When You Are Old

I enjoyed this poem. Often people take advantage of their good looks just like the lady did in this poem. She left the one man that loved her for what she truly was, not what she had to offer. In relationships you cannot base everything on looks because those in time fade. You have to be able to have conversations and communicate with the person. You have to be able to always have the feeling of you two being the only people in the world. You have to be able to have a good time and laugh with each other even if you are arguing at the time. The lady in the poem gave all of this up. Yes she has the looks and age at the moment but when all those fade will she ever find the love she had in this relationship? Or maybe the love was truly one sided and then I feel deeply sad for the man but he should take his loving abilities and find someone else more deserving of them.

Love

Some of my favorite poems in this class are the ones that relate to life, love, and things people regret missing out on. For example, the poem Down by the Salley Gardens is about a guy who failed to listen to woman he loved. He was so rushed through life that he wanted to quickly rush through each stage of their relationship. To me he was probably eager to get a job, settle down, and start a family. All of those things are amazing mile stones in life, but if one rushes too quickly to accomplish everything there is to look forward to then one ends up with nothing more to look forward too. Being a girl I understand the feeling of wanting to experience all of the great things in life, but as I am coming nead the end of my college experience I am starting to realize the importance of taking my time and enjoying life. Often times people get caught up in things that do not matter, especially materialistic things, that the important things in life such as family, friends, health, emotions, etc. are put on the back burner. When the poem ended with the guy in tears it shows me that all his rushing through life trying to get everything done left him sad with nothing more to look forward to.

Goblin's Market

The funny thing about this poem is that I found it incredibly easy to read. I read the entire poem and felt like I really understood it. I understood that the Goblin's offered fruit that would hurt whomever ate it. But when I got to the forum discussion I could not really pinpoint what the Goblin's represented. I knew the represented evil and sold the bad addictions that everyone often gets caught up with in everday life. Laura fell victim to peer pressure and could not resist the fruit. I dont think Goblin's were really Goblins and fruit was not really fruit. I read one forum post about how it could be cocaine. I really liked this interpretation. It made perfect sense as to how it would cause someone to become so addicted and unable to resist. I interpreted the Goblin's to represent peer pressure and the night to hide the illegal activities that they tried to get people to take part in. They tried to lure people in by saying that not any regular man can make and sell this, and that its the best thing you could try. Once she tried it she could not get enough of it, but as she grew sick the goblin's no longer appeared (now that they had her they moved on to new "victims"). To show that she had the strength to overcome this addiction her sister goes to the Goblin's and resists what they had to offer. She endured taunting and a beating all night, but she never gave up. She went to her sister and showed her undying love for her sister and allowed her to eat the fruit off of her. Seeing her sister's strength brought the most life back into her that had been there in awhile; giving her the strength to overcome anything because she had her sisters love and support.

Poetry

Say over again, and yet once over again,That thou dost love me. Though the word repeatedShould seem 'a cuckoo song,' as thou dost treat it,Remember, never to the hill or plain,Valley and wood, without her cuckoo-strainComes the fresh Spring in all her green completed.Belovèd, I, amid the darkness greetedBy a doubtful spirit-voice, in that doubt's pain,Cry, 'Speak once more---thou lovest!' Who can fearToo many stars, though each in heaven shall roll,Too many flowers, though each shall crown the year?Say thou dost love me, love me, love me---tollThe silver iterance!---only minding, Dear,To love me also in silence with thy soul.

Before this class I was never into poetry. After reading and posting on some of the forums posted on lamoodle, I am really starting to gain a new respect. As a class we were asked to ponder the question as to whether or not the lady in the poem is asking for too much. As people read this poem they have their own insight on to what the poem means. To me when someone is in love there is nothing wrong for wanting your partner to say it back and truly mean it. But as I read over other peoples' interpretations they also have very valid points, like for instance is she insecure and needing constant assurance. I could see that if this were the case it could be a little bothersome. To me the poem is about a women who is feeling that she might love her significant other more than he loves her. Before she does anything rash she is merely asking that he say that he loves her and stop treating it like it is a crazy subject. Not only does he need to say it, but he must truly mean it. If he cannot give her this then to me it would seem that they are both wasting their time. Love is the greatest gift on earth and no one should be afraid of letting the people they love know.

People think and believe differently. The nice thing about reading poems is that you walk away from it with the interpretation that best moved you while reading it. When you get to share and discuss your thoughts with others it can even expose you to things you might not have picked up and realized.

Frankenstein

Going through the class forums a good point was brought up, what if Walton's letters to his sister about the story of meeting Frankenstein were all fictional?  He constantly makes reference to being lonely in each of his letters.  Maybe in order to really get his tale out there he creates this story about the creation of a monster.  The monster and Victor would be representations of what he feels.  He is alone at sea with no friends and no one he can relate to and he longs for someone to fulfill this emptiness.  Although he is not rejected as a beast, he is very much like the monster and even Victor.  Victor is seeking something more in life, ends up with a monster, rejects the monster, the monster then is rejected by everyone, and in the end they both are left sad, alone, and miserable.  Maybe the creation of this story was just so that Walton could get his feelings out on paper.  This is the fun thing about interpreting what you read because many questions are brought into the open and leaves everyone with several thoughts and interpretations. 

Michael and Ancient Mariner

I really liked reading these poems because I could actually find points in the poem that reinforced what i felt the poem was trying to show. For instance, with Michael you could see how his parents had sheltered him too much because as the outside world changed and advanced they stayed on their farm and continued to live life as they knew it. Being older parents I just do not feel they knew any better. There were just as unaware as their son was of the tempations the outside world would bring.

As far as the Ancient Mariner I really enjoyed interperting this poem. When people comment back on my points and agree with them and can relate to what i was saying it really helps me to want to continue on reading literature. The moral of the story was regardless of what God's creatures look like they are still God's creatures and to kill for no just reason other than to just do it will have ramifications. How they tie in this Biblical statement with the rest of poem is really enjoyable because once I read it and related it back to what I felt was the point of the poem I was just... oh so that is why they mentioned this. I think when a person is exposed to poems that they really can relate to and pick out good points it encourages further exploration into other readings.

My First Blog!

I am new to this blogging idea so I guess I am just suppose to write down my random thoughts... which shouldnt be too hard because I have several things going through my head! Here it goes....

Well here we are at the end of March and I am finally realizing how little time there is left to complete all the projects I have due! Its scary... because I have been eagerly awaiting the end of the semester because it means my boyfriend comes back from his tdy, but yet I find myself wanting the time to stop going by so fast so I can catch up! :) I guess I can't have it both ways... and no matter what by the end of the semester I always seem to somehow get it done!

As far as this class goes I am having a good experience so far with this internet course. I didn't know how well I would do because I never really had to interpret literature before. I know this my sound a little goofy but it makes me so excited to see people comment back and agree with what I wrote. I am like wow! Not only did I actually understand what I read but other people can see my points too! I really enjoy it... now after I finish the essay I might be a little more frustrated ha ha! Well that is about all I have to say right now... really I would like to be able to go back to bed and take a nap for awhile!!! If only right.... :)