English Paper

: :::ry

\\'ILLI.{\t \\'ORDS\\'OR'f l{ [I tlrrrrrie red lonelt' as tr cloudl 705

-r'dcar-a ra\\' countrv girl, sr-rch as vou be, ,,nnot quite e\pect that. \bu ain't ruined," said she.

1866

'e read and u'rite about dramatic poems, \1'e can usefulll'bring to bear -restions se do in reading drama. (See "Questions to Ask \\/hen Reading 'Drama: Reading, Responding, \\/riting"') But rvhen it comes to short

.= Tgr Rutrro Nlrro, questions about sets, staging, and even plot rvill . :nuch less relevant than those related to character and conflict, as u'ell as ::e. language, s1'mbol, and theme. In Hardl"s poem, for erample, hos'are ': t\r'o speakers characterized b1' horu thel' speak, as sell as rt'ltrtf thel'sa1? . : r'ierv of them, and especialll' ofl 'llelia, "the ruined maid," affected bv the ::ern mentioned earlier, shich ensures (among other things) that she gets ".ei Hon'might this pattern, along s'ith rh1'thm and rhvme, also add irony -:ri

listorical reasons, lvric poems probablv best fulfrll 1'our expectations ' ,etr1, should be like. \'et l1'ric poetr)' has been and still is defined in -.r's. The s'ord /1'ric derives from the ancient Greeks, for s'hom it desig-

- '.ort poem chanted or sung bv a single singer to the accompaniment of

-. j instrument called a l1're (hence, the u'ord l1'ric and the fact that rr'e

- use the s'ord 11 rics to denote the s'ords of an1'song). Scholars believe --rrliest "ll,rics" in the Greek sense \lere Iikell'associated s'ith religious . and feelings, especialll' those related to celebration. praise, and -. Ever since, the l1'ric has been associated rvith brevitl', rnusicalitr', a -.rker, and the expression of intense feeling. Not surprisingll', at least a

-.ric kinds of l1'ric, including the ode and the elegl', originated in the orld.

' ::e centuries, the l1'ric's boundaries have erpanded and become less clear.

-: are intended to be sung at all, much less to a l1're. But el'ervone agrees :l'elv short poems that focus primarill'on the feelings, impressions, and .-that is, on the subjective, inx'ard e:iperience-of a single first-person .,re l1'rics.

are t\I'o examples verl' different from each other in subject matter .. I'et rvith these. as s'ith all lvrics, our initial questions in both reading -::rg rvill likell'focus on each speaker's situation and inu'ard experience of :s each speaker experiencing, feeling, and thinking, and hou-exacth'does

:'r make that state of rnood and mind at once vivid and reler-ant to usi

[l wandered lonely as a cloud] I sarrdered lonelv as a cloud That floats on irigh o'er vales and hills, \\'hcn all at ouce I sau' a ct'orrci, -\ lrost, of golden daffodils;

POEl'RYr IIEADING. RTSPO\DI\(;. \\'Rll l\G

; Bcside the lake, ber-reath the trees. Fh.rttcring and dancing in the brecze.

Continuous as the stars that shir-re And trrinkle or-r the milkl'sar'. Tho, stretched in nevcr-ending line

ro r\lor.rg tlre margin of a l>a1': -lL'n

thousancl sau' I at a glance, Tossir.rg thcir heads in sprightly, dance.

The u ales beside tl-rem dar.rcedl but thcr' Out-did the sparkling u'ar es in glee:

it .\ poet coulcl not but bc gar', In such a.jocund compan\': I gazed-and gazed-but little thought \\ihat uealth the shou' to me had brought:

For oft, shen on mv couch I Iic :o In vacant or in pensive rn<lod,

Thet'flash upon that inrt'ard evc \\/hich is the bliss of solitude: And then mv heart u ith pleasurc fills, Ancl dances u'ith the daltbdils.

I807

. According to the speaker, s'hat is "the bliss of solitude" (line 22)? \\ :., hou does "solitude" become less "lonelr"'for him (line 1)?

. \\/hat about the relationship betu'een human beings and nature mil-: implied b1'the speaker's description ofhis particular experience?

Poem

Lana'l'urnei has collapscdl I uas trotting along and sudclcnlv it started raining and snon'ing and vou said it rras hailing

; but hailing hits 1'ou on the head hard so it u'as reallv snorling and rainir-rg and I uas in such a hurrt' to mcct vou but the traffic \1as acting e\acth, like the sl$,

ro and suddenlv I sce a headline LANA TURNER FIAS COLLT\PSED! therc is no sno\\'in Hollt,nood there is no rain in Calilornia I havc been to lots of parties

r; and acted pclf'ect11' disgraceful

7. Anrerican actrcss (1921-95); in I958,'furner's lorer $as stabbed to clcath b1 her daughter. detcrmined to hare acted in self-defense.

