Ladies and gentlemen,
In accordance with our testosterone-driven attempt to avoid incoherence and redundancy, please use the links on the right of your webpage to access title, prefaces, poems, chances to win BIG TIME and all of those sorts of things.
Welcome to the 21st century.
Enjoy.
Sincerely,
Group (spiritually blogging)Einstein
Monday, December 3, 2007
Works Cited
Roethke, Theodore. “My Papa’s Waltz.” 30 Nov 2007. http://gawow.com/roethke/poems/43.html.
George Gordon, Lord Byron. “When We Two Parted.” The Academy of American Poets. 30 Nov 2007. http//www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16160.
McKay, Claude. “To The White Friends.” The Book of American Negro Poetry. 30 Nov 2007. http://www.bartleby.com/269/75.html.
Norton, Caroline Elizabeth Sarah. “I do not love Thee.” The Oxford Book of English Verse. 30 Nov 2007. http://www.bartleby.com/101/692.html.
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. “The Growth of Lorraine.” Collected Poems. 30 Nov. 2007. http://www.bartleby.com/233/306.html.
Patmore, Coventry. “Departure.” The Oxford Book of English Verse. 30 Nov 2007. http://www.bartleby.com/101/762.html.
Davis, Olena Kyltiak. “I’m Only Now Beginning to Answer Your Letter.” And Her Soul Out of Nothing. University of Wisconsin Press (November 1997).
Flynn, Nick. “Fragment (found inside my mother).” Some Ether. Graywolf Press, 2000.
Flynn, Nick. “Man dancing with a paper cup.” Some Ether. Graywolf Press, 2000.
Howe, Marie. “What the Living Do.” What the Living Do: Poems. W.W. Norton and Company, New York, 1998.
Shakur, Tupac. “When Ure Hero Falls.” 20 Nov 2007. http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/36350-Tupac-Shakur-When-Ure-Hero-Falls.
Matthews, Dave. “#41.” 20 Nov 2007..
Teasdale, Sarah. “After Love.” 20 Nov 2007
www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19423.
Cambridge, Ada. “A Wife’s Protest.” 25 Nov 2007..
Grose, Francis. “On a Wife.” 25 Nov 2007..
Work, Henry. “Come Home, Father!” 25 Nov 2007. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/2385.html.
Chudleigh, Mary. “To the Ladies.” 25 Nov 2007. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/474.html.
Sheridan, Richard. “If a Daughter you have.” 25 Nov 2007http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/1921.html.
Mahon, Derek. “Achill.” 25 Nov. 2007. http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15372.
Howe, Bernard. “Compassion.” 25 Nov. 2007.http://www.poetrygalore.com/poems/inspirational/compassion-01.htm.
Masters, Edgar Lee. “Fletcher McGee.” 25 Nov. 2007. http://www.bartleby.com/84/4.html.
Hughes, Langston. “I, Too, Sing America.” 25 Nov. 2007.http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15615.
Angelou, Maya. “Alone.” 25 Nov. 2007. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/alone-6/.
George Gordon, Lord Byron. “When We Two Parted.” The Academy of American Poets. 30 Nov 2007. http//www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16160.
McKay, Claude. “To The White Friends.” The Book of American Negro Poetry. 30 Nov 2007. http://www.bartleby.com/269/75.html.
Norton, Caroline Elizabeth Sarah. “I do not love Thee.” The Oxford Book of English Verse. 30 Nov 2007. http://www.bartleby.com/101/692.html.
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. “The Growth of Lorraine.” Collected Poems. 30 Nov. 2007. http://www.bartleby.com/233/306.html.
Patmore, Coventry. “Departure.” The Oxford Book of English Verse. 30 Nov 2007. http://www.bartleby.com/101/762.html.
Davis, Olena Kyltiak. “I’m Only Now Beginning to Answer Your Letter.” And Her Soul Out of Nothing. University of Wisconsin Press (November 1997).
Flynn, Nick. “Fragment (found inside my mother).” Some Ether. Graywolf Press, 2000.
Flynn, Nick. “Man dancing with a paper cup.” Some Ether. Graywolf Press, 2000.
Howe, Marie. “What the Living Do.” What the Living Do: Poems. W.W. Norton and Company, New York, 1998.
Shakur, Tupac. “When Ure Hero Falls.” 20 Nov 2007. http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/36350-Tupac-Shakur-When-Ure-Hero-Falls.
Matthews, Dave. “#41.” 20 Nov 2007.
Teasdale, Sarah. “After Love.” 20 Nov 2007
www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19423.
Cambridge, Ada. “A Wife’s Protest.” 25 Nov 2007.
Grose, Francis. “On a Wife.” 25 Nov 2007.
Work, Henry. “Come Home, Father!” 25 Nov 2007. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/2385.html.
Chudleigh, Mary. “To the Ladies.” 25 Nov 2007. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/474.html.
Sheridan, Richard. “If a Daughter you have.” 25 Nov 2007http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/1921.html.
Mahon, Derek. “Achill.” 25 Nov. 2007. http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15372.
Howe, Bernard. “Compassion.” 25 Nov. 2007.http://www.poetrygalore.com/poems/inspirational/compassion-01.htm.
Masters, Edgar Lee. “Fletcher McGee.” 25 Nov. 2007. http://www.bartleby.com/84/4.html.
Hughes, Langston. “I, Too, Sing America.” 25 Nov. 2007.http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15615.
Angelou, Maya. “Alone.” 25 Nov. 2007. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/alone-6/.
Epilogue
Brad’s Epilogue:
Although many of the poems I included in this project were from several hundred years ago, I was still able to associate them with the relationships the women in Connections for Life have experienced. I read poems about lovers breaking up for many different reasons, poems about the stress and loneliness one feels due to a friend’s suicide, poems about the sudden and unforeseen departure of a loved one, and poems about the tension a child feels toward an abusive parent. I believe that the women in Connections for Life, who have all spent a fair amount of time in jail, have all caused a great deal of tension in almost every one their personal relationships due to imprisonment. They are not alone, however, because everyone has problems in relationships at one time or another. Although these strained relationships can cause a great deal of pain, we must eventually try to resolve them and hope for the best, or do what we can to get over them.
Jonathan’s Epilogue:
This project was very interesting to me because I ran across very many old poems on relationships and many of their core feeling and ideas still apply to modern day relationships. Our theme of relationships developed from the idea that many of the women at Connections For Life have many problems with their own relationships. I believe that many of the women could at least relate to the poems we chose for our anthology. Developing healthy relationships is one of the best ways to insure a healthy and happy life and we therefore thought it fitting to focus on such an important theme.
John’s Epilogue:
Researching poetry for this project has been a very entertaining experience, not only because of the familiarity I have gained with the library resources, but also because of the poetic influence reading all of this poetry has had on me. Also, I honestly have gained a better understanding of the different aspects of our human relationships, and how there are comparisons and contrasts in all of them. I believe that our focus had a thorough parallel theme with the hardships that many of the women from Connections For Life suffered through during their struggles with addictions, jail, etc.
Elizabeth’s Epilogue:
It was exciting as a group to research different poets who use the same theme in some of their poems. Every person deals with (at the very least) a handful of relationships, and the baggage that can come along with them can certainly bring us down. Just like what is seen in our anthology, there is a mixture of sadness, tension, and even anger that I assume many of the women from Connections For Life have dealt with throughout their life, but just like there are glimmers of hope in our selected poetry, the CFL women have had an opportunity to reconcile their past decisions. Hopefully, in turn, this will allow them to heal their wounded past relationships.
Jim's Epilogue:
This project was very intriguing and helped stimulate my interest in poetry. The ability of poetry to motivate an individual to think introspectively and to apply the poetic themes to their own daily lives is my favorite aspect of poetry. This topic is based upon hardships and struggles in relationships and is especially provocative considering the state of the world and the intrinsic selfishness and greed ingrained in every human being. Due to these things our generation has to deal with trust issues more than the last, and confronting these ideas and looking for a solution before they occur, in expectation of them, will help us to cope with them when they occur and to help with our overall attitude and mindset.
Robert's Epilogue:
As a group we initially concurred that our poems should represent different situations that relate to the same theme or emotion. Our reason for doing so was because we knew that the women from Connections had at some point found themselves in a hard relationship. By the time we finished our project I was thrilled to see in retrospect that we accomplished what we wanted, and I am glad to have had this reflective experience.
Although many of the poems I included in this project were from several hundred years ago, I was still able to associate them with the relationships the women in Connections for Life have experienced. I read poems about lovers breaking up for many different reasons, poems about the stress and loneliness one feels due to a friend’s suicide, poems about the sudden and unforeseen departure of a loved one, and poems about the tension a child feels toward an abusive parent. I believe that the women in Connections for Life, who have all spent a fair amount of time in jail, have all caused a great deal of tension in almost every one their personal relationships due to imprisonment. They are not alone, however, because everyone has problems in relationships at one time or another. Although these strained relationships can cause a great deal of pain, we must eventually try to resolve them and hope for the best, or do what we can to get over them.
Jonathan’s Epilogue:
This project was very interesting to me because I ran across very many old poems on relationships and many of their core feeling and ideas still apply to modern day relationships. Our theme of relationships developed from the idea that many of the women at Connections For Life have many problems with their own relationships. I believe that many of the women could at least relate to the poems we chose for our anthology. Developing healthy relationships is one of the best ways to insure a healthy and happy life and we therefore thought it fitting to focus on such an important theme.
