Poetry for Students: Presenting Analysis, Context and Criticism on Commonly Studied Poetry, vol.8

322 Pages·2000·2.37 MB·English

by  Mary K. Ruby

Poetry for Students
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V o l u m e 8 v
Table of Contents
(cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:6)(cid:7)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:4)(cid:11)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:12)(cid:7)
“Just a Few Lines on a Page”
by David J. Kelly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .x
(cid:13)(cid:14)(cid:6)(cid:10)(cid:9)(cid:12)(cid:3)(cid:15)(cid:6)(cid:16)(cid:9)(cid:14)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii
(cid:17)(cid:16)(cid:6)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:18)(cid:10)(cid:19)(cid:7)(cid:20)(cid:21)(cid:10)(cid:9)(cid:14)(cid:9)(cid:22)(cid:9)(cid:23)(cid:19)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xv
(cid:24)(cid:15)(cid:25)(cid:14)(cid:9)(cid:11)(cid:22)(cid:4)(cid:12)(cid:23)(cid:26)(cid:4)(cid:14)(cid:6)(cid:5)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xix
(cid:20)(cid:9)(cid:14)(cid:6)(cid:10)(cid:16)(cid:27)(cid:3)(cid:6)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:5)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xxi
(cid:24)(cid:6)(cid:7)(cid:6)(cid:21)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:28)(cid:9)(cid:26)(cid:27)(cid:7)(cid:29)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:6)(cid:16)(cid:14)(cid:23)(cid:7)(cid:30)(cid:16)(cid:6)(cid:4)(cid:7)
(by William Stafford) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
(cid:24)(cid:3)(cid:6)(cid:3)(cid:26)(cid:14)(cid:7)(cid:28)(cid:4)(cid:23)(cid:16)(cid:14)(cid:5)(cid:7)(cid:16)(cid:14)(cid:7)(cid:31)(cid:18)(cid:10)(cid:6)(cid:16)(cid:14)(cid:5)(cid:7)(cid:8)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:10)(cid:19) (cid:7)!(cid:21)(cid:16)(cid:9)(cid:7)
(by James Wright) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
V o l u m e 8 v i i
T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s
(cid:28)(cid:4)(cid:12)(cid:6)(cid:16)(cid:26)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:30)(cid:6)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:19)(cid:7)(by George MacBeth) . . . . . . .31 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
(cid:29)(cid:21)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:15)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:29)(cid:21)(cid:18)(cid:6)(cid:7)(cid:29)(cid:21)(cid:10)(cid:9)(cid:3)(cid:23)(cid:21)(cid:7)(cid:6)(cid:21)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:2)(cid:10)(cid:4)(cid:4)(cid:14)(cid:7)(cid:8)(cid:3)(cid:5)(cid:4)(cid:7)
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
$(cid:10)(cid:16)((cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:7)(cid:6)(cid:21)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:8)(cid:22)(cid:9)(cid:11)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:7)
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 (by Dylan Thomas) . . . . .99
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
(cid:28)(cid:4)(cid:11)(cid:18)(cid:10)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:9)"(cid:7)#(cid:3)(cid:16)(cid:14)(cid:5)(cid:7)(by A. D. Hope) . . . . . . . . .41 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
(cid:31)(cid:3)(cid:5)(cid:16)(cid:15)(cid:7)(cid:17)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:5)(cid:9)(cid:14)(cid:5)(cid:7)
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 (by Mary Oliver) . . . . . . . . .116
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
(cid:29)(cid:21)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:20)(cid:9)(cid:14)(cid:5)(cid:6)(cid:4)(cid:22)(cid:22)(cid:18)(cid:6)(cid:16)(cid:9)(cid:14)(cid:7)!(cid:10)(cid:16)(cid:9)(cid:14)(cid:7)
(by Ted Kooser) . . .52 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
(cid:31)(cid:19)(cid:7)(cid:17)(cid:16)"(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:20)(cid:22)(cid:9)(cid:5)(cid:4)(cid:12)(cid:7)(cid:29)(cid:11)(cid:16)(cid:15)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:28)(cid:4)"(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:13)(cid:6)(cid:5)(cid:7)(cid:20)(cid:22)(cid:9)(cid:5)(cid:4)(cid:7)
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 (by Emily Dickinson) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
(cid:24)(cid:7)$(cid:10)(cid:16)(cid:14)(cid:25)(cid:7)(cid:9)"(cid:7)%(cid:18)(cid:6)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:7)
