CH 23

CHAPTER
23
The Span of Life: Poems from the Cradle to
the Grave
Span is a Middle English word for a nit of measrement !the measre of spa"e #etween two
e$tremities%& and the span of life is ths the period that measres the time from #irth to death' The
"lassi"al world developed the idea that hman life is divided into Seven (ges& from infan") and "hildhood
to se"ond "hildhood& senilit)' Seven is a m)sti"al nm#er in man) "ltres: the an"ient *e#rews spo+e of
the seven names of God& ,ddhists spea+ of the Seven ,ddhas of the Past& P)thagoreans regard seven as
a l"+) nm#er& Christians spea+ of the Seven -eadl) Sins and the Seven Last .ords of Christ& /slam
spea+s of the Seventh *eaven& and wives spea+ of hs#ands having a seven0)ear it"h'
Tre& one also finds the span of life "on"eived in smaller and larger nm#ers& for instan"e three
!smmari1ed #) the spea+er of T' S' Eliot2s Sweene) (gonistes as #irth& and "oplation& and death%&
#t the most memora#le nm#er is seven& perhaps #e"ase seven alread) had developed grand
asso"iations: The ,i#le spea+s of the seven da)s of "reation& and !ntil relativel) modern times% the
planets were thoght to nm#er seven'
The most famos a""ont of the Seven (ges is #) Sha+espeare& spo+en #) the melan"hol) 3a4es in
the se"ond a"t of As You Like It. 3a4es is not a mothpie"e throgh whi"h Sha+espeare e$presses his own
views5 rather& 3a4es is a distin"tive "hara"ter in a "omed)' *e is a figre who "hooses to stand apart from
the general merriment& entertaining s #) his engaging ")ni"al o#servations' 6or instan"e& he sees the
infant not as smiling or sleeping pea"efll) #t as mewling and p+ing& and he sees the whining
freshl) s"r##ed s"hool"hild with shining morning fa"e& "reeping li+e snail 7 8nwillingl) to s"hool' 6or
the wr) 3a4es& there is no 9o) in infan")& no pla) in "hildhood& no laghter in )oth& no loving friendship
or happ) marriage in matrit)& no "omfort or sola"e in old age' .e see:and we greatl) en9o):the for"e
of his seven #rief des"riptions of the periods of life& #t we also +now there is m"h more to life than the
ridi"los and ltimatel) pitifl "ari"atres that 3a4es sets forth' /ndeed in the rest of As You Like It,
Sha+espeare gives s a m"h fller view' 6or instan"e& a""ording to 3a4es& in the last stage of life hman
#eings are left with nothing at all !Sans teeth& sans e)es& sans taste& sans ever) thing%& #t 9st after
3a4es tters this line& the )ong lover in the pla)& ;rlando& enters& tenderl) "arr)ing an aged& e$hasted
servant' ;rlando2s devoted "are for the poor old man doesn2t e$a"tl) refte 3a4es& #t it does help s to
see that his view of the span of life is e$tremel) narrow'
.e have dela)ed long enogh: *ere is 3a4es2s spee"h'
(ll the world2s a stage&
(nd all the men and women merel) pla)ers5
The) have their e$its and their entran"es&
(nd one man in his time pla)s man) parts&
*is a"ts #eing seven ages' (t first the infant& <
Mewling= and p+ing in the nrse2s arms'
Then the whining s"hool#o)& with his sat"hel
(nd shining morning fa"e& "reeping li+e snail
8nwillingl) to s"hool' (nd then the lover&
Sighing li+e frna"e& with a woefl #allad >?
Made to his mistress2 e)e#row& Then a soldier&
6ll of strange oaths& and #earded li+e the pard&=
3ealos= in honor& sdden& and 4i"+ in 4arrel&
See+ing the ###le reptation
Even in the "annon2s moth' (nd then the 9sti"e& ><
/n fair rond #ell) with good "apon lined&
.ith e)es severe and #eard of formal "t&
6ll of wise saws= and modern instan"es5
(nd so he pla)s his part' The si$th age shifts
/nto the lean and slippered pantaloon&= 2?
.ith spe"ta"les on nose& and po"h on side&
*is )othfl hose&= well saved& a world too wide
6or his shrn+ shan+& and his #ig manl) voi"e&
Trning again toward "hildish tre#le& pipes
(nd whistles in his sond' Last s"ene of all& 2<
That ends this strange eventfl histor)&
/s se"ond "hildishness& and mere o#livion&
Sans teeth& sans e)es& sans taste& sans ever) thing'
8 T;P/CS 6;@ C@/T/C(L T*/AB/AG (A- .@/T/AG
>' 0(s we have said& the spee"h o""rs in a pla)& in a dramati" sitation: 3a4es is one of a nm#er
of "ortiers who have a""ompanied -+e Senior:the rightfl d+e and a good man& who has #een
#anished to the forest #) a srper' /n this s"ene& the) are a#ot to eat when the -+e "omments that
This wide and niversal theater 7 Presents more woefl pageants Ci'e'& s"enesD than we pla) in'
3a4es pi"+s p the theatri"al motif and offers his spee"h' -ire"tors differ greatl) in how the) stage
this spee"h' 6or instan"e& sometimes 3a4es advan"es toward the adien"e and delivers the lines as a
set spee"h5 sometimes he remains seated5 sometimes he seems "asal& perhaps mn"hing on an
apple5 sometimes he seems to #e thin+ing hard& and improvising !i'e'& pasing as if mentall)
sear"hing for the appropriate images%5 sometimes he ses different voi"es and gestres& appropriate
to the infant& the s"hool #o)& the lover& the soldier& the 9sti"e& the foolish old pantaloon& and the man
in se"ond "hildhood' /f )o were dire"ting the pla)& how wold )o instr"t 3a4es to performE
2' 0The spee"h gives a rather dar+ view of life& )et it is one of Sha+espeare2s #est0+nown and most0
loved spee"hes' *ow do )o a""ont for its poplarit)E
3a4es is not Sha+espeare2s onl) "hara"ter who thin+s of life as a #rief performan"e in whi"h we ea"h
pla) a part' Bing Lear sa)s& .hen we are #orn& we "r) that we are "ome 7 To this great stage of fools&
and Ma"#eth sa)s& Life2s #t a wal+ing shadow& a poor pla)er 7 That strts and frets his hor pon the
stage 7 (nd then is heard no more' Aoti"e too& later in this se"tion& that Sha+espeare2s "ontemporar)& Sir
.alter @aleigh& in a short poem that #egins .hat is or lifeE a pla) of passion& also "on"eives of life as
a #rief theatri"al performan"e' @aleigh2s poem ends:
Ths mar"h we& pla)ing& to or latest= rest& last
;nl) we die in earnest:that2s no 9est'
.hat does a hman life:this life& m) life:amont toE Poets a"ross the "entries have engaged and
e$plored this 4estion& as the following sele"tions in their different wa)s attest'
THREE SHORT LONG VIEWS
ROBERT FROST
6or a #iographi"al note on 6rost !>FGHI>JK3%& see page J3>'
The Span of Life C>J3KD
The old dog #ar+s #a"+ward withot getting p'
/ "an remem#er when he was a pp'
8 Topi"s for Criti"al Thin+ing and .riting
>' 0Sppose the se"ond line were different: @over leaped a#ot when he was a pp' *ave we
improved or wea+ened the poemE .h)E Come to thin+ a#ot it& what are )or thoghts on the
following versionE
;ld @over #ar+s #a"+ward withot getting p'
*e sed to froli" when he was a pp'
*as an)thing #een gainedE LostE
2' 0The pre"eding 4estion "hiefl) dire"ts )or thoght toward relativel) large0s"ale "hanges: /n the
revisions& the dog is named& and the spea+er is no longer as evident !the differen"e #etween / "an
remem#er& and *e sed to froli"%' ,t now "onsider smaller0s"ale effe"ts' /n 6rost2s version&
whi"h of the two lines 9ingles a #it more than the otherE .h)E
SIR WALTER RALEIGH
.alter @aleigh !><<2I>K>F% is +nown "hiefl) as a soldier and a "oloni1er:he was the fonder of the
settlement in Lirginia& and he introd"ed to#a""o into Erope:#t in his own da) he was +nown also as a
poet'
.hat /s ;r LifeE
.hat is or lifeE a pla) of passion&
;r mirth the msi" of division&=
;r mothers2 wom#s the tiring0hoses= #e&
.here we are dressed for this short "omed)'
