Blog RR # 7

“Introduction to Poetry”

I think Collins was able to pinpoint the process of poetry writing to a T. I found it interesting how he personified a poem saying, “walk inside the poem’s rooms and feel the wall for a light switch.” I feel as though, as new poets, we attack a poem too much. As Collins puts it, “They begin beating it with a hose to find out what it means.” Collins introduces a more efficient method towards poetry writing. He stresses that when one takes his/her time, or “water-ski across the surface of a poem,” then it will come more naturally and fluidly in the end. The strong images allowed for a unique outlook towards the art of poetry writing.

“The Boy”

The first thing that sticks out to me while reading this poem is how the author starts in “medias res,” or in the middle of the action. She immediately allows the reader to see the situation. I can imagine the brother in blue-jeans walking down the sidewalk on a hot summer night. I found her structure quite unique; specifically the way in which the alternating stanzas did not start with complete sentences. It shows how the poem flows from one stanza, one action, to another. I found the mood of the poem to be somewhat disturbed at times; specifically when the father forcible shaves the brother’s head. It is as if he is robbing him of his identity, forcing him to succumb to his ideals. I feel like the speaker is hurt by this relationship between her father and her brother. For instance, she says “What happened taught me to follow him, whoever he was, calling and calling his name.” The girl adapted to a negative perception of men. She has to constantly follow her brother, but is ignored when she continues to call him. Unfortunately, she will most likely continue to follow men and be ignored.

1 comment March 25, 2008