Poetry+2+-+8

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media type="custom" key="805395" **  "We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. "    **  from Dead Poet's Society



 Excelsior by: Henry Longfellow

The shades of night were falling fast, As through an Alpine village passed A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice, A banner with the strange device, Excelsior!

His brow was sad; his eye beneath, Flashed like a falchion from its sheath, And like a silver clarion rung The accents of that unknown tongue, Excelsior!

In happy homes he saw the light Of household fires gleam warm and bright; Above, the spectral glaciers shone, And from his lips escaped a groan, Excelsior!

"Try not the Pass!" the old man said: "Dark lowers the tempest overhead, The roaring torrent is deep and wide! And loud that clarion voice replied, Excelsior!

"Oh stay," the maiden said, "and rest Thy weary head upon this breast!" A tear stood in his bright blue eye, But still he answered, with a sigh, Excelsior!

"Beware the pine-tree's withered branch! Beware the awful avalanche!" This was the peasant's last Good-night, A voice replied, far up the height, Excelsior!

At break of day, as heavenward The pious monks of Saint Bernard Uttered the oft-repeated prayer, A voice cried through the startled air, Excelsior!

A traveller, by the faithful hound, Half-buried in the snow was found, Still grasping in his hand of ice That banner with the strange device, Excelsior!

There in the twilight cold and gray, Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay, And from the sky, serene and far, A voice fell, like a falling star, Excelsior!

__Analysis:__ In Latin, the word "Excelsior" means "even higher". The young man in Excelsior travels through a village ignoring warnings and struggles to reach his goal to make his way to the top of the mountain, only to freeze to death. Longfellow's message in Excelsior is that obsession with a goal is not good if it becomes self-destructive. Although the protagonist of Excelsior dies, there is an **__irony__** in his end: although he is consumed by death, "lifeless", he is "beautiful." Longfellow also utilizes **__Simile__** to detail the determination and power of the poem's hero. His eye "flashed like a falchion from its sheath," from under his brow. A falchion is a European, single-edged sword which, in this case, exemplifies the man's perspective of his quest; essentially, his eyes had the determination for him to proceed to the top of the mountain, but the "sheath" of reality covered the idea's shine. Additionally, the constant __**repetition**__ of the "Excelsior!" gives the poem a perpetual motion of moving "even higher," as it translates to. The traveler continues moving upward, intending to reach the mountain's peak, but instead, making it all the way to heaven!

 Somewhere in the Between by: Streetlight Manifesto You were gone when we found you You were practically surrounded, you were trapped But the opposition stalled, their blood ran cold When they saw the look of love in your eyes Maybe the times we had, they weren't that bad And everything else was part of the plan We sang: "I don't know where we go from here" This is the alpha, omega, beginning and the end And we all just idolize the dead So you were born (So you were born!), and that was a good day Someday you'll die (Someday you'll die!), and that is a shame But somewhere in the between was a life of which we all dream And nothing and no one will ever take that away You had a love and that love had you And nothing mattered, you were fine And some will complain, they're just bitter, what a shame They know that loving and losing is better than nothing at all Maybe the times we had, they weren't that bad And everything else was part of our path We sang: "I don't know where we go from here" This is the anthem, the slogan, the summary of events And we all just idealize the past So you were born (So you were born!), and that was a good day Someday you'll die (Someday you'll die!), and that is a shame But somewhere in the between was a life of which we all dream And nothing and no one will ever take that away Yeah the times we had, they were not that bad And everything else it was part of the plan We sang: "I don't know where we go from here" This is the alpha (Alpha!), omega (Omega!), beginning and the end And we all just idolize the dead So you were born (So you were born!), and that was a good day Someday you'll die (Someday you'll die!), and that is a shame But somewhere in the between you lived a life of which we all dream And nothing and no one will ever take that away  And someday soon my friends, this ride will come to an end But we can't just get in line again

__Analysis:__ Somewhere in the Between is a song written about the mortality of man. The writer speaks to the listener, saying "So you were born, that was a good day, someday you'll die, and that's a shame," talking about two major parts of the cycle of life: birth, and death. However, the **__speaker__** conveys the attitude that as long as the listener lives a good life, and experiences the happiness that love can bring, he should feel content and value time spent with others: "You had a love and that love had you, nothing mattered, you were fine, and some will complain, they're just bitter, what a shame, they know that loving and loosing is better than nothing at all." Additionally, the **__lyric__** "But somewhere in the the between was a life of which we all dream, and nothing and no one will ever take that away," is a **__symbol__** for finding their nirvana.