*eaven the 9di"ios& sharp spe"tator is& <
That sits and mar+s still= who doth a"t amiss5
;r graves that hide s from the sear"hing sn
(re li+e drawn "rtains when the pla) is done'
Ths mar"h we& pla)ing& to or latest= rest&
;nl) we die in earnest:that2s no 9est' >?
>' 0Earl) "opies of this poem var) widel) in their pn"tation& and none are in @aleigh2s hand& so
the pn"tation here is the editors2& not the athor2s' .e de"ided not to se a "apital letter for a in
the first line& and to se a period at the end of line F !some editors se a semi"olon%& and to se a
dash in line >? !some editors se a "omma%' -o )o approve of or "hoi"esE .h)& or wh) notE
2' 0Sppose in line J @aleigh had written Ths go we& pla)ing& instead of Ths mar"h we&
pla)ing' .hat& if an)thing& wold #e gained or lostE
3' 0/n line < @aleigh e$presses the traditional Christian view that God ta+es noti"e of or #ehavior'
/f )o are not a #eliever& does the poem therefore not interest )oE ;r do )o still find m"h trth in
it& for instan"e in s"h a line as Ths mar"h we& pla)ing& to or latest restE
H' 0The following short poem appears in the New England Primer, a te$t#oo+ small enogh to fit
into a "hild2s po"+et' The earliest e$tant edition of the #oo+ is >G2G& #t this poem is #elieved to #e
several de"ades older'
;r da)s #egin with tro#le here&
;r life is #t a span&
(nd "rel death is alwa)s near&
So frail a thing is man'
.hi"h poem:this or @aleigh2s:do )o find more interestingE .hi"h more memora#leE .h)E -oes one
seem trer than the otherE More shapel)& more aestheti"all) attra"tiveE E$plain'
E. E. CUMMINGS
e. e. cummings was the pen name of Edwin Estlin Cummings (!"#$"%&', who grew up in Cam(ridge,
)assachusetts, and was graduated from *ar+ard, where he (ecame interested in modern literature and
art, especiall, in the mo+ements called cu(ism and futurism. *is father, a conser+ati+e clerg,man and a
professor at *ar+ard, seems to ha+e (een (affled (, the ,outh-s interests, (ut Cummings-s mother
encouraged his artistic acti+ities, including his use of uncon+entional punctuation and capitali.ation.
Politicall, li(eral in his ,outh, Cummings (ecame more conser+ati+e after a +isit to /ussia in "0,
(ut earl, and late his work emphasi.es indi+idualit, and freedom of e1pression.
anyone lived in a pretty how town [1940]
an)one lived in a prett) how town
!with p so floating man) #ells down%
spring smmer atmn winter
he sang his didn2t he dan"ed his did' H
.omen and men !#oth little and small%
"ared for an)one not at all
the) sowed their isn2t the) reaped their same
sn moon stars rain F
"hildren gessed !#t onl) a few
and down the) forgot as p the) grew
atmn winter spring smmer%
that noone loved him more #) more >2
when #) now and tree #) leaf
she laghed his 9o) she "ried his grief
#ird #) snow and stir #) still
an)one2s an) was all to her >K
someones married their ever)ones
laghed their "r)ings and did their dan"e
!sleep wa+e hope and then% the)
said their nevers the) slept their dream 2?
stars rain sn moon
!and onl) the snow "an #egin to e$plain
how "hildren are apt to forget to remem#er
with p so floating man) #ells down% 2H
one da) an)one died i gess
!and noone stopped to +iss his fa"e%
#s) fol+ #ried them side #) side
little #) little and was #) was 2F
all #) all and deep #) deep
and more #) more the) dream their sleep
noone and an)one earth #) april
wish #) spirit and if #) )es' 32
.omen and men !#oth dong and ding%
smmer atmn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their "ame
sn moon stars rain 3K
>' 0Pt into normal order !as far as possi#le% the words of the first two stan1as& and then "ompare
)or version with Cmmings2s' .hat does Cmmings gain:or loseE
2' 0Chara"teri1e the an)one who sang his didn2t and dan"ed his did' /n )or opinion& how
does he differ from the people who sowed their isn2t the) reaped their sameE
3' 0Some readers interpret an)one died !line 2<% to mean that the "hild matred and #e"ame as
dead as the other adlts' *ow might )o spport or refte this interpretationE
EARLY YEARS
WILLIAM BLAKE
2illiam 3lake (454$!&4' was (orn in London and at fourteen was apprenticed for se+en ,ears to an
engra+er. A Christian +isionar, poet, he made his li+ing (, gi+ing drawing lessons and (, illustrating
(ooks, including his own 6ongs of Innocence (4!"' and 6ongs of E1perience (4"#'. 7hese two (ooks
represent, he said, 8two contrar, states of the human soul.9 (8Infant :o,9 comes from Innocence, 8Infant
6orrow9 from E1perience.' In !;" 3lake e1hi(ited his art, (ut the show was a failure. Not until he was in
his si1ties, when he stopped writing poetr,, did he achie+e an, pu(lic recognition<and then it was as a
painter.
/nfant 3o) C>GFJD
/ have no name&
/ am #t two da)s old'
.hat shall / "all theeE
/ happ) am&
3o) is m) name' <
Sweet 9o) #efall theeM
Prett) 9o)M
Sweet 9o) #t two da)s old&
Sweet 9o) / "all thee
Tho dost smile& >?
/ sing the while:
Sweet 9o) #efall thee'
/nfant Sorrow C>GJHD
M) mother groanedM m) father wept'
/nto the dangeros world / leapt&
*elpless& na+ed& piping lod5
Li+e a fiend hid in a "lod' H
Strggling in m) father2s hands&
Striving against m) swadling #ands5
,ond and wear) / thoght #est
To sl+ pon m) mother2s #reast' F
>' 0/nfant 3o) #egins / have no name& #t #) line < the infant sa)s 3o) is m) name' .hat does
the mother repl)E -oes she +now the infant2s nameE
2' 0/n line J the mother sa)s& Sweet 9o) / "all thee' -oes the line sggest how the mother has
learned the nameE .hat is the "hild2s responseE
3' 0/n /nfant Sorrow& wh) is the infant sorrowflE .hat does the #a#) strggle againstE -oes
Li+e a fiend sggest that it is inherentl) wi"+ed and therefore shold #e repressedE ;r does the
adlt world wi"+edl) repress energ)E
H' 0.h) does the mother groanE .h) does the father weepE /s the world dangeros to the infant
in other than an o#viosl) ph)si"al senseE To what degree are its parents its enemiesE To what
degree does the infant )ield to themE /n the last line& one might e$pe"t a new#orn #a#) to nrse'
.hat does this infant doE
<' 0Compare /nfant 3o) with /nfant Sorrow' .hat differen"es in sond do )o hearE /n /nfant
Sorrow& for instan"e& loo+ at lines 3& <& K& and G' .hat repeated sonds do )o hearE
ANONYMOUS
)an, of the nurser, rh,mes that are common toda, are at least two hundred ,ears old, and some are
much older. 6ome of their lines are nonsense (8*e,, diddle diddle,9 8*umpt, =umpt,,9 8*ickor,,
dickor,, dock9', and some are close to nonsense (86ing a song of si1pence, a pocket full of r,e9' though
perhaps the, once made sense. Indeed, their nonsense ma, (e part of wh, the, endure> the, e+oke a
strange world, a world with a cat who has a fiddle, where a cow ?umped o+er the moon, and where 87he
little dog laughed, to see such sport, @ And the dish ran awa, with the spoon.9 And of course the, endure
partl, (ecause of their strong rh,thmsA 8:ack 6prat could eat no fat, @ *is wife could eat no lean, @ And so
(etween the two of them, @ 7he, licked the platter clean.9 7rue, if one is determined to connect literature
with life and to find a meaning and a moral in e+er, +erse, one can sa, that 8:ack 6prat9 offers
comforting reassurance that a happ, marriage can (e (uilt on contrar, personalities> (ut if this poem
supports the +iew that 8opposites attract,9 one wonders how much truth is in the pro+er(ial +iew that
