The Purpose of Our Existence: Gerontion

The poem “Gerontion,” by T.S. Eliot is filled with so much information that a whole host of different interpretations can be derived from it. For the sake of space I will only discuss it in its most literal term. The word Gerontion means old man in Greek, which is the narrator of this poem. The old man, seemingly near the end of his life discussed the issues of life and questions his existence. He himself not doing anything of great importance in his life and although he questions why he was even placed on earth, he knows that he will still continue on. Eliot describes this continuation in his allusion to the spider. He states, “What will the spider do,” the old man comparing to himself, which questions will he continue his menial existence of a life that has no special meaning or continue as the spider does in the same manner he always has. Eliot digs into the inner questions of every human; why are we here, what is our purpose, why do we value certain aspects of our culture, which make takes this poem deeper and more relatable.

Strong Men

I most closely related with the poem, “Strong Men,” by Sterling Brown. Brown discusses the struggles of African Americans who seem to be overcoming every hurdle that is thrown at them by white people. He begins the poem with the voyage of Africans, Brown even states that, “they broke you in like oxen,” which is the breaking of the Africans spirit and culture like they were wild animals only good enough for labor (675). Through his discussion of the black struggle, he gives us hope by implementing old spirituals that represent the unbroken spirit of the people. Inspiration is provided in lines like, “walk togedder, chillen, dontcha git weary…,” which shows how Africans Americans push each other to keep going (676). With time Brown know that as a people we will eventually break through, “The strong men gitten’ stronger” (677).  He also shows that with each struggle conquered by blacks as a people we are getting closer to that goal. 

Maybe Lonely Is Not So Bad

Valentine Ackland expresses the duality experienced by single women in her poem, “Lonely Woman”. She discusses how part of the woman’s feelings dwell on her loneliness and anger because of this fact. She states, “Teased by its fancies and angry at being alone,” which explains how a woman who would like to share her day has no one to share it with and has nothing to do but think about how lonely she is (Dowson 36). Ackland also talks about how the woman unbeknown to her is also independent and free from most other problems faced by people who have a companion. She writes, “But now I am happy, and read, and do not think,” which shows how the woman’s feelings in one sitting drastically changes and she is comforted by simple thinks like a book (Dowson 36). This poem displays Ackland’s poetry style in that it describes feeling multiple ways at once and while happy with one aspect a person can also feel sorrow in another.

The Piano

D.H. Lawrence discusses part of his childhood in the poem “Piano”. In this poem, Lawrence seems to have a bitter sweet memory of his mother and part of him longs for the past while another part is seemingly disgusted by it. Lawrence does not intend to make his poem about the past glamorous with perfect form but there is a natural beauty in the way his free verse flows. Although he has been known to despise his mother’s power over him, in this poem he still yearns for the past time that he spent with her. Lawrence states this feeling when he discloses, “In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of song betrays me back, till the heart of me weeps to belong” (329). He openly suggests that although his mother was overbearing at times there were still times in his life that he just wanted to be a part and belong in areas like piano playing. Although the poem has sadness it is honest in that memories always bring feelings that are good and bad.

A Very Valentine: Significance in Repetition

Gertrude Stein makes an art out of repetition and seemingly broken stanzas. More meaning is placed in simple words, which makes her poems about everyday life and occurences appear to have greater importance. General feelings about emotion and relationships is discussed in the poem, "A Very Valentine." Stein continuously repeats the words, "very," "fine," "mine," and "valentine," but the order in which she places the words in different lines just signifies to the reader the heightened experience the author is feeling about the ownership of her significant other. "Very mine is my valentine very mine and very fine," states Stein with words that have the most importance also rhyming and somehow the repetitiveness does the emotion justice. Short and to the point this poem represents imagism in that it is a moment in time that expresses the current feeling in an exact and to the point kind of manner. 

The Pike

Amy Lowell seems to stay true to the imagist style of writing in the poem, "The Pike". It contains no apparent illusions and simply seems to vividly describe the fish in its natural habitat. From my understanding of the freshwater fish, it is usually described as being aggressive and not as beautiful as Lowell suggests in her poem. She places most of the emphasis of this poem on colors like, "a green- and- copper brightness," and "came the olive- green light;" which really makes it easier for the reader to imagine the image that she sees (199). The contrast between what I imagine when I think of a pike in comparison to the description that Lowell gives is sharp, but also shows both sides of the fish. The pike is beautiful in color but has been known for its predatory like hunting. Lowell seems to state this as well when she says, "A darkness and a gleam," seemingly discussing both natures of the fish.

Ivor Gurney: Mixed Feelings

Ivor Gurney has an interesting viewpoint when the subject manner is war. Some might believe that he is glorifying war in the poem “First Time In,” however I believe that he is simply expressing real feelings that seem to come together in a peculiar manner in situations such as war. He mixes beauty with fear when describing how he felt when he first entered action. Unlike some of the other war poets, Gurney seems to be very in tune with and up close and personal with the war and what occurs. Being that Garney was a private instead of an officer works as a way to remove the distance felt in other similar poems written about war. He discusses the warmness felt from the folk music of the Welsh which seems to be even better with the guns going off. He states “Beautiful tune to which roguish words by Welsh pit boys are sung—but never more beautiful than there under the guns’ noise” (496). Gurney displays how even in something as scary as war beauty is all around and is mixed in with that fear.