Poems

Here are my poems. I chose to write two haikus.

My inspiration for this haiku was basically my struggle with poetry. Why do we write it? Why does it matter? So, I tried to think of why people write poetry. I came up with the fact that people write poetry to be heard. Writers want to express a feeling and through poetry do so:

"Poetry"
Captivating them
With words, poetry is made
To always be heard

This was inspired by my drive to work in the morning. I start work rather early and I always get to see the sunrise. Haiku's are traditionally related to nature, so I figured it would be a good theme for the poem. Here it is:

"Morning Light"
Petals dripping dew
Sun rises every morning
From beautiful blue

Reflection - Week of 2/18

Well, this week's reflection is going to be a little short. I was not in class this week because I wasn't feeling well at all, and making the hour drive to CSUN and back was just not going to work.

This week I have been working on the two poems that are due tomorrow. It's been...hard. I'm really not sure what to write, or why (other than my grade). The inspiration is just not there for me right now. I spend pretty much all of my week focused on technical work. It can be tedious sometimes, and I feel like it sometimes blocks my creativity. Creativity...that's what the weekend is for, right?

Anyway, I've been browsing my classmates blog's and reading some of their poetry. That almost makes it harder for me. So far, all the ones I've seen have been so creative and so well done. Since I am far from a poet, mine will probably be much shorter. I've been looking into writing more of a haiku-style poem, or something even inspired by the poem I did my analysis on. Maybe I'll a take hint from imagism and use an economy of words. That doesn't make it easier though. Doing that requires a careful consideration of words, as well as their arrangement.

Well, that's all for now. I definitely wrote a bit more than I expected when I started this reflection. We'll see tomorrow how these poems turn out...

Poetry Analysis Essay

Michelle Rehberger

Professor Wexler

English 495ESM

18 February 2013

Poetry Analysis Essay

            William Carlos Williams is one of many modernist writers who used imagism as his primary method in his poetry. Arguably his most famous poem, “The Red Wheelbarrow” focuses on just one image: a wheelbarrow in the rain. The poem is incredibly short. It has just 16 words and is only 8 lines, but it represents much more than those 16 words. Imagism is not about the object, it is about the subject. Likewise, imagist poems are written from a subjective point of view, rather than an objective point of view. In this case, the subject would be the red wheelbarrow and it is written from the way that Williams sees it. This helps make the image strong and universal for most readers. It lets the reader see the wheelbarrow, but every reader will see a different wheelbarrow. It is a specific subject, yet it can be seen in many different ways. In fact, imagism is described as a “direct observation of individual objects” (Morgan). This fits right in with Williams’ poem. It is a direct observation of the wheelbarrow. Through his use of the tenets of imagism, which include lack of detail or simplification and reduction of the image, the literal shape of the poem, and the use of an economy of words, Williams is able to succeed in making a concrete, universal image for his reader.

            Imagism is one of the many strands and forms of modernism. It is dated back to about 1912 to Ezra Pound (Poets). Imagism was in many ways a response to Romanticism. As the article, “A Brief Guide to Imagism” says, “imagist poetry aimed to replace muddy abstractions with exactness of observed detail, apt metaphors, and economy of language” (Poets). To accomplish this, imagist writers had to follow three basic tenets. These tenants were:  Direct treatment of the "thing," whether subjective or objective, the use of an economy of words, to make sure to use musical phrase (Poets).  These are the three tenets that Williams followed when he wrote “The Red Wheelbarrow”.

