Artsyames's Weblog

Poetry Nomination

artsyames — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:38:07 +0000

I vote for liveandlearn4 for best blog of the semester. I really like their poem selection and felt it was a fun page to visit. The poems were fun to read and delt with matters that I liked.

Honerable Mentions

Blog to Pass the Time

Carving Oswego

Incognitos16

Poetry in a Can

“Sleeping Beauty” by A Perfect Circle, a song of disappointment

artsyames — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:47:36 +0000

“Sleeping Beauty” by A Perfect Circle
delusional I believed I could cure it all for you dear
coax or trick or drive or drag the demons from you
make it right for you sleeping beauty
truly thought I could magically heal you
far beyond a visible sign of your awakening
failing miserably to rescue sleeping beauty
drunk on ego truly thought I could make it right
if I kissed you one more time to help you face the nightmare
but you’re far too poisoned for me
such a fool to think that I could wake you from your slumber
that I could actually heal you
sleeping beauty poisoned and hopeless
far beyond a visible sign of your awakening
failing miserably to find a way to comfort you
far beyond a visible sign of you awakening
and hiding from some poisoned memory
poisoned and hopeless sleeping beauty

This is probably one of my favorite songs. I love the lyrics in it. I really think the lyrics are very sad yet I‘m so drawn to the passion when it is sung. When looked at in a poem point of view, I feel like the theme is giving up and being disappointed. The first line demonstrates this disappointment, the speaker describes himself or the thought he could help as being delusional. I love how he says he was “drunk on ego, truly thought I could make it right.“ In this line the speaker puts himself on this pedestal, almost as if he knows he is the prince that can awake sleeping beauty. However he is not. The song in literal terms is the reality of being unable to wake sleeping beauty. In a deeper meaning it is about a lover being unable to cure the flaws in his love, sleeping beauty. The saddest part of this song is the last line. The speaker says “poisoned and hopeless sleeping beauty” I feel like it is a realization of time to give up.

I think that this poem can relate to anyone who has tried to save someone from their lover’s flaws or demons. Especially when it is visible that their love is struggling with some inner problems. I think this song is so seep and uncommon from other topics. I feel like the band A Perfect Circle has done it again with an original song with deeper meanings than most bands out there.

“I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You” by Pablo Neruda

artsyames — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 03:32:32 +0000

I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You by Pablo Neruda

I do not love you except because I love you;
I go from loving to not loving you,
From waiting to not waiting for you
My heart moves from cold to fire.

I love you only because it’s you the one I love;
I hate you deeply, and hating you
Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you
Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

Maybe January light will consume
My heart with its cruel
Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.

I really liked this poem. I love this poet and I find he is so passionate in his love poems. I think this poem is relatable for people who have loved and lost. Also for the one’s stuck in the middle waiting to figure out where they stand in the relationship.

In this particular poem, the poet is confused on how he feels. The poet describes “My heart moves from cold to fire.” I think this language is great and I like how instead of using the word warm or burns he uses “fire.” He also wants to love yet he wants to let go “I go from loving to not loving you, From waiting to not waiting for you.” I think people can relate to this part of the poem.

My favorite lines in the poem are “In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you, Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.” I think it is so Pablo Neruda to end a poem like this. He ends it with passion and really leaves an emotion in your heart when you are done reading it. I think here is where the speaker, or poet himself, comes to realization that he really does love this person and feels like he will die from the pain that love can bring.

“Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll

artsyames — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 03:18:51 +0000

Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
did gyre and gimble in the wabe.
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
the frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the maxome foe he sought-
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in thought.
As in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came.
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack.
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“Has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Calloh! Callay!
He chortled in his joy.
‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

I chose this poem because I have always loved it. I used to love “Alice in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass“. The poem is from “Through the Looking Glass.” This particular poem reminds me of childhood and being afraid of something. Growing up every child is afraid of the monster in the closet or under the bed and I think the poet creates something more elaborate and much more frightening.

In this case Carroll makes up a name for this monster, Jabberwocky. This creature becomes a thing to fear by all and eventually becomes slain. Although the pot explains how the creature looks, the words are unknown. I tried looking up these words and could not find them. However I still got a vivid image of the monster. I love the imagination of the poet and I think the words he chooses are made up by him. The poet also makes up a world that the creature and the slayer live in. For example he says “So rested he by the Tumtum tree.” Clearly there is no such thing as a tumtum tree but it makes u visualize a tree unknown to this world. I think this poem makes you think and makes the reader become the artist and visualize their own images to this poem.