83irds of a feather flock together.9
In an, case, no account of the span of life can neglect the poetr, that infants and children treasure.
In the following nurser, rh,me, 8Can I get there (, candleBlightC9 means 8Can I get there (efore a
candle is needed, that is, (efore darkC9 rather than 8Can I get there with the aid of a candleC9
How Many Miles to Babylon
*ow man) miles to ,a#)lonE
Three s"ore miles and ten'
Can / get there #) "andle0lightE
Nes& and #a"+ again'
/f )or heels are nim#le and light&
No ma) get there #) "andle0light'
>' 0Some s"holars have sggested that ,a#)lon is a "orrption of ,a#)land& that is& the se"ond
"hildhood or senilit) that ma) "hara"teri1e the last stage of life' /n this view& three s"ore miles and
ten is metaphori"5 life is a 9orne) of G? miles !"f' Psalm J?& whi"h sa)s The da)s of or )ears are
three s"ore and ten%' This interpretation "annot #e proved:or disproved' -oes it enri"h the rh)me
for )oE ;r do )o wish )o had not heard of itE
2' 0@e"ite:prefera#l) alod:a favorite nrser) rh)me' .hat do )o espe"iall) li+e a#ot itE .h)
do )o thin+ it has sta)ed in )or mindE The rh)thmE The sonds of "ertain wordsE The imager) it
"alls to mindE
3' 0No ma) #e familiar with nrser) rh)mes in a langage other than En0glish' /f so& "old )o
provide an e$ample& and a translationE -o the nrser) rh)mes )o +now in this other langage
seem similar to or different from nrser) rh)mes )o have heard in EnglishE
SHARON OLDS
6haron Dlds was (orn in 6an Erancisco in "#&. 6he was educated at 6tanford Fni+ersit, and Colum(ia
Fni+ersit,, has pu(lished se+eral +olumes of poetr,, and has recei+ed ma?or awards.
Rites of Passage [198]
(s the gests arrive at m) son2s part)
The) gather in the living room:
short men& men in first grade
with smooth 9aws and "hins'
*ands in po"+ets& the) stand arond <
9ostling& 9o"+e)ing for pla"e& small fights
#rea+ing ot and "alming' ;ne sa)s to another
*ow old are ,ouC 6i1. I-m se+en. 6oC
The) e)e ea"h other& seeing themselves
tin) in the other2s ppils' The) "lear their >?
throats a lot& a room of small #an+ers&
the) fold their arms and frown' I could (eat ,ou
up, a seven sa)s to a si$&
the dar+ "a+e& rond and heav) as a
trret& #ehind them on the ta#le' M) son& ><
fre"+les li+e spe"+s of ntmeg on his "hee+s&
"hest narrow as the #alsa +eel of a
model #oat& long hands
"ool and thin as the da) the) gided him
ot of me& spea+s p as a host 2?
for the sa+e of the grop'
2e could easil, kill a twoB,earBold,
he sa)s in his "lear voi"e' The other
men agree& the) "lear their throats
li+e Generals& the) rela$ and get down to 2<
pla)ing war& "ele#rating m) son2s life'
>' 06o"s on the details that the spea+er provides a#ot the #o)s:how the) loo+& how the) spea+'
.hat do the details reveal a#ot themE
2' 0/s the spea+er2s son the same as or different from the other #o)sE
3' 0Some readers find the ironies in this poem !e'g'& short men% to #e somewhat "omi"al& while
others& noting s"h phrases as +ill a two0)ear0old and pla)ing war& "on"lde that the poem as a
whole is meant to #e psetting& even frightening' *ow wold )o des"ri#e the +inds of iron) that
;lds ses hereE
H' 0(n e$periment in iron) and point of view: Tr) writing a poem li+e this one& from the point of
view of a father a#ot the #irthda) part) of his son& and then tr) writing another one #) either a
father or mother a#ot a daghter2s part)'
LOUISE GLCK
Louise GlHck ((. "#0' was (orn in New York Cit, and attended 6ara( Lawrence College and Colum(ia
Fni+ersit,. 6he has taught at Goddard College in Iermont and at 2arren 2ilson College in North
Carolina. *er +olume of poems, 7he 7riumph of Achilles ("!5', won the National 3ook Critics Circle
Award for poetr,.
The S"hool Children C>JG<D
The "hildren go forward with their little sat"hels'
(nd all morning the mothers have la#ored
to gather the late apples& red and gold&
li+e words of another langage'
(nd on the other shore <
are those who wait #ehind great des+s
to re"eive these offerings'
*ow orderl) the) are:the nails
on whi"h the "hildren hang
their over"oats of #le or )ellow wool' >?
(nd the tea"hers shall instr"t them in silen"e
and the mothers shall s"or the or"hards for a wa) ot&
drawing to themselves the gra) lim#s of the frit trees
#earing so little ammnition'
>' 0.hi"h words in the poem present a "te pi"tre0post"ard view of small "hildren going to s"hoolE
2' 0.hi"h words nder"t this happ) s"eneE
3' 0/n the last stan1a we read that the tea"hers shall instr"t and the mothers shall s"or' .hat&
if an)thing& is "hanged if we s#stitte will for shallE
ROBERT HAYDEN
/o(ert *a,den ("0$"!;' was (orn in =etroit, )ichigan. *is parents di+orced when he was a child,
and he was (rought up (, a neigh(oring famil,, whose name he adopted. In "#&, at the age of &", he
graduated from =etroit Cit, College (now 2a,ne 6tate Fni+ersit,', and he recei+ed a master-s degree
from the Fni+ersit, of )ichigan. *e taught at Eisk Fni+ersit, from "#% to "%" and after that, for the
remainder of his life, at the Fni+ersit, of )ichigan. In "4" he was appointed Consultant in Poetr, to the
Li(rar, of Congress, the first AfricanBAmerican to hold the post.
Those .inter Snda)s C>JK2D
Snda)s too m) father got p earl)
and pt his "lothes on in the #le#la"+ "old&
then with "ra"+ed hands that a"hed
from la#or in the wee+da) weather made
#an+ed fires #la1e' Ao one ever than+ed him' <
/2d wa+e and hear the "old splintering& #rea+ing'
.hen the rooms were warm& he2d "all&
and slowl) / wold rise and dress&
fearing the "hroni" angers of that hose'
Spea+ing indifferentl) to him& >?
who had driven ot the "old
and polished m) good shoes as well'
.hat did / +now& what did / +now
of love2s astere and lonel) offi"esE
>' 0/n line >& what does the word too tell s a#ot the fatherE .hat does it sggest a#ot the
spea+er and the implied hearer of the poemE
2' 0*ow old do )o #elieve the spea+er was at the time he re"alls in the se"ond and third stan1asE
.hat details sggest this ageE
3' 0.hat is the meaning of offi"es in the last lineE .hat does this word sggest that other words
*a)den might have "hosen do notE
H' 0.hat do )o ta+e to #e the spea+er2s present attitde toward his fatherE .hat "ir"mstan"es& do
)o imagine& prompted his memor) of Those .inter Snda)sE
<' 0/n a page or two& tr) to get down the e$a"t "ir"mstan"es when )o spo+e indifferentl)& or not
at all& to someone who had deserved )or gratitde'
SEX, LOVE, MARRIAGE, CHILDREN
WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS
2illiam 3utler Yeats (!%5$"0"' was (orn in =u(lin, Ireland. 7he earl, Yeats was much interested in
highl, l,rical, romantic poetr,, often drawing on Irish m,tholog,. 7he later poems, sa, from a(out ";,
are often more colloJuial, more downBtoBearth, more hardheaded. *e was awarded the No(el Pri.e in
Literature in "&0.
Eor another poem (, Yeats, on old age, see page !0!.
6or (nne Gregor)O C>J3?D
Aever shall a )ong man&
Thrown into despair
,) those great hone)0"olored
@amparts at )or ear
Love )o for )orself alone <
(nd not )or )ellow hair'
,t / "an get a hair0d)e
(nd set s"h "olor there&
,rown& or #la"+& or "arrot&
That )ong men in despair >?
Ma) love me for m)self alone
(nd not m) )ellow hair'
/ heard an old religios man
,t )esternight de"lare
That he had fond a te$t to prove ><
That onl) God& m) dear&
Cold love )o for )orself alone
(nd not )or )ellow hair'
