When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d, was a very difficult piece for me to read. I had no clue what was going on. Whitman seemed to drag thing on. I prefer more of the straight to the point stories. I know that with poetry authors like to stretch things a bit, but not for nine lines! Readers, well at least with me, get bored when stories go on and on. These are the times I need help breaking down what the author is really trying to communicate. Maybe it will make more sense when I read it tomorrow at the cemetery, I don’t know.
Some lines that I enjoyed were, “Song of the bleeding throat, Death’s outlet song of life, (for well dear brother I know, if thou was not granted to sing thou would’st surely die.)” I am not quite certain what all that means, but I liked the way it was written. I also liked, “…with every leaf a miracle-and from this bush in the dooryard, with delicate-color’d blossoms and heart-shaped leaves of rich green, a sprig with its flower I break.” Again, I don’t think I really understand this, but I love nature, and this section contained ‘nature words.’
Overall, When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d is very well written, and definitely advanced. I feel like I need notes at the bottom of the page describing what he’s talking about, the way some bibles do. I am a little nervous, but never the less anxious to finishing reading it tonight, and then again tomorrow. Graveyards creep me out, as I’m sure they do many people, but it will again give me time to slow down and really try my best to break it down by myself. I pray that God would open up my heart to this idea.
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I had difficulty understanding the literal meaning of what Whitman was trying to say in the poem too. I do not know if it meant more to you when you read it in the cemetery, but it still did not make sense to me!
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think God can speak to us about anything if we pray for Him to reveal what He has to say through it! So, I'm right there praying with ya girl haha :)
I think the majority of the class had difficulty understanding the poem including myself. Reading it in the cemetery helped me a little but not much. It kindof put me more in the mood of the poem but thats about it. Hopefully you got better sense out of it than me. Oh, and i agree! It should have notes in it like the Bible does.
ReplyDeleteKatie, I'm right there with you. I didn't really get a lot of what he was saying, other than maybe we should take advantage of the time we're given.
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