I will be writing in a new blog! I will add the parts of this blog and the ‘Aelfinn and Eelfinn’ blog that I believe represent my thoughts and ways of thinking. The domain will be: http://ofsaidingandsaidar.edublogs.org/
|
August, 2009 I sat amidst the lithe indistinct shadows. A delicate flower stood as a centerpiece, somehow receiving light, managing to absorb light from the overcast room. Fragile and overlooked it was perhaps the most vibrant object in the room- the indistinct shadows seemed to fade even more. Light emanated from the fragile one, pulsing constantly as it gave shape to the shadows, which against the psychedelic light solidified into distinct dark forms. Small buds seemed to open and release a sweet fragrance in a fairly stagnant air, bright green leaves swaying with an invisible wind. The dancing smell never was, but it permeated previously unresponsive fibers. Like an invisible toxin, it entered my self- revitalizing shadow-numbed fibers. As these awakened a new desire entered. To embrace this light, to bathe in it, to rejoice and be filled by its eternal energy- that would course through my veins. To enter every cave, creak and niche it found until all was in light, with light, around light-light around. The sweet nectar of this new flower brought light back- to a place of celebration for the darkened lighted ones. Slowly but surely, light fled or would flee at least. Surrounded by the shadow figures my own light emanated- but unsharpened shadow figures seemed to grow indistinct as ever- fading into once grey walls, now graphite walls. Threatening to crumble around me, light emanated straining the graphite colored wall. Cracks appeared, but skin sharpened in purpose and existence. For the lithe shadows, whose ignorant ears covered their hearts, nothing was changed, for the lithe shadows everything was to be changed. August, 2008 I laid sprawled on the bed. A foot dangling ungracefully from the shaggy covers that clung so lightly tight to my bare skin. As if from an outside eye I saw my back drag along with the essential moving of my chest. Lazily I opened my grounded eyes, staring at the lightly brown-lit floor. As I flexed my shoulders I realized the air was lighter-nay, it was as if I were lighter. I turned around and a delicate foot touched the floor, followed by its brother. With a sheet still clinging to my body, like a parasitic vine, effortlessly I made my way out of the bed. I stretched my arms, there it was again- a feeling of light. My limbs seemed to be made of air, my back straightening, flexing its muscles- quite aware of the missing boulder. I hopped around the papers that seemed to appear sporadically, as if in a graceful dance made my way to the bathroom- a quest that would’ve burdened my now strong back. A golden light fell through the small upper window, falling right on my face- the suns warmth still present. I bathed in sunlight, drinking in its warmth with a feverish stupor. Refreshed I turned at myself. Lazy curls fell around my face, some seemed to wind round and round until it was hidden from sight by others of its kind- others seemed to search for recognition and stood small and proud against a golden lit forehead. Green, nay yellow, nay brown, nay a mixture of all and none looked back, revitalized by the light’s sweet embrace and its release from the chains of darkness- a color that had not been witnessed by its own body for what seemed an infinitively expanding amount of time. For these drank in the sunlight with an even more fervent desire, to keep itself alive- for it needed the light- and fed its host, for the light gave life, as the eye gave soul. A senseless sense of feelings blanketed my mind. A minute ray of inspiration shown from these senseless sensing. I laid back on the brown couch of my living room. The credits on the movie passing silently through the screen. Regina Spektor’s “The Call” played on my computer, something about its melody- or rather its lyrics seized me. Wait, no it was the feeling it gave- music always had this effect on me, it opened a new world for me- or rather served as a conduit for my creativity which was lacking, as he had once said (and regretted afterwards), surprisingly in me (me being left handed and all). “A Dance ‘Round the Memory Tree” floated around me, the smooth and agile piano a constant sound that resonated or rather my feelings throbbed in response. My sickness trembling, trying to interrupt my life, to steal another moment, to steal another piece of sanity, to steal a piece of my mind, become suddenly present as it did every second of every moment that had been for the last year and a half and would be for the rest of my life (from what I have read)- my mind screamed at this, for it could not accept it. No, it could accept it, it simply could not handle the idea of being tortured constantly from an unrelenting force that threatened to suffocate me. What am I saying (writing rather) not threatened, what is wrong with me, why is my mind in denial. A form of therapy? Another one? Unsuccessful as any other course. My blood moves sluggishly throughout my body, coursing its veins- I knew it did not lay there, it laid actively dormant surrounded by senseless feelings. I think of closing my eyes, laying my head down against the couch- completely not the slight resting on it. Air seemed to be around me mocking its freedom, its thoughtless existence which I did not envy for I do not envy those thoughtless beings (which appear EVERYWHERE in the animal kingdom)- but I envied in some perplexing way, no not perplexing rather contradictory way, its invulnerability to the rotten thing that resided surrounded by feelings. I felt oppressed as if something had decided to enter me and close all doors, close all escape, close all possibility of any semblance of freedom. I do not close my eyes for the rotten thing prevents me from doing so. Yes, the winner of this struggle was none- it was neither that rotten obscure fear (nor fears) nor my mind. It