John’s Epilogue:
Researching poetry for this project has been a very entertaining experience, not only because of the familiarity I have gained with the library resources, but also because of the poetic influence reading all of this poetry has had on me. Also, I honestly have gained a better understanding of the different aspects of our human relationships, and how there are comparisons and contrasts in all of them. I believe that our focus had a thorough parallel theme with the hardships that many of the women from Connections For Life suffered through during their struggles with addictions, jail, etc.
Elizabeth’s Epilogue:
It was exciting as a group to research different poets who use the same theme in some of their poems. Every person deals with (at the very least) a handful of relationships, and the baggage that can come along with them can certainly bring us down. Just like what is seen in our anthology, there is a mixture of sadness, tension, and even anger that I assume many of the women from Connections For Life have dealt with throughout their life, but just like there are glimmers of hope in our selected poetry, the CFL women have had an opportunity to reconcile their past decisions. Hopefully, in turn, this will allow them to heal their wounded past relationships.
Jim's Epilogue:
This project was very intriguing and helped stimulate my interest in poetry. The ability of poetry to motivate an individual to think introspectively and to apply the poetic themes to their own daily lives is my favorite aspect of poetry. This topic is based upon hardships and struggles in relationships and is especially provocative considering the state of the world and the intrinsic selfishness and greed ingrained in every human being. Due to these things our generation has to deal with trust issues more than the last, and confronting these ideas and looking for a solution before they occur, in expectation of them, will help us to cope with them when they occur and to help with our overall attitude and mindset.
Robert's Epilogue:
As a group we initially concurred that our poems should represent different situations that relate to the same theme or emotion. Our reason for doing so was because we knew that the women from Connections had at some point found themselves in a hard relationship. By the time we finished our project I was thrilled to see in retrospect that we accomplished what we wanted, and I am glad to have had this reflective experience.
To the Ladies
To the Ladies
by Lady Mary Chudleigh
1WIFE and servant are the same,
2But only differ in the name :
3For when that fatal knot is ty'd,
4Which nothing, nothing can divide :
5When she the word obey has said,
6And man by law supreme has made,
7Then all that's kind is laid aside,
8And nothing left but state and pride :
9Fierce as an eastern prince he grows,
10And all his innate rigour shows :
11Then but to look, to laugh, or speak,
12Will the nuptial contract break.
13Like mutes, she signs alone must make,
14And never any freedom take :
15But still be govern'd by a nod,
16And fear her husband as a God :
17Him still must serve, him still obey,
18And nothing act, and nothing say,
19But what her haughty lord thinks fit,
20Who with the power, has all the wit.
21Then shun, oh ! shun that wretched state,
22And all the fawning flatt'rers hate :
23Value yourselves, and men despise :
24You must be proud, if you'll be wise.
Commentary:
“To the Ladies” illustrates in parts the relationship between wife and husband but, more generally, it shows the relationship between women and men. Chudleigh shows her contempt with marriage and with men stating that women should go as far as to despise men. This was also written at a time when women were expected to be submissive to men so it is interesting to see the rebellion against not only the relationship of man and woman in marriage but also any woman-man relationship.
by Lady Mary Chudleigh
1WIFE and servant are the same,
2But only differ in the name :
3For when that fatal knot is ty'd,
4Which nothing, nothing can divide :
5When she the word obey has said,
6And man by law supreme has made,
7Then all that's kind is laid aside,
8And nothing left but state and pride :
9Fierce as an eastern prince he grows,
10And all his innate rigour shows :
11Then but to look, to laugh, or speak,
12Will the nuptial contract break.
13Like mutes, she signs alone must make,
14And never any freedom take :
15But still be govern'd by a nod,
16And fear her husband as a God :
17Him still must serve, him still obey,
18And nothing act, and nothing say,
19But what her haughty lord thinks fit,
20Who with the power, has all the wit.
21Then shun, oh ! shun that wretched state,
22And all the fawning flatt'rers hate :
23Value yourselves, and men despise :
24You must be proud, if you'll be wise.
Commentary:
“To the Ladies” illustrates in parts the relationship between wife and husband but, more generally, it shows the relationship between women and men. Chudleigh shows her contempt with marriage and with men stating that women should go as far as to despise men. This was also written at a time when women were expected to be submissive to men so it is interesting to see the rebellion against not only the relationship of man and woman in marriage but also any woman-man relationship.
If a Daughter You Have
If a Daughter You Have
by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
If a daughter you have, she's the plague of your life,
No peace shall you know, tho' you've buried your wife,
At twenty she mocks at the duty you taught her,
O, what a plague is an obstinate daughter.
Sighing and whining,
Dying and pining,
O, what a plague is an obstinate daughter.
When scarce in their teens, they have wit to perplex us,
With letters and lovers for ever they vex us,
While each still rejects the fair suitor you've brought her,
O, what a plague is an obstinate daughter.
Wrangling and jangling,
Flouting and pouting,
what a plague is an obstinate daughter.
“If a Daughter you have” sheds light on one father’s view of having a daughter. Although the poem was written at a time where women were expected to be submissive to men, the poem still shows how raising a daughter could be difficult for a father who wants to control his daughter’s life. There is obviously a big strain in this father-daughter relationship.
by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
If a daughter you have, she's the plague of your life,
No peace shall you know, tho' you've buried your wife,
At twenty she mocks at the duty you taught her,
O, what a plague is an obstinate daughter.
Sighing and whining,
Dying and pining,
O, what a plague is an obstinate daughter.
When scarce in their teens, they have wit to perplex us,
With letters and lovers for ever they vex us,
While each still rejects the fair suitor you've brought her,
O, what a plague is an obstinate daughter.
Wrangling and jangling,
Flouting and pouting,
what a plague is an obstinate daughter.
“If a Daughter you have” sheds light on one father’s view of having a daughter. Although the poem was written at a time where women were expected to be submissive to men, the poem still shows how raising a daughter could be difficult for a father who wants to control his daughter’s life. There is obviously a big strain in this father-daughter relationship.
"Come Home, Father!"
"Come Home, Father!"
by Henry Clay Work
'Tis The
SONG OF LITTLE MARY,
Standing at the bar-room door
While the shameful midnight revel
Rages wildly as before.
1Father, dear father, come home with me now!
2The clock in the steeple strikes one;
3You said you were coming right home from the shop,
4As soon as your day's work was done.
5Our fire has gone out our house is all dark
6And mother's been watching since tea, --
7With poor brother Benny so sick in her arms,
8And no one to help her but me. --
9Come home! come home! come home! --
10Please, father, dear father, come home. --
11[Chorus] Hear the sweet voice of the child
12Which the night winds repeat as they roam!
13Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers?
14"Please, father, dear father, come home."
15[Solo] Father, dear father, come home with me now!
16The clock in the steeple strikes two;
17The night has grown colder, and Benny is worse
18But he has been calling for you.
19Indeed he is worse Ma says he will die,
20Perhaps before morning shall dawn; --
21And this is the message she sent me to bring
22"Come quickly, or he will be gone." --
23Come home! come home! come home! --
24Please, father, dear father, come home. --
25[Chorus] Hear the sweet voice of the child
26Which the night winds repeat as they roam!
27Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers?
28"Please, father, dear father, come home."
29[Solo] Father, dear father, come home with me now!
30The clock in the steeple strikes three;
31The house is so lonely the hours are so long
32For poor weeping mother and me.
33Yes, we are alone poor Benny is dead,
34And gone with the angels of light; --
35And these were the very last words that he said
36"I want to kiss Papa good night." --
37Come home! come home! come home! --
38Please, father, dear father, come home. --
39[Chorus] Hear the sweet voice of the child
40Which the night winds repeat as they roam!
41Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers?
42"Please, father, dear father, come home."
“'Tis The SONG OF LITTLE MARY, Standing at the bar-room door While the shameful midnight revel Rages wildly as before” is an example of how substance abuse can cause problems in a relationship. In this poem a daughter is pleading for her father to come home from the bar because her brother, the father’s son, is very sick and wants to see his father. The poem ends with the son dying but having a last request of a kiss from his father.
by Henry Clay Work
'Tis The
SONG OF LITTLE MARY,
Standing at the bar-room door
While the shameful midnight revel
Rages wildly as before.
1Father, dear father, come home with me now!
2The clock in the steeple strikes one;
3You said you were coming right home from the shop,
4As soon as your day's work was done.
5Our fire has gone out our house is all dark
6And mother's been watching since tea, --
7With poor brother Benny so sick in her arms,
8And no one to help her but me. --
9Come home! come home! come home! --
10Please, father, dear father, come home. --
11[Chorus] Hear the sweet voice of the child
12Which the night winds repeat as they roam!
13Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers?
14"Please, father, dear father, come home."
15[Solo] Father, dear father, come home with me now!
16The clock in the steeple strikes two;
17The night has grown colder, and Benny is worse
18But he has been calling for you.
19Indeed he is worse Ma says he will die,
20Perhaps before morning shall dawn; --
21And this is the message she sent me to bring
22"Come quickly, or he will be gone." --
23Come home! come home! come home! --
24Please, father, dear father, come home. --
25[Chorus] Hear the sweet voice of the child
26Which the night winds repeat as they roam!
27Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers?
28"Please, father, dear father, come home."
29[Solo] Father, dear father, come home with me now!
30The clock in the steeple strikes three;
31The house is so lonely the hours are so long
32For poor weeping mother and me.
33Yes, we are alone poor Benny is dead,
34And gone with the angels of light; --
35And these were the very last words that he said
36"I want to kiss Papa good night." --
37Come home! come home! come home! --
38Please, father, dear father, come home. --
39[Chorus] Hear the sweet voice of the child
40Which the night winds repeat as they roam!
41Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers?
42"Please, father, dear father, come home."
“'Tis The SONG OF LITTLE MARY, Standing at the bar-room door While the shameful midnight revel Rages wildly as before” is an example of how substance abuse can cause problems in a relationship. In this poem a daughter is pleading for her father to come home from the bar because her brother, the father’s son, is very sick and wants to see his father. The poem ends with the son dying but having a last request of a kiss from his father.
A Wife's Protest
A Wife's Protest
by Ada Cambridge
1.
1Like a white snowdrop in the spring
2 From child to girl I grew,
3And thought no thought, and heard no word
4 That was not pure and true.
2.
5And when I came to seventeen,
6 And life was fair and free,
7A suitor, by my father's leave,
8 Was brought one day to me.
3.
9"Make me the happiest man on earth,"
10 He whispered soft and low.
11My mother told me it was right
12 I was too young to know.
4.
13And then they twined my bridal wreath
14 And placed it on my brow.
15It seems like fifty years ago --
16 And I am twenty now.
5.
17My star, that barely rose, is set;
18 My day of hope is done --
19My woman's life of love and joy --
20 Ere it has scarce begun.
6.
21Hourly I die -- I do not live --
22 Though still so young and strong.
23No dumb brute from his brother brutes
24 Endures such wanton wrong.
7.
25A smouldering shame consumes me now --
26 It poisons all my peace;
27An inward torment of reproach
28 That never more will cease.
8.
29O how my spirit shrinks and sinks
30 Ere yet the light is gone!
31What creeping terrors chill my blood
32 As each black night draws on!
9.
33I lay me down upon my bed,
34 A prisoner on the rack,
35And suffer dumbly, as I must,
36 Till the kind day comes back.
10.
37Listening from heavy hour to hour
38 To hear the church-clock toll --
39A guiltless prostitute in flesh,
40 A murderess in soul.
11.
41Those church-bells chimed the marriage chimes
42 When he was wed to me,
43And they must knell a funeral knell
44 Ere I again am free.
12.
45I did not hate him then; in faith
46 I vowed the vow "I will;"
47Were I his mate, and not his slave,
48 I could perform it still.
13.
49But, crushed in these relentless bonds
50 I blindly helped to tie,
51With one way only for escape,
52 I pray that he may die.
14.
53O to possess myself once more,
54 Myself so stained and maimed!
55O to make pure these shuddering limbs
56 That loveless lust has shamed!
15.
57But beauty cannot be restored
58 Where such a blight has been,
59And all the rivers in the world
60 Can never wash me clean.
16.
61I go to church; I go to court;
62 No breath of scandal flaws
63The lustre of my fair repute;
64 For I obey the laws.
17.
65My ragged sister of the street,
66 Marked for the world's disgrace,
67Scarce dares to lift her sinful eyes
68 To the great lady's face.
18.
69She hides in shadows as I pass --
70 On me the sunbeams shine;
71Yet, in the sight of God, her stain
72 May be less black than mine.
19.
73Maybe she gave her all for love,
74 And did not count the cost;
75If so, her crown of womanhood
76 Was not ignobly lost.
20.
77Maybe she wears those wretched rags,
78 And starves from door to door,
79To keep her body for her own
80 Since it may love no more.
21.
81If so, in spite of church and law,
82 She is more pure than I;
83The latchet of those broken shoes
84 I am not fit to tie:
22.
85That hungry baby at her breast --
86 Sign of her fallen state --
87Nature, who would but mock at mine,
88 Has made legitimate.
23.
89Poor little "love-child" -- spurned and scorned,
90 Whom church and law disown,
91Thou hadst thy birthright when the seed
92 Of thy small life was sown.
24.
93O Nature, give no child to me,
94 Whom Love must ne'er embrace!
95Thou knowest I could not bear to look
96 On its reproachful face.
“A Wife’s Protest” shows another example of an arranged marriage. The wife absolutely despises the marriage and even wishes for her husband to die so that she could get out of it. The wife even prays that she does not ever have a child because, if she did, then she would never love it. This poem demonstrates an extreme relationship problem where one person is forced into and stuck in the relationship.
by Ada Cambridge
1.
1Like a white snowdrop in the spring
2 From child to girl I grew,
3And thought no thought, and heard no word
4 That was not pure and true.
2.
5And when I came to seventeen,
6 And life was fair and free,
7A suitor, by my father's leave,
8 Was brought one day to me.
3.
9"Make me the happiest man on earth,"
10 He whispered soft and low.
11My mother told me it was right
12 I was too young to know.
4.
13And then they twined my bridal wreath
14 And placed it on my brow.
15It seems like fifty years ago --
16 And I am twenty now.
5.
17My star, that barely rose, is set;
18 My day of hope is done --
19My woman's life of love and joy --
20 Ere it has scarce begun.
6.
21Hourly I die -- I do not live --
22 Though still so young and strong.
23No dumb brute from his brother brutes
24 Endures such wanton wrong.
7.
25A smouldering shame consumes me now --
26 It poisons all my peace;
27An inward torment of reproach
28 That never more will cease.
8.
29O how my spirit shrinks and sinks
30 Ere yet the light is gone!
31What creeping terrors chill my blood
32 As each black night draws on!
9.
33I lay me down upon my bed,
34 A prisoner on the rack,
35And suffer dumbly, as I must,
36 Till the kind day comes back.
10.
37Listening from heavy hour to hour
38 To hear the church-clock toll --
39A guiltless prostitute in flesh,
40 A murderess in soul.
11.
41Those church-bells chimed the marriage chimes
42 When he was wed to me,
43And they must knell a funeral knell
44 Ere I again am free.
12.
45I did not hate him then; in faith
46 I vowed the vow "I will;"
47Were I his mate, and not his slave,
48 I could perform it still.
13.
49But, crushed in these relentless bonds
50 I blindly helped to tie,
51With one way only for escape,
52 I pray that he may die.
14.
53O to possess myself once more,
54 Myself so stained and maimed!
55O to make pure these shuddering limbs
56 That loveless lust has shamed!
15.
57But beauty cannot be restored
58 Where such a blight has been,
59And all the rivers in the world
60 Can never wash me clean.
16.
61I go to church; I go to court;
62 No breath of scandal flaws
63The lustre of my fair repute;
64 For I obey the laws.
17.
65My ragged sister of the street,
66 Marked for the world's disgrace,
67Scarce dares to lift her sinful eyes
68 To the great lady's face.
18.
69She hides in shadows as I pass --
70 On me the sunbeams shine;
71Yet, in the sight of God, her stain
72 May be less black than mine.
19.
73Maybe she gave her all for love,
74 And did not count the cost;
75If so, her crown of womanhood
76 Was not ignobly lost.
20.
77Maybe she wears those wretched rags,
78 And starves from door to door,
79To keep her body for her own
80 Since it may love no more.
21.
81If so, in spite of church and law,
82 She is more pure than I;
83The latchet of those broken shoes
84 I am not fit to tie:
22.
85That hungry baby at her breast --
86 Sign of her fallen state --
87Nature, who would but mock at mine,
88 Has made legitimate.
23.
89Poor little "love-child" -- spurned and scorned,
90 Whom church and law disown,
91Thou hadst thy birthright when the seed
92 Of thy small life was sown.
24.
93O Nature, give no child to me,
94 Whom Love must ne'er embrace!
95Thou knowest I could not bear to look
96 On its reproachful face.
“A Wife’s Protest” shows another example of an arranged marriage. The wife absolutely despises the marriage and even wishes for her husband to die so that she could get out of it. The wife even prays that she does not ever have a child because, if she did, then she would never love it. This poem demonstrates an extreme relationship problem where one person is forced into and stuck in the relationship.
On a Wife
On a Wife
by Francis Grose
My dame and I, full twenty year
Liv'd man and wife together;
I could no longer keep her here,
She's gone the Lord knows whither.
Of tongue she was exceeding free,
I purpose not to flatter;
Of all the wives that e'er I see,
None e'er like her could chatter;
Her body is disposed well,
A comely grave doth hide her;
And sure her soul is not in hell;
The devil could never abide her;
Which makes me think she is aloft;
For in the last great thunder
Methought I heard her well-known voice
Rending the clouds asunder.
“On a Wife” has a light-hearted tone compared to many of the other poems. This poem is a husband’s remembrance of his wife where he comments about how much she talked, which to him was too much, and how not even the devil would be able to stand her. His tone seems to be jocose but it also shows of the difficulties they had in their relationship.
by Francis Grose
My dame and I, full twenty year
Liv'd man and wife together;
I could no longer keep her here,
She's gone the Lord knows whither.