            This poem lacks detail, but that is exactly how Williams makes his image so strong and so visible for every reader. Williams describes the wheelbarrow as “red” and “glazed with rain water” (Smith 87). Though this description is vague, the reader is still able to imagine the wheelbarrow. It becomes special because every reader will imagine the wheelbarrow differently due to the lack of detail. That’s what makes this poem subjective—only the writer can see it exactly how he has described it and every reader will have their own experience with it. The only part of the poem that Williams’ gives his personal input on is the first stanza. Williams writes, “so much depends/upon” (Smith 87). It is here that Williams’ gives his subjective view. The reader doesn’t know what it depends upon, only Williams does. However, that doesn’t mean the reader can’t put their own twist on the poem. That’s the whole point of imagism. The simplification of the image is what makes it visible to everyone. By not using multitudes of details, the image has become universal. Part of William’s style and lack of detail also lead to his ability to make the physical view of the poem itself reminiscent of the shape of a wheelbarrow. Williams organizes the poem so that there are three words on the top line and only one on the bottom line to create a silhouette similar to that of a wheelbarrow. This is just another way in which Williams creates a concrete image for the reader, but with so little detail.

            Williams also reinforces his image in this poem through the poem’s actual form. The form of each stanza of the poem creates the image of a wheelbarrow. This can be seen by looking at the actual poem itself:

so much depends

upon

a red wheel

barrow

            glazed with rain

water

beside the white

chickens (Smith 87)

Every stanza forms the shape and silhouette of a wheelbarrow, which helps make the image more concrete. The use of white space could also indicate more in the image. Is the wheelbarrow in an open field? Is the wheelbarrow by a barn? It seems to represent what the reader fills in the space with their own picture and imagination, which again helps the image become universal. The form is also very structured. The first line of each stanza is exactly three words and the second line is only one. Another way that he separates the images through form is by using contrasting colors to help clearly differentiate the two concrete images—the wheelbarrow and the chickens.  Morgan writes, “Williams places great reliance on color, particularly in the earlier poems, to define the object…” (Morgan). The colors help the reader identify the object. The wheelbarrow is red. The chickens are white. They have both been clearly defined.

            Another part of Williams’ imagist style is shown in his word choice—or lack thereof. Imagists would say that Williams uses an economy of words in “The Red Wheelbarrow”. As previously mentioned, one of the three main tenets of imagism is the economy of words, which is essentially picking your words carefully and sparingly. In this instance, less is better. Imagists believe that the poet should discard all words that do not directly contribute to the poem, creating an almost Haiku-like poem. A haiku can only be so long because it depends entirely on the amount of syllables in each line, thus limiting the poet to a small amount of words.  Likewise, imagist poets must only use words that are necessary to the description of the poem. By using only a small amount of words, the poem is simplified and reduced.  Williams definitely succeeds in this, seeing as his poem is merely 16 words long. He definitely used the economy of words and chose his words carefully.

            Williams’ poem “The Red Wheelbarrow” is an imagist poem that creates a concrete and universal image for the reader. The image will be different for everyone, but that is part of what makes the poem so unique. Williams uses imagist principles when he writes the poem, including the use of an economy of words. He creates the image through lack of detail and reduction, but also through the physical form of the poem itself.  This poem fits the characteristics of an imagist poem, and is recognized as such. The poem is subjective, for both the reader and the writer. And also through its subjectivity, it becomes universal.

Works Cited

"A Brief Guide to Imagism." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2013. <http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5658>.

Morgan, Frederick. "William Carlos Williams: Imagery, Rhythm, Form." The Sewanee Review 55.4 (1947): 675-90. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/27537788>.

Smith, Philip. 100 Best-loved Poems. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Print.

Reflection - Week of 2/11

This week in class we were still discussing poetry. We reviewed more of the poems we were assigned to read. I enjoyed reading these poems, especially "The Road Less Taken" by Robert Frost. It's one of my favorite poems to read.

We then peer edited some of our classmates partial poetry analysis drafts. I was impressed with my classmates work, but since it was just a partial draft there wasn't much criticism to make that the author's didn't already know. It was cool to see the poems they chose and why, and it gave me some inspiration for my essay as well.

