In response to this week's reading of Tocqueville, I chose to analyze the poem "Air Porter".
The poem struck me for some reason, the way things are worded not necessarily literally but figuratively in some sense. For example, when he says that the van seats shake their broken bones I do not believe that he means the bones are literally broken but their will and souls are. They've become broken by the mining and shipping lifestyle, they're broken within but not in a literal sense.
Mattawa paints a picture of what Yardley Pennsylvania looks like, he talks about the moon digging itself out of the earth, does it literally? No. But to a worker who works through the night it may seem so. Or from the stand point of those at the airport looking out at Yardley watching the everyday cycle it may seem that the moon comes up, goes down and the sun will follow suit. If you were at the airport you may see the evergreens swaying as you were waiting for your plane.
He mentions a lover, or as he puts it "the woman you don't love" yet she is nice. Maybe she isn't a lover but someone you are seeing that loves you even though you are being separated. Kissing you before you leave. Kissing you with large warm hands, squishing your face. Another interpretation is that you are a child and she is a caregiver watching over you before you get on the plane, you do not love her and she is not your mother but she seems nice,
If this was the perspective of a child, noting the trees and the moon make sense. Children can be very perceptive of details like this though they may not verbalize this.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Writing down the Bones (1/22/2015)
Writing Down the Bones. I find the book to be very insightful, not only for writers but for individual development as a person. She points out some very good things, it is brought up in Artistic stability that we all do things that make us a little crazy. That is completely fine and the "crazy" things we do help makes us who we are. She also mentions that just because someone else may think it is crazy that does not by any means make it so. For example, keeping a huge stack of note books of fifteen notebooks filled with your "random" daily thoughts. I say random with quotes because the thoughts may not be random to you or to those who know you but to the outside world they are just that.
I love that in several chapters she talks about writing being a process, literally and not so literally. There is something known as the writing process but writing in itself is a process mentally, physically and even emotionally. You start with an idea or even just a blank piece of paper and you just go. sometimes writing takes a lot of focus and revision in order to become something we see as fit for reading other times not so much. From personal experience I find that my best pieces come from when I am up all night stuck in my head or when I've had a bad day so writing becomes an outlet. However, there are days when I want to take things slow and revise several times especially for papers in my science oriented classes. Natalie mentions that the more you write the better you get, I both agree and disagree with this. In my opinion it depends on the type of writing you do because just like with everything else you will reach a point where you plateau and no longer significantly improve. Improvement can also be seen in several different ways, whether it be developing a stronger voice, better word choice or even being grammatically correct more often.
One of the best ways to improve both your writing and yourself is to listen. Note that listening isn't just the physical act of hearing something but to understand and find meaning in what you hear. It could be a story you overheard in a coffee shop or the birds singing as you stroll through the park in a Thursday during your lunch. Whatever it is, slow down and pay attention. It makes life not only easier but more enjoyable in my opinion. Your writing will also come more easily to you, paying attention and getting details without really stressing your brain will help to retain information and help you to combine life with what you are writing. Whether that be a poem, an article or a thirty page thesis to graduate. Slow down, breathe and lastly LISTEN.
I love that in several chapters she talks about writing being a process, literally and not so literally. There is something known as the writing process but writing in itself is a process mentally, physically and even emotionally. You start with an idea or even just a blank piece of paper and you just go. sometimes writing takes a lot of focus and revision in order to become something we see as fit for reading other times not so much. From personal experience I find that my best pieces come from when I am up all night stuck in my head or when I've had a bad day so writing becomes an outlet. However, there are days when I want to take things slow and revise several times especially for papers in my science oriented classes. Natalie mentions that the more you write the better you get, I both agree and disagree with this. In my opinion it depends on the type of writing you do because just like with everything else you will reach a point where you plateau and no longer significantly improve. Improvement can also be seen in several different ways, whether it be developing a stronger voice, better word choice or even being grammatically correct more often.