Of tongue she was exceeding free,
I purpose not to flatter;
Of all the wives that e'er I see,
None e'er like her could chatter;
Her body is disposed well,
A comely grave doth hide her;
And sure her soul is not in hell;
The devil could never abide her;
Which makes me think she is aloft;
For in the last great thunder
Methought I heard her well-known voice
Rending the clouds asunder.
“On a Wife” has a light-hearted tone compared to many of the other poems. This poem is a husband’s remembrance of his wife where he comments about how much she talked, which to him was too much, and how not even the devil would be able to stand her. His tone seems to be jocose but it also shows of the difficulties they had in their relationship.
The Growth of Lorraine
The Growth of Lorraine
By Edwin Arlington Robinson
I
WHILE I stood listening, discreetly dumb,
Lorraine was having the last word with me:
“I know,” she said, “I know it, but you see
Some creatures are born fortunate, and some
Are born to be found out and overcome—
5
Born to be slaves, to let the rest go free;
And if I’m one of them (and I must be)
You may as well forget me and go home.
“You tell me not to say these things, I know,
But I should never try to be content:
10
I’ve gone too far; the life would be too slow.
Some could have done it—some girls have the stuff;
But I can’t do it—I don’t know enough.
I’m going to the devil.” And she went.
II
I did not half believe her when she said
15
That I should never hear from her again;
Nor when I found a letter from Lorraine,
Was I surprised or grieved at what I read:
“Dear friend, when you find this, I shall be dead.
You are too far away to make me stop.
20
They say that one drop—think of it, one drop!—
Will be enough; but I’ll take five instead.
“You do not frown because I call you friend;
For I would have you glad that I still keep
Your memory, and even at the end—
25
Impenitent, sick, shattered—cannot curse
The love that flings, for better or for worse,
This worn-out, cast-out flesh of mine to sleep.”
This poem demonstrates the feelings one has toward a friend who has committed suicide. Robinson’s friend, Lorraine, obviously feels some sort of depression, and tells him that she will soon end her life. He does not believe her, however, and he is in disbelief when he finds her suicide note. He is deeply disturbed by her passing, and says that he will take five drops of whatever poison killed her just to be with her. Often when one loses a very close companion, he is brought to thoughts of suicide either because he feels partly responsible, or because he feels that it will be the only way he will be able to reconnect with this person.
By Edwin Arlington Robinson
I
WHILE I stood listening, discreetly dumb,
Lorraine was having the last word with me:
“I know,” she said, “I know it, but you see
Some creatures are born fortunate, and some
Are born to be found out and overcome—
5
Born to be slaves, to let the rest go free;
And if I’m one of them (and I must be)
You may as well forget me and go home.
“You tell me not to say these things, I know,
But I should never try to be content:
10
I’ve gone too far; the life would be too slow.
Some could have done it—some girls have the stuff;
But I can’t do it—I don’t know enough.
I’m going to the devil.” And she went.
II
I did not half believe her when she said
15
That I should never hear from her again;
Nor when I found a letter from Lorraine,
Was I surprised or grieved at what I read:
“Dear friend, when you find this, I shall be dead.
You are too far away to make me stop.
20
They say that one drop—think of it, one drop!—
Will be enough; but I’ll take five instead.
“You do not frown because I call you friend;
For I would have you glad that I still keep
Your memory, and even at the end—
25
Impenitent, sick, shattered—cannot curse
The love that flings, for better or for worse,
This worn-out, cast-out flesh of mine to sleep.”
This poem demonstrates the feelings one has toward a friend who has committed suicide. Robinson’s friend, Lorraine, obviously feels some sort of depression, and tells him that she will soon end her life. He does not believe her, however, and he is in disbelief when he finds her suicide note. He is deeply disturbed by her passing, and says that he will take five drops of whatever poison killed her just to be with her. Often when one loses a very close companion, he is brought to thoughts of suicide either because he feels partly responsible, or because he feels that it will be the only way he will be able to reconnect with this person.
When Ure Hero Falls
When Ure Hero Falls by Tupac Shakur
(typed as published in Tupac's poetry compilation A Rose from Concrete)
when your hero falls from grace
all fairy tales r uncovered
myths exposed and pain magnified
the greatest pain discovered
u taught me 2 be strong
but im confused 2 c u so weak
u said never to give up
and it hurts 2 c u welcome defeat
when ure hero falls so do the stars
and so does the perception of tomorrow
without my hero there is only
me alone to deal with my sorrow
your heart ceases 2 work
and your soul is not happy at all
what r u expected 2 do
when ure only hero falls
This poem is representative of a relationship with a parental figure or role model and the harsh realization that even they can let you down. This poem describes the idea that when the individual in your life who you most trust and look up to lets you down you realize that you truly are alone in the world and that is a terribly frightening concept to have to grasp. This poem also reprersents the final stage in an individual's process of individuation in completely losing their innocence. It happens to all of us and how people cope with being severely let down and realizing that everyone is out for themselves is a huge part of developing people's social identity and determining how they will react to the world in the future and we can all relate to that. Loss of innocence is a part of growing up that is filled with pain and confusion, and if an individual completely loses their innocence at too young of an age it can have a severely negative impact on the perspective people take of the world and an individual's decision-making processes. This is affirmatively the case with at the very least some of the women at CFL.
(typed as published in Tupac's poetry compilation A Rose from Concrete)
when your hero falls from grace
all fairy tales r uncovered
myths exposed and pain magnified
the greatest pain discovered
u taught me 2 be strong
but im confused 2 c u so weak
u said never to give up
and it hurts 2 c u welcome defeat
when ure hero falls so do the stars
and so does the perception of tomorrow
without my hero there is only
me alone to deal with my sorrow
your heart ceases 2 work
and your soul is not happy at all
what r u expected 2 do
when ure only hero falls
This poem is representative of a relationship with a parental figure or role model and the harsh realization that even they can let you down. This poem describes the idea that when the individual in your life who you most trust and look up to lets you down you realize that you truly are alone in the world and that is a terribly frightening concept to have to grasp. This poem also reprersents the final stage in an individual's process of individuation in completely losing their innocence. It happens to all of us and how people cope with being severely let down and realizing that everyone is out for themselves is a huge part of developing people's social identity and determining how they will react to the world in the future and we can all relate to that. Loss of innocence is a part of growing up that is filled with pain and confusion, and if an individual completely loses their innocence at too young of an age it can have a severely negative impact on the perspective people take of the world and an individual's decision-making processes. This is affirmatively the case with at the very least some of the women at CFL.
When We Two Parted
When We Two Parted
by George Gordon, Lord Byron
When we two parted
In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted
To sever for years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
Colder thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold
Sorrow to this.
The dew of the morning
Sunk chill on my brow--
It felt like the warning
Of what I feel now.
Thy vows are all broken,
And light is thy fame;
I hear thy name spoken,
And share in its shame.
They name thee before me,
A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o'er me--
Why wert thou so dear?
They know not I knew thee,
Who knew thee too well--
Long, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell.
In secret we met--
In silence I grieve,
That thy heart could forget,
Thy spirit deceive.
If I should meet thee
After long years,
How should I greet thee?--
With silence and tears.
This poem shows the sorrow and depression that goes along with a failed relationship. Lord Byron is speaking to a lover who got away in “When We Two Parted.” The line “Why wert thou so dear” once again shows how people in relationships often cannot understand why they feel such a strong fondness toward a loved one after they have been hurt so badly.
by George Gordon, Lord Byron
When we two parted
In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted
To sever for years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
Colder thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold
Sorrow to this.
The dew of the morning
Sunk chill on my brow--
It felt like the warning
Of what I feel now.
Thy vows are all broken,
And light is thy fame;
I hear thy name spoken,
And share in its shame.
They name thee before me,
A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o'er me--
Why wert thou so dear?
They know not I knew thee,
Who knew thee too well--
Long, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell.
In secret we met--
In silence I grieve,
That thy heart could forget,
Thy spirit deceive.
If I should meet thee
After long years,
How should I greet thee?--
With silence and tears.
This poem shows the sorrow and depression that goes along with a failed relationship. Lord Byron is speaking to a lover who got away in “When We Two Parted.” The line “Why wert thou so dear” once again shows how people in relationships often cannot understand why they feel such a strong fondness toward a loved one after they have been hurt so badly.
After Love
After Love
by Sarah Teasdale
There is no magic any more,
We meet as other people do,
You work no miracle for me
Nor I for you.
You were the wind and I the sea—
There is no splendor any more,
I have grown listless as the pool
Beside the shore.
But though the pool is safe from storm
And from the tide has found surcease,
It grows more bitter than the sea,
For all its peace.
This poem portrays a relationship with a significant other that has gone sour. The first stanza recognizes that no longer do they make each other feel as they once did. The second stanza describes how well they used to get along by using an analogy and the third stanza furthers that analogy to say that the relationship has made her a bitter person. Anyone who has had a serious relationship and sincerely deeply cared about another individual can relate to this poem completely.
by Sarah Teasdale
There is no magic any more,
We meet as other people do,
You work no miracle for me
Nor I for you.
You were the wind and I the sea—
There is no splendor any more,
I have grown listless as the pool
Beside the shore.
But though the pool is safe from storm
And from the tide has found surcease,
It grows more bitter than the sea,
For all its peace.
