On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High (D.C. Berry)

Linda Arellano
Srygley, Cheryl
AP Literature

On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High
D.C. Berry

Before
I opened my mouth I noticed them sitting there
as orderly as frozen fish
In a package.

Slowly water began to fill the room
though I did not notice it
till it reached
my ears

and then I heard the sounds
of fish in an aquarium
and I knew that though I had
tried to drown them
with my words

that they had only opened up
like gills for them
and let me in.

Together we swam around the room
like thirty tails whacking words
till the bell rang
puncturing
a hole in the door

where we all leaked out

They went to another class
I supposed and I home

where Queen Elizabeth
my cat met me
and licked my fins
till they were hands again.

1. Reaction to Poem: The poem begins with a rather unusual comparison of students sitting in a class room to frozen fish in a package. Not only is this an unusual opening stanza, but it is also a bit humorous. The author quickly establishes that the classroom turns into an aquarium, which is slowly filling up with water. The water that fills the room can be interpreted as a symbol of the poetry that she is reading to the class, which slowly engages the class to the point she eventually realizes. As the class continues, the students become more interested in the words she speaks, and they all read along in unison, until they were abruptly interrupted by the bell, which signaled the end of that period therefore interrupting the group concentration. The poem concludes with the instructor going back home, where she slowly comes back from the poetic fantasy world and into the real world.
2. Paraphrase:
a. Before
b. I opened my mouth
c. I noticed the students sitting there
d. As orderly as frozen fish
e. In a package

f. the water filled the room slowly
g. even though I did not notice it
h. until it had reached
i. my ears

j. and then I heard the sounds
k. of fish in an aquarium
l. and I knew that even though I had
m. tried to drown them
n. in my lecture

o. they had only opened up
p. like gills for them
q. and allowed my in

r. together we swam around the room
s. about 30 kids speaking words
t. until the bell rang
u. puncturing
v. like a whole in a fish tank

w. where we all leaked out

x. they went to another class
y. I guess and I home

z. Where Queen Elizabeth
aa. My cat met me
bb. And licked my fins
cc. Until they were hands again
3. Syntax and word structure: This poem has no line or stanza pattern and follows no meter scheme whatsoever. Nevertheless this poem is considered to be a lyric. The poem contains stanzas that range from one to five lines, and these follow no pattern. The word choice used in this poem is highly descriptive and very precise for the maters of depicting the overall theme. There is brief usage of alliteration in certain lines (i.e. frozen fish… that though…, only opened…, thirty tails).
4. Imagery: The poem contains a prevailing image of an aquarium which is slowly filled by water as the instructor teaches poetry to the senior class at South High. The poem has many examples of imagery, or lines that are so descriptive that someone could hear, or even see things like if you were even there. In the first stanza the reader can immediately picture a class sitting in a very orderly fashion; “I noticed them sitting there as orderly as frozen fish in a package.” The second stanza creates an image of water emerging and rising to the instructor’s ears as she teaches the class. The author shows how the class is engaged and allows they to be part of the poetry she is teaching; “Together we swam around the room like thirty tails whacking words”.
5. Figurative Language: There are many examples of figurative language throughout the poem. Some of these include similes and metaphors. An example of figurative language would be, "Together we swam around the room/like thirty tail whacking words". The example is shown by a simile, comparing how they were discussing a learning (swimming around the room) poetry with thirty tails whacking words, using like to compare the two statements. As the students discuss the poetry they get more and more excited about discussing the poetry, which in the poet’s words would be the water in which the fish (students) are swimming in.
6. Tone: The tone of the poem is very relaxed, as if telling a story. it also combines a bit of humor (i.e. the first stanza). A group of people being compared to a package of frozen fish is not something we see every day. In general, it is very positive, inspiring and even focused.
7. Theme: The overall theme is saying that if water can help fishes breathe, then the discussion and reading of poetry can help students better understand it and even bring poetry back to life.
8. Conclusion: I believe that the purpose of this poem was to inspire people that poetry is not boring. It can transport one onto another era, another world and even help you see something from a different and more abstract perspective. In Berry’s poem she uses the example that people in classes can be predisposed as to how the class will go on, without even giving it a shot.

The Tyger (W. Blake)

Linda Arellano

Srygley, Cheryl

AP Literature and Composition

12 January 2012

The Tyger

William Blake

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 seize 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?

