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