>' 0.hat does it mean to sa) that one wants to #e loved for oneself aloneE
2' 0*ow satisfa"tor) is the answer given to the )ong womanE
3' 0/s the poem se$istE E$plain'
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
2illiam 6hakespeare (5%#$%%', (orn in 6tratfordBuponBA+on in England, is chiefl, known as a
dramatic poet, (ut he also wrote nondramatic poetr,. In %;" a +olume of 5# of his sonnets was
pu(lished, apparentl, without his permission. Pro(a(l, he chose to keep his sonnets unpu(lished not
(ecause he thought that the, were of little +alue, (ut (ecause it was more prestigious to (e an amateur
(unpu(lished' poet than a professional (pu(lished' poet. Although the sonnets were pu(lished in %;",
the, were pro(a(l, written in the midB5";s, when there was a +ogue for sonneteering. A contemporar,
writer in 5"! said that 6hakespeare-s 8sugred 6onnets KcirculateL among his pri+ate friends.9
Sonnet >>K
Let me not to the marriage of tre minds
(dmit impediments5 love is not love
.hi"h alters when it alteration finds&
;r #ends with the remover to remove'
;& no& it is an ever0fi$Pd mar+= <
That loo+s on tempests and is never sha+en5
/t is the star= to ever) wand2ring #ar+&
.hose worth2s n+nown& althogh his height #e ta+en'
Love2s not Time2s fool&= thogh ros) lips and "hee+s
.ithin his #ending si"+le2s "ompass= "ome5 >?
Love alters not with his= #rief hors and wee+s
,t #ears= it ot even to the edge of doom'=
/f this #e error and pon me proved&
/ never writ& nor no man ever loved'
KITTY TSUI
3orn in *ong Mong in "50, Mitt, 7sui li+ed there and in England until "%", when she came to the
Fnited 6tates. 6he is an actor, an artist, and a professional (od,(uilder as well as a writer. *er
pu(lications include 3reathlessA Erotica (""%'.
( Chinese ,an4et C>JF3D
for the one who was not in+ited
it was not a ver) formal affair #t
all the women over twelve
wore long gowns and a "orsage&
e$"ept for me' H
it was not a ver) formal affair& 9st
the famil) getting together&
poa poa,= kuw fu= withot kuw mow=
!her e$"se this )ear is a heada"he%' F
ants and n"les and "osins&
the grandson who is a dentist&
the one who drives a mer"edes #en1&
sitting down for shar+2s fin sop' >2
the) tal+ a#ot #)ing a hose and
ta+ing a two wee+ va"ation in #ei9ing'
i s"+ on shrimp and s4a#&
dreaming of the "lods"ape in )or e)es' >K
m) mother& her voi"e #eaded with sar"asm5
)o2re twent) si$ and not getting )onger'
it2s a#ot time )o got a de"ent 9o#'
she no longer as+s when i2m getting married' 2?
)o2re twent) si$ and not getting )onger'
what are )o doing with )or lifeE
)o2ve got to ma+e a living'
wh) don2t )o std) "ompter programmingE 2H
she no longer as+s when i2m getting married'
one da)& wanting desperatel) to
#ridge the #ondaries that separate s&
wanting desperatel) to to"h her& 2F
tell her: mother& i2m ga)&
mother i2m ga) and so happ) with her'
#t she will not listen&
she sha+es her head' 32
she sits a"ross from me&
emotions invading her fa"e'
her e)es are wet #t
she will not let tears fall' 3K
mother& i sa)&
)o love a man'
i love a woman'
it is not what she wants to hear' H?
ants and n"les and "osins&
ver) m"h a famil) affair'
#t )o are not invited&
#eing neither m) hs#and nor m) wife' HH
ants and n"les and "osins
eating longevit) noodles
fragrant with ham in4ire:
sold that old "ar of )ors )etE HF
i want to tell them: m) #a"+ is healing&
i dream of dragons and water'
m) home is in her arms&
or #edroom "eiling the wide open s+)' <2
8 T;P/C 6;@ C@/T/C(L T*/AB/AG (A- .@/T/AG
(n important element of the poem is the ver) "onventional natre of the spea+er2s famil)& with its
vales and views so at odds with the spea+er2s' -o )o thin+ that the "onfli"t #etween the spea+er
and her famil) might #e too o#vios& too predi"ta#leE /f )o do& how wold )o respond to the poet
if she said& ,t that2s the wa) it reall) wasE
FRANK OHARA
Erank D-*ara ("&%$"%%' was (orn in 3altimore, and died in a tragic accident<he was run o+er (, a
(each +ehicle<on Eire Island, New York. D-*ara was not onl, a prolific writer of +erse (ut also an
astute critic of sculpture and painting who worked as an assistant curator at the )useum of )odern Art,
in New York, and as an editor of Art News. D-*ara-s first +olume of poetr, was A Cit, 2inter, and Dther
Poems ("5&'> Collected Poems was issued in "4, (ut it was not complete. It has (een supplemented (,
two additional +olumes, Earl, Poems ("44' and Poems /etrie+ed ("44'.
*omose$alit) C>JG>D
So we are ta+ing off or mas+s& are we& and +eeping
or moths shtE as if we2d #een pier"ed #) a glan"eM
The song of an old "ow is not more fll of
9dgment
than the vapors whi"h es"ape one2s sol when one is si"+5
so / pll the shadows arond me li+e a pff <
and "rin+le m) e)es as if at the most e$4isite moment
of a ver) long opera& and then we are offM
withot reproa"h and withot hope that or deli"ate feet
will to"h the earth again& let alone ver)
soon'
/t is the law of m) own voi"e / shall investigate' >?
/ start li+e i"e& m) finger to m) ear& m) ear
to m) heart& that prod "r at the gar#age "an
in the rain' /t2s wonderfl to admire oneself
with "omplete "andor& tall)ing p the merits of ea"h
of the latrines' >Hth Street is drn+en and "redlos& ><
<3rd tries to trem#le #t is too at rest' The good
love a par+ and the inept a railwa) station&
and there are the divine ones who drag themselves p
and down the lengthening shadow of an (#)ssinian head
in the dst& trailing their long elegant heels of hot air 2?
"r)ing to "onfse the #rave /t2s a smmer da)&
and / want to #e wanted more than an)thing else in the world'
>' 0-es"ri#e )or response to the word that ;2*ara "hooses for his title' /n what wa)s does the poem
define and e$plore the meanings of this word and or responses to itE
2' 0Chara"teri1e the point of view and tone of the spea+er' .ho is or are the we named in line >E
3' 0/n line > the spea+er de"lares that we are ta+ing off or mas+s& #t then immediatel) seems to
"onfse or "ontradi"t his point when he sa)s we are +eeping 7 or moths sht' E$plain as
"learl) as )o "an what the spea+er is sggesting in this first stan1a'
H' 0Some of the langage in this poem is gl) or npleasant:for e$ample& the "r at the gar#age
"an& the latrines' .hat is the prpose of s"h langageE .hat is its pla"e in the str"tre of the
poem as a wholeE
EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY
Edna 6t. Iincent )illa, (!"&$"5;' was (orn in /ockland, )aine. E+en as a child she wrote poetr,, and
(, the time she graduated from Iassar College ("4' she had achie+ed some notice as a poet. )illa,
settled for a while in Greenwich Iillage, a center of 3ohemian acti+it, in New York Cit,, where she wrote,
performed in pla,s, and engaged in feminist causes. In "&0, the ,ear she married, she (ecame the first
woman to win the Pulit.er Pri.e for Poetr,. Numerous other awards followed. 7hough she is (est known
as a l,ric poet<especiall, as a writer of sonnets<she also wrote memora(le political poetr, and nature
poetr, as well as short stories, pla,s, and a li(retto for an opera.
Sonnet $li C>J23D
/& #eing #orn a woman and distressed
,) all the needs and notions of m) +ind&
(m rged #) )or propin4it) to find
Nor person fair& and feel a "ertain 1est H
To #ear )or #od)2s weight pon m) #reast:
So s#tl) is the fme of life designed&
To "larif) the plse and "lod the mind&
