#Poetry analysis

[berk-brain-rot]

Brain worm of the day: Christian symbolism without preaching Christianity.

Literally just that, Berk can write a book, with a Christian story (Lazarus) on the title cover, and carry that story metaphorically through the entire book, while never making me, a person with severe trauma due to Christianity, ever feel triggered.

Because it's just symbolism, it's just metaphors, and to be quite frank, sometimes it's fueling my religious blasphemy:

That's it, that's all you get for the day, they're good at what they do, and what they do is sometimes weaving Christian symbolism with Greek mythology with a fictional angel with a single episode of the fictional angels show with their own personal grieving process until you're not actually sure where one of those starts and one of those ends.

As always, the source is always more interesting than anything I have to say, so if you haven't yet, go read Lazarus Rises(amongst other things) and follow them on their Tumblr @icaruspendragon because they write so many cool things beyond just their published book.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Poetry Analysis: "She walks in beauty, like the night"

She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron

British poet Lord Byron is recognised as one of the most prominent figures in Romanticism - an artistic movement which swept the poetry and literary sphere during the late 18th and early 19th Century. 

‘She Walks in Beauty,’ is one of his shorter but most famous poems that seeks to capture a sense of and celebrate the beauty of an unnamed woman.

The opening line - and perhaps the two most famous poetry lines that Byron has ever written; ‘she walks in beauty, like night’ - sets the scene for the rest of the poem, comparing this unknown woman to the awe and beauty that comes from a clear night sky:

‘She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes…’

Using the simile, Byron indicates that her beauty is not purely physical either; instead, it is almost an aura, an innocent unawareness that surrounds her. 

It is interesting to note here that the poet is describing his beloved’s beauty as comparable to night, rather than daylight. In fact, later in the poem he describes the daylight as “gaudy.” This is a common aspect of Romantic poetry, where writers would compare people not just to nature, but to ‘bright nature.’ In this line especially, Byron is comparing his lover to the ‘bright’ night sky. 

This association can be a nod to the historic Greek ideal, where beauty is so strong that it can almost be catastrophic. For example, Helen of Troy, daughter of Zeus, was one such beauty; a divine being whose enchanting looks were an indirect cause of the Trojan War. 

Byron seems to be describing his beloved’s love comparable to the highest of the high - indicating the strength of his feelings and adoration of this unnamed woman’s looks.

If this inspires your writing, do tag me. Or send me a link. I'd love to read your work!

[eatanorange]

Hunter by Paris Paloma absolutely wrecked my shit on my way to work bc whether ur the hunter or the beast the main theme is loneliness and healing that. It gives wolfstar i think. Open to suggestion if u know the song/have read the lyrics.

[veespee]

MLandersen0 Community Posts

okay, here’s a sort of analysis (?) for the recent Mlandersen0 YouTube community posts, because people should talk more about them AND i need to overanalyze everything; so here ya go.

(this is part 1. there are 6 posts up rn, and this post would be WAY too long if i do all 6. so i’ve divided them to 2 parts, will post the other in a few days probably :) 

first post: Antigonish?

Antigonish is a poem written by William Hughes Mearns, which you can read here. 

I'll just write my interpretation, and how I think it relates to mla0: the poem revolves around a man, who is portrayed as a ghost. The speaker/narrator of the poem is clearly scared of this mysterious ghost man, telling him to “go away, go away, don’t you come back any more!” and “go away, go away, and please don’t slam the door…”. Now, as for the connection to mla0, i have two theories: 1. the ‘ghost’ is Slenderman, and it’s from Michael’s point of view. Which i think makes some sense, as the ghost and Slender also appear and disappear mysteriously, and of course, Michael wants him to go away, and 2. it could be about Michael’s guilt and past getting to him. All the people that are dead because of him and his want to protect himself, are haunting him, and the ghost is metaphorical. These are just theories though, so the meaning could be anything really. 

second post: So it goes?