1. First impression: The poem begins with a repeated exclamation “Tyger!” which makes emphasis on the poem’s title. The first stanza concludes with a rhetorical question in which the author expresses fear of such creature. He questions why would such creature be created and if so, what was the Almighty creator thinking when he did. Was he pleased to see the deathly machine he had created? Throughout the poem the author uses a very heated, fire-filled scene. The author clearly expresses his fear as well as a meditation on whether the creator of a creature as peaceful and pure as the lamb had also created the opposite. The poem refers to fire and heat in several occasions throughout the piece.

2. Paraphrase:

a. Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright

b. in the immense night

c. what godly creature

d. could have created such shape

e. in what distance

f. burns the fire of your eyes?

g. How was he inspired?

h. What challenge would capture the fire?

i. And what shoulder, and what art

j. Could twist the muscles of your heart

k. And when your heart began to beat

l. What fearful claws? And what fearful feet?

m. What hammer? What chain?

n. What hell is your brain?

o. What steel? What deadly grasp

p. dare its death entrap

q. when the stars threw spears

r. and showered the heavens with their tears

s. Was He pleased with his creation?

t. Did the same one who created the Lamb, create the tiger?

u. Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright

v. in the immense night

w. what godly creature

x. could have created such shape

3. Syntax/Word Choice: The poem’s structure is divided into 6 stanzas of 4 lines each. The poem begins and concludes with the same stanza therefore repetition occurs. The poem contains a large amount of rhetorical questions; “On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare sieze the fire?” nevertheless The author’s rhetorical questions follow no specific pattern. The poem contains a slight variation in rhyme scheme: aabc, aabb, aabb, aabb, aabb, aabc. The choppy questions function to build the author’s thought process, one question speeding right after the other, creating the feeling of fear and the million things that fly through the mind when one is in terrorizing situations.

4. Imagery: The author creates many images that portray or express his fear of the creature’s physical appearance as well as a state of burning and fire that surrounds the creature; “Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright In the forests of the night,” because the reader envisions a flaming tiger in the woods at night. Another image used is that of fire in the tiger’s eyes, as well as a “furnace” in the tigers brain. The reader can only image the tiger’s natural ferocity combined with anger and in this particular context a flaming rage. The image of stars showering heaven with tears in the fifth stanza causes the reader to see a sort of contrast, for heaven is something good, therefore tears (which can represent sorrow and sadness) shouldn’t be shed to the creation of a creature.

5. Figurative Language: Within the first stanza, the reader can identify the first metaphor of the subject night being compared to forests. This is fitting because the reader can picture forests to be very deep, dark and usually large which fits the description of night for it is dark and spawns all across the sky for a long period of time. Another great example of figurative language used in this poem is hyperbole. In the fifth stanza, the deliberate exaggeration of stars watering heaven with their tears serves to express the sorrow that was caused to the creation of tiger. Through this image the reader can assimilate the author’s shock with the aesthetic characteristics of the creature.

6. Tone: The poem has an overall very negative tone. It is highly accusing “What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?” The poem portrays a tone of sadness and the creature as something dreadful and unfriendly. The author is almost reproaching why God created such creature, questioning “Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee?”

7. Theme: The theme of the poem was mainly to contrast the poem of the Lamb with, what we can refer to as, its predator. Throughout the poem the author questions the tiger in all manners; why is his character and aspect so, why does it have to create terror with its clasp. In conclusion, the theme of this poem is to focus on evil and contrast it to the previous poem of The Lamb.

8. Conclusions: The poem focuses greatly on evil over good, making the tiger the center of his remarks. The author focuses on the terror created by this creature and relates it fierceness to that of fire and flames. He questions the heavens above, even God himself, if he took pleasure in creating a creature that kills and destroys. With the emphasis and context of the poem the reader quickly forgets that these creatures only seek to survive.

The Lamb (W. Blake)

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!

1. First impression: This poem is filled very particular word choices and a peculiar syntax which includes an aa, bb, cc, dd, aa rhyming scale, repetition and alliteration. The poem talks about a little lamb, which I connected to a biblical allusion. In the second paragraph there is also an allusion to the Bible in which the author identifies the lamb as a male child who calls himself a lamb. The poem also begins and ends the first stanza with the same rhetorical question.