(nd leave me on"e again ndone& possessed' F
Thin+ not for this& however& the poor treason
;f m) stot #lood against m) staggering #rain&
/ shall remem#er )o with love& or season
M) s"orn with pit)&:let me ma+e it plain: >2
/ find this fren1) insffi"ient reason
6or "onversation when we meet again'
WYATT PRUNTY
2,att Prunt, was (orn in "#4 in *um(oldt, 7ennessee, and raised in Athens, Georgia. *is (ooks include
Fnarmed and =angerousA New and 6elected Poems (&;;;'. *e is the Carlton Professor of English at the
Fni+ersit, of the 6outh in 6ewanee, 7ennessee, where he directs the 6ewanee 2riters- Conference and
edits the 6ewanee 2riters- 6eries.
!earning the Bi"y"le [#000]
for *eather
The older "hildren pedal past
Sta#le as little g)ros& spinning hard
To spper& #ath& and #ed& ntil at last
.e also 4it& silent and tired
,eside the dar+ening )ard where trees <
Aow shadow p instead of down'
Their predi"ta#le lengths "an onl) tease
*er as& head lowered& she wal+s her #i+e alone
Somewhere #etween her wanting to ride
(nd her "ertaint) she will alwa)s fall' >?
Tomorrow& thogh / will rn #ehind&
(rms ot to "at"h her& she2ll tilt then #alan"e wide
;f m) rea"h& till distan"e ma+es her small&
Smaller& #e)ond the pla"e / stop and +now
That to tea"h her / had to follow ><
(nd when she learned / had to let her go'
>' 0.)att Prnt) has said& 6orm elevates tteran"e' .hat do )o thin+ he meansE -oes Learning
the ,i")"le show this prin"iple in a"tionE Please e$plain'
2' 0Please reread the poem as thogh it "onsisted onl) of the first stan1a' *ow wold )o interpret
itE
3' 0.hat is the fn"tion of the se"ond stan1aE
H' 0*ow does Prnt) +eep his poem from #e"oming "te and sentimentalE Please #e spe"ifi"'
<' 0.hat does this poem tea"h s a#ot )oth and age& inno"en"e and e$perien"eE
K' 0-o )o +now how to ride a #i")"leE .hen did )o first learnE -o )o re"all this e$perien"e as an
espe"iall) important one in )or lifeE .hat other e$perien"es are similar to itE
ANONYMOUS
7he following lines ha+e (een attri(uted to +arious writers, including the American philosopher 2illiam
:ames (!#&$";', (ut to the (est of our knowledge the author is unknown.
*igams& *ogams
*igams& *ogams'
.oman2s monogamos5
*ogams higams'
Man is pol)gamos'
>' 0/f )o find these lines engaging& how do )o a""ont for their appealE -oes it ma+e an)
differen"e:even a tin) differen"e:if the pairs are reversed: that is& if the first two lines are a#ot
men& and the se"ond two a#ot womenE
2' 0The nderl)ing idea largel) "oin"ides with the sa)ing& Men are from Mars& women are from
Lens' ,t "onsider the for lines of verse: -o )o agree that in the form we have 9st given them&
the) are more effe"tive than Men are from Mars& women are from LensE (nd how a#ot .omen
are from Lens& men are from MarsE (dmittedl) the differen"es are small& #t do )o agree that
one form is de"idedl) more effe"tive than the othersE /f )o do agree& how do )o e$plain the greater
effe"tivenessE
WORK, PLAY, GETTING ON
3ohn 8pdi+e
:ohn Fpdike ((. "0&' is (est known as a writer of fiction<short stories and no+els<(ut throughout his
professional career he has also written essa,s and poems. (Eor a more complete (iograph,, see page
;.'
E$0,as+et#all Pla)er C>J<FD
Pearl (vene rns past the high0s"hool lot&
,ends with the trolle) tra"+s& and stops& "t off
,efore it has a "han"e to go two #lo"+s&
(t Colonel M"Coms+) Pla1a' ,erth2s Garage
/s on the "orner fa"ing west& and there&
Most da)s& )o2ll find 6li"+ .e##& who helps ,erth ot' K
6li"+ stands tall among the idiot pmps:
6ive on a side& the old ###le0head st)le&
Their r##er el#ows hanging loose and low'
;ne2s nostrils are two S2s& and his e)es
(n E and ;' (nd one is s4at& withot
( head at all:more of a foot#all t)pe' >2
;n"e 6li"+ pla)ed for the high0s"hool team& the .i1ards'
*e was good: in fa"t& the #est' /n 2HK
*e #"+eted three hndred ninet) points&
( "ont) re"ord still' The #all loved 6li"+'
/ saw him ra"+ p thirt)0eight or fort)
/n one home game' *is hands were li+e wild #irds' >F
*e never learned a trade& he 9st sells gas&
Che"+s oil& and "hanges flats' ;n"e in a while&
(s a gag& he dri##les an inner t#e&
,t most of s remem#er an)wa)'
*is hands are fine and nervos on the lg wren"h'
/t ma+es no differen"e to the lg wren"h& thogh' 2H
;ff wor+& he hangs arond Mae2s Ln"heonette'
Grease0gra) and +ind of "oiled& he pla)s pin#all&
Smo+es those thin "igars& nrses lemon phosphates'
6li"+ seldom sa)s a word to Mae& 9st nods
,e)ond her fa"e toward #right applading tiers
;f Ae""o .afers& Ai#s& and 39 ,eads' 3?
RITA DOVE
/ita =o+e was (orn in "5& in Akron, Dhio. After graduating summa cum laude from )iami Fni+ersit,
(Dhio' she earned an ).E.A. at the Iowa 2riters- 2orkshop. 6he has (een awarded fellowships from the
Guggenheim Eoundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, and she now teaches at the Fni+ersit,
of Iirginia. In ""0 she was appointed poet laureate for ""0$""#. =o+e is currentl, writing a (ook
a(out the e1periences of an AfricanBAmerican +olunteer regiment in Erance during 2orld 2ar I.
-a)star C>JFKD
She wanted a little room for thin+ing:
#t she saw diapers steaming on the line&
a doll slmped #ehind the door'
So she lgged a "hair #ehind the garage
to sit ot the "hildren2s naps' <
Sometimes there were things to wat"h:
the pin"hed armor of a vanished "ri"+et&
a floating maple leaf' ;ther da)s
she stared ntil she was assred
when she "losed her e)es >?
she2d see onl) her own vivid #lood'
She had an hor& at #est& #efore Li1a appeared
poting from the top of the stairs'
(nd 9st what was mother doing
ot #a"+ with the field mi"eE .h)& ><
#ilding a pala"e' Later
that night when Thomas rolled over and
lr"hed into her& she wold open her e)es
and thin+ of the pla"e that was hers
for an hor:where 2?
she was nothing&
pre nothing& in the middle of the da)'
>' 0*ow wold )o "hara"teri1e the woman who is the s#9e"t of the poemE
2' 0.hat do )o ma+e of the titleE
GARY SNYDER
Gar, 6n,der, (orn in "0;, grew up on a farm north of 6eattle and then in Portland, Dregon. *e then
went to /eed College, working during the summers with the F.6. Eorest 6er+ice and in logging camps.
After stud,ing linguistics and American Indian culture at the Fni+ersit, of Indiana, he mo+ed to 6an
Erancisco, where he studied :apanese and (ecame part of the 83eat9 mo+ement. (*e is the hero of :ack
Merouac-s no+el, 7he =harma 3ums.' In "5% he went to :apan, where he li+ed for ten ,ears. *e then
returned and settled with his famil, in the foothills of the northern 6ierra Ne+ada.
*a) for the *orses C>J<JD
*e had driven half the night
6rom far down San 3oa4in
Throgh Mariposa& p the
-angeros montain roads&
(nd plled in at eight a'm' <
.ith his #ig tr"+load of ha)
#ehind the #arn'
.ith win"h and ropes and hoo+s
.e sta"+ed the #ales p "lean
To splinter) redwood rafters >?
*igh in the dar+& fle"+s of alfalfa
.hirling throgh shingle0"ra"+s of light&
/t"h of ha)dst in the
sweat) shirt and shoes'
(t ln"htime nder ,la"+ oa+ ><
;t in the hot "orral&
:The old mare nosing ln"hpails&
Grasshoppers "ra"+ling in the weeds:
/2m si$t)0eight he said&
/ first #"+ed ha) when / was seventeen' 2?
/ thoght& that da) / started&
/ sre wold hate to do this all m) life'
(nd dammit& that2s 9st what
/2ve gone and done'
>' 0The spea+er does not e$pli"itl) offer his opinion of the man who had driven half the night #t