“Lonely As A Cloud” A beautifully written poem

artsyames — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:54:53 +0000

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

I really found this poem to be very relaxing. I think the rhythm is great and the use of personification is nice too. The poem gives you a great visual of an experience the speaker had. The speaker talks about being alone and taking in this beautiful sight of swaying daffodils, all in massive rows like the stars at night. He or she goes on about them beside the ocean and the sound of the waves, however he or she describes this scene so beautifully. The speaker then goes on to say how the moment he had steals him away while he is alone on the couch. In the last lines the speaker says “For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,-They flash upon that inward eye-Which is the bliss of solitude;-And then my heart with pleasure fills,-And dances with the daffodils.“ This describes how he goes back to the scene. I love the ending. It gives me a feeling that his experience is not only soothing but rhythmic as well. Maybe its just the use of the word dance that associates me to rhythm.

I think the point of this poem is how the simplest things in life can take us back. I also think its important to have this happen to us in life. Sometimes its nice to stop and watch things around us happen and find the beauty in them. It is also nice to have something in our minds we can always go back to when we need a little vacation. I think this is what the poet was trying to express in this poem.

My favorite lines are “Continuous as the stars that shine-And twinkle on the milky way,-They stretched in never-ending line-Along the margin of a bay:-Ten thousand saw I at a glance,-Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.” To m these lines give me a great visual of how many daffodils and also how they are swaying in the breeze. The poet did a wonderful job throughout the poem of describing the scene but I like how he uses stars and the milky way to describe the flowers.

“Indeed, Indeed I Cannot Tell” A poem of “a pure impartial hate.”

artsyames — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:00:59 +0000

Indeed, Indeed I Cannot Tell

by Henry David Thoreau

Indeed indeed, I cannot tell,
Though I ponder on it well,
Which were easier to state,
All my love or all my hate.
Surely, surely, thou wilt trust me
When I say thou dost disgust me.
O, I hate thee with a hate
That would fain annihilate;
Yet sometimes against my will,
My dear friend, I love thee still.
It were treason to our love,
And a sin to God above,
One iota to abate
Of a pure impartial hate.

I like this poem because I can relate to it. I went through a messy relationship and this poem sums up how I feel towards this person at this point in time. Maybe not true hate because I don’t “hate” anyone. The poem is literally about the speaker going back and forth between the feelings of love and hate toward a person. The speaker is unsure of which one he is leaning towards. It is difficult for the speaker to say. Obviously he has gone through something similar to what I and many others have been through. I really like the rhythm; it is very simple and constant and has a beat. It is a simple rhythm that follows this simple idea of “Do I love you still or do I hate you?”

My favorite lines in the poem are “One iota to abate-Of a pure impartial hate.” What the speaker is saying that a small amount of this feeling of borderline hatred, will lessen gradually.

I think the most powerful lines are “Surely, surely, thou wilt trust me-When I say thou dost disgust me.-O, I hate thee with a hate-That would fain annihilate;” The speaker is saying believe me when I say you sicken me, I hate you so much that this hate, with a smile on my face or happiness behind it, would destroy you. I didn’t put it this way only until I really studied the language used. I noticed it is very straight to the heart for the reader it was intended for.

“Would-Coulda-Shoulda” by shel Silverstein (We’ve all said this before)

artsyames — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:03:55 +0000

Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda by Shel Silverstein
All the Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas
Layin’ in the sun,
Talkin’ ’bout the things
They woulda coulda shoulda done…
But those Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas
All ran away and hid
From one little Did.

I really like this poem. It is very short but has a nice rhythm to it. I think all the stressed syllables give it that rhythm. Even though it is a child’s poem published in children’s books, I think it sends a strong message to all. It is very inspirational to all to do things and not ponder what should have been. I think every one has said “Woulda-coulda-shoulda” and I find it interesting he uses slang in this piece. The phrase is what makes it relatable to people of all ages.

The poem is very fun. I love the metaphor he uses. He uses the slang as a group of subjects. I’m not sure, but I think this is a case of personification. He gives action to a common phrase. I like how when I read it, I get a sense that the phrase is a group of children lounging in the sun complaining about what they should have done. Then I think of the “did” subject chasing them away. It is almost like the “woulda-coulda-shouldas” are ashamed when the “did” shows up. I think this is a great analogy for children to get the right message of positive and negative actions.

Ashes Divide Lyrics “The Prey” A Song About Rebellion

artsyames — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:09:49 +0000

“The Prey”They pretend to be the ones to be afraid of
Caressing our souls away from us
And all of the world to keep us all in line
If we just fold our hands and smileSo many wasted
Promises rhapsodised
Promises to take us higher

Don’t be afraid of their excommunication, you’ll survive.
We’ll have no shame ’cause you will stand the climb and you will rise.