2. Paraphrase:

a. Small lamb, who created you?

b. Do you know who created you?

c. Gave you life, and offered you food

d. By the stream and over the meadow;

e. Softest garments, woolly, bright;

f. Gave you such a tender voice,

g. Making all valleys joyful

h. Do you know who created you?

i. Little lamb, I’ll tell you,

j. Little lamb, I’ll tell you:

k. He is called by your name

l. Because he call himself a lamb

m. He is humbly patient, he is docile;

n. He became a small child

o. I a child and you a lamb.

p. We are all called by his name.

q. God bless you little lamb

r. God bless you little lamb

3. Syntax/Word Choice: The poem opens with a rather unique rhetorical question: “Little Lamb, who made thee?” The author uses a rhyming scheme of aa, bb, cc, dd, aa with a two stanza composition. The first stanza opens and concludes with a pair of very similar rhetorical questions. The first and last two lines of both stanzas end with “thee”. This poem also has repetition, which makes emphasis on the words “Little Lamb”; this also serves as alliteration. The author makes use of certain words in order to create an interconnection to the title/topic of the lamb which flows through the entire piece. The author also selected words like “stream”, “mead”, and “vales” which all relate to nature and are common locations were lambs can be found.

4. Imagery: The author paints a nature scene as the poem progresses. Also the images portray a sort of holiness and appeal to the tactile senses. Some examples are found in the first stanza, 4^th line, “By the stream and o’er the mead;” which is a good example of the imagery of a scene that would maybe occur in a farmland. Other examples of imagery include the soft clothing of a lamb. The simple idea of lamb is something the reader can quickly connect to a white, fluffy and soft innocent animal.

5. Figurative Language: In this poem, Blake uses several allusions to the bible. The little lamb can be interpreted to be Jesus; “He calls himself a Lamb… He became a little child”. In the old testament Jesus decides to become a lamb of sacrificed himself and became like humans in order to better understand them and save them from their since, therefore serving as an offering to pay for the sins of the world. Another example of figurative language is when he mentions that “we are called by his name” which could imply that the term of ‘Christians’ derived from Jesus Christ, is used to call the people he saved.

6. Tone: The tone for this poem is logical or rational yet positive. The tone is logical in the sense that the author is curious about the little lamb origin or creation; “Little lamb who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee?”. Throughout the poem the author re-emphasizes the same question, twice in the first stanza. When referring to the positive side of this poem’s tone, we can see how mesmerized the author is with the beauty of nature, and of the lamb itself; “Softest clothing, woolly, bright; Gave thee such a tender voice, Making all the vales rejoice?” In the second stanza of this poem, the author adopts an explanatory tone, “He is called by thy name, For he calls himself a Lamb. He is meek, and he is mild;”

7. Theme: When referring to the poems theme, there is a prevailing rhetorical journey to discover who the lamb is. The author repeatedly inquires “Little Lamb who made thee?” in the sense that the reader also wonders about the origins of the little lamb. There is also the theme of a paradise or Utopia with the description of this beautiful meadow and the purity of the “clothing of delight”. One can picture the lamb as a bright snow-white fragile little creature.

8. Conclusions: The poem opens with a set of rhetorical questions which inquire about this delicate small creature, the lamb. The author then goes on to mention how such a small creature with the softest wool has brought joy to the vales with its tender voice. The first stanza then concludes restating the question: “little lamb who made thee”. The second stanza then goes on and answers the question saying that he is God’s creation. He is called by his name and is compared to Jesus when he became a human child and sacrificed himself like a lamb in order to save humanity from their sins. Therefore the author concludes with “Little Lamb, God bless thee!” for he is a symbol of redemption.

Siren Song (M. Atwood)

This is the one song everyone

would like to learn: the song

that is irresistible:

the song that forces men

to leap overboard in squadrons

even though they see beached skulls

the song nobody knows

because anyone who had heard it

is dead, and the others can’t remember.

Shall I tell you the secret

and if I do, will you get me

out of this bird suit?

I don’t enjoy it here

squatting on this island

looking picturesque and mythical

with these two feathery maniacs,

I don’t enjoy singing

this trio, fatal and valuable.

I will tell the secret to you,

to you, only to you.

Come closer. This song

is a cry for help: Help me!

Only you, only you can,

you are unique

at last. Alas

it is a boring song

but it works every time.

