Random Story, Part I

The faerie slowly settled into the moss, her wings tender from the day’s activity. There had been an emergency in the far side of the kingdom and, of course, she was the only faerie in the whole realm that could fix it. The woodland nymphs had been useless. Nature spirits, yeah right, they hadn’t even been able to fix a simple mix up. A batch of flowers had bloomed inside-out with red and purple stems and green and brown petals. Of course the first reaction is to call the Queen of Spring. It’s not like she’s busy getting ready for springtime or anything. Oh, well. That was all over for the night. Daphne was just drifting off to the land of dreams when the acorn by the moss crackled. “What?” she growled.

“I’m sorry to bother you, your majesty, but Old Man Moon is requesting your presence,” responded the soft voice of the elf, Brock, the queen’s assistant.

Sighing, the queen got up. Old Man Moon didn’t like visiting in the day time hours and was ancient enough that Daphne couldn’t ask him to come in the morning.“All right, tell him I’ll be down in a minute.”

Daphne put on a fresh flower blossom gown, organized the butterflies resting on her arms and floated down to the reception room. “Good evening, Sir Moon. It’s an honor to see you again.”

“The honor is all mine Daffy,” replied the ancient figure. “I am sorry to have to disturb you at this late hour.”

“Sir, the name is Daphne, as I have told you several times already,” said the queen though gritted teeth. The old man was a bit off his rocker.

“Precisely what I said. Daffy.”

Brock, who was sitting in the corner, was trying to suppress a chuckle. The stoic elf rarely laughed, but he always seemed to find humor at the queen’s expense. She would have to talk to him later, but it was too late for arguing, and Moon was waiting.

“So, I assume this is not just a social visit?” Daphne asked.

“No unfortunately not. My son, Big Dipper is missing.”

Daphne was skeptical. Dipper was a restless soul. He was notorious for disappearing for days, weeks even, without any explanation. “How can you be sure he’s missing, Sir?”

“Well Daffy, I found this.” Moon held forward a scrap of paper. On it was a hastily scrawled note:

“I have gone to visit Jack Frost. If I have not returned by the first day of Snow Melt, something has gone terribly wrong. Go to Queen Daphne immediately, she will know what to do.

Sincerely,

Big Dipper”

“Oh no,” sighed Daphne. “I told him not to.”

“So you know what’s going on?”

“Yes Sir.” Daphne proceeded to explain how Dipper had come to her with a complaint about Jack Frost. Frost had stolen one of Dipper’s stars. Daphne had told him to go to the Queen of Winter, Justine. Justine was the ruler with jurisdiction over Frost. He had refused and went to confront Frost himself. That was two weeks ago.

“I see,” replied Moon after listening. “I must go after him.”

“With all due respect Sir, I think I must be the one to go.” This from Brock in the corner. “Her majesty should not go, but will insist and I should be the one to accompany and protect her.”

Daphne hid a smile. Brock had read her thoughts exactly, as usual. She was feeling guilty for not forcing Dipper to stay away from Frost and felt it her duty to straighten out this mess. “You may come with us if you like Sir Moon,” added Daphne. “The journey may be dangerous. If Dipper is being held against his will, there will be danger for all those looking to rescue him. Whatever you decide, we will leave tomorrow morning. If you want to travel with us, you will have to travel by day and sleep by night.”

Moon seemed relieved. “I trust you to bring my son back. I don’t think I should go. I would only slow you down. Besides, I will be able to track your progress from the sky.”

“As you wish, Sir,” said Daphne. “Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get to bed.” Back in the moss, Daphne folded her wings, exhausted. She abandoned the land of dreams for the seas of deep, uninterrupted sleep.

Tone Piece

It was late and the store was almost empty. The last of the customers were trickling through the check out line. The cashier was tired. She was almost done with her 5 hour shift. 20 more minutes and she could do her homework and finally sleep. The end of the line was approaching. The last person was a boy, about her age. Maybe a couple years older. He had big, warm eyes and a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. When his turn came, the smile won and she saw that the it was a wonderful smile, the kind that makes girls melt. She took his money and began counting the bills. There was a sudden felling of apprehension. Something was wrong. The bills were clever copies of fives. Well worn but the face was all wrong. In place of the president was a picture of the boy. Confused, the girl looked up. The boy had pulled out a gun. The smile remained on his face but all the warmth was gone from the eyes. They were cold obsidian. "Let's make this quick," he said. "It's getting rather late."