This one is a song by band ‘Matthew and The Atlas’, you can listen to it here. According to an analysis from this website, the song talks about an entity of sorts, lingering around the speaker’s life since he was young. There’s a theme suggesting that the speaker fears the entity, and has never been able to confront it or get some closure on what it wants (as suggested in the chorus: “Deep below the earth I might have found you, High above the tower I could not see”). Also, according to a comment on the Genius page for this song, the song writer Matt Hegardy, explained that when he was young, he was attacked by a man with a knife, later resulting in bad dreams consisting of a figure standing over him. In my opinion, that’s exactly Michael’s relationship with Slenderman. Slender is an entity, plaguing Michael’s mind with nightmares, and basically ruining Michael’s life completely, but he never gets the chance to confront Slenderman, and get the closure he needs. So he’s stuck, being miserable and feeding people to Slenderman, without even knowing why. (also, now that i think about it, this could also be about Patrick. but i’m leaning towards Slenderman)

third post: And they call me a throwback when I cry, “Remember?”

The title is a lyric from the song below, Old Tyme Mem’ry by Erik Petersen. Now, the song’s overall meaning is nostalgia on vintage ways of living, as the song tells the story of a family who had to sell their farm after the death of the father, and how the new owners of the land have no connection to the land, instead opting for luxury and modernity. (thanks to this site i understood that lol, go check it out for a more in-depth analysis of the song) But in general, the atmosphere of the song is one of nostalgia and reminiscing (which is honestly the theme of all of these posts), and that’s why i’m assuming it’s Michael posting these. He’s reminiscing on the past, where everyone was ‘okay’ (as okay as they can be, at least) and alive, but know he’s alone. All he can really do is reminisce, as he has nothing now, no family, no friends. Really, I think he only has Patrick, who probably isn’t very stable, and Slenderman. 

okay that’s all i could find :) thank you for reading, and for anyone who is too bored to read all that, TL;DR: most of the themes of the songs/poems Dylan/Michael have posted have a theme of haunting/nostalgia. So my theory so far is, Michael is alive and living his life in guilt, reminiscing on the past about all of his wrong doings, and all the people who are dead because of him. He’s lonely, guilt-filled and grieving the life he could’ve had, if only everything was okay.

also!! credits to all the websites i linked, the helped me undestand the meanings of all the songs in depth, so of course, lot's of credits to them.

[moonsavior]

✦　　　.　　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔Starry Sound

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

O celestial body of mine,

Slumbering adrift in darkness.

Which never heeds the whispers of life,

Till it fades into oblivion, nothingness.

...lf i make a mistake, you can't mock me.

A shining, little spark I yearn to be,

Illuminating yonder the cosmos.

Never does it reveal the true path,

Till drops saturate the stardust veil.

. ݁₊ ⊹

As such,

Guide me, O Radiance, to dispel the mists,

Guide me, O Laments, to seek distant echoes.

Yet when lightning blows away stardust,

I cease.

. ݁₊ ⊹

Forgotten dreams rush before my eyes.

O celestial body of mine,

Slumbering adrift the darkness.

Along this path I walk, lightning blows away stardust.

But I cannot stop here.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.˚✮🌟✮˚.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

Vivid images of space and darkness create a sense of vastness and isolation.

The celestial body is described as "slumbering," giving it a sense of life and consciousness.

Their journey is likened to a search for light in the darkness, symbolizing the quest for knowledge and purpose.

The repeated use of "O" as an address conveys a sense of urgency and longing. A celestial body is any object in space that astronomers observe, including planets, stars, moons, asteroids, comets, nebulae, and galaxies.

The poem is a reflective piece that explores themes of self-discovery, guidance, and the nature of dreams.

The setting is metaphorical, taking place in the cosmos and the inner realms of the speaker's mind.

It evokes a timeless quality, suggesting an eternal struggle with identity and purpose.

The poem seeks to articulate the human experience of yearning for clarity and meaning in life, emphasizing the emotional weight of forgotten dreams and the desire for illumination in a dark world.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.˚✮🌟✮˚.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

The poem follows an irregular rhyme scheme, focusing more on thematic content & emotional resonance rather than a consistent pattern.