1. Initial Impression: My first reaction to the poem is being that the author feels as if she is entrapped in an uncomfortable situation, and wishes desperately to escape. The author keeps a secret, a deadly one. However this is secret is highly treasured and those who know about it die. The author makes a sort of plea, as if trying to escape a curse.
2. Line-by-line paraphrasing:
a. A song all
b. Would like to learn: this song
c. Is extremely tempting

d. This melody forces men
e. To jump in large numbers
f. Even if they see death is eminent.

g. This melody no one knows
h. Because anyone who had heard it
i. Dead, and others can’t remember

j. Shall I tell you a secret
k. And if I do, will you do me a favor
l. Free me from this jail?

m. I really don’t like it
n. Screaming on this island
o. Looking like a simple ornament

p. With these wild wings
q. I don’t enjoy the melodies
r. The sirens are deathly and priceless

s. I will release my secret to you
t. Only you
u. Get closer. This melody

v. Is a shout for help: HELP ME!
w. Only you are capable
x. You are distinct

y. Finally. Oh how sad
z. It is a boring song
aa. But it works all the time.
3. Syntax: The author uses alliterations such as “is irresistible” in the first stanza and “though they” in the second stanza. This poem is free verse due to no particular rhyme scheme or meter. The poem’s word choice is very picturesque. The poem’s opening stanza begins as if someone is about to tell a story, which is instantly created by the word choice The author uses words like ‘irresistible’ to describe the siren’s song and ‘bird suit’ to show as if the author was entrapped or jailed within.
4. Imagery: The author projects her ideas clearly in the manner of a story that is being told by a bird that is looking to escape, but one does not find this out until halfway through the third stanza. The way this poem opens is as if someone is about to begin a story. The opening line makes the reader imagine a beautiful melody that many would like to lend their ears to; it makes them want to hear what this “irresistible” melody is about. Later the reader finds him/herself as part of the “squadrons” that are jumping of a boat; one can almost picture oneself in a sort of pirate ship and see the “beached skulls” as water gently washes ashore. The narrator of the poem identifies itself as someone who is entrapped in a “bird suit” so the reader is suggested to imagine some sort of tropical bird narrate the tale. In the end of the stanza another creature is introduced; the “mythical trio”… the sirens are usually pictures as a group of three creatures that haunt for sailors and bring them to a fatal death. The poem concludes with a rather sarcastic “it works every time”, which leads the reader to imagine that the poor soul that was lured is no longer amongst the living.
5. Figurative Language: The author uses several symbols in this poem which include the song and the secret which can be a symbol of temptation, the beached skulls which can be a symbol of death (death at sea in particular).
6. Tone: The tone of this poem is rather dramatic and obscure with a clever twist and a rather humorous/ironic ending. The poem begins with the dramatic scene of “squadrons” of men jumping overboard to hear these beautiful songs by the sirens. The narrator is very clever for she slowly but surely lures in the chosen one for he is “unique” and is curious enough to listen to the ‘secret’.
7. Theme: The theme is
8. Conclusion: The poem begins with a story-like manner, as if inviting the reader to listen to a tale. The narrator then goes on telling the story of the many who listened to the siren’s song. Many “squadrons” didn’t mind the signs and continued to be hypnotized and lured in by the mythical creatures. The “boring song” in the end surely gets the men’s attention. Little did they know this would be the last melody to reach their eardrums.

To Marguerite (M. Arnold)

TO MARGUERITE
by: Matthew Arnold (1822-1888)
YES: in the sea of life enisled,
With echoing straits between us thrown.
Dotting the shoreless watery wild,
We mortal millions live alone.
The islands feel the enclasping flow,
And then their endless bounds they know.

But when the moon their hollow lights,
And they are swept by balms of spring,
And in their glens, on starry nights,
The nightingales divinely sing;
And lovely notes, from shore to shore,
Across the sounds and channels pour;

O then a longing like despair
Is to their farthest caverns sent!
For surely once, they feel, we were
Parts of a single continent.
Now round us spreads the watery plain--
O might our marges meet again!

Who order'd that their longing's fire
Should be, as soon as kindled, cool'd?
Who renders vain their deep desire?--
A God, a God their severence ruled;
And bade betwixt their shores to be
The unplumb'd, salt, estranging sea.