Disillusionment at Ten O'Clock -- Poetry Response #13

This poem is confusing and nonsensical at first glance. It might be talking about conformity. It talks about the color of night gowns at the beginning, saying that they are all uniform and none of them are weird. Stevens was of upper class, and married a woman that his parents considered of a lower class. She worked as a saleswoman, milliner and stenographer. This was not normal for an upper class woman in the early 1900's. Even though he was an educated man, Stevens felt that poets should "avoid intelligence" and write something from the imagination. This poem is very much about imagination, or the lack there of, in society. This poem is a comment on the fact that many people are unimaginative and boring. This idea comes off as negative. Stevens says that a drunk that is asleep in his boots has a much better imagination than normal people. Stevens is saying that being imaginative is more important than being accepted in high society.

Thanksgiving Poem

Thanksgiving is about family and friends and giving thanks
and about being a little bit sloppy.
We stuff our faces
with green bean casserole and cranberry sauce,
with delicious rolls and stuffing,
with pumpkin pie an ice cream,
and, of course, with turkey.
But we must remember the thanks,
we must remember family and friends,
and, above all, we must remember the giving.
To give thanks for family,
to give patients with family,
to give time to be with family.
So this Thanksgiving,
visit your parents, your grandparents, your family,
and sit, and eat, and give.

The Possibility -- Poetry Response #12

"The Possibility," by James Fenton sounds depressing. It made me think of someone with a writer's block of sorts; Fenton can't seem to do anything that he should be able to. When Fenton talks about the flower that was beautiful yesterday, he is referring the worth in life. He can't see the beauty and worth that he could see before. Throughout the poem, Fenton talks about what used to be. I get the feeling that Fenton feels stuck; he knows that he should be able to see the good in his work, that he should be able to see the beauty, but he can't. I think the possibility that Fenton refers to is a dream. When a person starts out, there is always the possibility of making a difference in the world or becoming famous, but after a while, a person can become depressed and discouraged. I think the possibility of doing something good seems to be fading for Fenton, which is why nothing seems beautiful or worthwhile anymore.

A Work of Artifice -- Poetry Response #11

"A Work of Artifice" by Margret Piercy is a very interesting piece. It is feminist. It is set in Chinese imagery; the bonsai tree, the bound feet. The bonsai tree is used to represent a woman. The gardener is society. Society dictates that a girl fit a certain mold. The mold is small and refined, delicate and gentle. This is image is almost universal. It seems like men would rather watch women than listen to them. I think that this has been changing though. Women are becoming more equal to men, and in some ways are considered superior. For example, a woman in engineering is automatically seen as smart and strong. It is assumed that this is needed to make it in engineering. Piercy's poem is a little outdated, but nonetheless, a comment on society and women.

Acquainted with the Night -- Poetry Response #10

I loved "Acquainted with the Night" by Robert Frost. It is dark and gloomy. When I picture this poem, I see is as a impressionistic painting of a person with his hands in his pockets and his head bowed, dragging his feet along a barely lit street. I think Frost was describing isolation. I know that when I feel alone, I feel as if  I could leave and no one would even notice my absence. Frost uses the background of London because London can be perceived as a dark and dangerous place. We know that Frost is talking about London because he refers to the "luminary clock" which is Big Ben. London can also be seen as full of life. When I think about London, I usually think about busy streets and crowds in the day time. I think that Frost, by emphasizing the night, is talking about what's under the surface, emotionally. I think the fact that Frost is talking about isolation in London shows that he can be surrounded by people, but underneath it all, he still feels like it's fake, like he's isolated.

Halloween!!

Mrs. White,

I am going to skip this weekend because of Halloween.

Sincerely,
Becky

The Human Condition -- Poetry Response #9

"The Human Condition" by Thom Gunn is a very odd poem. Gunn uses the fog to represent life. It is the distraction and struggles in life. He say that lights "press beams painfully / In a yard of fog around." I think this Gunn is saying that light, which usually represents good or a goal to reach, makes the distractions and struggles painfully obvious. When I read this, I thought of how sometimes goals seem unattainable and how trying to reach these goals can make a person feel overwhelmed. Take my college applications; I really want to go to Stanford or MIT but sometimes, I feel so overwhelmed by all of the work I have to do. It seems like I will never finish. I saw this as the light (college) showing the struggles (all the application work) in a painful way. I also think it is interesting that Gunn says "I am condemned to be / An individual." Usually people want to be individual, people don't want to conform. Gunn, however, seems to think that being individual is an inescapable thing and that it is a bad thing. When Gunn refers to "individual", I think he means "alone". I think the fog makes Gunn feel solitary. Fog blocks eyesight, and I think that Gunn can't really see anyone else, especially when the lights shine on the fog. Sometimes life gets so hectic and overwhelming that we forget that we have others to rely on. I think feeling alone occurs when nothing seems to be going according to plan. The lights and the fog represent this feeling.