(by Seamus Heaney) . . . .65 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
)(cid:18)(cid:26)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:7)(cid:9)"(cid:7)*(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:5)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:7)
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 (by Donald Hall) . . . . . . .140
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
$(cid:10)(cid:9)(cid:3)(cid:23)(cid:21)(cid:6)(cid:7)&(cid:4)(cid:18)(cid:10)(cid:7)
(by Judith Wright) . . . . . . . . .77 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
(cid:24)(cid:7)#(cid:4)(cid:12) (cid:7)#(cid:4)(cid:12)(cid:7)#(cid:9)(cid:5)(cid:4)(cid:7)
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 (by Robert Burns) . . . . . .151
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
’(cid:6)(cid:21)(cid:16)(cid:15)(cid:5)(cid:7)
(by Linda Pastan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
v i i i P o e t r y f o r S t u d e n t s
T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155 (cid:29)(cid:9)(cid:7)(cid:18)(cid:7)(cid:30)(cid:18)(cid:12)(cid:7)$(cid:18)(cid:3)(cid:23)(cid:21)(cid:6)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:7)
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 (by Michael Ondaatje) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230
(cid:29)(cid:21)(cid:4)(cid:7)#(cid:16)((cid:4)(cid:10)+(cid:31)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:15)(cid:21)(cid:18)(cid:14)(cid:6),(cid:5)(cid:7)%(cid:16)"(cid:4)-(cid:7)(cid:24)(cid:7)(cid:17)(cid:4)(cid:6)(cid:6)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:7)
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231
(by Pound Ezra) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168 0(cid:18)(cid:14)(cid:15)(cid:9)(cid:3)((cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:7)(cid:17)(cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:21)(cid:6)(cid:5)(cid:7)(by Earle Birney) . . . . . .244
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246
(cid:29)(cid:21)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:30)(cid:4)(cid:18)"(cid:18)(cid:10)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:7)
(by Anonymous) . . . . . . . . . . .176 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189 %(cid:21)(cid:19)(cid:7)(cid:13)(cid:7)(cid:24)(cid:26)(cid:7))(cid:9)(cid:6)(cid:7)(cid:18)(cid:7)1(cid:18)(cid:16)(cid:14)(cid:6)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:7)
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189 (by Frank O’Hara) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258
(cid:30)(cid:9)(cid:14)(cid:14)(cid:4)(cid:6)(cid:7)./(cid:7)
(by William Shakespeare) . . . . . .197 Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197 Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200 Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201 Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202 Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204
(cid:2)(cid:22)(cid:9)(cid:5)(cid:5)(cid:18)(cid:10)(cid:19)(cid:7)(cid:9)"(cid:7)(cid:17)(cid:16)(cid:6)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:18)(cid:10)(cid:19)(cid:7)(cid:29)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:26)(cid:5)
. . . . . . . . . . . . .273
(cid:30)(cid:6)(cid:18)(cid:10)(cid:22)(cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:21)(cid:6)(cid:7)
(by Philip Levine) . . . . . . . . . . . . .212
(cid:20)(cid:3)(cid:26)(cid:3)(cid:22)(cid:18)(cid:6)(cid:16)((cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:24)(cid:3)(cid:6)(cid:21)(cid:9)(cid:10)2(cid:29)(cid:16)(cid:6)(cid:22)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:13)(cid:14)(cid:12)(cid:4)3
. . . . . . . . .293
Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
Poem Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213 (cid:20)(cid:3)(cid:26)(cid:3)(cid:22)(cid:18)(cid:6)(cid:16)((cid:4)(cid:7))(cid:18)(cid:6)(cid:16)(cid:9)(cid:14)(cid:18)(cid:22)(cid:16)(cid:6)(cid:19)2’(cid:6)(cid:21)(cid:14)(cid:16)(cid:15)(cid:16)(cid:6)(cid:19)
Poem Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213 (cid:13)(cid:14)(cid:12)(cid:4)3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 (cid:30)(cid:3)(cid:27)4(cid:4)(cid:15)(cid:6)2(cid:29)(cid:21)(cid:4)(cid:26)(cid:4)(cid:7)(cid:13)(cid:14)(cid:12)(cid:4)3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301
Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
Critical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217
Criticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
V o l u m e 8 i x
Just a Few Lines on a Page
I have often thought that poets have the easi- tually travel to different times and different cul-
est job in the world. A poem, after all, is just a few tures, but the poems get into our minds, they find
lines on a page, usually not even extending margin what little we know about the places they are talk-
to margin—how long would that take to write, ing about, and then they make that little bit blos-
about five minutes? Maybe ten at the most, if you som into a bouquet of someone else’s life. Poets
wanted it to rhyme or have a repeating meter. Why, make us think we are following simple, specific
I could start in the morning and produce a book of events, but then they leave ideas in our heads that
poetry by dinnertime. But we all know that it isn’t cannot be found on the printed page. Abracadabra.
that easy. Anyone can come up with enough words,
Sometimes when you finish a poem it doesn’t
but the poet’s job is about writing the right ones.
feel as if it has left any supernatural effect on you,
The right words will change lives, making people
like it did not have any more to say beyond the ac-
see the world somewhat differently than they saw
tual words that it used. This happens to everybody,
it just a few minutes earlier. The right words can
but most often to inexperienced readers: regardless
make a reader who relies on the dictionary for
of what is often said about young people’s infinite
meanings take a greater responsibility for his or her
capacity to be amazed, you have to understand what
own personal understanding. A poem that is put on
usually does happen, and what could have hap-
the page correctly can bear any amount of analy-
pened instead, if you are going to be moved by
sis, probing, defining, explaining, and interrogat-
what someone has accomplished. In those cases in
ing, and something about it will still feel new the
which you finish a poem with a “So what?” atti-
next time you read it.
tude, the information provided in Poetry for Stu-
It would be fine with me if I could talk about dentscomes in handy. Readers can feel assured that
poetry without using the word “magical,” because the poems included here actually are potent magic,
that word is overused these days to imply “a really not just because a few (or a hundred or ten thou-
good time,” often with a certain sweetness about it, sand) professors of literature say they are: they’re
and a lot of poetry is neither of these. But if you significant because they can withstand close in-
stop and think about magic—whether it brings to spection and still amaze the very same people who
mind sorcery, witchcraft, or bunnies pulled from have just finished taking them apart and seeing how
top hats—it always seems to involve stretching re- they work. Turn them inside out, and they will still
ality to produce a result greater than the sum of its be able to come alive, again and again. Poetry for
parts and pulling unexpected results out of thin air. Students gives readers of any age good practice in
This book provides ample cases where a few sim- feeling the ways poems relate to both the reality of
ple words conjure up whole worlds. We do not ac- the time and place the poet lived in and the reality
x P o e t r y f o r S t u d e n t s
F o r e w o r d
of our emotions. Practice is just another word for with one hand, while the other hand pulls some sort
being a student. The information given here helps of trick that most of us will never fully understand.
you understand the way to read poetry; what to look I can’t even pack all that I need for a weekend into
for, what to expect. one suitcase, so what would be my chances of stuff-
With all of this in mind, I really don’t think I ing so much life into a few lines? With all that Po-
would actually like to have a poet’s job at all. There etry for Students tells us about each poem, I am
are too many skills involved, including precision, impressed that any poet can finish three or four
honesty, taste, courage, linguistics, passion, com- poems a year. Read the inside stories of these
passion, and the ability to keep all sorts of people poems, and you won’t be able to approach any
entertained at once. And that is just what they do poem in the same way you did before.
David J. Kelly
College of Lake County
V o l u m e 8 x i