   **Fire <span style="color: rgb(3, 2, 2)">and ** <span style="color: rgb(92, 176, 240)">**Ice** by: Robert Frost



__Analysis:__ Fire and Ice is a poem about the end of the world. Frost uses fire as a **__metaphor__** for desire which can consume a person as fire consumes its surroundings if allowed to spread. He uses ice as a **__metaphor__** for hatred since feelings of hate can freeze one's emotions. The speaker states that he would rather end by fire (desire). Frost states that should he have to die again, ice would be a suitable death as well, since hate can be just as powerful an emotion as desire.

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** Tempest ** by: Nick I walk the tightropes of my mind I'm belted by wind and then I find That nothing's clear, I need to see I'm drawing a blank and I need to break free

Tempest! Drawing nigh Drawing the clouds and darkening the sky Hear the call Release the mind Ferocious wind And lack of time

A glimmer of hope A shard of fate Let the rest manifest As I contemplate I will be ready The end will be soon I sharpen my mind And I dull the harpoon

Tempest! Drawing nigh Drawing the clouds and darkening the sky Hear the call Release the mind Ferocious wind And lack of time

__Analysis:__ Tempest is a song I wrote for my incredibly short-lived second band, The Plan. Tempest's **__theme__** is overcoming stress, as I wrote it to describe my feelings during a very stressful time in my life. I thought one of the best **__analogies__** for stress is a violent storm, such as a tempest, which is the basis of this song. In the first **__verse__**, the singer likens his state to walking on a tightrope in a storm, which I imagine would be very frightening. The speaker then goes on to say that "nothing's clear," and that they need to find a way to escape the anxiety. The song's chorus represents a large amount of stress, which I compare to an oncoming storm. The speaker says that they must "release the mind," which I used as a **__metaphor__** for relaxing. In the second verse, the speaker talks about "a glimmer of hope..." which parallels my own hope in stressful situations. Then "I sharpen my mind, and I dull the harpoon." These lines represent an ease of mind.

<span style="font-size: 150%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 150%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">A Hero's Song by: Nick

Are you going to be a coward Or are you going to do your part? Are you going to run away Or will you be true to you heart?

The teachers teach The soldiers war The lovers love Til they're no more

Because without a cause A person's nothing in the end, Like a fisher without nets, And like a writer without pens

Don't you know they need a leader, With a hero's attitude. They're looking for your guidance And your hero's fortitude

In the final hour You were standing by my side We had braved the waves of battle And withstood the raging tide.

Now we lift our hearts to you, You were the greatest of them all. When we needed you the most, You were the answer to our call.

__Analysis:__ A Hero's Song is a song I wrote just recently. It's about the value of courage, which I admire. So much so, that the "protagonist" is a **__symbol__** of bravery and selflessness. I intitially wrote this song from the **__point of view__** of someone addressing an aged battle hero, but upon rereading it I felt that it could also be interpreted as a religious **__allusion__**.

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Parody of "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter

by: Wai-tim

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Where are the words you needed the most? You pick up the pen but the idea is lost? They tell you that finals have been moved to May But your best classmate moved away and now you won't get no A at all...

You look at the time but you're writin' too slow You were caught unaware when the proctor said go Making a poem with a rhyme You did it in English every time and now you won't get no A at all...

Because you took some bad notes You're 30 points down You wanna go to Harvard but they turned you around Your friends, they don't know You tried to factor Pi You're feelin' really down like an Angle Side Side You took some bad notes Teachers don't lie Your mom she just frowns and you feel like you'll die You took some bad notes... You took some bad notes.

So where is the person you needed the most? Oh, my friend and I, We stayed up all night 'till the problem was solved...

Because you took some bad notes You're 30 points down You wanna go to Harvard but they turned you around Your class, they don't know You tried to factor Pi You're feelin' really down like an Angle Side Side You took some bad notes Teachers don't lie Your mom she just frowns and you feel like you'll die You took some bad notes... You took some bad notes!

__Analysis:__ This parody of Daniel Powter's //Bad Day// explores the minuscule errors that my lead a great student into a void of bad grades and mediocre college acceptances. The poem uses __**denotation**__ to describe the events are described; nothing is implied. __**Hyperbole**__ is briefly in the line, "Because you took some bad notes you're 30 points down." Of course this statement is somewhat of an exaggeration; however it is used to effectively factor the different obstacles that come in the way of one's academic goals.