So many wasted promises rhapsodised
So many wasted sundays trying to avoid the fire
So many wasted
Promises to take you higher

They pretend to be the one we should be afraid of
Caressing our souls away

So many wasted promises rhapsodised
So many wasted sundays trying to avoid the fire
I’ve seen the twisted ways
They push the guilt inside, and made you believe you have to try
To suffer live and die their way

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

You don’t have to be shaken and confused and
Hang on to anything you can find.

I like this song because it is a fine example of a song that expresses rebellion. I think that in the time we live in someone needs to say something about the government. Basically the whole song is about calling out the the people, to grab their attention, and rise up.

My favorite lines in the song are “I’ve seen the twisted ways They push the guilt inside, and made you believe you have to try To suffer live and die their way But it doesn’t have to be this way.” I think this a very true and powerful statement. The whole song has such powerful and bold statements. I believe some lines have deeper meaning and use metaphors such as “So many wasted sundays trying to avoid the fire.” However this line I’m not too sure what it means exactly. What is the fire stand for. I think its just a metaphor for the constant pursuit of happiness. Either way it is a great song and stands well as a poem. If you want to hear the song go to Myspace.com log in and search Ashes Divide “The Prey”

I’m Still Here-A reassuring poem on death

artsyames — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 03:33:58 +0000

I’M STILL HERE, Author Unknown
Friend, please don’t mourn for me
I’m still here, though you don’t see.
I’m right by your side each night and day
and within your heart I long to stay.

My body is gone but I’m always near.
I’m everything you feel, see or hear.
My spirit is free, but I’ll never depart
as long as you keep me alive in your heart.

I’ll never wander out of your sight-
I’m the brightest star on a summer night.
I’ll never be beyond your reach-
I’m the warm moist sand when you’re at the beach.

I’m the colorful leaves when fall comes around
and the pure white snow that blankets the ground.
I’m the beautiful flowers of which you’re so fond,
The clear cool water in a quiet pond.

I’m the first bright blossom you’ll see in the spring,
The first warm raindrop that April will bring.
I’m the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine,
and you’ll see that the face in the moon is mine.

When you start thinking there’s no one to love you,
you can talk to me through the Lord above you.
I’ll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees,
and you’ll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze.

I’m the hot salty tears that flow when you weep
and the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep.
I’m the smile you see on a baby’s face.
Just look for me, friend, I’m everyplace.

This poem gives me hope. I had suddenly lost a really close friend a little over a year ago and this poem makes me believe there is hope that he is not completely gone. The worst feeling in my opinion about death is the thought of an unexistence. One minute they are somebody and the next they are nobody. One minute they are alive, the next hey are dead. Reading this poem hurts a little though. I start to think about when he was alive, when he really was standing beside me. But then again it helps me remember some of the good times. One part I took very literal was “My body is gone but I’m always near. I’m everything you feel, see or hear.” The reason I like and choose to take it literally is because he was cremated. So that line I could relate to.

My favorite lines are “When you start thinking there’s no one to love you, you can talk to me through the Lord above you. I’ll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees, and you’ll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze.” I like these lines because they are so beautiful, especially the last two lines. I would speak aloud sometimes at night, and feel like answers to my questions were somewhat responded, not by words, but by a feeling. I really like the poem for the hopeful thought that he is everywhere with me. Also it is very uplifting and helpful for people who need it.

Losing someone to death is so hard to overcome that I think it’s poems like this that make us feel better.

“Don’t Go Far Off” by Pablo Neruda…A poem about needing a loved one

artsyames — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:06:20 +0000

Don’t go far off, not even for a day, because –
because — I don’t know how to say it: a day is long
and I will be waiting for you, as in an empty station
when the trains are parked off somewhere else, asleep.

Don’t leave me, even for an hour, because
then the little drops of anguish will all run together,
the smoke that roams looking for a home will drift
into me, choking my lost heart.

Oh, may your silhouette never dissolve on the beach;
may your eyelids never flutter into the empty distance.
Don’t leave me for a second, my dearest,

because in that moment you’ll have gone so far
I’ll wander mazily over all the earth, asking,
Will you come back? Will you leave me here, dying?

    I really liked this poem because once again it is about love. It is basically saying that the speaker needs his loved one to survive. Although it is very moving and deep, I feel it is too needy, and not how I feel at all. I guess the speaker really needs his loved one by his side. I can relate to it even though it is too over the top. I once felt the need for someone. The feeling of losing someone can make you think life can’t go on without them. But it can and will.

   My favorite line in the poem is “Oh, may your silhouette never dissolve on the beach;
may your eyelids never flutter into the empty distance.” I like this line beacause I can picture his woman’s body and face. I also love the way he words it especially “may your eyelids never flutter into the empty distance.”

    I also like the line “the smoke that roams looking for a home will drift
into me, choking my lost heart.” I love the metaphor he uses. It makes the feeling of being choked up from love so much deeper and moving.