A Study of Reading Habits -- Poetry Response #8

A Study of Reading Habits by Philip Larkin is surprising. There are three stanzas, all depicting a different stage of life. The first is when he is a boy. He shows himself as a smaller boy who probably tried to stay out of every one's way, but escaped into his books where he was the hero. He could beat up anyone that picked on him in the books. The second stanza depicts the next stage of his life. At this point, he thinks it's more fun to be evil than good. The characters he related to were more violent and bloodthirsty. Finally, the third stanza shows probably middle age. This is my favorite stanza because the end of it is a surprise. This stanza talks about not reading much because the speaker is depressed by books; when he reads, he identifies with the minor characters with no backbone or courage. Then he says "Get stewed: Books are a load of crap." This is the surprise. It is almost startling. I didn't see it coming the first time I read the poem. It is almost as if the speaker goes from to depressed to angry in a second. I enjoyed how Larkin was able to capture different mind sets.

I, Too, Sing America -- Poetry Response #7

"I, Too, Sing America" by Langston Hughes is a simple poem. The idea of it is fairly easy to see; it is about the treatment of African American people in the U.S. Hughes is saying that African American people are part of America too, even if many people don't want to recognize it. Hughes portrays himself as a slave by mentioning being sent to the kitchen when company comes, but he also portrays himself as a part of the family by calling himself a brother and implying that he eats with the family normally.  This shows the in between status of African Americans at the time. The second half of the poem is hopeful. Hughes talks about finally eating with the company. This poem was written in 1925, so I think that Hughes is talking about the Harlem Renaissance. This time period was a time of advancement for many African Americans, and I think that this poem embodies the hopes of African Americans at the time.

The Hollow Men part V -- Poetry Response #6

In general, "The Hollow Men" by T.S. Eliot is a very interesting and slightly chilling poem. My favorite part is the last part. Eliot uses a variation of a nursery rhyme to start the section. The image I get is of someone standing is some barren place. There is no one else around, but there is this song playing, probably from some child's abandoned toy. It sings, “Here we go round the prickly pear / Prickly pear prickly pear / Here we go round the prickly pear / At five o’clock in the morning.” It seems like the nursery rhyme, something that usually represents innocence and happiness, is mocking whoever is listening to it, reminding them of what used to be. The way that Eliot writes the whole last section reminds me of a song. I can almost hear a minor tune in a guitar, maybe a little drum set, something a punk band might play. The words all carry the same idea; they all lead to the Shadow. I think the shadow refers to the fact that underneath everything is nothing, that we have created our own reality that is just an illusion. He adds the phrase “For Thine is the Kingdom” between the chunks referring to shadow. He places them between the chunks, just like the shadows. The phrase is part of the Lord’s Prayer which represents Christianity. I think he’s saying that religion is one of the realities we create.

A Chinese Bowl -- Poetry Response #5

"A Chinese Bowl" can be interpreted as rather gloomy, but I like to see it as more nostalgic than anything. It describes life before things became complicated for the author. In the very beginning, the author is almost childish; the images used are simple, like the “treasure-finding rabbit,” the “shadow of a sparrow’s wing,” and the “satisfying chocks.” Then the author begins to talk about more complex ideas, like the metal cabinet full of folders with “adult” stuff. None of this is all too depressing though, just reminiscent. At least until the last sentence; "What could / I drink from you / clear green tea / or iron-bitter / water / that would renew / my fallen life?" This image of a fallen life is rather depressing. It portrays the regrets the author has and her yearning to make everything better. I think though, that this poem is really a reflection of life. I think that most of it not bitter or regretful.

To Myself -- Poetry Response #4

"To Myself" is a poem that is not quite as interesting as others. It seems to be written as a stream of consciousness. It doesn't have any breaks or punctuation at all. This form of writing is typically a little bit harder to follow. The poem really seems to be the author reminding himself to find himself. This is fairly relatable, but I feel like my definition of "myself" is always being changed at least a little bit. The poem really never comes to a close, so this could be a reflection of a person's continued search for "their self". This poem didn't really have some deep and complicated meaning. This is both good and bad. It is nice to have an uncomplicated poem; however, some meaning makes analysis of the poem seem worthwhile. I didn't enjoy this poem as much as some of the others. I think my biggest issue was how the whole thing sounded like nonsense.