The subject matter encompasses celestial imagery, the metaphor of a "celestial body," and the notion of stardust as both a literal and metaphorical representation of dreams and aspirations; It addresses the tension between the desire for enlightenment and the inevitability of fading into nothingness.

It explores themes of existential longing and the quest for meaning in the vastness of the universe. It reflects on the contrast between a sense of insignificance and the desire to illuminate one’s path, suggesting a search for purpose amid darkness and oblivion.

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔

[lunarrosette]

@doodler-rights asked so now I’m gonna ramble abt how perfect to poem Beth Chose for the rad fact was!!

The poem in question:

I met a ghost, but he didn't want my head,

He only wanted to know the way to Denver.

I met a devil, but he didn't want my soul,

He only wanted to borrow my bike awhile.

I met a vampire, but he didn't want my blood,

He only wanted two nickels for a dime.

I keep meeting all the right people—

At all the wrong times.

So there are a couple interpretations one could take from the poem but I’m just gonna box them into the pessimistic interpretation and the optimistic interpretation and both scary and Terri fit each interpretation respectively

I’m going to start with Terri’s because it’s the most straight forward! The optimist interpretation basically is these things that have these scary connotations surrounding them are no more different than any other human so everyone should be treat with kindness and humility despite what previously feeling one may hold. This fits pretty well with Terri’s view point she’s an optimist, she makes friends easily and treats everyone with kindness! However the last lines are what really gets me “I keep meeting all the right people— // At all the wrong times.” This is still pretty straightforward as well, she met and spoke with terry when she was Terri and not scary, right person wrong time! And in that fashion it displayed how good of a father terry would’ve been to Terri but it was the wrong time

Now for the scary interpretation! There are layers here, I’m gonna start with the more straightforward one which is with Willy. Willy is a monster but scary never met him as one, he was just a normal guy to her that seemed like he wanted to help her and cared abt her or to translate it to the poem “I met [Willy Stampler], but he didn't want [to manipulate me], // He only wanted to [be the father I never had].” So in this pessimistic interpretation it’s taking the idea that these “monsters” are lying and hiding their true colors, which is further backed up by the ending “I keep meeting all the right people— // At all the wrong times.” The wrong times being before they show their true colors. The next layer with scary is her relationship with terry jr! Scary sees terry as a threat, as evidence that her father is never coming back, as some guy trying to be what she needed and wanted too late so safe to say that could mean she sees him as a “monster”. But he has pure intentions. To her he seems like a ghost who wants her head but just wants the way to Denver. But scary doesn’t care because she doesn’t want to accept the fact the her bio dad is a piece of shit and isn’t going to come back to fix it. But as the last lines say (the last lines are just perfect for scary’s relationships I’m sorry) they met at the wrong time. They could’ve had a great stepfather daughter relationship if terry came into her life after scary accepted the things abt her bio dad. He was the right father for her but they met at the wrong time

[nectarof-the-gods]

A Reflection on Plath’s Tulips

"The tulips are too excitable, its winter here" -Sylvia Plath, Tulips In the stillness of the hospital, void and white, Sylvia Plath's tulips burst with an overwhelming brightness. I've always been drawn to the way Plath uses imagery to convey emotional strain. The tulips in this poem are not just flowers but a force and a reminder of the chaotic world outside her fragile but peaceful state. I can relate to her desire for aloneness in that hospital, yet those tulips forbid from letting her rest. They demand attention, they pull back Plath to life from her peaceful world when all she craves is isolation. The poem is about how we often crave the peace, yet life interrupts with its vibrancy. Do you ever feel like the world is too loud, too vivid, when all you want is silence? The tulips are a reminder of things we cannot escape, the constant pull of life, the responsibility of existence, the weight of emotions we'd rather avoid, I often find myself overwhelmed by the noise of life, craving peace and silence, only to have something bright and alive pull me back. What do tulips represent to you? Is there something in your life that, like the tulips, forces its presence when all you want is quiet? How do you cope with life’s demands when all you want is silence? What's your personal “tulip" something that brings you back to life when you want to escape? Feel free to share your own poems inspired by Tulips or similar themes. I’d love to read your interpretations and reflections.