\\'ll,FRED O\\-E\ Disrrblerl ;tl

.ren she thc' rrord O/ra.t has said, :J rnan br'ltrrl sltpreure has tnacle, :.,n all that's kind is laid asicle, :cl nothing left but stater and pride.

-'rce as all eastelll pliuce he gror\.s. :.1 all his innate ligor shorrs: '.c,n but to look. to laugh. or speak, :il the nuptial cor-rtract brcak. \c mutes, slre signs alone tnust malie. '.cl neler anr' ft'eedorn takc. -:r still be gor-erned bl a nod. .:cl fear her husband as hel gocl, .in still lnust sel'\-e. hirn still ober, .":cl nothit-rg act, and nothing sa\..

-:t rlhat l'rer haughtv lold thinlis fit, .i.r<1.

rlith tl're pou'er. has all the u it. .'ren shun, ol.rl shun that u rctched state' .rd all the flan'ning flatteret's hate. ,lue lourselves, aud men despise: ,Lr must be ploud. if lou'll bc u ise.

r;03

\\'hat might the speaker mean ryhen she sa1's a husband "ryith tfie pou'er, ,ras all the $.it" (line 20)i Ho$'might that statemerlt rnultipll the meanings ,rf the poem's last lirre."

)isabted . ic sat itr a rtheeled chair'. rlaiting lbr daLk, rind sl'rir eled in his gl-rastlv suit <lf grer'.

-cgless. sen'n short at elbou'. Througl: tl.re parli

'.irices of bovs rang saddening lilie a hvrnn'

'.irices of plar and pleasule after dar'. --ill gathering sleep lrad tnotl'rc'r'ed thern h'om hitn'

\bout this titne Tou.r.r used to srliug so gat

"\-hen glorr-lamps budded in the light blue trees.

.\nd girls glanced lotelier as the air greu' dirn.- -n the old tirnes, befole he threu. auar'his knees. \os. hc u ill ner.et'fbel again l.ron slirn Clills'uaists are, or horl rrar-tl their subtle hands: '\ll ol thern toucl.r hirr-r like sor.ne quec'r disease.

There uas an artist sillv fbr his facc. For it u as \-ounger than his r.outh, last r car' \orr'. he is old: his back lr ill ner-et'Itrace:

rsition.

7-)2 EXPLORING GENDER: Arr* ALBUII

He's lost his coior verv far lrom he ' '

Pourecl it du*" sh"]l-'holes tili the vetns ran dr\''

l"i i*f f his lifetime lapsed in the hot race' ,, ;;; i""i ur p"tpte spuited from his thigh'

One time he liked a blood-smear-dorvn his leg'

After the matches'2 carried shou-lder-high'

ii or, "f,"' f"o'U'ir' t'hen he'd drunk a peg'r

H. il,o,gt" h":J bttt"' ioil -H", tl olders r'hr"

,, io.r,"o,,J had said he'd look a god in kilts'- That's ,,'[1'; and ma1'be' too' to Please

his i\leg:

Ave, that n'as it' t9!lu.1tt the giddl',jilts He asked to join' He didn't hare to beg;

i*iti"g the)'n'rote his lie: aged nineteen Years'

so Germans he scarcelt' thought ofl all their guilt'-"

i;a Austria's, did n;t *ot= hit' And no fears Of Fear tu*t -'"'' He thought of jcrveled hilts For daggers in ptaid socLs: of stnat't salutesl

At d ca'i of arms: and ieave; and pav arrears;

r; Esurif de corps" and hints tbr voung recruits'" iX;';;;'; ni't''"t a*rted oui rr ith drums a'd cheers'

+o Norv, he rvill spend a feiv sick,vears jn In-stitutes'

" ;;J;; *'hat tirings the rules consider u'ise' A.,d tak" trhatcr'ei pitv thev mar dole'

Tonight he noticed hos'the \\'omens eves

Passed from him to the strong men-that t'ere n'hole'

s Hor" cold and late it is! \\rhv don't thev come-' ffi prini", into bed? Whv dont thel'come? u,t7

' Horv might you respond differentlv,to this Po-em if the

":''tt':::i;1::|;-X

Some cheered him home, but not.as cros'ds cheer Goal' j

O'lt'a solemn -u'""t"'n-tlJt'gi""i"'*r*i" i Tttanketl hirn; and then inquired about

hls sour' I

Holv mrgnt you rtsPu.u ilil;ii;

".,"rri, of hi. life in the 61ds1 in 1r i_..*e'i

the speaker? if the poem des:rt?eo!:1e:::11:X:: ;i'";il;;ai ir,t'" poem lacked its last t*o lines:

Exchanging Hats

UnfunnY uncles lvho insist

in tr-ving on a ladlls hu!'.. ^.-oh. "i"t,

if the joke falls fl"t' $-e share vour slight transYesi {tc t\\'ist

; in sPite of our embarrassment' Cort.,m" and custom are comPlex'

