- Last seen on Aug 28 6:19 PM 2007. Member since July 19, 2006.
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on Death Of A Grandparent Mrs. Jennette Bonneau by Mary Weston Fordham, on August 19, 2007This is a beautiful going home poem. I hear an echo of Yeats with the line "hasten, from that world of woe." There are many Christian terms woven in this poem that combine to make the passing of Mrs. Jennette Bonneau a peaceful event. Fordham guides the reader to understand that the death is a long-awaited passage; one that her grandmother has earned
"oft wondering why she stay'd so long away from home." -
on The Moon At The Fortified Pass by Li Po, on August 17, 2007Moving. This poem reminds me of "Encounters" by Ivor Gurney. Both poems deal with looking back, noticing the small things...before facing the battlefield. Poems that deal with soldiers are so important to read; they remind us what price liberty is attained and that soldiers are people, not just subjects to be at service at the whims of ill-prepared or frivolous wars.
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on The Little Home Paper by Charles Hanson Towne, on August 16, 2007The title caught my eye. I like how Towne used a simple item, the local paper, as a means of effectively giving insight to small town living and demonstrating the impact the Great War on the ordinary lives. The language is not fancy--it's conversational. You can actually imagine the poet reading the paper, pausing at the name of Ed Stokes and reflecting on Ed's character. I liked the four thousand miles/hardware store references; it helped me to visualize the distance Stokes had to travel to fight in the war. The hardward store reinforces the importance of certain businesses in a small town.
Heartbreaking
I can see this person's back-breaking work being overcast by the world of those that never think twice about how things get done. This is such a timeless piece. There is such a divide between the haves and the have-nots. I get sick thinking about squandered wealth and callous attitudes that are constantly being promoted on new television shows. I often wonder why ratings seem to be highest in shows that promote mindless sex, murder and wasted humor. There is a reality that should not be escaped--those of people that struggle everyday just to survive. This poem just made me think about a book entitled Nickled and Dimed in America. Poetry has a way of causing us to examine actions. This poem makes me wonder how society manages to abuse lower-class workers. During Fordham's time period, African-Americans were not treated as true citizens. I think of the apartheid system that was permitted for years in South Africa. I think about so many other ethnic groups that are still not treated correctly.What this poem does is offer two things: the reality of a person's hard life, and the reward of trying to stay focused on the rewards of the afterlife. Fordham uses the typical style of writing of her period to promote "faithfulness." The idea is that people may be cruel to you, but God sees all, and in the end, He will give you your just reward; Keep your heart pure.
Poems like this are good to be acquainted with--they keep us mindful.