was a pendulum that counted milliseconds. The pendulum sped up and destroyed my blanketing. Inspiration gone I closed my eyes and got ready (as if I had had a break during this period of writing) to face it again. “They are not human”. The words seeped into my very core, bringing with them a hollowed fear that nestled in my very being. Shivering, out of fear, anger, surprise, my arms fell useless at my sides. Voices screamed in my head, I was aware only of that nestling hollowed fear. My body convulsed as tenacious tentacles spread from my core, its core, and touched every fiber. Blood rushed everywhere, a steady beat announcing the advance of the encroaching tentacles. My eyes, focused on the inside darkness, lost- they searched for a haven, but none were to be found. I was in the middle of it, of the lightly infused darkness that spawned all of that which convulsed my body. My lungs, turned black, sagged, desperate in their attempts to expell the dark tentacles which seemed to have blocked any passage of haven- for air was haven, but haven as not to be found. Shoulder blades itching, I turned around, only to come face to face with the blackened hollow which threatened to swallow that which was now infested with its lightly infused darkness. A rotten yellow washed over me, seemingly feeding my hollowed core which grew with each beat. A raw, horrified scream left my mouth, hoping to stagnate the mass of tentacles that was once my body. It was a soundless scream at that, for the hollow grew. The spawned darkness grew, pulsating with each new tentacle, each pulse seeped into the lightly infused darkness, feeding the hollow outside. Useless eyes looked for an exit inside as the pulsating tentacles threatened to consume. Juan Dent Inside Twos.. The again of the again haunts me. It knows me. I am weathered-again and again- chips tumble in varying sizes. For now the battle is ov-no it is not…
http://etext.virginia.edu/stc/Coleridge/poems/Kubla_Khan.html Ok, seeing as I agreed to analyze the poem itself without any investigation I will not be able to check different names and see if they allude to something (which I doubt they do anyway), but I will include later on a mix of my ideas with those on the internet. In other words I will write down what I understood and could interpret on one or two paragraphs, and then write x number of paragraphs that include my own ideas and those on the internet. One of the most striking characteristics of this poem is the use of imagery. It can be found almost throughout the entire poem, describing the movement of the river, the size of the caves, and the other elements of nature. The imagery of course is not alone, it is accompanied by the hyperbole and some rhyming verses. It is also interesting to note that the poems takes place in a fictional place, as can be seen with the names he uses and the peculiar setting that he describes. The poem consists of admiration of the landscape’s beauty and dangers. The different tones used can be reflected with the diction of the poem. The change in diction can be observed mainly in the beginning of the poem, where the admiration changes into a warning from one line to the next. The first stanza uses words such as “pleasure” (2), “sacred” (3), “fertile” (7), “bright” (8), “blossomed” (9), “forest ancient” (10), “sunny spots of greenery” (11). All of these carry a positive connotation about the landscape, which place this fantastical setting as one of beauty. Yet, there is one break in the first stanza. Structurally marked by an indentation, “Dow to the sunless sea” carries the only negative connotation in the first stanza. The next stanza, which has the same us of negative connotations is also marked by structure and diction. The nineteen line stanza uses other adjectives and verbs that carried negative connotations. These words include “wailing”, “haunted”, “ceaseless turmoil seething”, “burst”, “savage place”, “meandering”, “lifeless ocean”, etc. As one can observe there is even a play of sounds, “ceaseless turmoil seething”, in the stanza. Although the stanza is filled with other literary features, it is the diction that strikes as most evident-after the obvious use of structure. Interesting to note that the lifeless ocean makes reference to the loneliness, emptiness and coldness of the cave-not a lifeless ocean (as I had carelessly thought before reading it again). What makes this seem fantastical is the use of names and the described landscape. The names seem exotic and fantastical, as if from a far off place (Xanadu and Kubla Khan). The landscape can be, at times, incomprehensible. As is when it starts describing the “sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice”. àThe enjambment breaks the flow of the poem, causing one to read it carefully. The title relates as well, the fragment of the vision or dream, refers to the fact that he was not able to write down the whole poem. The described landscapes and the names that appear also seem to be from a dream. This can be related to the fact that Coleridge came up with this poem while using opium. Research Apparently the Kubla Khan that is mentioned comes from Marco Polo’s description of Xanadu and Kubla Khan in Il Milione. Apparently Kubla claimed he had the Mandate of Heaven, and lived of his grandfather’s money, he also went to Xanadu to spend the summer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubla_Khan
Ragnarok There’s, nobody here. There’s, nobody near. The Dead, will always care. They, have always stared. The light, will never agree. (Don’t trust what you see). When, you control time, you have crossed the line!
Gods of War announce their salvation, (Rays of coldness transcend their rue), Valkyries degut their own condemnation, And the tearing of seals becomes true!
A, Mistress of death. Exhales, chooses heroes with breath. He, who’ll cry for this state. (We know it’s too late). Looks to the heavens to find, his destiny intertwined With the World’s trees. They rid the disease!