2. Soccer games. 3' A drink' usuall;- brandl and soda'

'i'l-re he ad

inspires u

Anandrol iu u'ith pape

keep Putt u'ith exhi

the visrlrs so that tL

r; -the

tid Such cap

Or vou u itseif, an, or sPort t

.rr _pel.\.eI

the uatul ,\nd if tf and cros he tirink

:: Unfunnr hat too t tell us, c stars ins

Aunt ert -,, u'ith ave

rr hat slo their lai

' The sp line 5r poem (

third-p

My F;

On his Boiled ; -Io

Piet'r ,\ncl dr,

; Don'n t Each d

,r : :orallr., "husbaI

856 cH. t5 | S\'\lBoL

\\/hile thou art Pouring fbrth thr soul abroad

In such an ecstas\'! Still uouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain-

6{) To th1'high re<luiern become a sod'

\/II Thou uast not born tbr death, immortal Birdl

No hungrv generations tread thee dorvnl

The r oice i he-ar this passing night u as heard ln ancient dars bv L'mperor and clou'n'

r,i Perhaps the selt-samc song that found a path- -itrio"gh the sad heart of Ruth'; u'hen' sick for home'

She stood in tears amid the alien corn: l'he same that ofttin-res hath

Charmed magic cascments, openingon the ['oam

;r) Of periloui seas. in f'aery lands fbrlorn'

\i III Forlornl the verv s'ord is like a bell

-[o toll -e ba"k from thee to m1'sole selfl Adieu! the tar"rcv cannot cheat so uell

,\s she is famed to do. deceiving elf'

Adieul aclieul th1 plaintive anthem f'ades

Past the neerr meadou's, over the still stream' Up the hillsider and nou"tis buried deep

In the next Yalls1'glades: \\/as it a r ision, or a naking dream?

Fled is that music:-Do I sake or sleep? \lav 1819

. Since birds obviously die, just as humans do, $hat might the sp,eaker

*+,"i i" a""t"r"r, .,Tho, ,r.asr not born fbr death, immortal Birdl" rli:re iit", it, hou, according to the poem, is the bird "immortal" in a rrs* ;;;i;; itru Ho" migit this help -vou begin to understand s'hat rhe clmes to svmbolize in the Poem?

The Road Not Taken Tiro roads diverged in a 1'ellos'uood' And sorrv I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood And lotlked dorvn one as ['ar as I could

; To rrhere it bent in the undergron'thl Then took the other. as just as ['air, And having perhaps the better claim' Because it s'as grasst' and s'anted rrearl

5. \iirtuous }Ioabite rr'idorv s ho. according to the old Testament book of Ruth' left her orr n c

u..o-pun1. h". *other-inla$.. Naomi, back to Naomi's natile land, she supported herself as :

FIO\\'.\RI) \E\IERO\''fhe\hcuum 8;7

l-- rs.[r irs lbr that thc passing thele '.,-: \.\ol'r1 thcnl reallr al)out the silllle'

r -- both that tnornir.rg ecluallr lar. ' !.rvcs no steP had trodden blacL. - I kept the first ttlr .rr-rothcr dar ! r, \no\\'in!l hort rr lt leads tlu to \\ a\'. : rlrted if I should crer comc back.

- - -,il be tc'lling this n'ith ir sigh 1. ':-ic\\'hL're ages ancl ages hc'nce:-

roircls dirergcd in .r rrood. and I- . ,k the otte less traleled ltr'.

- ; that has macle all thc dil'tc'rencc'

t9 t6

. '.\ hat sort of choices might the fork in the road represent? In these terms, ..hlt seetns most imporiant about the description of the roads? \\'h1'and -,,$ might it matter that the poem's {irmous last lines (about the great_ "di[:-

,.r..,."" fline 201 it mtrde to take the road "less tra'eled b1"' [line l9l) are ::rmed as something the speakc'r imagines sar.ing "$.ith a sigh" at some point

: the distant future (line 16)?

:he Vacuum

l'':. Irouse is so cluiet n(x\' - -. \-ilcuum cleaner sullis in the cttt'ner closet' -- l.rg limp as a stoitpecl lung. its mtluth ..:rnning into thc floor, marbe at rn1

' ,"cnl) litl'. mr dog-deadtoutl'r. . Iir ed this u av krng enough.

ri.,: \\hr'n nrr old \\oman died l-rer soul .', cnt. into that vacuutn cleaner. arrd I can't bc';ir

scc tl're bag sucll lile a bellr'. eating the dust ,,::r-l the noolen rnicc. ancl begin to horll

i,;urLlsc thcre is olcl lilth crerru.het'e .:rc usecl to ct'aul, in the coruc'r and under the stair.

rrlo\\ n()\r horr lif'e is chcal'r as dirt, !.nd still the hungn', attgtr' l'reart i-rr.rgs on ancl h.xlls. bititrg at air.

l9i5

. \\ hat does the Yacuunl come to s1'mbolizei Ho$ might the poem plal' on tlre variotts meanings of the lrord tactttuni.