do the first two senten"es !lines >I>H% "ommni"ate at least a hint of an attitdeE
2' 0The old man who spea+s lines >JI2H sms p his life' *e seems to regard it as wasted& #t as we
hear his words do we hear #itternessE Self0pit)E .hat is or attitde toward him& and how does it
"ompare with that of the spea+er of the poemE
JAMES WRIGHT
:ames 2right ("&4$"!;' was (orn in )artins Eerr,, Dhio, which pro+ided him with the locale for man,
of his poems. *e is often thought of as a poet of the )idwest, (ut (as in the e1ample that we gi+e' his
poems mo+e (e,ond the scener,. 2right was educated at Men,on College in Dhio and at the Fni+ersit, of
2ashington. *e wrote se+eral (ooks of poetr, and pu(lished man, translations of European and LatinB
American poetr,.
L)ing in a *ammo"+ at .illiam -ff)2s 6arm in Pine /sland& Minnesota C>JK3D
;ver m) head& / see the #ron1e #tterfl)&
(sleep on the #la"+ trn+&
,lowing li+e a leaf in green shadow'
-own the ravine #ehind the empt) hose&
The "ow#ells follow one another <
/nto the distan"es of the afternoon'
To m) right&
/n a field of snlight #etween two pines&
The droppings of last )ear2s horses
,la1e p into golden stones' >?
/ lean #a"+& as the evening dar+ens and "omes on'
( "hi"+en haw+ floats over& loo+ing for home'
/ have wasted m) life'
>' 0*ow important is it that the poet is l)ing in a hammo"+E That he is at some pla"e other than
his own homeE
2' 0-o )o ta+e the last line as a severe self0"riti"ism& or as a 9o+ing remar+& or as something in
#etween& or whatE
3' 0/magine )orself l)ing in a hammo"+:perhaps )o "an re"all an a"tal moment in a hammo"+
:or l)ing in #ed& )or e)e ta+ing in thesrrondings' .rite a des"ription ending with some sort of
9dgment or "on"lding "omment& as .right does' No ma) want to parod) .right2s poem& #t )o
need not' !Beep in mind the fa"t that the#est parodies are written #) people who regard the original
with affe"tion'%
MARGE PIERCY
)arge Pierc,, (orn in =etroit in "0%, was the first mem(er of her famil, to attend college. After earning
a (achelor-s degree from the Fni+ersit, of )ichigan in "54 and a master-s degree from Northwestern
Fni+ersit, in "5!, she mo+ed to Chicago. 7here she worked at odd ?o(s while writing no+els
(unpu(lished' and engaging in action on (ehalf of women and (lacks and against the war in Iietnam. In
"4;<the ,ear she mo+ed to 2ellfleet, )assachusetts, where she still li+es<she pu(lished her first (ook,
a no+el. 6ince then she has pu(lished other no+els, as well as short stories, poems, and essa,s.
$o be of %se [19&4]
The people / love the #est
9mp into wor+ head first
withot dall)ing in the shallows
and swim off with sre stro+es almost ot of sight'
The) seem to #e"ome natives of that element& <
the #la"+ slee+ heads of seals
#on"ing li+e half0s#merged #alls'
/ love people who harness themselves& an o$ to a heav) "art&
who pll li+e water #ffalo& with massive patien"e&
who strain in the md and the m"+ to move things forward& >?
who do what has to #e done& again and again'
/ want to #e with people who s#merge
in the tas+& who go into the fields to harvest
and wor+ in a row and pass the #ags along&
who are not parlor generals and field deserters ><
#t move in a "ommon rh)thm
when the food mst "ome in or the fire #e pt ot'
The wor+ of the world is "ommon as md'
,ot"hed& it smears the hands& "rm#les to dst'
,t the thing worth doing well done 2?
has a shape that satisfies& "lean and evident'
Gree+ amphoras for wine or oil&
*opi vases that held "orn& are pt in msems
#t )o +now the) were made to #e sed'
The pit"her "ries for water to "arr) 2<
and a person for wor+ that is real'
LAST YEARS
GWENDOLYN BROOKS
Gwendol,n 3rooks ("4$&;;;' was (orn in 7opeka, Mansas, (ut was raised in Chicago-s 6outh 6ide,
where she spent most of her life. In "5;, when she won the Pulit.er Pri.e for Poetr,, she (ecame the first
AfricanBAmerican writer to win a Pulit.er Pri.e.
The ,ean Eaters C>JK?D
The) eat #eans mostl)& this old )ellow pair'
-inner is a "asal affair'
Plain "hipware on a plain and "rea+ing wood&
Tin flatware' H
Two who are Mostl) Good'
Two who have lived their da)&
,t +eep on ptting on their "lothes
(nd ptting things awa)' F
(nd remem#ering ' ' '
@emem#ering& with twin+lings and twinges&
(s the) lean over the #eans in their rented #a"+ room that is fll of #eads and re"eipts and dolls and
"lothes& to#a""o "rm#s& vases and fringes'
ROBERT BURNS
/o(ert 3urns (45"$4"%', (orn into a poor famil, in 6cotland, de+eloped heart trou(le as a child and
died when he was onl, thirt,Bse+en. *is formal schooling was sketch,, (ut he was an a+id reader,
especiall, of English and of 6cots poetr,. In 4!% 3urns pu(lished his first (ook, Poems, Chiefl, in the
6cottish =ialect, and found himself an o+ernight cele(rit,. Although most of his (est poetr,<for instance,
8:ohn Anderson9 and 8Auld Lang 6,ne9 (long ago times'<is written in 6cots, a northern dialect of
English spoken (, 6cottish peasants, 3urns was perfectl, capa(le of writing standard English, such as the
song 8Elow Gentl,, 6weet Afton.9
3ohn (nderson M) 3o
3ohn (nderson m) 9o&= 3ohn&
.hen we were first a"4ent&
Nor lo"+s were li+e the raven&
Nor #onnie #row was #rent5= H
,t now )or #row is #eld& 3ohn&
Nor lo"+s are li+e the snaw&
,t #lessings on )or frost) pow&=
3ohn (nderson m) 9oM F
3ohn (nderson m) 9o& 3ohn&
.e "lam# the hill thegither&
(nd monie a "antie= da)& 3ohn
.e2ve had wi2 ane anither: >2
Aow we man= totter down& 3ohn&
(nd hand in hand we2ll go&
(nd sleep thegither at the foot&
3ohn (nderson m) 9oM >K
WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS
Eor a (iographical note on Yeats, see p. !0!.
In the se+enth centur, 3CE the ancient Greeks founded the cit, of 3,.antium in 7hrace, where
Istan(ul, 7urke,, now stands. (Constantine, the first Christian ruler of the /oman empire, (uilt a new cit,
there in CE 00;. Named Constantinople, the cit, ser+ed as the capital of the /oman empire until #50,
when the 7urks captured it. In "0; the name was officiall, changed to Istan(ul.' 7he capital of the
/oman Empire and the 8hol, cit,9 of the Greek Drthodo1 Church, 3,.antium had two golden ages. 7he
first, in its earl, centuries, continued the traditions of the antiJue GrecoB/oman world. 7he second,
which is what Yeats had in mind, e1tended from the midBninth to the midBthirteenth centur, and was a
distincti+e (lend of classical, Christian, 6la+ic, and e+en Islamic culture. 7his period is noted for
m,sticism, for the preser+ation of ancient learning, and for e1Juisitel, refined s,m(olic art. In short,
3,.antium (as Yeats saw it' was wise and passionless. In A Iision, his prose treatment of his comple1
m,stical s,stem, Yeats sa,sA
I think that in earl, 3,.antium, ma,(e ne+er (efore or since in recorded histor,, religious,
aesthetic and practical life were one, that architect and artificers<though not, it ma, (e, poets,
for language has (een the instrument of contro+ers, and must ha+e grown a(stract<spoke to the
multitude and the few alike. 7he painter, the mosaic worker, the worker in gold and sil+er, the
illuminator of sacred (ooks, were almost impersonal, almost perhaps without the consciousness
of indi+idual design, a(sor(ed in their su(?ect matter and that the +ision of the whole people.
7he, could cop, out of old Gospel (ooks those pictures that seemed as sacred as the te1t, and