<span style="display: block; font-size: 150%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center">Parody of Anabel Lee by: Edgar Allen Poe  <span style="font-size: 150%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> Nintendo Wii by: Nick <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> It was many and many a month ago <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">In a Gamestop by a tree <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">That a system was sold that you may know <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">By the name of Nintendo Wii;- <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">And this system lived with no other thought <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Than to play and be played by me. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">It was a child, and I was a child, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">In this Gamestop by a tree; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">But I loved with a love which was more than love- <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">I and my Nintendo Wii <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">With a love that Wii-less gamers of earth <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Coveted me and my Wii. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">And this was the reason that, long ago, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">In this Gamestop by a tree, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">A soda fell out of a cup, shocking <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">My beautiful Nintendo Wii; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">So that its high-born manufacturers came <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">And bore it away from me <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">To shut it up in a repair shop <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">In the Gamestop by a tree. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">My opponents, not so happy on Earth, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Went taunting my Wii and me; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Yes! That was the reason (as all men know, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">In this Gamestop by the tree) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">That the soda came out of the cup, shocking <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">And killing my Nintendo Wii. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">But our love it was stronger by far than the love <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Of those who tried wrecking my Wii- <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Of many far nerdier than me- <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">And neither the angels of Heaven above, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Nor the demons down under the tree <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Can ever dissever my soul from the RAM, Of the beautiful Nintendo Wii:- <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Of the beautiful Nintendo Wii; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">And the stars never rise when I don’t feel the highs <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Of playing by beautiful Wii; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Of my darling, my darling, my life and my pride <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">In its repair shop there by the tree- <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">In its tomb in the Gamestop by the tree.

__Analysis:__ //Nintendo Wii// is the story of a boy who became a little too obsessed with his Nintendo Wii. Once he spills soda on it, it is ruined forever! In this poem, Gamestop, the repair shop, is a __**symbol**__ of death. The Nintendo Wii is often enhanced by **__personification__**; "Of the beautiful Nintendo Wii", and "And killing my Nintendo Wii" make it seem full of life, having beauty, and being killed. This device helps create a more strong and realistic bond between the gamer and the Wii.



** Ice Cream ** by: Venkat

How I longed for the taste to last, I could feel the cold spreading fast. My tongue thrust forth with no lack; I couldn't resist going back. Away my senses went today, as my lips closed, my insides swayed. So colorful, tasty, blissful it was, but what is the deal, the unavoidable fuss? What began as indulgence became obsession. Spinning, turning was my head, I now knew with what I be wed. I required more, more of this magic, just a bite--no, a tub, many a lick! Adequate, sufficient, enough--//enough!// I crave no more of this useless fluff. How can I concentrate anymore? None else is food--makes my mouth sore. A piece of my soul is lost forever-- in this ice cream--forever lost!

__Analysis:__ //Ice Cream// is a poem about desires in life and attachment leading to obsession, and essentially insanity. The author uses much **__symbolism__** to suggest the idea of a simple, primitive lifestyle being superior to one of wants and needs. In the first line, "How I longed for the taste to last," the reader believes this taste is that of the ice cream, as suggested by the title; however, it is really a __**connotation**__ for the taste of possession, and the materialism that accompanies it. When the narrator tastes the ice cream, he desires for it to last. The next line, "I could feel the cold spreading fast," is not literal, but rather implies that the sensation of material joy spreads quickly. "I required more of this magic" is the line where the narrator realizes for sure that he physically requires more of the "ice cream" (whatever desire it my represent) in order to be, supposedly, content. Then, when he says, "Adequate, sufficient, enough--", he begins by trying to convince himself that what he has had so far is plenty, but then cries out, "//enough!//" Epiphany now strikes him and makes him notice he cannot stop no matter how hard he tries. The last two lines summarize the general meaning of the poem, "A piece of my soul is lost forever--in this ice cream--forever lost!" The narrator has created an unbreakable attachment that follows him as long as he lives.



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__Works Cited__ __Ask.com__. 2008. 1 June 2008 < [| http://www.ask.com>.] Bonver, Edward. “Excelsior.” __Poetry Lovers Page__. 2006. 1 June 2008 < [| http://www.poetryloverspage.com/‌poets/‌longfellow/‌excelsior.html>.] __Book Rags__. 2006. Wikipedia. 1 June 2008 < [| http://www.bookrags.com/‌wiki/‌Excelsior_(Longfellow)>.] __Henry Wadsworth Longfellow__. 2008. Maine Historical Society. 1 June 2008 < [| http://www.hwlongfellow.org/‌works_overview.shtml>.] Poe, Edgar Allan. “Annabel Lee.” __Edgar Allan Poe Major Tales and Poems__. 1849. Ann Arbor: Borders Classics, 2003. 362-363.   “Somewhere in the Between.”  __LyricsMode__. 2008. 1 June 2008 [| http://www.lyricsmode.com/‌lyrics/‌s/‌streetlight_manifesto/‌somewhere_in_the_between.html</span] >