself saying these words?saying these words?

Poem is written for you to SAYPoem is written for you to SAY A lyric poem is a speech made for us to utter.A lyric poem is a speech made for us to utter. The poem is ABOUT life—It is NOT life.The poem is ABOUT life—It is NOT life.

General QuestionsGeneral Questions

What has recently happened to the speaker?What has recently happened to the speaker? What aspect of his or her life has the speaker What aspect of his or her life has the speaker

been thinking about? Is this a private life been thinking about? Is this a private life situation (a family death, for instance) or a situation (a family death, for instance) or a public situation (a religious massacre, a war public situation (a religious massacre, a war memorial)?memorial)?

Other Questions?Other Questions?

What stage of life has the speaker reached?What stage of life has the speaker reached? How much does the speaker tell you about his How much does the speaker tell you about his

or her feelings?or her feelings? Are the feelings expressed “normal”? How do Are the feelings expressed “normal”? How do

they compare with what people might they compare with what people might normally say or feel?normally say or feel?