Yggdrasil waits for redemption, The old legend is finally true, Asator cries with indignation, As the gods cease to exist, their life is through. Before I can really begin an analysis of Mario’s poem I have to research certain terms and names I do not recognize. Most of these are in a way related to Norse mythology… Ragnarok: doom of the gods. Refers to the three winters, in which the giants and the gods fought-“After the destruction, a new and idyllic world will arise from the sea and will be filled with abundant supplies. Some of the gods will survive, others will be reborn. Wickedness and misery will no longer exist and gods and men will live happily together. The descendants of Lif and Lifthrasir will inhabit this earth.” http://www.pantheon.org/articles/r/ragnarok.html Valkyrie: either refers to crow-like spirits that picked up those that died honorably during battle and then took them to Valhalla- they could also be represented by fair-skinned, blue-eyed, blond women. Yggdrasil: “(”The Terrible One’s Horse”), also called the World Tree, is the giant ash tree that links and shelters all the worlds.” http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/europe/norse/articles.html Asator: also known as Thor, the son of Odin and the god of lightning, he was known for the use of Mjollnir. Mario’s poem centers mainly around Ragnarok, as the title so adequately explains. Basically (as it was previously stated) Ragnarok is the ultimate battle- the final battle between the gods and their enemies. It is with this battle that the world we know today is born, the two human survivors emerge from hiding into a new world and repopulate it. The text is an allusion to Norse mythology. The second stanza mentions the “Gods of War” which is an allusion to the gods that fought in this battle, such as Odin and Thor. The “salvation” that they declare is then refuted in the parenthesis, by saying that the “rays of coldness” (death) transcended their lament and regret. This point is further emphasized with another allusion, the “Valkyries”. These spirits are supposed to choose the fallen heroes worthy enough to go to Valhalla, where they live with the gods and enjoy a pleasant life. The “tearing of seals” makes mention of how the different enemies of the Gods escaped from certain prisons and gathered forces. The “World’s trees” refers to the “Yggdrasil” in the following stanza. It’s, of course, another allusion to Norse mythology. This time its referring to Yggdrasil, the tree that basically shelters and connects the nine worlds of Norse mythology. The “intertwined” destiny that is mentioned in the third stanza makes reference to the fact that both the tree and the Gods of War will be destroyed. Yet, the sign of “redemption” in the last stanza makes mention to the surviving couple that comes out of Yggdrasil’s remains (where they had been hiding during the war) into a green world (Earth) which they begin to populate. It is a new chance, and with the birth of the new world and the death of the old ones “the old legend is finally through”. Asator was a God that technically survived the battle, but died after a while due to some poison he had come in contact with. The poem is parallel to the development of the Norse legend, “Ragnarok”, it begins by mentioning the presence of death, and then moves on to the preparation of the war and then the actual war itself. It ends when everything was destroyed and the new world appears. There is also a link between the second and last stanza, they both have rhyme (A-B-A-B and C-D-C-D respectively) and they make mention to the gods. Yet, one of them occurs as the Gods are trying to fight and survive, and the other while the Gods realize that their efforts were futile and perish. The first paragraph is separated from the others in the sense that it does not address the main aspects of Ragnarok, but rather talks about the different aspects of it such as life and death. The idea of death is expressed in the first and second lines, where the absence of people and the direct mention of death make a clear connection. The subject f light, meaning the Gods struggling for life, is seen as the light is said to “never agree”, makes mention of how they did not trust the legend of Ragnarok. I really enjoyed reading Mario’s poem, it was interesting to see someone use mythology in one of their poems. I enjoyed having to do some research into it, and putting the different pieces together (until I finally figured it was about Ragnarok). The use of rhythm did throw me off in the first stanza, as well as the last line in it, but I felt as if I understood most of the poem. Here you go guys, they are not exactly the most logical notes if you were not there to hear them being explained… but don’t complain! Enjoy! First impression: one of the ages of man, strong Children of iron = metaphor and connotations Connotations: Good–> strength, resistance, courage, survival (black perspective) Bad–> no emotion, no childhood, “hardened” Age of Iron= allusion First impression: defined by husband, no name (by marriage) Central character “doctor”–> higher position, well-off Context 2 doctor’s wives: title is ambiguous, not clear who it is referring to ownership No name, no unique position in family structure Replaceable no identity of their own (symbolism diction) Smybollic imagery the tombstone (culture male/female) Anonymity and ownership
Ode to Strawberries Your coat, I still can taste, With your green, And to uncover the smooth, To remind me of the mountains To have your sweet taste in my mouth Alone, Your seeds everywhere, Your taste
01
05
2009
 
Journal #2 Claro. de. Luna. —- Yes this one will be explained eventuallyPosted by: juent22 in UncategorizedThis is perhaps not the most original, or creative, but it needs to be here. Think of it as an addition to my T.O.K. blog #2 of the third bimester. As I close my eyes I see nothing. It takes me, where doesn’t matter. When does not matter. It matters only, and only It. It gathers power, up, up, up and gently slows down. Up, gently, up, gently, up, gently. It carries me with it, and I see. I see Nothing. If nothingness exists I have found it. Away from them. Away from the light, from the dark. Nothingness, everything but It. For It took me there. It keeps me There. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Entries (RSS)