[yourlocalcon-man]

If I wrote an essay series breaking down the lyrics, symbolism and messages of The Oh Hello’s Four Seasons EP’s, would anybody read them? I like analyzing lyrics and poetry as a hobby and I was curious if anyone else would follow along with me.

[houseofmcallister]

I appreciate the point "Hope Is Not A Bird, Emily, It's a Sewer Rat" is trying to make but it also somehow manages to COMPLETELY miss the point of ""Hope" is the thing with feathers."

The point Dickson is making is that hope is within us all and it never truly goes away. It is NOT saying hope is some delicate little thing, it is saying it is here and it will NOT LEAVE

[noraqrosa]

i live in NYC and often when i have to take the subway i see poetry on the walls of the train cars, sometimes of the graffiti'd type (always a fun read), sometimes officially posted up by the MTA. today i saw a poem which i've seen before on the train, but only really started thinking about now.

"Everything" by Srikanth Reddy

looking up the poem, its author had this to say about it:

This poem is called "Everything." And I wrote it because I was thinking about the cliche that everybody has their love story waiting to happen because there's somebody walking out there in the world who's perfect for them and you just have to meet them and then the love story starts. And I was thinking, well, actually it might be that the real great love stories are when those two people never meet and don't have a chance to screw things up.

Source

one thing i think about often is the connections we all have between each other as people in the world. i firmly do believe that every action any person takes inherently affects every other person and their own actions, no matter how remote they may be from each other. before looking up the poem's authorial intent, my read on "Everything" was more of that mindset.

think about all of the connections you've made over the course of your lifetime. how many of them do you even remember? and how many of those connections who are still current in your life are a physical presence in your life?

and i know that you, dear reader, have connections in your life who aren't physically close to you--you're on Tumblr right now, of course you have at the very least acquaintances you've only met online.

we live in an unprecedented age where two people whose paths may have never crossed even once can still have direct influence on each other's lives on a personal level. the author of this poem was born in 1973; could you even have conceived of interacting with people all across the globe so casually as we do now had you been an alive, conscious being in the year 1973? with the exception of those with plentiful means, it'd have likely seemed like an impossibility.

but even still, it's not like you'll ever be able to meet everyone in the world. as the world carries on, so too does the proliferation of the people. so too does our lives.

there are people in my life who i am incredibly lucky to have met; in fact, all of my closest friends (honestly all of my friends period) are people i would've never met if not for being in highly specific niches on highly specific areas of the internet. and i think now about this poem and how lucky i am to have even had the chance to receive these people into my life. i'd genuinely be alone otherwise, likely rotting away from depression and other sundry mental illnesses in my parents' house in a state that was sucking my soul away. and, honestly, it's tragic to think that easily it could've gone that way anyway.

the author of the poem posits that the greatest love story of all is the kind that never starts, and thus can never end, and...well, that feels rather pessimistic, in a way. for the most part, i'm thankful for any friendships, relationships, and acquaintanceships, really any connections, i've had in my life, no matter how jubilant or horrific, no matter how momentous or inconsequential, no matter how beneficial or tragic. we are who we are largely because of those around us. the rest of the world shapes us just as we shape ourselves. the direct connections we have inform who we are relative to the rest of the world. and even the invisible connections that we can't see, hear, perceive in any way, they too affect our actions, beliefs, and station in the world.

for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. this is as true in physics as it is for people.

i do love this poem, but perhaps not for the reasons the author intends.

one line in particular that stands out to me in this poem: "When his name changed, she stitched a cloud to a quilt made of rags." what incredibly evocative imagery, the idea of affixing in a semi-permenent manner something ephemeral to something material! and the mention of a name change...it doesn't necessarily have to be so, but it feels incredibly queer to me. this line is probably gonna be rattling around in my head for a while, and i might make another post/reblog analyzing that one line further later once my thoughts fully settle on it.

anyway writing this analysis was a good way to spend the time it took me to go to my pharmacy to get my medicine lol

[museandquill]

With this being my finals week I thought I would share part of one my final projects.