In Blackwater Woods -- Poetry Response #3

"In Blackwater Woods" is a pensive poem. It uses nature to describe or deal with loss. It probably took place after some sort of tragedy that the author has experienced. It uses the metaphor of a fire to show rejuvination. "[T]he fires / and the black river of loss / whose other side / is salvation." The fire is the event that was tragic or painful. The river could be the ashes that follow the fire. These ashes provide nutrients that help plants thrive. This represents rebirth. The author is basically saying that good comes out of bad. She then talks about three things that are needed for a person to live: "to love what is mortal; / to hold it / against you bones knowing / your own life depends on it; / and, when the time comes to let it go, / to let it go." I think these three things are very important. You need to be able to love and embrace something even if it is mortal and be able to let it go when its gone. Of course I could be reading too far into the meaning of the poem. It could simply be a walk in the woods ending in thoughts. Either way, I enjoyed the poem.

P.S. Sorry it's late.

Mr. Fear -- Poetry Response #2

Besides "Wallflower," "Mr. Fear" is my favorite poem in this packet. I love the idea of Fear being a person.  I especially love the line wondering if Fear regrets having to give us fears. This really sets Fear as a personality. It makes Fear seem more human. If Fear is indeed human, then he might have a heart, and if he has a heart, then maybe he can be reasoned with. The whole poem takes this idea of Fear and shrinks it into a very conquerable thing. This view of defeating Fear is one of the reasons I like this poem so much. The structure of the poem is simple. It is arranged in six stanzas, each with four lines. The punctuation follows the sentences, and there is not always a punctuation mark at the end of a line. There is no particular rhyming pattern, yet the poem flows nicely. In the first three stanzas, the author defines Fear. This is the part of the poem in which Fear is personified. In the last three stanzas, the author bargains with Fear, asking for a small fear that can easily be forgotten.

The Adventure by Angels & Airwaves

Hey, this is something I'm doing for Pyschology. Will you read and comment please?

Lyrics

 I wanna have the same last dream again,
the one where I wake up and I'm alive.

Just as the four walls close me within,

my eyes are opened up with pure sunlight.

I'm the first to know,

my dearest friends,

even if your hope has burned with time,

anything that's dead shall be re-grown,

and your vicious pain, your warning sign,

you will be fine.

Hey, oh, here I am,

and here we go, life's waiting to begin.

Any type of love - it will be shown,

like every single tree reach for the sky.

If you're gonna fall, I'll let you know,

that I will pick you up like you for I,

I felt this thing,

I can't replace.

Where everyone was working for this goal.

Where all the children left without a trace,

only to come back, as pure as gold,

To recite this all.

Hey, oh, here I am,

and here we go, life's waiting to begin.

Tonight,

hey, oh, here I am,

and here we go, life's waiting to begin.(2X)

I cannot live, I can't breathe

unless you do this with me(6X)

Hey, oh, here I am (do this with me),

and here we go, life's waiting to begin (do this with me).

Hey, oh, here I am (do this with me).

And here we go, life's waiting to begin,

life's waiting to begin.

The singer starts out describing a dream where he is alive to the fullest. He creates an image of epiphany with the idea of sunlight and closing walls. He gets a glimpse of something better that could be before his vision goes back to the way things are. The chorus shares this idea of something more, something beyond life up until this point. “Life’s waiting to begin.” I can totally relate to that line. The whole song embodies the longing for more out of life, the position of someone not totally satisfied with their life. I relate to this longing; I think there is more to life than what I am experiencing in high school, and I cannot wait until I experience what is beyond high school. The second verse describes a sort of utopia. He describes it as a community in which “everyone was working for this goal”. The song in general sends the message that life could be better, and will be better if we just let it begin. This closely matches my outlook on life right now. I feel almost over prepared with all the advice and preparation for my future. I know that the advice, for the most part, is good, but I don’t think any amount of advice will keep me from making mistakes. I will, hopefully, not make any dumb mistakes, but messing up is a part of life and I am sure that I will mess up several times, which is not a bad thing. I’m ready for the rest of my life to begin.

The general sound of the piece is upbeat. There is a steady beat all the way through and the chord progression repeats every 4 bars. This format is very comfortable and laid back. It fits with the whole idea of letting life just begin. The song is also upbeat which also adds to the sense of security.