This poem portrays a relationship with a significant other that has gone sour. The first stanza recognizes that no longer do they make each other feel as they once did. The second stanza describes how well they used to get along by using an analogy and the third stanza furthers that analogy to say that the relationship has made her a bitter person. Anyone who has had a serious relationship and sincerely deeply cared about another individual can relate to this poem completely.
I Am Only Now Beginning to Answer Your Letter
I Am Only now Beginning To Answer Your Letter
by Olena Kalytiak Davis
Remind me of your affliction.
I'd like a chronological exhibit
of the disorders leading up to our
conversation, like your old driver's licenses
arranged in that one thin pocket of leather,
the phases of your hair, the splay
of your youth. Your current
eyes distorted by lenses, you're speaking clearly,
louder than the drugs prescribed.
Talking with you was like opening an empty drawer.
Talking with you was like emptying an open drawer.
My hands flowing with garments out-dated, or never worn.
what do you call that thing a priest wears
around his neck? The scarf of a priest...
Explain how we're so immediately alive.
And how far can I carry the thought of you
when already the snow won't hold me.
Even rosaries get tired
And you're not thinking me,
you're just imagining my dead sisters
You say you want
to feel the words.
But I want you to explain it simply, clinically.
Because now that I've thought about it, what
doesn't begin with love and death and end
in loneliness?
I'm only now beginning to answer your letter:
remind me of your affliction.
I believe this poem is about a relationship that harmed, again, by distance between two people significant to each other. It contains very effective emjambment throughout the entire poem, emphasizing particular points. For instance, the second to last stanza: separating the line at "end" highlights the next line, which deals with loneliness.
by Olena Kalytiak Davis
Remind me of your affliction.
I'd like a chronological exhibit
of the disorders leading up to our
conversation, like your old driver's licenses
arranged in that one thin pocket of leather,
the phases of your hair, the splay
of your youth. Your current
eyes distorted by lenses, you're speaking clearly,
louder than the drugs prescribed.
Talking with you was like opening an empty drawer.
Talking with you was like emptying an open drawer.
My hands flowing with garments out-dated, or never worn.
what do you call that thing a priest wears
around his neck? The scarf of a priest...
Explain how we're so immediately alive.
And how far can I carry the thought of you
when already the snow won't hold me.
Even rosaries get tired
And you're not thinking me,
you're just imagining my dead sisters
You say you want
to feel the words.
But I want you to explain it simply, clinically.
Because now that I've thought about it, what
doesn't begin with love and death and end
in loneliness?
I'm only now beginning to answer your letter:
remind me of your affliction.
I believe this poem is about a relationship that harmed, again, by distance between two people significant to each other. It contains very effective emjambment throughout the entire poem, emphasizing particular points. For instance, the second to last stanza: separating the line at "end" highlights the next line, which deals with loneliness.
Alone
Alone
by Maya Angelou
Lying, thinking
Last night
How to find my soul a home
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I came up with one thing
And I don't believe I'm wrong
That nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.
Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.
There are some millionaires
With money they can't use
Their wives run round like banshees
Their children sing the blues
They've got expensive doctors
To cure their hearts of stone.
But nobody
No, nobody
Can make it out here alone.
Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.
Now if you listen closely
I'll tell you what I know
Storm clouds are gathering
The wind is gonna blow
The race of man is suffering
And I can hear the moan,
'Cause nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.
Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.
I interpret this as the relationship that one has with himself/herself. This is where that person has to make an important decision about where their life is headed. When these ladies got out of prison, they knew that they would have to find a place to go. CFL gave them that opportunity.
by Maya Angelou
Lying, thinking
Last night
How to find my soul a home
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I came up with one thing
And I don't believe I'm wrong
That nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.
Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.
There are some millionaires
With money they can't use
Their wives run round like banshees
Their children sing the blues
They've got expensive doctors
To cure their hearts of stone.
But nobody
No, nobody
Can make it out here alone.
Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.
Now if you listen closely
I'll tell you what I know
Storm clouds are gathering
The wind is gonna blow
The race of man is suffering
And I can hear the moan,
'Cause nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.
Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.
I interpret this as the relationship that one has with himself/herself. This is where that person has to make an important decision about where their life is headed. When these ladies got out of prison, they knew that they would have to find a place to go. CFL gave them that opportunity.
I, Too, Sing America
I, Too, Sing America
by Langston Hughes
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
I think that this poem has to do with acceptance by the rest of the community. The ladies at CFL come out, and people do not see them as equal. Our country is a community, and I believe all citizens have a formed relationship. This is an example about how it is hard for them to get jobs because of their past, although they did their sentence in prison.
by Langston Hughes
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
I think that this poem has to do with acceptance by the rest of the community. The ladies at CFL come out, and people do not see them as equal. Our country is a community, and I believe all citizens have a formed relationship. This is an example about how it is hard for them to get jobs because of their past, although they did their sentence in prison.
To the White Friends
To the White Fiends
Claude McKay 1890–1948
THINK you I am not fiend and savage too?
Think you I could not arm me with a gun
And shoot down ten of you for every one
Of my black brothers murdered, burnt by you?
Be not deceived, for every deed you do
5
I could match—out-match: am I not Africa’s son,
Black of that black land where black deeds are done?
But the Almighty from the darkness drew
My soul and said: Even thou shaft be a light
Awhile to burn on the benighted earth,
10
Thy dusky face I set among the white
For thee to prove thyself of highest worth;
Before the world is swallowed up in night,
To show thy little lamp: go forth, go forth!
“To the White Friends” is a good example of poetry about the tension and trouble in relationships. Claude McKay discusses relationship that exists between the whites and blacks in America. He says that the whites are treating his people very poorly, and that he is just as capable of doing the terrible things that they do to him. He will not do these malicious things, however, because God has shown him a light, giving him hope for a new, better life.
Claude McKay 1890–1948
THINK you I am not fiend and savage too?
Think you I could not arm me with a gun
And shoot down ten of you for every one
Of my black brothers murdered, burnt by you?
Be not deceived, for every deed you do
5
I could match—out-match: am I not Africa’s son,
Black of that black land where black deeds are done?
But the Almighty from the darkness drew
My soul and said: Even thou shaft be a light
Awhile to burn on the benighted earth,
10
Thy dusky face I set among the white
For thee to prove thyself of highest worth;
Before the world is swallowed up in night,
To show thy little lamp: go forth, go forth!
“To the White Friends” is a good example of poetry about the tension and trouble in relationships. Claude McKay discusses relationship that exists between the whites and blacks in America. He says that the whites are treating his people very poorly, and that he is just as capable of doing the terrible things that they do to him. He will not do these malicious things, however, because God has shown him a light, giving him hope for a new, better life.
Compassion
Compassion
by Bernard Howe
What makes us feel so nice,
and everything feels so right?
Remember when we get some praise,
and it fills us with delight.
When someone showers us with love
or treats us gentle and kind.
To the troubles of our daily life
this will often make us blind.
If everyone would show more kindness
and practice it every day.
There is no telling what would happen
if we would be careful of what we say.
A smile will go a long way towards,
making someone feel at ease.
Another simple little thing
is to always use the word please.
And Thank you is another word
that lets people know you care.
Every little deed like these
does not go unaware.
Lets try to make the world
a better place to live within.
Those who show love for one another
usually don't live with any sin.
I believe that each of the women at CFL has found compassion through the relationships that they have made with Mrs. Carolyn. She has given them hope again and gotten them back on their feet. Her compassion has made an impact and ever-lasting bond with the ladies who come to her.
by Bernard Howe
What makes us feel so nice,
and everything feels so right?
Remember when we get some praise,
and it fills us with delight.
When someone showers us with love
or treats us gentle and kind.
To the troubles of our daily life
this will often make us blind.
If everyone would show more kindness
and practice it every day.
There is no telling what would happen
if we would be careful of what we say.
A smile will go a long way towards,
making someone feel at ease.
Another simple little thing
is to always use the word please.
And Thank you is another word
that lets people know you care.
Every little deed like these
does not go unaware.
Lets try to make the world
a better place to live within.
Those who show love for one another
usually don't live with any sin.
I believe that each of the women at CFL has found compassion through the relationships that they have made with Mrs. Carolyn. She has given them hope again and gotten them back on their feet. Her compassion has made an impact and ever-lasting bond with the ladies who come to her.
I Do Not Love Thee
I Do Not Love Thee
Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton. 1808–1876
I DO not love thee!—no! I do not love thee!
And yet when thou art absent I am sad;
And envy even the bright blue sky above thee,
Whose quiet stars may see thee and be glad.
I do not love thee!—yet, I know not why,
5
Whate'er thou dost seems still well done, to me:
And often in my solitude I sigh
That those I do love are not more like thee!
I do not love thee!—yet, when thou art gone,
I hate the sound (though those who speak be dear)
10
Which breaks the lingering echo of the tone
Thy voice of music leaves upon my ear.
I do not love thee!—yet thy speaking eyes,
With their deep, bright, and most expressive blue,
Between me and the midnight heaven arise,
15
Oftener than any eyes I ever knew.
I know I do not love thee! yet, alas!
Others will scarcely trust my candid heart;
And oft I catch them smiling as they pass,
Because they see me gazing where thou art.