(http://www.poetry-archive.com/a/to_marguerite.html)

Linda Arellano
Srygley, Cheryl
AP Literature &
Comp.
09 January 2012
To Marguerite
1.
Reaction to Poem: In the opening lines of To Marguerite the reader is immediately
greeted with the author’s portrayal of loneliness and isolation as if stranded
on a deserted island. Immediately when life is compared to something as vast as
the sea, one can only imagine how truly lonely our lives can be, segregated
from other people by concentrating mainly on our realities and isolating
everyone else’s. Initially I felt there was a feeling of loneliness, despair, and
isolation; however I did sense a feeling of hope and expectation that one is
truly alone.
2.
Paraphrased poem:
a.
Yes, in the ocean, were life is isolated
b.
the silence allows for a sort of inner peace
c.
marking the limitless untamed sea
d.
Are we (humans) truly ever accompanied
e.
The islands feel the constant current
f.
One does not know the bounds there are until we
have reached them

g.
When the light reveals the flaws
h.
And these people begins to
i.
And in the narrow valleys on skies filled with
stars
j.
The birds sing beautifully
k.
And beautiful notes are heard from one end to
the other
l.
The music flows all around as if it were a
waterfall

m.
A hopeless desire
n.
Is sent to the darkest chambers
o.
Certainly it was once known that they were
p.
United
q.
Currently they are surrounded/separated by a
body of water
r.
Yet one can only hope to be reunited once again

s.
Who commanded that their desire’s passion
t.
Would be terminated and lost its fire
u.
Who delivers their deepest wishes in vain
v.
A God decided to terminate the relationship
w.
And commanded their destinies to be neither one
nor the other
x.
The mysterious salt of an unaffectionate sea
3.
Syntax: The poem begins with a rather catchy and
attention grabbing opening line; “YES, in the sea of life enisled”. Line 1, verse 1, the word ‘enisled’ is key in
the portrayal of the isolation the author feels, which also carries out through
the first verse with comparisons such as “we mortal millions live alone”. Verse
two is more of an expository verse in which the author reveals the certain
characteristics such as “hollows” which are lit by moonlight and “balms” from
spring which provide a soothing feeling. In the third verse, the author returns
to the sorrowful and mourning theme of the poem; the key words “longing” and “despair”
clearly remark so. The concluding word choice portrays the author as if he was
asking ‘why me’; the syntax of this last verse uses “Who order’d that their
longing’s fire/ should be, as soon as kindled, cool’d”.
4.
Imagery: Just like an artist paints a canvas,
the word choice used by the author acts as paint used by a painter creating
vivid images in the reader’s mind. In verse one of this poem, the author begins
with the comparison of sea and life. Immediately the reader pictures the sea
and can see him/herself isolated (enisled) and surrounded by nothing but water.
I believe the second verse in particular is filled of imagery being rich in
comparisons the reader can quickly relate to. For example, the reader can
easily picture caves (hollows) that are lit by the moonlight, and then quickly
change images when picturing the ‘balms of spring’ which can be comforting. The
divine songs of the nightingales can nearly be heard as the beautiful song of a
bird. As the poem continues one can also imagine the unity of a continent when
the author says “parts of a single continent”. These are just some of the
several examples of imagery used by Matthew Arnold.
5.
Figurative language: Figurative language serves
a great purpose in creating the imagery. Some of the examples used in this poem
can be found in the very first line of verse 1. “YES, in the sea of life…” life
is quickly compared to the sea which, as we later understand, is used to give
the reader an image of the comparison between the two. Another great example of
figurative language is on the third verse of the poem. “O then the longing like
despair is to their farthest caverns sent”. Their despair and lack of hope is
so great it is sent to the ‘farthest of caverns’. Lastly in the concluding verse, the author
mentions the lovers hope which burns so vividly to be “kindled, cool’d.” This
is perfect usage of figurative language since one can not quantify hope,
however we can imagine it being like a flame and soon become extinguished (cool’d).
6.
Tone: Due to the syntax/word choice, usage of
imagery and figurative language one can come to the conclusion that the author is
rather hopeless and feeling isolated. He seems to have a frustrated love that
can’t be realized or made a reality and is soon becoming extinct. The overall
mood the author gives away with words like longing, which is used frequently in
the poem; give the feeling of hopelessness and gloom.
7.
Theme: In this particular piece of literature,
the theme is about a lost hope on love. The author feels the lonesomeness of
the loss of a love which seemed to unify the meaning of his existence. Yet again
the hope that “our marges meet again” still remains; giving the reader an idea
that deep within he does not lose his expectation that love will come again to
knock at his door.
8.
Conclusion: My impression of the poem didn’t
change too drastically after analyzing this poem more in detail. I did notice I
didn’t mention anything about his love for the one we can assume is Marguerite,
which is stated in the title. Other than that, I still believe that the poem
focused greatly on his loneliness and isolation due to the loss of Marguerite.