Journal: "Facing it"

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"Facing it"

by Yusef Komunyakaa

In the poem “Facing It,” written by Yusef Komunyakaa the speaker is an African American war veteran who took part in and survived the Vietnam War. The overall tone of the poem is very detached and melancholy. This tone is achieved through the use of euphony and imagery. Line 19 “…shimmer on a woman’s blouse” is an example of euphony which helps to create dreamy and fuzzy vision. However, there is also solid and rigid tone created by strong words and short lines: “dammit : No tears,” and “I’m stone. I’m flesh.” The repetition of the consonant sound “-sh” such as “Brush strokes flash” elicits soft mood and image. The alliteration like “face fades” helps to create the flow of the rhythm in the poem. The profound diction like “clouded reflection,” “floats”, “mirror” and “smoke” reflects the image of the speaker being trapped in the state of purgatory or limbo. The state of the speaker is also depicted by some figurative language. For example, “I’ m stone. I’m flesh” shows the speaker’s contradicting forms. “Stone” represents the monument in honor of the Vietnam veterans while “flesh” symbolizes “civilians.” Therefore, by saying “I’m stone. I’m flesh” the speaker implies his dual existence. In addition, “I turn this way – the stone lets me go. I turn that way - I’m inside” shows it is inevitable that the speaker cannot be fully included in either the memorial or society. Furthermore, during the Vietnam War, African – American soldiers experienced racism. Line 17, “I touch the name Andrew Johnson” alludes to the 17^th president of the U.S who opposed giving rights to African – Americans. The poet could pick any name from the “58, 022 names,” but he chose “Andrew Johnson” to bring voice to the anger of African – American soldiers and the indignation of all soldiers towards the government which sent them to Vietnam.     

Journal: "Zimmer in Grade School"

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"Zimmer in Grade School"

by Paul Zimmer

The poem, “Zimmer in Grade School,” written by Paul Zimmer, is about a student who is a trouble – maker, and it describes his school life. The speaker of the poem is Zimmer himself because the poem is written in first person and the identity of the speaker is revealed near the end. The speaker says, “It is always known that I am Zimmer.” The narrator is talking to himself or just an audience. The speaker remembers his past and traumatic childhood in school, and in line 21 the poem shifts to the present. He is experiencing events again in his mind by telling of his tough life to an audience.  

Journal: "Metaphors"

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"Metaphors"

by Sylvia Plath

      A sonnet is one form of poetry. It is usually considered a “fourteen – line poem in iambic pentameter.” Sonnets follow a strict rhyme scheme and specific structure. Sonnets include various types: English (Shakespearean), Italian (Petrarchan), Occitan, Urdu, Spenserian, Dante’s Variation, and the Modern Sonnet. Each one adapts its own specific structure, rhyme scheme, and construction. For example, the most familiar type, the Shakespearean sonnet is arranged as three quatrains and a final couplet, and has the rhyme scheme “a-b-a-b, c-d-c-d, e-f-e-f, g-g.” Also, the well known Italian sonnet consists of six or eight – lines, “a-b-b-a, a-b-b-a, c-d-e, c-d-e,” or “a-b-b-a, a-b-b-a, c-d, c-d, c-d” rhyme schemes. Generally, a sonnet contains much figurative language like metaphors. Metaphors are the comparison between unlike things without using comparison words such as “like,” or “as.” The purpose of the device is similar to similes since it compares two things, but the form is different.

      The poem, “Metaphors,” written by Sylvia Plath contains numerous metaphors like the title suggests. In the poem, there are 9 metaphors, and each metaphor represents the poet. For example, in line 5: “This loaf's big with its yeasty rising,” the items being compared are the loaf and the poet. The loaf keeps expanding as time passes because of the yeast. This image is similar to the author’s belly which keeps increasing in size due to the growth of the baby. This expression directly compares her body with the loaf without using “as” or “like.” Hence, this is a metaphor.                                                

      However, despite the abundant amounts of metaphoric expressions and the deep meaning of each sentence, the poem “Metaphors” is not a sonnet. As mentioned above, sonnets require a strict format: specific structure, rhyme scheme, and construction, but this poem doesn’t contain the vital rules for sonnets. It doesn’t have specific rhyme scheme or follow constructions like the arrangement of quatrains. Furthermore, the most significant factor for sonnets is the number of lines and meter. The poem consists of nine lines which is not regarded in any type of sonnet, and has different meters from typical sonnet. Therefore, “Metaphors” is not a sonnet.  

Journal: "Still I rise"

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"Still I rise"

by Maya Angelou

I can feel the poet’s miserable and dangerous life, but also I can see her strong will and hope to stand and overcome the struggle. While I was reading the poem, I imagined a rocking doll, which never falls down and always bounces back up. Through the powerful and hopeful poem, the author depicts the suffering of segregation which black people encountered, and conveys black people’s robust will to overcome strife. As mentioned in the marginal notes of the poem, I agree that the repetition of the phrase, “I rise” not only emphasizes the author’s deep and fervent spirit and shows her intensified will, but also creates rhythm in the poem. Furthermore, there is a rhyme scheme “A-B-C-B.” The scheme is not apparent in every stanza, but most of the stanzas in the poem follow this scheme. This creates rhythm, too. In the poem, the author puts forward some questions and specifically addresses these questions to the reader through the use of the word ”you”. This direct approach makes the poem more powerful, forcing readers to be involved in the piece and reflect on themselves. I think the poet is confronting white people who are racists, because near the end, the author refers to herself as “a black ocean,” which implies her skin color, and alludes to her race’s grievous history. In the poem, the author employs diverse literary devices: simile, metaphor, allusion, and motifs. Through simile and metaphor, she describes herself and her actions. For example, the similes “like dust,” and “like air” represent the author’s desire to break from the oppression and be free from restraint. In addition, through allusion, she delineates her racial background and history. For instance, I agree with the marginal notes that state “Out of the huts of history’s shame” is an example of allusion suggesting slavery. Also, I think “bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave” is another allusion to slavery. However, I don’t agree that “I am the dream and the hope of the slave” is personification as noted. Personification gives non-living things human qualities or characteristics, but this phrase compares “I” to “the dream and the hope of slave”. Actually, this is a metaphor. The poem’s motifs are expressed through repetition. On one hand, white people have constantly oppressed black people and treated them cruelly. This theme is expressed through the repetition of “You may…with your…” such as “You may kill me with your hatefulness.” Despite this, black people have constantly endured and overcome such hatred. This resilience is clearly evident through the repetition of “I rise”, and “I’ll rise” through out the poem. This poem is very thought – provoking and emotional expression of strength.