In Honor of Halloween ...

In honor of the holiday I offer this selection from Rudyard Kipling. I won't ask too many leading questions. I'll only say that I'm interested to see what each of you think. I look forward to reading your replies.

“The Vampire”

A fool there was and he made his prayer
(Even as you and I!)
To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair
(We called her the woman who did not care),
But the fool he called her his lady fair
(Even as you and I!)

Oh the years we waste and the tears we waste
And the work of our head and hand,
Belong to the woman who did not know
(And now we know that she never could know)
And did not understand.

A fool there was and his goods he spent

(Even as you and I!)

Honor and faith and a sure intent

But a fool must follow his natural bent

(And it wasn't the least what the lady meant),

(Even as you and I!)

Oh the toil we lost and the spoil we lost

And the excellent things we planned,

Belong to the woman who didn't know why

(And now we know she never knew why)

And did not understand.

The fool we stripped to his foolish hide

(Even as you and I!)

Which she might have seen when she threw him aside--

(But it isn't on record the lady tried)

So some of him lived but the most of him died--

(Even as you and I!)

And it isn't the shame and it isn't the blame

That stings like a white hot brand.

It's coming to know that she never knew why

(Seeing at last she could never know why)

And never could understand.

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It Must Be Something ...

I realize we're all still dancing with "Jabberwocky," but I thought we might consider multitasking. Consider the following poem (don't worry ... it's brief).

"To the Field Goal Kicker in a Slump"

It must be something
like writer’s block,
when nothing will go
between the margins,
when language won’t soar
high enough,
when you wake
in the morning and know
you’ve chosen
the wrong game.

     - Linda Pastan

Please take a moment, and share your thoughts with everyone. Do we love this poem? ... hate it? ... are we absolutely indifferent to it?

Does the poem work for you, and if so, what makes it work? What is going on here?

Be brave ... poetry doesn't bite unless you give it the opportunity.

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Lost In Translation Part Deux: The Return of Mimsy

As some of you may know, the verse highlighted in the previous string is a selection from Lewis Carroll's poem, "Jabberwocky." Here is the poem in its entirety:

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!

"He took his vorpal sword in hand:

Long time the manxome foe he sought—

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back."

And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"

He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

You should know that the poem is often used by teachers as an illustration of portmanteau, and to help students learn to identify the various parts of speech. A portmanteau word (portmanteau is most often used as an adjective) is a combination of two words, without the comma common to contractions. For example, "frumious" is often regarded as a combination of furious and fuming. "Galumphing" is thought to be a combination of galloping and triumphant. If this interests you then you'll find all of this information online. None of this, however, matters in the context of our discussion. We'll be looking at the nonsensical words in the poem as just that, nonsense.

What is the first question English teachers ask when you read a poem in class? I know that you know. So, tell me. What is it?

That's right. Teachers always ask, "What does the poem mean?"

Your response is usually, "How should I know?" At that point you tune out and begin drooling on yourself, while the teacher tells you what he or she thinks the poem means. This isn't how I like to do business.

Yes, I'll be asking about the meaning of the poem, but I won't be supplying an answer. I'll also be asking an equally important, and often overlooked question. Here goes ...

"How does the poem mean?"

Specifically, how does Lewis Carroll use nonsense to add meaning to his poem?

So, we have two questions that I am asking each of you to answer ...

• What does the poem mean? What is it all about?
• How do the portmanteau words - the nonsense - add to the meaning of the poem?

Be not afraid of the jabberwock. Heed not the jaws that bite or the claws that catch. Put your fingers to your keyboard, and demonstrate that you're capable of lucid thought.

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Lost In Translation

I would like for each of you to translate the following lines. Some of you may recognize them. If you do, don't let on as to the source. All will be revealed in time.

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

I must insist that you not use any reference material (dictionaries, Google, Wiki-anything, etc.). Rather, simply substitute words you know for those you do not understand. Use your imagination to give the selection meaning where there might otherwise appear to be none.

Again ... Absolutely No Search Engines (like Google) ... Search Engines Bad ... Search Engines Very Bad ... Search Engines Make Brains Small ... Search Engines Make Mongo Angry!

Remember to respond to the initial post, and later reply to at least one of your classmates' submissions. Everyone submits a minimum of two comments.

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Distant Strains of Triumph

Hello everyone. Tonight I found myself thinking about the title of our blog, and I thought I would share with you the source of that title. After you've read the poem that follows, please share your thoughts with the class. Do you like the poem? ... why or why not? Does the poem have a specific message? If so, how does the poem express that message? Finally, why do you suppose I chose the 13th line to represent our class forum? I am very interested to see what you folks think.

Success is counted sweetest

Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne'er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple Host
Who took the Flag today
Can tell the definition
So clear of Victory

As he defeated--dying--
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Burst agonized and clear! 

  

                                         - Emily Dickinson 

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Wisdom Supporting Liberty

By now it is possible, perhaps even likely, that most of your classmates have discovered the identity of the statue featured in "Why Words Matter." Jules Dalou's sculpture, Wisdom Supporting Liberty gives us a classical representation of the Greek goddess Athena (the goddess of both wisdom and war) supporting the naked representation of Lady Liberty. Some questions are in order.

1. How does the title impact your understanding of the statue?

2. What is the significance of Liberty's nakedness?

3. Why is Wisdom armoured and seemingly prepared for war?

4. How might we apply our understanding of the statue to current events or the current state of our nation?

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A Dilemma ...

Much of the discussion we'll have in regard to East of Eden will focus on the concepts of good and evil. As such, I feel a much more generalized discussion about right and wrong is necessary. To that end, read the following paragraph. After you've had a few moments to think about what you've read, write a response in which you reply to the questions at the end of the paragraph. Once you've written an original response you may then respond to each other. For the record, I am expecting you folks to engage in a solid debate without much prompting from me.

A trolley has been sabotaged by a demented English teacher, and is running out of control down a track. On the trolley are five people who will die if they jump or the trolley is not somehow stopped. Fortunately, you are standing next to a switch that when thrown will change the tracks on which the trolley rides, and lead the car onto an unused track where it is sure to slow to a stop. Unfortunately, there is one person standing on that track. She will die if you throw the switch. What do you do? What is the right choice?

Mmmmm ... fried noggin.


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