“I Do Not Love Thee” is a perfect example of poetry dealing with a strained relationship. All relationships have their ups and downs; however, no matter how badly one party in the relationship has been treated or hurt, he will often find himself clinging to the other person for some unknown reason. Norton repeatedly states how she does not love whoever the subject of this poem is, but she continuously states characteristics she misses about this person and how lonely she feels without him. For some reason, many people tend to hold on to what they are familiar and comfortable with. This poem reminded me of the women in Connections for Life, as well as the people they have relationships with. Many of these women told us that they would love to be with their old friends, but they are well aware of the danger a return would pose. This poem could also relate to past substance abuse. An addict knows what he is doing is bad (does not love drugs), but cannot kick the habbit and misses the feeling and good times while on drugs.
Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton. 1808–1876
I DO not love thee!—no! I do not love thee!
And yet when thou art absent I am sad;
And envy even the bright blue sky above thee,
Whose quiet stars may see thee and be glad.
I do not love thee!—yet, I know not why,
5
Whate'er thou dost seems still well done, to me:
And often in my solitude I sigh
That those I do love are not more like thee!
I do not love thee!—yet, when thou art gone,
I hate the sound (though those who speak be dear)
10
Which breaks the lingering echo of the tone
Thy voice of music leaves upon my ear.
I do not love thee!—yet thy speaking eyes,
With their deep, bright, and most expressive blue,
Between me and the midnight heaven arise,
15
Oftener than any eyes I ever knew.
I know I do not love thee! yet, alas!
Others will scarcely trust my candid heart;
And oft I catch them smiling as they pass,
Because they see me gazing where thou art.
“I Do Not Love Thee” is a perfect example of poetry dealing with a strained relationship. All relationships have their ups and downs; however, no matter how badly one party in the relationship has been treated or hurt, he will often find himself clinging to the other person for some unknown reason. Norton repeatedly states how she does not love whoever the subject of this poem is, but she continuously states characteristics she misses about this person and how lonely she feels without him. For some reason, many people tend to hold on to what they are familiar and comfortable with. This poem reminded me of the women in Connections for Life, as well as the people they have relationships with. Many of these women told us that they would love to be with their old friends, but they are well aware of the danger a return would pose. This poem could also relate to past substance abuse. An addict knows what he is doing is bad (does not love drugs), but cannot kick the habbit and misses the feeling and good times while on drugs.
Achill
Achill
by Derek Mahon
im chaonaí uaigneach nach mór go bhfeicim an lá
I lie and imagine a first light gleam in the bay
After one more night of erosion and nearer the grave,
Then stand and gaze from the window at break of day
As a shearwater skims the ridge of an incoming wave;
And I think of my son a dolphin in the Aegean,
A sprite among sails knife-bright in a seasonal wind,
And wish he were here where currachs walk on the ocean
To ease with his talk the solitude locked in my mind.
I sit on a stone after lunch and consider the glow
Of the sun through mist, a pearl bulb containèdly fierce;
A rain-shower darkens the schist for a minute or so
Then it drifts away and the sloe-black patches disperse.
Croagh Patrick towers like Naxos over the water
And I think of my daughter at work on her difficult art
And wish she were with me now between thrush and plover,
Wild thyme and sea-thrift, to lift the weight from my heart.
The young sit smoking and laughing on the bridge at evening
Like birds on a telephone pole or notes on a score.
A tin whistle squeals in the parlour, once more it is raining,
Turf-smoke inclines and a wind whines under the door;
And I lie and imagine the lights going on in the harbor
Of white-housed Náousa, your clear definition at night,
And wish you were here to upstage my disconsolate labour
As I glance through a few thin pages and switch off the light.
This poem reminds us of a prisoner feeling alone and away from her loved ones. How she looks out the window of her cell and thinks about what people, who are free, are doing that evening.
by Derek Mahon
im chaonaí uaigneach nach mór go bhfeicim an lá
I lie and imagine a first light gleam in the bay
After one more night of erosion and nearer the grave,
Then stand and gaze from the window at break of day
As a shearwater skims the ridge of an incoming wave;
And I think of my son a dolphin in the Aegean,
A sprite among sails knife-bright in a seasonal wind,
And wish he were here where currachs walk on the ocean
To ease with his talk the solitude locked in my mind.
I sit on a stone after lunch and consider the glow
Of the sun through mist, a pearl bulb containèdly fierce;
A rain-shower darkens the schist for a minute or so
Then it drifts away and the sloe-black patches disperse.
Croagh Patrick towers like Naxos over the water
And I think of my daughter at work on her difficult art
And wish she were with me now between thrush and plover,
Wild thyme and sea-thrift, to lift the weight from my heart.
The young sit smoking and laughing on the bridge at evening
Like birds on a telephone pole or notes on a score.
A tin whistle squeals in the parlour, once more it is raining,
Turf-smoke inclines and a wind whines under the door;
And I lie and imagine the lights going on in the harbor
Of white-housed Náousa, your clear definition at night,
And wish you were here to upstage my disconsolate labour
As I glance through a few thin pages and switch off the light.
This poem reminds us of a prisoner feeling alone and away from her loved ones. How she looks out the window of her cell and thinks about what people, who are free, are doing that evening.
Man dancing with a paper cup
Man dancing with a paper cup
By Nick Flynn
You still send letters but I know
You are dead, I see you
Wandering the streets when I go back home,
& I swear I am never going back. A glance
In the trash, a barrel on fire, my hands
Pass right through you. You wrote
From prison but I couldn’t remember
How you looked
So the bars became cheekbone, shadow
Lash, pressed
Tightly to your face. Maybe
The silence you move through
Shaped me, the way
A church bell ringing resonates
Long after the ear ceases to perceive it,
The way waves space themselves
Until they stop.
•Man dancing with a paper cup, a poem by Nick Flynn, involves a father-son relationship that has deteriorated. Flynn’s father was in fact homeless.
•The poem describes a broken family relationship due to a series of unfortunate events.
•The speaker mentions that the man in the poem has gone to jail, which is a direct parallel to the women at CFL. Prison time is an obvious cause of parents becoming detached from their children.
By Nick Flynn
You still send letters but I know
You are dead, I see you
Wandering the streets when I go back home,
& I swear I am never going back. A glance
In the trash, a barrel on fire, my hands
Pass right through you. You wrote
From prison but I couldn’t remember
How you looked
So the bars became cheekbone, shadow
Lash, pressed
Tightly to your face. Maybe
The silence you move through
Shaped me, the way
A church bell ringing resonates
Long after the ear ceases to perceive it,
The way waves space themselves
Until they stop.
•Man dancing with a paper cup, a poem by Nick Flynn, involves a father-son relationship that has deteriorated. Flynn’s father was in fact homeless.
•The poem describes a broken family relationship due to a series of unfortunate events.
•The speaker mentions that the man in the poem has gone to jail, which is a direct parallel to the women at CFL. Prison time is an obvious cause of parents becoming detached from their children.
#41
#41
By: Dave Matthews Band
Come and see
I swear by now I'm playing time against my troubles
I'm coming slow but speeding
Do you wish a dance and while I'm in the front
The play on time is won
But the difficulty is coming here
I will go in this way
And find my own way out
I won't tell you to stay
But I'm coming to much more
Me
All at once the ghosts come back
Reeling in you now
What if they came down crushing
Remember when I used to play for all of the loneliness that nobody
notices now
I'm begging slow I'm coming here
Only waiting I wanted to stay
I wanted to play,
I wanted to love you
I'm only this far
And only tomorrow leads my way
I'm coming waltzing back and moving into your head
Please, I wouldn't pass this by
I wouldn't take any more than I need
What sort of man goes by
I will bring water
Why won't you ever be glad
It melts into wonder
I came in praying for you
Why won't you run
in the rain and play
Let the tears splash all over you
This poem is representative of our theme because it describes a broken friendship and the feelings associated with it. I believe the lyrics are intended to be the thought process of an individual whose trust for someone very close to him has been broken and the number of problems and concepts that it brings about. Do you continue to trust your friend? Do you want to? How will you move on from this? How will this affect you in the future? This song was written in regard to Dave's quick rise to popuilarity and fame and fortune and the negative things that accompany it. Dave's manager and best friend got greedy and stole monery from him. We have all had situations in our life like this, and I believe this song evokes that emotion very effectively.
By: Dave Matthews Band
Come and see
I swear by now I'm playing time against my troubles
I'm coming slow but speeding
Do you wish a dance and while I'm in the front
The play on time is won
But the difficulty is coming here
I will go in this way
And find my own way out
I won't tell you to stay
But I'm coming to much more
Me
All at once the ghosts come back
Reeling in you now
What if they came down crushing
Remember when I used to play for all of the loneliness that nobody
notices now
I'm begging slow I'm coming here
Only waiting I wanted to stay
I wanted to play,
I wanted to love you
I'm only this far
And only tomorrow leads my way
I'm coming waltzing back and moving into your head
Please, I wouldn't pass this by
I wouldn't take any more than I need
What sort of man goes by
I will bring water
Why won't you ever be glad
It melts into wonder
I came in praying for you
Why won't you run
in the rain and play
Let the tears splash all over you
This poem is representative of our theme because it describes a broken friendship and the feelings associated with it. I believe the lyrics are intended to be the thought process of an individual whose trust for someone very close to him has been broken and the number of problems and concepts that it brings about. Do you continue to trust your friend? Do you want to? How will you move on from this? How will this affect you in the future? This song was written in regard to Dave's quick rise to popuilarity and fame and fortune and the negative things that accompany it. Dave's manager and best friend got greedy and stole monery from him. We have all had situations in our life like this, and I believe this song evokes that emotion very effectively.