Wallflowers - Poetry Blog #1

I really enjoyed reading "Wallflowers". It is a poem about words. The words in the poem are like little characters just waiting to be noticed. The form of the poem is very loose. There are 5 stanzas. The 1st, 3rd and 4th stanzas have four lines, the 2nd stanza has two lines, and the last stanza has 6 lines. I could find no rhyming pattern. I think the free verse fits the topic. The poem is very light and cheerful. It starts out playfully; the author plays with an idea that has just recently occurred to him. Then thinking about it deeper, the author wonders what the lonely, unclaimed words feel. The first idea is solemn. It would be depressing if the words felt that way. The second idea is more merry, there is more chance for hope, for a better future. In the last part, the author comes up with a way for the words to shine; the author invites the words into his poem glow. The poem follows the natural progression of idea, and flows really well, even without a set structure.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby was a bit more upbeat than The Kite Runner, but not much. The Great Gatsby highlights the hypocrisy and the effect of misunderstandings in the upper class in the 1920's. The main example of this is Tom. He has a wife, Daisy, and a mistress, Myrtle, yet he is appalled to find that his wife is in love with a man, Gatsby, that she has not seen for 5 years, and that she wants to split up. Daisy is a bit whimsical; she abandons Gatsby at the first sign that Gatsby has a bad past. Gatsby is one of the only gentlemen in the whole book. His love of Daisy is such that he will do anything for her, included covering for her when she accidently hits and kills Myrtle while driving Gatsby's car. Tom believes Gatsby is responsible for killing Myrtle, so he tells his Myrtle's husband that Gatsby did it. The husband, Wilson believes that Gatsby is the person that was having an affair with Myrtle, and that Gatsby was angry with Myrtle, so he killed her. Wilson confronts Gatsby and both men end up dead. Nick, the narrator of the whole story, appears to be one of the only true friends Gatsby had even though Nick knew him the least. Nick is one of the few people to show up at Gatsby's funeral. Niether Tom nor Daisy realized the effect that thier actions had on the life of Gatsby. Nick ends up being disgusted with them and concludes that life is an endless struggle to the past with the hope that this time you'll be able to make, this time you'll get what missed the first time. That is what Gatsby was doing. He wanted to marry Daisy, to make things the way they were 5 years ago.

The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner is a disturbing but well written book. It focuses on one man's struggle to rid himself of guilt throughout his lifetime. I don't really know where to start with this book. I haven't read anything like it before. Parts of it are really hard to relate to because I have no experience in this type of environment. The whole book has to do with events going in circles. Amir, the main character is constanly getting a second chance, in a convoluted way. He is saved from Assef by Hassan. He then stands by and does nothing while Assef rapes Hassen a few years later. As an adult, Amir finds himself in a simular situation: Assef is only thing standing in Amir's way when Amir goes back to Afganistan to rescue Hassan's son, Sohrab. This time Amir fights Assef. Assef still has the upper hand and probably would have killed Amir if Sohrab had not rescued Amir with a slingshot. Ironically, this is the same way Hassan protected Amir years earlier. After Amir gets Sohrab out of Afganistan, the book seems to be almost dragging, like getting out of Afganistan was where it was supossed to resolve everything, and life goes on, happily ever after. But this is not to be, before getting to America, Sohrab tries to commit suicide rather that go to an orphanage (which, ironically, he never had to go to). This development makes Sohrab and Amir have troubles with thier relationship, which makes Amir feel guilty again. At the very end of the book, Amir "runs a kite" for Sohrab just as Hassan did for Amir so many years ago, bringing the whole book full circle with the hope of a better future.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

The Heart of Darkness was one of the shortest long books I have ever read. It was only 72 pages long, yet it took a couple weeks to get thourgh. As near as I can tell, Conrad uses the book to show what drives different people. In the jungle, the men reverted to their simplest forms. Each man had to find something to live for in order to not give up on life. Mr. Kurtz, for example, lived for the acquisition of ivory and power. The Russian was so devoted to Kurtz because Kurtz represented a greater purpose. Even outside to jungle, Kurtz's Intended needed his memory to live for. The other thing the jungle did was bring out the faults of the men. Kurtz was power hungry, and with no people around to judge him, Kurtz was barbaric. Once he was among white men again, he seemed to understand what he had done (his dying words being "the horror, the horror"). Another point that Conrad seemed to push was that women create an alternate world. The two main examples were Marlow's aunt, who thought that the jungle was this savage place full of adventures and missionaries, and Kurtz's Intended, who believed that Kurtz was faithful to the last, and would have been heart broken to learn otherwise. In a way, though, the men also created thier alternate worlds. Kurtz had his savages to worship him. The trading company had its ivory. People within the company were focused on different positions to hold. Everyone had a focus upon which they built thier world.