Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Sonnet Response

Sonnet 29
When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
   I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf Heaven with my bootless cries,
   And look upon myself, and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
   Featur'd like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,
   With what I most enjoy contented least:
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
   Haply I think on thee,--and then my state
Like to the lark at break of day arising
   From sullen earth sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
   That then I scorn to change my state with kings'.
                         - William Shakespear 

In this poem, I think that Shakespear is writing about how he compares himself to men who he thinks are better then him. He talks mostly about how he's an outcast from most men because he's not rich and doesn't have a bunch of rich friends. "Featur'd like him, like him with friends possess'd,/ Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope," this line sounds like he is jealous of a man in perticular. It's saying that he is jealous of this man's money, friends, and he thinks he is lacking the good qualities this guy has. 

However, in this sonnet, Shakespear talks about this one thing that brings him out of this jealous state of mind-- his lover. In the last five lines, he talks about how this person brings him to a better place mentally whenever he thinks of them. He uses a metaphor to describe how he changes when he thnks of her: "For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings/ That then I scorn to change my state with kings'". 

From this sonnet, I can tell that William Shakespear is jealous of men for things he lacks, and even though these things make him feel like an outcast, this person he is speaking to makes him feel as if he is a king, and their love brings him so much happiness. 

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Sonnet 1


He shines his happiness down upon us
He is glowing with warmth for everyone
He was never one for making a fuss
He provides us with the privilege of fun.
Sometimes it may seem he shines for the worst,
like melting ice cream or polar ice caps
Except without him, for warmth we would thirst,
And it is likely the world would collapse.
The setting sun is like a work of art
The colors blend together perfectly
Though I know the end will bring a fresh start,
letting go I find a difficulty.
I find the sun such a brilliant sight
I dread the coming of the dark of night.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

3 Poems

Poetry Is...

Poetry is
the way
words flow as you
read them

Poetry is
a rhythmic writing
with a deeper meaning

A message for the world to interpret on its own.

What Happens To A Dream Deferrd


What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it melt
like a bright red Popsicle on a hot summers day?

Does it blossom
like the sunflowers of August?

Does it sit there
like paint on a canvas?

Or does it leave
just walk out the door.

A Painting Poem


The tear was shed
after they called.
He was dead
Another one gone
Another innocent soul taken
Another cold pale carcass left to rot and spoil in the ground.
How could he allow such a thing to happen?
How could someone be so self-centered as to take thousands of others life's just to protect one's own?
How could you live with yourself
knowing you have caused so much pain
so much suffering in the world?

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Art Essay: Salvador Dali


Salvador Dali was born in Figueras, Spain, in 1904. As a child, he craved attention, and started painting when he was 8 years old. His paintings were of dreams he had had. When he was a teenager, he went to Madrid to study art. His early artwork was inspired much by Pablo Picasso, and much of it resembled Picasso’s work. Dali’s style of painting is called surrealism. Surrealists were a group of people that painted mostly was came to mind or things from their dreams. They wanted their work to make people think and to stir up thoughts in the back of peoples minds (pg 21-22). This group of artists asked Dali to join them. However, some of them thought that Dali’s work was too strange. Salvador Dali was a very accomplished man. He made films, designed clothes and perfume bottles, made magazine ads, and worked with famous moviemakers like Walt Disney, as well as being a very successful painter.
One of his successful paintings is called The Enigma of Hitler. In this painting,
there is a telephone hanging off a branch. Off that telephone, there is a drip of water hanging. Below the hanging phone is a plate with a few small things that look like beans, and an image of Adolf Hitler. Standing at the edge of the plate, is a very small bat holding a melting spoon in its mouth. There is an umbrella and a red strand of some sort hanging down from the same branch as the telephone. This painting was done in 1939 in Madrid. The surrealists were very offended by the image of Hitler (pg 29).
            To me, this painting resembles a phone call to someone during the time of World War 2. A little before actually, because this was during the time Hitler had just gained power. The drip on the phone is a tear of someone who’s just received a phone call. Maybe someone had been killed or injured or captured, and the phone call was to tell someone in contact or relations with that person. I think it could have been someone who Dali had known or he painted it as a way of showing what was happening in the world at that time to many people.