This project I had to analyze three pieces of media that could be talked about by themselves, and all together as a whole.

So being the nerd I am i decided to do my project on the modern romanticization of Greek Mythology, focusing on Odysseus and Penelope, Hades and Persephone, and Achilles and Patroclus.

For my pieces of media I used a poem by Eiza Evangelista, a painting by Vennesa Kelley (@vkelleyart) and the song How Long? from Hadestown.

Below is the analysis I did on all three of the pieces

Eiza Evangelista’s poem is told through ‘Penelope’s’ point of view. She tells of how much she loves “her Odysseus” and how long she would wait for him: “Even 20 years may past, I will never run.” Not only is this poem about Penelope’s undying love for Odysseus, this poem can also be interpreted as comparing a personal romance to that similar to the love of Odysseus and Penelope. If we see Eiza as not just the author, but also the narrator, she would be calling herself Penelope and who she is talking to, or about, would take the place of Odysseus. We can come to a similar conclusion if we see ourselves as the narrator, comparing our love, or a love we strive for, to that of Odysseus and Penelope. We want a love full of devotion that we would either wait 20 years for our love to return, or do whatever it took to get home. When thinking about this poem as the narrator, whether that be Eiza, ourselves, or even a third party, we can see that they could also be looking for this love: “Where are you my Odysseus?” and “My heart will wait for you to come.” They do not have this love they are searching and waiting for, they are waiting for someone to love them like Odysseus loves Penelope and vice versa. When talking about the poem in the mindset of this actually being Penelope, we can see her undying love and her absolute sorrow she is going through while waiting for Odysseus to come home. “For your love I will never seize from waiting. Even it will take long for my longing.” No matter how we interpret this poem, it is a poem of true love and total devotion between two people, desperate to find each other.

Hadestown is a musical about the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, and in turn, a story about the love between Hades and Persephone. In the musical, Hades is in love with Persephone, but since she is gone for half the year, he puts his energy into a factory since he can’t give that time and energy to Persephone. In the song How Long? Persephone tries to convince Hades to let Eurydice go because “he has the kind of love for her that you and I once had.” The main thing I want to focus on in this song is the idea that no matter how much Hades and Persephone hurt each other, they will always love each other because they have a love that lasts an eternity and transcends the human definition of love. While Persephone tries to convince Hades to let Eurydice go, Hades questions how long he will have to deal with her pity for mortals “You and your pity don’t fit in my bed… how long?” Persephone answers with “Just as long as I am your wife” which is for eternity. She continues with the fact she knows that the world must die, but that it also has to come back to life. The lines that follow use the sun as a metaphor for the love between Hades and Persephone. Their love is larger than life: “And how does the sun even fit in the sky” This is a call back to earlier lines where Persephone says that Orpheus’s sorrow for losing Eurydice is so consuming it cannot fit in his chest “All of the sorrow won’t fit in his chest, it just burns like a fire in the pit of his chest” and that the love he has for Eurydice is a “bird of a spit in his chest” meaning that he would still choose to love Eurydice even if it means his sorrow for losing her will consume and burn him. The last lines of the song, continues with the sun metaphor and expands on it by also showing that the love between Hades and Persephone also balances out the world, Persephone has to go to the underworld and love Hades so the world can die and Hades has to be able to let the Persephone go so the world can come back to life.

