Carl Sandburg's' "Grass", Edna St. Vincent Millays' "What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, and Where, and Why" and "Love is Not All: It is Not Meat Nor Drink", and Robert Frosts' "Fire and Ice" have all been my top three authors and top poems of required reading for Week Four of my Poetry class.
I greatly enjoyed Sandburg's' "Grass" and Robert Frosts' "Fire and Ice", for one, because of the title. It reminded me of [forgive my age] Pokemon, and more importantly elements of the earth. Now, traditionally I would not copy and paste my forum assignment, but I wanted to share both: The assignment is to show how there is delight in the beginning and wisdom in the end as Frost shares in his "The Figure a Poem Makes."
Carl Sandburg’s “Grass” versus Robert Frost’s “Fire and Ice”
If you were a Pokémon trainer or a Frozen fan, you’re sure to get a kick out of my somewhat translucent metaphors here… but then again, what is more attainable in knowledge and wisdom than soaking in the elements of Nature herself?
Sandburg’s “Grass”, at first glance, may appear to be a nod towards the post-matter of a horrible event. The poem begins with “Pile the bodies high at Austerliz and Wasterloo” (1), two battles in Europe each with a very significant role in the war, the former being Napoleon’s greatest victory over the Russians (Hickman Web), while the latter being a defeat of Napoleon by a united coalition of international armies (History.com Staff). Nonetheless, the importance of this line, and thus wisdom enhancing mentioning, helps allude to the message, theme, and overall significance of the poem.
The poem is telling a story of wars that had stained the fields with blood, and now have regrown with grass. While in of itself, this poem does not seem to have any wisdom behind, but the wisdom is within the message. Where there is the worst possibility of humankind, there will always be nature to reclaim it. (Bulbasaur use leech seed!).
The poem, “Fire and Ice”, by Robert Frost, may seem to have a more less blunt message, relating the world towards seeing the truth within real elemental madness and hate. It begins with an age long question of if “the world will end in fire” (1), with some saying it will end “in ice” (2). Then it seems as if Frost is agreeing that he does “hold with those who favor fire” (4), but find more destruction if he died more than once that ice could be more deadly (5-9). Again, this might seem wisdom-inspiring, but the truth is in the text. Sometimes the icy ones will kill you quicker. Sometimes it’s not the heat that will melt you down but the ice that will do much worse. I mean, after all, Elsa let go and you saw what happened…
My conclusion: Both poems radiate with an abundance of wisdom inspiring ideas and truths, and through these feelings comes a general gratitude and delight for each. “Grass” gives us the experience of understanding that there is always life after the troubling times, and “Fire and Ice” tell us not to mess with crazy Ice Witches… Baba Yaga, anyone?
I enjoyed Edna St. Vincent Millays' "What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, and Where, and Why" and "Love is Not All: It is Not Meat Nor Drink" because it had a real down-to-earth, gritty, yet serious tone to it. Very nice to hear from a lady's mind her philosophy on regret and what is most important in life. Sort of takes that stereotype that woman are all love-begging and attention seeking and shows that even back then women were taking some sort of stand... maybe?
As for my philosophy of how poetry is good or bad... to be honest I am seeing even more enjoyment in poems. I see good in poems that others despise or dislike. Lately, some fellow students have shown a disinterest in some of the reading through their text, so it's a bit odd that I am [again] the odd ball who sees the good in everything.
Onward to the poem!
What inspired me was the Edna's realism and Frost/Sandburg's elemental themes. I chose the moon because it looked gorgeous tonight under the stars. It's finally cool here in Arkansas, at a comfortable 59 degree's Fahrenheit.
In the military 'kissing ass' was a common term. When someone first gets to their base and immediately 'kisses ass' whether intentional or not, there are always repercussions whether through the person's ass being kissed or another party.
"What Kissed the Moon"
Oh scarlet lies of hefty loot,
Save your self from the boot.
For in time there can only tell,
A commanders broken shell.
Stripes and decorations can never swoon,
The gentleman's truth in kissing the moon.
O' What kissed the moon I dare to say,
Splendid library I stay all day.
To read and to write throughout the night,
Until the swarm of letters take Flight.
O' say that you may be a' boon'd
For that which kissed the moon.
Alas! Now you see A' One See,
That a boon and a stripe can't be.
Lest you save your self from a boot,
Think you not that this is cute.
For behind a man can be too soon,
To truly learn what kissed the moon.
Work Cited
Frost, Robert. "Fire and Ice." Bartleby.com. 25 September 2016. http://www.bartleby.com/155/2.html
Hickman, Kennedy. "Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Austerlitz". About.com. 26 September 2016. http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/napoleonicwars/p/austerlitz.htm
Sandburg, Carl. "Grass". Poets.org. 25 September 2016. https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/grass
Staff, History.com. "Battle of Waterloo." History.com. 26 September 2016. http://www.history.com/topics/british-history/battle-of-waterloo#
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