What the Living Do
What the Living Do
Marie Howe
Johnny, the kitchen sink has been clogged for days, some utensil
probably fell down there.
And the Drano won't work but smells dangerous, and the crusty
dishes have piled up
waiting for the plumber I still haven't called.
This is the everyday we
spoke of.
It's winter again: the sky's a deep headstrong blue, and the sunlight
pours through
the open living room windows because the heat's on too high in here,
and I can't turn it off.
For weeks now, driving, or dropping a bag of groceries in the street
the bag breaking,
I've been thinking: This is what the living do. And yesterday, hurrying
along those
wobbly bricks in the Cambridge sidewalk, spilling my coffee down my
wrist and sleeve,
I thought it again, and again later, when buying a hairbrush:
This is it.
Parking. Slamming the car door shut in the cold. What you called
that yearning.
What you finally gave up. We want the spring to come and the winter
to pass.
We want whoever to call or not call, a letter, a kiss -- we want more and more
and then more of it.
But there are moments, walking, when I catch a glimpse of myself in
the window glass, say,
the window of the corner video store, and I'm gripped by a
cherishing so deep
for my own blowing hair, chapped face, and unbuttoned coat that I'm
speechless:
I am living, I remember you.
In the poem What the Living Do, by Marie Howe, the speaker describes a person who has lost someone close, in particular, Johnny.
The reader can see throughout the poem that the speaker feels confused, even when it comes to everyday chores, as seen in the poem when the speaker mentions that “the dishes have piled up” and “waiting for the plumber I still haven’t called.”
We believe this poem reflects the emptiness that one can feel when they have lost the ability to actually communicate to one we have loved, and we can draw a parallel between the speaker in this poem and many of the women at CFL, who at some point have had to leave their everyday, ordinary lives. Although in this poem we can conclude from the last line that Johnny has died, and although that is not the case with the women we have met from CFL, we can note the similar perspectives within the idea of a crumbling relationship.
Marie Howe
Johnny, the kitchen sink has been clogged for days, some utensil
probably fell down there.
And the Drano won't work but smells dangerous, and the crusty
dishes have piled up
waiting for the plumber I still haven't called.
This is the everyday we
spoke of.
It's winter again: the sky's a deep headstrong blue, and the sunlight
pours through
the open living room windows because the heat's on too high in here,
and I can't turn it off.
For weeks now, driving, or dropping a bag of groceries in the street
the bag breaking,
I've been thinking: This is what the living do. And yesterday, hurrying
along those
wobbly bricks in the Cambridge sidewalk, spilling my coffee down my
wrist and sleeve,
I thought it again, and again later, when buying a hairbrush:
This is it.
Parking. Slamming the car door shut in the cold. What you called
that yearning.
What you finally gave up. We want the spring to come and the winter
to pass.
We want whoever to call or not call, a letter, a kiss -- we want more and more
and then more of it.
But there are moments, walking, when I catch a glimpse of myself in
the window glass, say,
the window of the corner video store, and I'm gripped by a
cherishing so deep
for my own blowing hair, chapped face, and unbuttoned coat that I'm
speechless:
I am living, I remember you.
In the poem What the Living Do, by Marie Howe, the speaker describes a person who has lost someone close, in particular, Johnny.
The reader can see throughout the poem that the speaker feels confused, even when it comes to everyday chores, as seen in the poem when the speaker mentions that “the dishes have piled up” and “waiting for the plumber I still haven’t called.”
We believe this poem reflects the emptiness that one can feel when they have lost the ability to actually communicate to one we have loved, and we can draw a parallel between the speaker in this poem and many of the women at CFL, who at some point have had to leave their everyday, ordinary lives. Although in this poem we can conclude from the last line that Johnny has died, and although that is not the case with the women we have met from CFL, we can note the similar perspectives within the idea of a crumbling relationship.
My Papa's Waltz
My Papa's Waltz
Theodore Roethke
The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.
We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself.
The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.
You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.
Theodore Roethke shows readers his strained relationship with his alcoholic father in “My Papa’s Waltz.” He says even after his father has drunkenly abused him, he still clings to his shirt like any son would do to his father. The fact that Roethke wrote this poem shows that he is probably upset with the way he grew up, but that he loved and cared about his father nonetheless. There is an “ABAB” rhyme scheme throughout the poem.
Theodore Roethke
The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.
We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself.
The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.
You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.
Theodore Roethke shows readers his strained relationship with his alcoholic father in “My Papa’s Waltz.” He says even after his father has drunkenly abused him, he still clings to his shirt like any son would do to his father. The fact that Roethke wrote this poem shows that he is probably upset with the way he grew up, but that he loved and cared about his father nonetheless. There is an “ABAB” rhyme scheme throughout the poem.
Fragment (found inside my mother)
Fragment (found inside my mother)
By Nick Flynn
I kept it hidden, it was easy
to hide, behind my lingerie, a shoebox
above my boys’ reach, swaddled alongside
my painkillers
in their childproof orange cups. I knew my kids,
curious, monkeys,
but did they know me? It was easy
to hide, it waited, the hard O of its mouth
made of waiting, each bullet
& its soft hood of lead. Braced
solid against my thigh, I’d feed it
with my free hand, my robe open
as if nursing, practicing
my hour of lead, my letting go. The youngest
surprised me with a game,
held out his loose fists, begging
guess which hand, but both
were empty. Who taught him that?
•This poem is a piece that displays the relationship between a mother and her sons. Nick Flynn, whose mother shot herself when he was around ten years old, describes a narrative, in which the mother is the narrator, that emphasizes the differing perspectives of the young and old. Flynn uses metaphors, such as when he describes the boys as “curious, monkeys” to describe the different worlds and expectations of adulthood and childhood. The poem evokes a feeling of an estranged relationship between mother and child, a feeling that is noticed when the boy has nothing to show in either of his hands. This symbolic portrayal highlights the poem’s aura of hopelessness.
By Nick Flynn
I kept it hidden, it was easy
to hide, behind my lingerie, a shoebox
above my boys’ reach, swaddled alongside
my painkillers
in their childproof orange cups. I knew my kids,
curious, monkeys,
but did they know me? It was easy
to hide, it waited, the hard O of its mouth
made of waiting, each bullet
& its soft hood of lead. Braced
solid against my thigh, I’d feed it
with my free hand, my robe open
as if nursing, practicing
my hour of lead, my letting go. The youngest
surprised me with a game,
held out his loose fists, begging
guess which hand, but both
were empty. Who taught him that?
•This poem is a piece that displays the relationship between a mother and her sons. Nick Flynn, whose mother shot herself when he was around ten years old, describes a narrative, in which the mother is the narrator, that emphasizes the differing perspectives of the young and old. Flynn uses metaphors, such as when he describes the boys as “curious, monkeys” to describe the different worlds and expectations of adulthood and childhood. The poem evokes a feeling of an estranged relationship between mother and child, a feeling that is noticed when the boy has nothing to show in either of his hands. This symbolic portrayal highlights the poem’s aura of hopelessness.
Departure
Departure
By Coventry Patmore. 1823–1896
IT was not like your great and gracious ways!
Do you, that have naught other to lament,
Never, my Love, repent
Of how, that July afternoon,
You went,
With sudden, unintelligible phrase,
And frighten'd eye,
Upon your journey of so many days
Without a single kiss, or a good-bye?
I knew, indeed, that you were parting soon;
And so we sate, within the low sun's rays,
You whispering to me, for your voice was weak,
Your harrowing praise.
Well, it was well
To hear you such things speak,
And I could tell
What made your eyes a growing gloom of love,
As a warm South-wind sombres a March grove.
And it was like your great and gracious ways
To turn your talk on daily things, my Dear,
Lifting the luminous, pathetic lash
To let the laughter flash,
Whilst I drew near,
Because you spoke so low that I could scarcely hear.
But all at once to leave me at the last,
More at the wonder than the loss aghast,
With huddled, unintelligible phrase,
And frighten'd eye,
And go your journey of all days
With not one kiss, or a good-bye,
And the only loveless look, the look with which you pass'd:
'Twas all unlike your great and gracious ways.
•“Departure,” by Coventry Patmore, is a poem about a loved one leaving. While this poem could be directed toward a lover, I believe it could also be about a parent leaving a child, and the child’s disappointment. I immediately thought about connections for life when I read this poem. I believe a child of one of the women in the program could easily relate to the sadness and tension described by Patmore in “Departure.” The author describes how suddenly and unexpectedly his loved one left him and how shocked he is. He uses many images describing the loved one I believe the last 4 lines relate the most strongly with Connections for Life and our theme:
And go your journey of all days
With not one kiss, or a good-bye,
And the only loveless look, the look with which you pass'd:
'Twas all unlike your great and gracious ways.
•Patmore is saying that his loved one left without even telling him bye, and says how that is completely unlike the wonderful, revered person he once knew. Patmore obviously loved this person very much, just as many children who have mothers locked away in jail do; however, said loved one and children are both very disappointed with how their loved one so abruptly abandoned them.