,et wea+e all into a +ast design, the work of man, that seemed the work of one, that made
(uilding, picture, pattern, metalBwork of rail and lamp, seem (ut a single image.
Sailing to ,)1antim C>J2KD
'
That is no "ontr) for old men' The )ong
/n one another2s arms& #irds in the trees
:Those d)ing generations:at their song&
The salmon0falls& the ma"+erel0"rowded seas&
6ish& flesh& or fowl& "ommend all smmer long <
.hatever is #egotten& #orn& and dies'
Caght in that sensal msi" all negle"t
Monments of naging intelle"t'
//
(n aged man is #t a paltr) thing&
( tattered "oat pon a sti"+& nless >?
Sol "lap its hands and sing& and loder sing
6or ever) tatter in its mortal dress'
Aor is there singing s"hool #t std)ing
Monments of its own magnifi"en"e5
(nd therefore / have sailed the seas and "ome ><
To the hol) "it) of ,)1antim'
///
; sages standing in God2s hol) fire
(s in the gold mosai" of a wall&
Come from the hol) fire& perne= in a g)re&
(nd #e the singing0masters of m) sol' 2?
Consme m) heart awa)5 si"+ with desire
(nd fastened to a d)ing animal
/t +nows not what it is5 and gather me
/nto the artifi"e of eternit)'
/L
;n"e ot of natre / shall never ta+e 2<
M) #odil) form from an) natral thing&
,t s"h a form as Gre"ian goldsmiths ma+e
;f hammered gold and gold enameling
To +eep a drows) Emperor awa+e5
;r set pon a golden #ogh to sing 3?
To lords and ladies of ,)1antim
;f what is past& or passing& or to "ome'
>' 0.hat is that ' ' ' "ontr)& mentioned in the first lineE
2' 0,) the end of the first stan1a& the spea+er seems to #e dismissing the natral world' -o )o agree
that even in this stan1a& however& he sonds attra"ted to itE
3' 0The poem is filled with oppositions& for instan"e old men verss the )ong !#oth in line >%&
and #irds in the trees !line 2% verss the me"hani"al #ird in the final stan1a' List as man)
opposites as )o see in the poem& and then e$plain what Neats is getting at'
H' 0The first stan1a spea+s of monments of naging intelle"t' .hat might #e some e$amples of
theseE
<' 0(fter reading and rereading this poem& do )o thin+ )o will:even if onl) #riefl):act
differentl)& redire"t an) of )or "hoi"esE
K' 0*ave )o ever visited an) pla"e:perhaps the pla"e where )o or )or parents or grandparents
were #orn& or perhaps a hose of worship& or perhaps a "ollege "amps:that )o have "ome to see
s)m#oli"all)& standing for a wa) of life or for some aspe"t of lifeE /f so& des"ri#e the pla"e and the
signifi"an"e that )o give it'
GOOD NIGHTS
A. E. HOUSMAN
A. E. *ousman (!5"$"0%' was one of the most distinguished classical scholars of his time. 7hough he
left D1ford without a degree (ha+ing failed his e1aminations', through hard work, discipline, and rigorous
stud, he earned an appointment in !"& as professor of Latin at Fni+ersit, College, London, and in "
as professor of Latin at Cam(ridge and fellow of 7rinit, College. Dnl, two +olumes of *ousman-s poems
appeared during his lifetimeA A 6hropshire Lad (!"%' and Last Poems ("&&'.
$o an (thlete )ying *o%ng [189+]
The time )o won )or town the ra"e
.e "haired )o throgh the mar+et0pla"e5
Man and #o) stood "heering #)&
(nd home we #roght )o sholder0high' H
Toda)& the road all rnners "ome&
Sholder0high we #ring )o home&
(nd set )o at )or threshold down&
Townsman of a stiller town' F
Smart lad& to slip #etimes awa)
6rom fields where glor) does not sta)
(nd earl) thogh the larel grows
/t withers 4i"+er than the rose' >2
E)es the shad) night has sht
Cannot see the re"ord "t&
(nd silen"e sonds no worse than "heers
(fter earth has stopped the ears: >K
Aow )o will not swell the rot
;f lads that wore their honors ot&
@nners whom renown otran
(nd the name died #efore the man' 2?
So set& #efore its e"hoes fade&
The fleet foot on the sill of shade&
(nd hold to the low lintel p
The still0defended "hallenge0"p' 2H
(nd rond that earl) larelled head
.ill flo"+ to ga1e the strengthless dead
(nd find nwithered on its "rls
The garland #riefer than a girl2s' 3?
W. H. AUDEN
2,stan *ugh Auden (";4$"40' was (orn in York, England, and educated at D1ford. In the "0;s his
leftBwing poetr, earned him wide acclaim as the leading poet of his generation. *e went to 6pain during
the 6panish Ci+il 2ar, intending to ser+e as an am(ulance dri+er for the /epu(licans in their struggle
against fascism, (ut he was so distressed (, the +iolence of the /epu(licans that he almost immediatel,
returned to England. In "0" he came to America, and in "#% he (ecame a citi.en of the Fnited 6tates,
though he returned to England for his last ,ears. )uch of his poetr, is characteri.ed (, a com(ination of
colloJuial diction and technical de1terit,.
The 8n+nown Citi1en C>JH?D
(7o :6@;4@)04!
7his )ar(le )onument
/s Ere"ted #) the State%
*e was fond #) the ,rea of Statisti"s to #e
;ne against whom there was no offi"ial "omplaint&
(nd all the reports on his "ond"t agree
That& in the modern sense of an old0fashioned word& he was a saint&
6or in ever)thing he did he served the Greater Commnit)' <
E$"ept for the .ar till the da) he retired
*e wor+ed in a fa"tor) and never got fired&
,t satisfied his emplo)ers& 6dge Motors /n"'
Net he wasn2t a s"a# or odd in his views&
6or his 8nion reports that he paid his des& >?
!;r report on his 8nion shows it was sond%
(nd or So"ial Ps)"holog) wor+ers fond
That he was poplar with his mates and li+ed a drin+'
The Press are "onvin"ed that he #oght a paper ever) da)
(nd that his rea"tions to advertisements were normal in ever) wa)' ><
Poli"ies ta+en ot in his name prove that he was fll) insred&
(nd his *ealth0"ard shows he was on"e in hospital #t left it "red'
,oth Prod"ers @esear"h and *igh0Grade Living de"lare
*e was fll) sensi#le to the advantages of the /nstallment Plan
(nd had ever)thing ne"essar) to the Modern Man& 2?
( phonograph& radio& a "ar and a frigidaire'
;r resear"hers into P#li" ;pinion are "ontent
That he held the proper opinions for the time of )ear5
.hen there was pea"e& he was for pea"e5 when there was war& hewent'
*e was married and added five "hildren to the poplation& 2<
.hi"h or Egenist sa)s was the right nm#er for a parent of his generation&
(nd or tea"hers report that he never interfered with their ed"ation'
.as he freeE .as he happ)E The 4estion is a#srd:
*ad an)thing #een wrong& we shold "ertainl) have heard'
ANONYMOUS
Dn page 4;4, in our chapter on l,ric poetr,, we talk (riefl, a(out AfricanB American spirituals. 7hese
songs were first printed shortl, after the Ci+il 2ar. 2e reprint here a song from a fairl, earl, collection,
:. 3. 7. )arch-s 7he 6tor, of the :u(ilee 6ingers (!!'.
86wing Low, 6weet Chariot9 deri+es its (asic images from the geograph, of ancient Israel (the
:ordan /i+er flows north from the 6ea of Galilee to the =ead 6ea' and from a (ook in the *e(rew 3i(le
(& Mings &. reports that Eli?ah and his friend Elisha were walking (, the :ordan, when 8there appeared
a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them (oth asunder, and Eli?ah went up (, a whirlwind into
hea+en9'. 7here ma, also (e some influence of the New 7estament, Luke %.&&, which reports that a rich
man named =i+es and a poor man were 8carried (, the angels into A(raham-s (osom.9 Eurther, the line
8I-m sometimes up and sometimes down,9 from a secular song, 8No(od, Mnows the 7rou(le I-+e 6een,9