After the peer editing, we were assigned some class work to help us write our poems that are due in two weeks. This was so hard for me! I just had a hard time coming up with metaphors. I'm not a creative writer and not that creative when it comes to poetry in general. I think it's almost a mental block. I think I stop myself because poetry can and is such a daunting world to enter. Creative writing itself is actually. It's tough because when you do something completely on your own, getting criticism can be harsh. It's the same for engineering -- when you put out a design or a new method to streamline work-- it's hard to receive criticism. Then again, it's also helpful to get the other points of view because it can make your product even better. I do think creative writing is a bit different though, because you are putting your own (and sometimes random) ideas out there. Usually in engineering there's already a need, so it's not completely out of the blue.

Class Poetry Exercise - 2/11

Here are some of my responses to our class workshop today. Apparently, I'm not very creative because this was very difficult...just give me an Excel spreadsheet to work on instead please.

1. Alliterations & Assonance

      Alliterations:
    - Striking sunset
    - Cauterized cannon
    - Rusted rose
    - Lonely lily
    - Weeping willow
    - Sturdy straw
    - Weathered wings in wild winds
    - Scourning sky
    - Explosion of emotion
    - Cornered chine
    - Leveled layers

      Assonances:
    - Eyes rise
    - Aching fixation
    - Disarm descent
    - Echoing gecko
    - Scouring coward
    - Core war

2. Metaphors for Life
Note: Some of these probably aren't metaphors...too literal.

   - Birth: Birth is the beginning.
   - Death: Death is the symbolic end of your journey.
   - Marriage: Marriage is a narrative.
   - Pregnancy: Pregnancy is a rollercoaster ride for the female body.
   - Failure: Knowing failure is knowing humility.
   - Success: Success is rising from the shadows of your previous falls.

3. Lyrics and Musicality

    Yeah...this probably isn't happening today...

Poetry Analysis Partial Draft - 2/11

Hey everybody!  Here is my partial draft. I'm not sure if this is the direction I want to go or not. It's pretty rough...I definitely have a lot of work to do for my final revision. It has some major problem areas.. Anyway...here it is!

Michelle Rehberger

Professor Wexler

English 495ESM

10 February 2013

Poetry Analysis Essay – Partial Draft

            William Carlos Williams is one of many modernist writers who uses imagism in his poetry. Arguably his most famous poem, “The Red Wheelbarrow” focuses on just one image: a wheelbarrow in the rain. The poem is incredibly short. It has just 16 words and is only 8 lines, but it represents much more than those 16 words. Imagism is not about the object, it is about the subject. Likewise, imagist poems are written from a subjective point of view, rather than an objective point of view. In this case, the subject would be the red wheelbarrow and it written from the way the Williams sees it. This helps make the image strong and universal for most readers. It lets the reader see the wheelbarrow, but every reader will see a different wheelbarrow. It is a specific subject, yet it can be seen in many different ways. Through his use of imagism, which include lack of detail, simplification and reduction of image, and the use of an economy of words, Williams is able to succeed in making a concrete, universal image for his reader.

            This poem lacks detail, but that is exactly how Williams makes his image so strong and so visible for every reader. Williams describes the wheelbarrow as “red” and “glazed with rain water” (87). Though this description is vague, the reader is still able to imagine the wheelbarrow; however, every reader will imagine the wheelbarrow differently due to the lack of detail. That’s why the poem is subjective—only the writer can see it exactly how he has described it and every reader will have their own experience with it. Therefore, by not using multitudes of details, the image has become universal. Part of William’s style and lack of detail also lead to his ability to make the physical view of the poem itself reminiscent of the shape of a wheelbarrow. Williams organizes the poem so that there are three words on the top line and only one on the bottom line to create a silhouette similar to that of a wheelbarrow. This is just another way in which Williams creates a concrete image for the reader, but with so little detail.