By Coventry Patmore. 1823–1896
IT was not like your great and gracious ways!
Do you, that have naught other to lament,
Never, my Love, repent
Of how, that July afternoon,
You went,
With sudden, unintelligible phrase,
And frighten'd eye,
Upon your journey of so many days
Without a single kiss, or a good-bye?
I knew, indeed, that you were parting soon;
And so we sate, within the low sun's rays,
You whispering to me, for your voice was weak,
Your harrowing praise.
Well, it was well
To hear you such things speak,
And I could tell
What made your eyes a growing gloom of love,
As a warm South-wind sombres a March grove.
And it was like your great and gracious ways
To turn your talk on daily things, my Dear,
Lifting the luminous, pathetic lash
To let the laughter flash,
Whilst I drew near,
Because you spoke so low that I could scarcely hear.
But all at once to leave me at the last,
More at the wonder than the loss aghast,
With huddled, unintelligible phrase,
And frighten'd eye,
And go your journey of all days
With not one kiss, or a good-bye,
And the only loveless look, the look with which you pass'd:
'Twas all unlike your great and gracious ways.
•“Departure,” by Coventry Patmore, is a poem about a loved one leaving. While this poem could be directed toward a lover, I believe it could also be about a parent leaving a child, and the child’s disappointment. I immediately thought about connections for life when I read this poem. I believe a child of one of the women in the program could easily relate to the sadness and tension described by Patmore in “Departure.” The author describes how suddenly and unexpectedly his loved one left him and how shocked he is. He uses many images describing the loved one I believe the last 4 lines relate the most strongly with Connections for Life and our theme:
And go your journey of all days
With not one kiss, or a good-bye,
And the only loveless look, the look with which you pass'd:
'Twas all unlike your great and gracious ways.
•Patmore is saying that his loved one left without even telling him bye, and says how that is completely unlike the wonderful, revered person he once knew. Patmore obviously loved this person very much, just as many children who have mothers locked away in jail do; however, said loved one and children are both very disappointed with how their loved one so abruptly abandoned them.
Fletcher McGee
Fletcher McGee
by Edgar Lee Masters
She took my strength by minutes,
She took my life by hours, She drained me like a fevered moon
That saps the spinning world.
The days went by like shadows,
The minutes wheeled like stars.
She took the pity from my heart,
And made it into smiles.
She was a hunk of sculptor's clay,
My secret thoughts were fingers:
They flew behind her pensive brow
And lined it deep with pain.
They set the lips, and sagged the cheeks,
And drooped the eyes with sorrow.
My soul had entered in the clay,
Fighting like seven devils.
It was not mine, it was not hers;
She held it, but its struggles
Modeled a face she hated,
And a face I feared to see.
I beat the windows, shook the bolts.
I hid me in a corner--
And then she died and haunted me,
And hunted me for life.
After reading this poem we acknowledge the relationship that some of these women had with addiction to drugs. I think that the “She” at the beginning of the poem can be interpreted as the drug. There is a lot of imagery, including the descriptions “fevered moon” and “spinning world” if you interpret the speaker talking about her drug addiction. Master’s also uses similes, such as “minutes wheeled like stars” to help highlight the emotion within this relationship.
by Edgar Lee Masters
She took my strength by minutes,
She took my life by hours, She drained me like a fevered moon
That saps the spinning world.
The days went by like shadows,
The minutes wheeled like stars.
She took the pity from my heart,
And made it into smiles.
She was a hunk of sculptor's clay,
My secret thoughts were fingers:
They flew behind her pensive brow
And lined it deep with pain.
They set the lips, and sagged the cheeks,
And drooped the eyes with sorrow.
My soul had entered in the clay,
Fighting like seven devils.
It was not mine, it was not hers;
She held it, but its struggles
Modeled a face she hated,
And a face I feared to see.
I beat the windows, shook the bolts.
I hid me in a corner--
And then she died and haunted me,
And hunted me for life.
After reading this poem we acknowledge the relationship that some of these women had with addiction to drugs. I think that the “She” at the beginning of the poem can be interpreted as the drug. There is a lot of imagery, including the descriptions “fevered moon” and “spinning world” if you interpret the speaker talking about her drug addiction. Master’s also uses similes, such as “minutes wheeled like stars” to help highlight the emotion within this relationship.
Preface
Our collection of poems includes a variety of different authors, both male and female, who have experienced relationships difficulties throughout their lives. Just as any one of us naturally has to cope with the tension in relationships, so must we learn to improve our relative selves.
If it is poetry of witness you seek, seek no further; Nick Flynn's mother committed suicide when he was ten years old, and his father, after a stint in prison, was a homeless man. To help portray the emotions that follow such a demolished family life we used two of Flynn's poems from his outstanding book, Some Ether.
Our idea was to compile a group of poems that interests our readers, thus allowing them to possibly become more introspective about their own relationships. By doing this we can connect with our own relationship building blocks - our inner realization of the tension in our relationships - and further understand the complexities naturally associated with childhood, adulthood, and parenthood. The ease at which the audience can connect to these topics, and individual poems comes from the fact that most all of these situations have been experienced by everyone in their lives and some strained relationships are probably emblematic moments for many individuals therefore making it very easy to sympathysize with the emotion of the author(s).
It was our focus to analyze different kinds of relationships, such as sibling-sibling, mother-son, father-son, etc. Covering the entire spectrum of possible significant relationships allows the reader a more comprehensive understanding of the common feelings that occur when a relationship struggles. Regardless of what specific type of relationship is strained, if it involves a loved one and their breaking of your trust and/or letting you down, it will provoke a strong reaction. This explains how the audience can empathysize with the author(s) who speak of relationship issues that the reader has yet to experience.
This anthology of poems and the ideas encompassed in them have a universal applicability that was very attractive to us when deciding on a theme. The idea that everyone can and will be affected by the problems posed by these poems makes our theme of strained relationships very important, not just to us, but to the audience also. The way that problems in relationships are dealt with is key to an individual's continuing socialization. Better coping mechanisms will be developed if the situation is at least considered and thought about prior to it occurring and the best way to do that is through deep and personal introspective. These poems have the ability to evoke serious thought and introspection about these important issues and therefore could essentially, and if used inspirationally, help to change people's lives.
These concepts and poems that are used as vehicles for those ideas are directly related to the women at Connections for Life and their lives. Broken and tensioned relationships cause people to have to deal with the change and sometimes even make life decisions that will have a sincerely deep impact on the an individual's social growth. These women were faced with some choices and happened to make the wrong ones, and that is the only difference between us and them. These women are not bad people but just made wrong decisions. Our reasoning behind choosing this theme was that maybe it could draw our attention to how to make a better decision if faced with a similiar, negative situation.
If it is poetry of witness you seek, seek no further; Nick Flynn's mother committed suicide when he was ten years old, and his father, after a stint in prison, was a homeless man. To help portray the emotions that follow such a demolished family life we used two of Flynn's poems from his outstanding book, Some Ether.
Our idea was to compile a group of poems that interests our readers, thus allowing them to possibly become more introspective about their own relationships. By doing this we can connect with our own relationship building blocks - our inner realization of the tension in our relationships - and further understand the complexities naturally associated with childhood, adulthood, and parenthood. The ease at which the audience can connect to these topics, and individual poems comes from the fact that most all of these situations have been experienced by everyone in their lives and some strained relationships are probably emblematic moments for many individuals therefore making it very easy to sympathysize with the emotion of the author(s).
It was our focus to analyze different kinds of relationships, such as sibling-sibling, mother-son, father-son, etc. Covering the entire spectrum of possible significant relationships allows the reader a more comprehensive understanding of the common feelings that occur when a relationship struggles. Regardless of what specific type of relationship is strained, if it involves a loved one and their breaking of your trust and/or letting you down, it will provoke a strong reaction. This explains how the audience can empathysize with the author(s) who speak of relationship issues that the reader has yet to experience.
This anthology of poems and the ideas encompassed in them have a universal applicability that was very attractive to us when deciding on a theme. The idea that everyone can and will be affected by the problems posed by these poems makes our theme of strained relationships very important, not just to us, but to the audience also. The way that problems in relationships are dealt with is key to an individual's continuing socialization. Better coping mechanisms will be developed if the situation is at least considered and thought about prior to it occurring and the best way to do that is through deep and personal introspective. These poems have the ability to evoke serious thought and introspection about these important issues and therefore could essentially, and if used inspirationally, help to change people's lives.
These concepts and poems that are used as vehicles for those ideas are directly related to the women at Connections for Life and their lives. Broken and tensioned relationships cause people to have to deal with the change and sometimes even make life decisions that will have a sincerely deep impact on the an individual's social growth. These women were faced with some choices and happened to make the wrong ones, and that is the only difference between us and them. These women are not bad people but just made wrong decisions. Our reasoning behind choosing this theme was that maybe it could draw our attention to how to make a better decision if faced with a similiar, negative situation.
Tension in Relationships
Tension in Relationships: An Anthology
John Stephens, Elizabeth Hardey, Robert Camden, Johnathan Weber,
Brad Begault, Jim Edwards
12/03/07
John Stephens, Elizabeth Hardey, Robert Camden, Johnathan Weber,
Brad Begault, Jim Edwards
12/03/07
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