often found its wa, into 86wing Low,9 as in this +ersion, where the fourth +erse goesA
I-m sometimes up and sometimes down.
3ut still m, soul feels hea+enl, (ound.
,wing !ow- ,weet .hariot
/oi"es fro0 Below
.illiam Sha+espeare
2illiam 6hakespeare (5%#$%%' returned to his nati+e 6tratford a(out %, after a theatrical career in
London. 7he gra+e sla( (eneath which he is (uried warns against distur(ing his (ones. If ,ou ha+e read
*amlet ,ou know that in old parish churches, the (ones of persons long dead might (e distur(ed in the
course of digging a gra+e for a new corpse. 7hese four lines, pro(a(l, (, 6hakespeare ((ut there reall, is
no proof as to who wrote them', ha+e effecti+el, kept his (ones where the, were originall, deposited.
NoteA 2hat looks like the letter Y is a letter called thorn, no longer in our alpha(et, pronounced 8th9
(either as in the or thin'. In writing the word the, the e was customaril, placed a(o+e the thorn, and to a
modern +iewer the word looks like Ye, (ut it was ne+er pronounced as 8,e.9 (6ee the manuscript of
82estern 2ind,9 page %"", for another e1ample.'
1pitaph
G;;- 6@EA- 6;@ 3ES8S S(BE 6;@,E(@E&
T; -/GG T*E -8ST EACL;(SE- *E(@E:
,LESTE ,E N
E
M(A N
T
SP(@ES T*ES ST;AES&
(A- C8@ST ,E *E N
T
M;LES MN ,;AES'
Thomas *ard)
7homas *ard, (!#;$"&!' was (orn in =orset, England, the son of a stonemason. =espite great
o(stacles he studied the classics and architecture, and in !%& he mo+ed to London to stud, and practice
as an architect. Ill health forced him to return to =orset, where he continued to work as an architect and
to write. 3est known for his no+els, *ard, ceased writing fiction after the hostile reception of :ude the
D(scure in !"% and turned to writing l,ric poetr,.
(h& (re No -igging on M) Grave C>J>KD
(h& are )o digging on m) grave&
M) loved oneE:planting reE
:Ao: )esterda) he went to wed
;ne of the #rightest wealth has #red'
Q/t "annot hrt her now&2 he said& <
QThat / shold not #e tre'2
Then who is digging on m) graveE
M) nearest dearest +inE
:(h& no: the) sit and thin+& Q.hat seM
.hat good will planting flowers prod"eE >?
Ao tendan"e of her mond "an loose
*er spirit from -eath2s gin'2=
,t some one digs pon m) graveE
M) enem)E:prodding sl)E
:Aa): when she heard )o had passed the Gate ><
That shts on all flesh soon or late&
She thoght )o no more worth her hate&
(nd "ares not where )o lie'
Then& who is digging on m) graveE
Sa):sin"e / have not gessedM 2?
:; it is /& m) mistress dear&
Nor little dog& who still lives near&
(nd m"h / hope m) movements here
*ave not distr#ed )or restE
(h& )esM You dig pon m) grave ' ' ' 2<
.h) flashed it not on me
That one tre heart was left #ehindM
.hat feeling do we ever find
To e4al among hman +ind
( dog2s fidelit)M 3?
Mistress& / dg pon )or grave
To #r) a #one& in "ase
/ shold #e hngr) near this spot
.hen passing on m) dail) trot'
/ am sorr)& #t / 4ite forgot 3<
/t was )or resting0pla"e'
>' 0/f the dog had retrned to the grave ot of affe"tion& wold the poem #e sentimentalE /f so& is
*ard)2s poem ne"essaril) nsentimentalE ;r is there& despite the ")ni"ism& a +ind of sentimentalit)
!overindlgen"e in feeling& e$"essive appeal to pit)% in the poemE E$plain'
2' 0/s the order of the first three stan1as ar#itrar)& or is there some logi" to the arrangementE .hat&
if an)thing& wold #e lost #) the omission of the third stan1aE
3' 0*ow does this poem resem#le a poplar #alladE !See pages KGKIKGG'% *ow does it notE
EDGAR LEE MASTERS
Edgar Lee )asters (!%"$"5;' achie+ed international fame with 7he 6poon /i+er Antholog, ("5', a
collection of poems spoken (, the deceased inha(itants of a m,thical +illage called 6poon /i+er. 2e
present here a group of three related poems.
Minerva 2ones [1913]
/ am Minerva& the village poetess&
*ooted at& 9eered at #) the Nahoos of the street
6or m) heav) #od)& "o"+0e)e& and rolling wal+&
(nd all the more when ,t"h .eld)
Captred me after a #rtal hnt' <
*e left me to m) fate with -o"tor Me)ers5
(nd / san+ into death& growing nm# from the feet p&
Li+e one stepping deeper and deeper into a stream of i"e'
.ill someone go to the village newspaper
(nd gather into a #oo+ the verses / wroteE: >?
/ thirsted so for loveM
/ hngered so for lifeM
-o"tor Me)ers C>J><D
Ao other man& nless it was -o" *ill&
-id more for people in this town than /'
(nd all the wea+& the halt& the improvident
(nd those who "old not pa) flo"+ed to me'
/ was good0hearted& eas) -o"tor Me)ers' <
/ was health)& happ)& in "omforta#le fortne&
,lest with a "ongenial mate& m) "hildren raised&
(ll wedded& doing well in the world'
(nd then one night& Minerva& the poetess&
Came to me in her tro#le& "r)ing' >?
/ tried to help her ot:she died:
The) indi"ted me& the newspapers disgra"ed me&
M) wife perished of a #ro+en heart&
(nd pnemonia finished me'
Mrs' Me)ers C>J><D
*e protested all his life long
That newspapers lied a#ot him villainosl)5
That he was not at falt for Minerva2s fall&
,t onl) tried to help her'
Poor sol so sn+ in sin he "old not see <
That even tr)ing to help her& as he "alled it&
*e had #ro+en the law hman and divine'
Passers0#)& an an"ient admonition to )o:
/f )or wa)s wold #e wa)s of pleasantness&
(nd all )or pathwa)s pea"e& >?
Love God and +eep his "ommandments'
The Span of Life: Poems from the Cradle to the Grave
R
7he 6e+en Ages of )an. .ood"t in ,artholmes (ngli"s& =e Proprietati(us /erum, L)ons&
>HF2' /n front we see:from right to left:the infant in a "radle& the toddler learning to wal+& and
the "hild riding a ho##)horse' /mmediatel) #ehind the infant and the toddler is the s"hool#o)& in
a"ademi" gar#5 at the rear !in the "enter% is a depi"tion of e$treme old age holding a rosar) and
e4ipped with a staff or "rt"h& flan+ed #) !at the right% )ong manhood& e4ipped with a sword&
and !at the left% old age& ma+ing a gestre of admonition'
6 m!"#$% #awling' &' ()*++ "#, -. /)*+ whis+ered li+e the leopard'
Chapter 23 7 The Span of Life: Poems from the Cradle to the Grave
&0 1)"234 rash' &5 !#4 4)!4 sa)ings& prover#s' '6 /)$-)"22$ old man wearing #agg)
pants' '' .24 tight0fitting trosers'
@o#ert 6rost
Mar+ @' *arrington& an ;neida !/ro4ois% famil) portrait& >J?G' ;ntario& Canada' The ;neida& a Aative
(meri"an people& toda) live "hiefl) in .is"onsin& Aew Nor+& and ;ntario' !Cortes) Aational Msem of
the (meri"an /ndian& Smithsonian /nstittion CA?2KH>D'%
' +#7#4#2$ variation on a theme' 0 -#*#$%8.2344 dressing rooms' 6 4-#"" alwa)s' 9 ")-4- last'
e' e' "mmings
.illiam ,la+e
Sharon ;lds

@o#ert *a)den

ONeats was K< when he wrote this poem for (nne Gregor)& the >J0)ear0old granddaghter of Lad)
(gsta Gregor)& a woman whom Neats had admired'
Bitt) Tsi
: m)*, gide to mariners' ; 4-)* the Aorth Star' 9 <22" pla)thing' &6 =2m/)44 range' && .#4
Time2s' &' ()*4 endres' +22m 3dgment -a)'
; poa poa maternal grandmother' 4%w f% n"le' 4%w 0ow ant'
6ran+ ;2*ara

.)att Prnt)
@ita -ove
3ames .right

@o#ert ,rns
& 12 sweetheart' > (*$- smooth'
; /2! head' && =)$-# happ)' &0 m)3$ mst'
.illiam ,tler Neats
&9 /*$ whirl down'
.' *' (den
.illiam Sha+espeare

The grave of Sha+espeare in *ol) Trinit)' *is wife (nne is #ried on his left'
Thomas *ard)
&' %#$ snare'

CH 23

Încărcat de

Informații document

Titlu original

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

CH 23

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

CHAPTER

S-ar putea să vă placă și