One of the best ways to improve both your writing and yourself is to listen. Note that listening isn't just the physical act of hearing something but to understand and find meaning in what you hear. It could be a story you overheard in a coffee shop or the birds singing as you stroll through the park in a Thursday during your lunch. Whatever it is, slow down and pay attention. It makes life not only easier but more enjoyable in my opinion. Your writing will also come more easily to you, paying attention and getting details without really stressing your brain will help to retain information and help you to combine life with what you are writing. Whether that be a poem, an article or a thirty page thesis to graduate. Slow down, breathe and lastly LISTEN.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Poetry review
For my review I chose to go deeper into "TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT DISMEMBERMENT"
This particular poem can be very intimidating or even off putting if you simply read through it, more so if you examine it. It's very first line is "When it rains, the grass is filled with blood". Strange right? Most people would ask why is there blood in the grass, or why does rain matter?
I went back through and took a deeper look at the poem and soon realized that the author didn't mean literal rain, but war or bloodshed. He states that there are many kinds of rain. Rain is brought up in a few parts of his poem, he brings up the fighting European badlands in the nineteen- eighties. American "rain" that is falling as he writes this very poem, reminds him of his heritage and culture. He mentions in his second stanza that he refuses to do something so ordinary or "English" as to write about art in the world. Instead he chose to write a book of blood.
The author then goes onto introduce some worldly issues, such as those in the middle east. He mentions the Serbs tearing out the wombs of the women that they rape, and then displaying them. This in itself is disturbing, yet we do nothing. A "Punjabi monsoon" is mentioned, I feel as though he is referring to a mass killing or the screams of death within Indo- Aryan culture and strife.
The poem is abstract yet incorporates so many things that we think about everyday life. The rain being bloodshed, and a monsoon (heavy continuous rain) being a mass killing. Who knew?
This particular poem can be very intimidating or even off putting if you simply read through it, more so if you examine it. It's very first line is "When it rains, the grass is filled with blood". Strange right? Most people would ask why is there blood in the grass, or why does rain matter?
I went back through and took a deeper look at the poem and soon realized that the author didn't mean literal rain, but war or bloodshed. He states that there are many kinds of rain. Rain is brought up in a few parts of his poem, he brings up the fighting European badlands in the nineteen- eighties. American "rain" that is falling as he writes this very poem, reminds him of his heritage and culture. He mentions in his second stanza that he refuses to do something so ordinary or "English" as to write about art in the world. Instead he chose to write a book of blood.
The author then goes onto introduce some worldly issues, such as those in the middle east. He mentions the Serbs tearing out the wombs of the women that they rape, and then displaying them. This in itself is disturbing, yet we do nothing. A "Punjabi monsoon" is mentioned, I feel as though he is referring to a mass killing or the screams of death within Indo- Aryan culture and strife.
The poem is abstract yet incorporates so many things that we think about everyday life. The rain being bloodshed, and a monsoon (heavy continuous rain) being a mass killing. Who knew?
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
About me
Hey everyone,
Just a little about myself to start off. My name is Kasondra, I usually go by Kasie though. I am a sophomore here at EMU, i'm currently part of the Biochemistry program. In the near future I would like to focus on Oncology and do cancer research at the DNA level.
Some may ask "how did you know where you belong?" or "How do you know you're at the right school?" Well to be honest, it took several conversations with one of my favorite high school teachers, a tour of campus and meeting some of the chemistry department to know. Once I had sent in my application and had gone on a short tour, I knew I was home. Meeting faculty at orientation happened to be a wonderful experience that reinforced my decision and helped ground me during my first semester. I was home,
I have always had a passion for science and to go along with it is my love of literature and writing, so here I am. Creative writing helps feed the addiction and passion.
Just a little about myself to start off. My name is Kasondra, I usually go by Kasie though. I am a sophomore here at EMU, i'm currently part of the Biochemistry program. In the near future I would like to focus on Oncology and do cancer research at the DNA level.
Some may ask "how did you know where you belong?" or "How do you know you're at the right school?" Well to be honest, it took several conversations with one of my favorite high school teachers, a tour of campus and meeting some of the chemistry department to know. Once I had sent in my application and had gone on a short tour, I knew I was home. Meeting faculty at orientation happened to be a wonderful experience that reinforced my decision and helped ground me during my first semester. I was home,
I have always had a passion for science and to go along with it is my love of literature and writing, so here I am. Creative writing helps feed the addiction and passion.
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