“Journey of the Magi”

            After reading this poem, I concluded that it is a different version of the three wise men’s journey. “A cold coming we had of it, just the worst time of the year” (1-2). Here, the author is clearly letting us know that the journey was harsh and long. He says that the weather was sharp. I think he is referring to the harsh wind that is blowing. It is cutting and stinging their skin. He is providing the reader with a picture depicting the poor state of the animals. I also think that Eliot is showing the strength and endurance of the kings. I say that because of how they are reflecting on the comforts that they enjoy so much. Yet, they continue to push on in harsh weather. They are driven. The imagery of the magi fighting to continue is strong. I also think that it is strong when the magi witnessed the birth. I can picture the anguish on their faces. They were not prepared for what they saw. They probably thought that the birth of the savior was not supposed to be painful. I think that in seeing the pain and agony, they felt as if a part of them was dying. I would be remised it I did not say that this was a little confusing to me. However, I had to read it because this is the first time that I have read something that compared the birth of Jesus to death.

           

“Epitaph”

            “I never cared for life: Life cared for me” (Hardy 1), is a very intriguing statement to me. The author seems to be saying that he did not care how he lived his life; however, it was good to him. I believe he feels that he has done all that he could while he was living, and now it is time for him to pass on. The author has personified life because it is talking to the author. I think the character’s ways have finally caught up to him. He has no regrets about anything and asks nothing of anyone. I think he is willing to take whatever is coming his way because he is content.

“Leda and the Swan”

Right off, I got a picture of a girl being raped by a bird. As I continued to read, I could not help but notice the graphic, sexual nature of the events that were taking place; “How can those terrified vague fingers push the feathered glory from her loosening thighs” (5-6)? To me, Leda is fighting back as the swan is trying to penetrate her. This brings me to something else that I noticed. The author is injecting bestiality into the poem with the unwanted sexual act. I also think that he is using personification with the swan as well by giving him the ability to rape Leda.  

“The Convergence of the Twain”

I thought this poem would be interesting to analyze. After reading it, I came away with the feeling that I had just watched the movie “Titanic”. Within every stanza, he adds excellent imagery. I also like the title of the poem. It is as if the author is setting the scene for some type of competition. He uses the imagery to paint a picture for readers so that they can get a better feel for the power of the iceberg. The iceberg was just as large as the Titanic. “And as the smart ship grew in stature, grace, and hue, in shadowy silent distance grew the Iceberg too” (22-24). How can something as structurally sound as the Titanic succumb to a big ice cube? With his imagery, I am able to see the glimmer of hope fading from the passengers as they struggle to overcome the fear of crashing into the iceberg. No matter what, their fate is sealed and there is nothing can change it. It is by chance that something like this would happen. Even more ironically, whenever the Titanic is mentioned, it is not without mentioning the iceberg. The two are joined at the hip so to speak.

            Finally, I think Hardy was trying to tell readers that nature is truly a force to be reckoned with. No matter how much wealth, time, and effort goes into the construction of our manmade objects, they are still no match for the power of nature. This is so evident with the natural disasters that are constantly happening today. Never before have we witnessed so many, so frequently, and so powerful.

             

“The Lake Isle of Innisfree”

            Have you ever wanted to get away and travel to a place where the only noise you will hear is nature’s song? A place so peaceful, that you can easily bask in the tranquility of your surroundings. I think that this is the only way that Yeats can get peace. In today’s world, we would call what he is doing roughing it if we were to build cabins and wonder around in the wilderness. Ironically, this is how he gets peace though. Beginning with line five, I can see that the author finds peacefulness in all stages of a day. To him, the sound of the crickets in the morning is probably like a soothing song. He compares the stages to the beautiful things that we all consider a gift from nature. Take for instance the midnight glimmer; this could be the reflection of the moon and stars on a body of water. To me, this is Yates way of getting readers to visualize what he sees. It is an attempt to use imagery. “And evening full of the linnet’s wings” (Yeats 8) is the author’s way of describing a soft evening breeze. However, in the end, I would have to say that the author is somewhere in a city daydreaming about his favorite place, nature. He is not afraid to take the time to appreciate the simple things. It brings him peace. He allows himself to drift away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This is not difficult to understand. I have often found myself captivated by the sounds of nature. So much so, that I fell asleep on the patio.

Break of Day in the Trenches”

I think the author is showing his discontent with war. It seems that he has befriended a rat and begins to tell him of the things that are to come. He tells the rat that he would not make it if everyone knew that he was going to feed on the dead. He goes on to tell the rat that he will not only feast on the dead bodies of the English soldiers, but the Germans as well. Rosenberg seems to be telling the rat that it has a better chance of surviving than he does. He believes that the rat will be able to navigate his way through the battlefield without harm. “Less chanced than you for life” (Rosenberg 15). In other words, the rat has a better chance of surviving than he does. He asks the rat what does he see when he is feasting on them. What is it like being able to wander the battlefield as the sky is illuminated from the firing of the guns? Rosenberg believes that unlike the soldiers, the rat is able to move freely about the battlefield without fear of meeting his destruction.

“Anthem for Doomed Youth”

            I believe that this poem is about the death of men in combat. They are dying in great numbers, as highlighted by the comparison to the slaughtering of cattle. Many of them are praying, but the only thing that can be heard is the firing of the guns. I think that this is rather ironic how the author applies the sounds of the guns and rifles to drown out the prayers. I say this because when we think of weapons, we think of something bad. However, when we think of prayers, we think in terms of peace and savior, not destruction.

“No mockeries now for them; nor prayers nor bells, nor any voice of mourning save the choirs” (Owen 5-6). Here Owens lets us know that no one will mourn their deaths because they are unknown. I do not believe this happens in today’s wars. I think that the men and women serving with the fallen are the first to mourn long before the soldier’s loved ones are notified.

Then there are the candles. To me, Owens compares the glimmer of the flame to the last thing that a soldier sees as he dies. For some, it may be the sky as it is illuminated by the fire of the guns. Finally, he compares the flowers and blinds. I say this because at night, many flowers tend to close because of the darkness, just as we do with blinds as the evening progresses.