The story of Achilles and Patroclus is one that some classists never want to fully tell, this was a story of love in a time of war and the sorrow of losing the one you love to that very same war. Vennesa Kelley’s piece shows Achilles and Patroclus in a casual yet outwardly romantic way, Achilles is closely laid out between Patroclus’s legs, rested against his chest, while Patroclus rests his head on Achilles with his hand in his hair. The two skilled soldiers are relaxed, secluded in a peaceful spot in the woods, at peace, and have no weapons in sight. In this piece they have become more than just the soldiers and friends as they were only seen as, they are finally able to be lovers and were given back the humanity they were stripped of, their love for each other is not hidden like some classists often try and accomplish. Having pieces like this of queer characters in Greek mythology is important since most queer relationships were either hidden, masked as friendship, or painted in a negative light, especially after the Romans conquered the ancient Greeks. This is not even touching on the utter eraser of queer women. Since we do not know when this piece is meant to take place in regards to the Trojan War, we can see this piece as either a calm moment during the wages of war or what we call the “calm before the storm.” Achilles and Patroclus could be finding solace in each other during war, or they could be joyful and naive to the literal and figurative war they were about to enter. When Patroclus dies, Achilles becomes a completely different person, even going so far as to drag around the dead body of his lover’s killer as he sobs. Looking at this piece you can tell why Achilles would be so distraught, they were completely devoted to each other that Achilles changed the tide of the war when he rejoined the fight after Patroclus died.

[berk-brain-rot]

So Berk posted a video of some poems that never made it into Lazarus Rises and I wanted to talk about my favorite one.

It's this, it's this one.

If you're just here to read the poem, fair, it's amazing and stands on it's own, honestly click the link and read the rest of them, because they're all so good!

If you're here as a fellow-feral-unhinged-raccoon and want to read my honestly unneeded analysis, it's below the cut.

Oh my god. Are you kidding me?? This was a poem that didn't pass the cut??? And it's this good?????? (Once again I feel justified in telling literally every person who spends five minutes in conversation with me about how good of a poet Berk is)

Honestly though, this is one of my favorites of the poems in that video, because it's so short, it's so simply written, and this says so much that I feel like I could write an entire essay on each of the lines themselves and their meanings (I honestly might anyways but I'm not gonna subject you guys to those rambles)

"Life loves Death"

In the same way you can't help but love an impossible task you just want to give up but that at this point is the only company you truly remember and the only thing you know how to work towards.

"Life loves Death"

In the same way we can't help but try and find meaning in beauty in the thing that truly only takes from us, because if there isn't meaning and beauty in our pain, then why the fuck do we have it?

"Life loves Death"

As something we can't take seriously. As something we truly don't understand the risks of until it's too late. As something that for some of us, we rush forward to with joy and open arms because we think it'll feel like the warm embrace of the sun but instead all we are met with is the cold cold ocean.

"Life loves Death"

As a burden, a burden that some claim is a gift. A burden enforced upon us poor poor sinners by a god in punishment. Am I talking about Apollo or Jesus? Both, neither of them, I don't believe in either, but I mean no one believed Cassandra either.

"Life loves Death"

As a needed tool, as a part of every flower we decide to put in a vase, as every dye we put in paint, as every food we are forced to consume and as the tool that at the end of the days ends up changing us.

Also something something, gods punishing poor sinners for wanting to enjoy life something something an apple and a weaving contest being the show of ultimate pride something something I don't have religious trauma you do

Like do you get it???? Do you see how insane this is??? How much information they've packed into six lines???

And I'm not even gonna go over the way Life and Death are capitalized and personified, you all already know how I feel about how impressive it is they do that, but regardless, this poem is amazing and you can pry it out of my coffin-bloodied-cold-dead hands.

As always, the source is always more interesting than anything I have to say, so if you haven't yet, go read Lazarus Rises(amongst other things) and follow them on their Tumblr @icaruspendragon because they write so many cool things beyond just their published book.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Poetry Analysis: "Hope is the thing with feathers"

"Hope" is the Thing With Feathers by Emily Dickinson

Out of the nearly 1,800 poems she penned during her lifetime, the 1862 poem, Hope is the Thing With Feathers, is the one which has given Emily Dickinson lifelong fame and recognition as a writer.

The full poem is rather short and goes as follows:

"Hope" is the thing with feathers -  That perches in the soul -  And sings the tune without the words -  And never stops - at all - And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -  And sore must be the storm -  That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm -  I’ve heard it in the chillest land -  And on the strangest Sea -  Yet - never - in Extremity,  It asked a crumb - of me.

Full of figurative language, this poem is an extended metaphor, transforming the feeling of hope into a bird that lives forever in the human soul.