            Another part of Williams’ imagist style is shown in his word choice—or lack thereof. Imagists would say that Williams uses an economy of words in “The Red Wheelbarrow”. One of the three main tenants of imagism is the economy of words, which is essentially picking your words carefully and sparingly. In this instance, less is better. Imagists believe that the poet should discard all words that do not directly contribute to the poem, creating an almost Haiku-like poem. A haiku can only be so long because it depends entirely on the amount of syllables in each line, thus limiting the poet to a small amount of words.  Likewise, imagist poets must only use words that are necessary to the description of the poem. 

Works Cited

Morgan, Frederick. "William Carlos Williams: Imagery, Rhythm, Form." The Sewanee Review 55.4 (1947): 675-90. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/27537788>.

 

Reflection - Week of 2/4

The topic of discussion during this week's class was poetry. That definitely did not excite me (that and the bookstore still hadn't received my book. I ordered it three weeks ago and they finally got it to me on Wednesday. I will never miss the bookstore.) Poetry is far from my favorite subject, so I never have much to say about it in class. I just don't enjoy most of it, although I have found some of John Milton's poetry to be quite amazing; however, this really could be because of the way my teacher presents it. So it's unfortunate for me that our essay is limited to only poems found in our book (the Milton poems in here are not the ones I would prefer to write on). I'm sure I'll be able to find something I can write on though. I always find a way through it. That's not to say that I won't struggle through this essay--especially with the Walking Dead returning tonight! All I know is I will definitely be glad once this essay is over. Then I'll just have to write two more poems and I should be done with poetry for a least a little while.

While I'm not a fan of most poetry, I have learned to understand it much better than I did when I started college. Before college, seeing a poetry assignment was pretty much the end of the world for me. At least now I can appreciate more of the meanings of the works. What I've learned about poetry from college is the more you practice reading poetry, the more you begin to understand it. That is...until you read The Wasteland. Then you go back to not understanding any of it until you get to class! ;)

Note:
Here is my preferred email for class- forgot to post on the intro:
michelle.rehberger.527@my.csun.edu

495 Introduction

Hello everybody! My name is Michelle. I am 22 years old and live in Quartz Hill/Lancaster, which is about an hour away from CSUN. I am an English Literature major and this is my last semester (yay!). I work as an intern at Northrop Grumman, an Aerospace Engineering company. I currently work in a manufacturing environment as technical support on tooling activities. My career goal is to get into technical writing and editing, proposal writing, or even public relations (writing press releases and articles, etc). However, if I follow a more technical route (engineering) I'm sure I'll be happy there as well…it will definitely pay better. When I graduate from CSUN this spring with my BA, I'm going to take some time off of school to work. After gaining more work experience, I plan on heading back to get my MBA and even possibly a second Bachelor’s degree in an engineering related field.

While I don’t plan on being a teacher, I think this course can still help me. Learning ways to teach individuals can be beneficial for running meetings and also for writing manuals. Running a meeting involves preparation of materials and then presenting that information in a logical manner, similar to teaching a classroom full of students. So, again, while teaching isn’t my career goal, learning the skills of a teacher can still benefit me in the future.

As an engineering intern, I deal with technology all the time. I believe integrating technology into the classroom is a must these days, however, I don't think classes should be run solely on technology. Strictly PowerPoint lectures can be monotonous, and students worry more about writing down what is on the PowerPoint than what the teacher is saying. I think my teachers at CSUN have done a great job on balancing the lecture with PowerPoint or movies, however; there are times when technology can be ineffective. On many occasions I have witnessed teachers who do not possess the knowledge to operate the controls for the computer, DVD players, projector, etc. Because the teacher cannot figure out how to use the equipment, valuable classroom time is lost. I've never had a class with a blog before, so it will be an interesting experience. I think using technology can give the students a refreshing break during a 3 hour lecture. Honestly, after 3 hours of lecture it can be hard to continue paying attention.

Preferred email: michelle.rehberger.527@my.csun.edu

And here is an adorable picture of my cats when they were kittens... :)