Make Up On Empty Space - Waldman

In this poem Waldman seems to be beautifying a "Empty space" Which can be her canvas of a face or something she see's as no time of genuitity. She talks about applying make up on her face which she calls an empty space. Waldman seems to be contemplating on either she should beautify or a self actualization.
She counts towards the urge of self actualization. Thus trying to become herself or finding her self. A self actualization as in finding her own identity in her as a being. She doesn't seem satisfied with her "Empty space" She seems to be trying to rebel against society aesthetics.

Gwendolyn Brooks “the mother”

In this poem brooks generally writes about having an abortion and the feelings she has. She talks about certain things children do that a mother will miss. When she mentioned "the singers and workers that never handled the air" It brings a sense of sadness. I have a feeling brook is trying to convey a longing of things mothers usually known to be good at.
A strong part of the poem i think is when she says "you were born, you had a body, you died." Its in justifying and brings sadness amongst the reader. Brooks wanted the reader to know the feelings a taste of her emotions and how she feels. These quotes all describe very vivid images. Brooks could have experienced an abortion or had very strong feelings about it. I sense emotions of remorse, and wanted her reader can feel how she felt. " the damp small pulps with little or no hair" stayed with me through as i read the rest of the poem.
This was a major turning point because she then addresses no longer as the mother but to the child. A change of emotions as well change she feels sorrow, love, and redemption. Brook uses very vivid images when i feel goosebumps. Her prerogative for her poem was to get her message across to the ready and that definitely did in my perspective.

Eating By Galway Kinnel

Eating Blackberries
In this poem he talk about the beauty of eating blackberries and the art of picking them. He expresses the feeling of eating them and the prickly stalks he feels just when hes about to enjoy them. Galway nonchalantly compares blackberries as the aesthetics of words and language.
He exulting in the beauty of language and words. Galway is attracted to the richness and indulges in words which are like blackberries. He uses simile like picking a blackberry from a tree like picking words off the tree of knowledge. "fall almost unbidden to my tongue / as words sometimes do..."
Galway personify's the blackberry like words but realistically blackberries do not offer knowledge but the nutrients and the taste from it are very similar and enriching to the taste buds. But the taste buds is your mind and brain.
I think this poem is very simple and sweet. He shows the reader his style of writing and getting his message through without complication or uneasiness. I like the way he is able to compare food to knowledge of words. Although both realistically different still the conclusion and feeling is often very similar and can be related to.

In Golden Gate Park that day by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

As reading through the poem i realize a sense of cliche throughout the poem "which was the meadow of the world ". He repeats a certain sentences which resemble one another as the poem progressed.This poem represents a couple on a normal outing from the females perspective. The females perspective is truly emphasized upon. Lawrence uses simple imagery which the reader can easily imagined. Which we can sense and picture the emotions as well.
What I'm so curious about is why the man in the poem brought a flute to the meadow although, he mentions its never played. The symbolization of the flute is just a sense of aesthetics? Although it may seem like a simple poem is their an underlying subliminal.
Through the poem just before the end you'd figure they are a happy couple, who are jolly, happy, and in love. But during the end "and finally looking over at him without any particular expression except a certain awful look of terrible depression" Could she have felt a sense of unhappiness from what seems to be TOO perfect? In this poem we find heavy imagery, strive for utopia, and paradise. Lawrence write this poem setting the scene as a beautiful day in the park but only underlies the inner perspective between a relationship, and gender.

The Beat Movement// "America" - Alen Ginsberg

America

This poem seems very controversial. Allen writes the poem with a certain attitude of spite and anger. He write to America in a political view and a representation of what he's experience though out his life. It seems like he is talking about the post or pre-World War 2 with the fight against communism and foreign Asian policy. He is stating his cultural, political aspects and references.
Allen also refers to events that he recalls throughout his life. The structure and the irregular text seems to be his signature of his poetry writing.
At first in the poem he seems as if America has done so much damage. Through the poem he talks about the Asian society and how his relationship with the Asians has been. Allen also uses slurs which could have been acceptable during that time. Poem seems to be unorganized no punctuation, long run on sentences, and lil reference or similarities to each continuous line. The main point of his whole shows his reaction, point of view, and political perspective. The long run on sentences show his true feeling of built up run on emotions he's been keeping inside. He first seems to be spiteful against America but to only find out a part of him is America. Then he seems to ridicule a taunt America for the militarized culture, and the vapid media.
He wrote about America as if he was a lose lover. He tries to find a basic foundation of similarities between him and his country. But his attitude still sends a patriotic message. Allen admits that he cannot "give up my obsession." It is an obsession with the promise of America, with the things that he once believe deeply in: justice, tolerance, freedom, and acceptance. Only to be a disappointment.

Lee and Gallagher

Lee the poet writer of "The Gift" Writes a poem about the relationship between the son and father. In Asian culture strong family morals and bonds are strongly represented; As well as other ethnic families. Their are 2 certain gifts that i think are talked about in the poem. The first gift is the wisdom the father has provided to his son. The second gift is the transition of child to manhood by providing him that wisdom he has passed down to his son. Or the other gift can be the actual removal of the splinter as well. The fact lee was feeling pain from the splinter was irrelevant but when he gave his father a kiss was the post important aspect of the poem to me. When the father removed the splinter from his wife's hand the father provided relief. The gift overall should be his father.Not only as a care taker but a word of wisdom and a provider.
             Gallagher who has written "Choices" and “Under Stars”. Choices is a short poem about acknowledging life and existence. When she travels deep into the wilderness her prerogative was to cut down saplings until she seen all the bird nest, the homes of other families. She never cut them down and went home empty handed. Tess did gain appreciation and morality. Seeing many family's and homes in that tree.Although away from home her mountains are her home. "Suddenly, in every tree, an unseen nest where a mountain would be.'' 
            At first when reading “Under Stars” i was unable to understand to whom or what she was directing the whole poem to. But as i re read she seems to be sending a letter out to somebody distant a loved one of more importance. As looking into the rest of her poems i see the relation of what is suppose to be her passed husband. The majority of her poems were dedicated to her deceased husband. As her poems deepen and time passes i see sense of a new attitude in her poem not of anger or sadness but more of progression and acceptance. In "Under Stars" she mentions child hood games as if who i think it is to be her husband probably grew up together. Loosing a love one that basically been around your whole entire life can be very traumatizing.

"Facing it"

                          "Facing it" Yusef Kommunyakaa
             He replies with a emotional response through out his poem. Yusef starts out his poem emphasizing his ethnicity comparing it to the black granite memorial. He repeats "black" twice in reference to his skin color and memorial. You can tell the connection he has with the memorial personally and spiritually. Using the words "Hide" and "Fades". This memorial is a lot deeper then just a black granite wall. Yusef seems to loose him self in his reflection with the memorial. Yusef looses a sense of reality and his own imagination. He spiritually connects with the memorial unlike others who haven't experienced the war. His profound feelings of the war and things he went through has effected his sense of being and perception.

"The Fish" Elizabeth Bishop

 

The poem by Bishop is very interesting and used many figurative words drawing the image of a fish in my head as if i was their when the author was experiencing it. Culturally one way or another every body is scared of death. But the question is; Is everybody willing to fight for their lives or except their faith. No one really knows their future unless they are terminally ill although, the future is very unpredictable. The fish in the poem seem to know the product of its environment and sort of hence what could have or will happen. Bishop described the fish pointing out all of its flaws turning them into flaws of beauty. Comparing its scales to ancient wall paper. She acknowledged the fishes essence of being and aesthetics.

- Jenny Truongle