This metaphor is set in the opening line of the poem - and has gone on to become a common phrase long associated with people’s personal aspirations, no matter how ‘extreme’ they may seem to outsiders. 

Interestingly, the first word of the poem is given special emphasis with speech marks, as though the poet wants to define the elusive word ‘hope,’ which she then does as followed by her descriptive metaphor. 

As the stanza progresses, so too does the strength of the imagery; not only is hope feathery, but it has the ability to sing too, especially during times of difficulty.

But the song is extra-special than any other song in the world for there are no words, and no diction for anyone to understand rationally - just like our sometimes un-seemingly rational hopes and aspirations. 

[tombkitten]

wanted to share my lovely literature professor's take on henry vaughan's poem 'the night', which he deems his favourite from this era.

"There is in God, some say,

A deep but dazzling darkness, as men here

Say it is late and dusky, because they

See not all clear.

O for that night! where I in Him

Might live invisible and dim!"

the following are my professor's words:

God is usually a thing of brightness, of light, but the impossibility of God is a darkness which dazzles. So black that it's sort of bright - it's bright blackness. It's a strange paradoxical expression of the unknowability of God. Herbert was anti-egotistical, he's trying to avoid being too individualistic, he's trying to escape that in his faith.

This is the ultimate expression of anti-egotistical feeling in poetry. Here he says, over that night where I in him might live invisible and dim. If God is a dazzling darkness, I want to live inside that darkness. I want to be absorbed by the darkness of God and be part of that blackness.

What is the night when you live inside God? Death.

This is a longing for death. And that's the same, it's the same thing. It's the same thing. It's the same longing in the retreat, and in all. Because the world is leading astray, so death is this reunion, this black dazzling reunion with God.

And so, these are part, this is a kind of anti-sensuous, anti-cavalier, anti-image poetry, these devotional poets are finding. They're very austere and dark, but they're finding a beauty in that austerity. They're doing something quite interesting.

[weeklypoetry]

Sappho, Fragment 34 Voigt

ἄστερες μὲν ἀμφὶ κάλαν σελάνναν

ἂψ ἀπυκρύπτοισι φάεννον εἶδος

ὄπποτα πλήθοισα μάλιστα λάμπη

γᾶν <ἐπὶ παῖσαν>

****

ἀργυρία

Poetic translation:

The gleaming stars all about the shining moon Hide their bright faces, when full-orbed and splendid In the sky she floats, flooding the shadowed earth ⁠with clear silver light.

Literal translation: The stars about the fair moon lose their bright beauty when she, almost full, shines [on all] earth with silver.

Free of any human interaction, somehow still full of Sappho's typical melanchony, it offers a personified view of the cosmos like embarassed little girls watching in awe as a woung woman shines bright with silver. Because the stars are clearly the focus, the first word we can see and what I think the reader should relate to; we all pale in comparison to bright, shiny full moon, so gracious to bathe of all us in her light - and the stars are, here, no less human.

For italian speakers, I higly recommend this analysis by the University of Bologna, that goes into finer detail than I ever could.

Certainly my very favorite of all of Sappho's work. I'm already a sucker for nocturnals - Sappho and Leopardi, long loves of mine, feed me well in that regard - and this one takes the cake. Also one of the firsts of hers I've ever had to translare, which doesn't helo lessen my enjoyment for sure. The beauty in her fragments is also in the unsaid, unseen; was the silver surely the light, or is there in the line we're missing, some other feminine noun to complete it? It also makes me kind of mad, solely because a lot of poetry sites out there dealing with ancient greek poetry conviniently forget to inform that we don't actually have the whole poem, a lot of it are just guesses (even if based on studies and evidences) and meaning isn't as clear as they make it seem. For example, almost none of the sites i've searched through for a translation mentioned that "on all" the earth isn't in the text, but was assumed through studies and is often marked as such in greek. Or that there's a whole missing line between that and "silver".

Regardless, I hope that this translitteration and translation can be of satisfaction, especially to those much more expert in this subject than little ol me.

↑ the analysis link again, for easier clicking.

[habshihalwa]

charge of the light brigade ~ alfred tennyson

poem analysis