Below are the 3 most recent journal entries recorded in baprince's LiveJournal:

Friday, October 29th, 2004
11:29 am	Dickinson is a natural Okay, so I'm doing a mad rush to make up for all those weblogs that i have missed due to lack of self-responsiblity. I'll do my best to make them sound awesome. I absolutley love Dickinson. I love how she empowers her work with nature and religion...although unreligous it might be. Her poetry is very different from conventional poetery. I view poetry being about butterflies, daisies, summer love, and star gazing. I found poem 216 to be one of the most interesting of all. Her use of language is foreign to me and the meaning behind it is just incredable. She makes death sound peaceful by saying, "Alabaster Chambers -- Untouched my Morning And untouched by Noon -- Sleep the meek members of the Resurrection -- Rafter of satin, And Roof of stone." I think the imagery she uses really shows her respect towards the diseased. Though one suspision arises. I sort of grasp the feeling she would like to be dead and placed in the scene she is describing; knowing her past and her depression, am I somewhat correct in noticing this? Anyway,on with the discussion. I enjoy reading her nature poems. From a personal standpoint, and because no one really knows the right answer, I think nature gives her inspiration and peace. I think she feels like it is the only positive thing in her life. I find this most in poem 285 when she looks to different birds and flowers for inpiration. I think since Dickinson went through many "love" phases in her life, those experiences, hightened and drowned,are expressed in her poetry and I believe it to be somewhat obvious in nature. (Comment on this)
Friday, September 3rd, 2004
10:19 am	Direction with Lilacs Upon reading Whitman, I found myself wondering if his work would ever make sense or if I would be immensely failing the first exam. You can only imagine my surprise when skimming over "When Lilacs Last" that I was able to comprehend the surface words with just one read. I believe I might have even splashed water on myself to relieve the pure shock of understanding WHITMAN! From there, along with the discussion from class, insight of the symbolic meanings came easily. For Whitman to be writing with emotion just stuns me. I love that he used the romantic ideas of lilacs, birds, and stars. Each one has many symbolic meanings. Besides from those we discussed in class, the use of stars as a symbolic meaning could have been Whitman's acceptance of Lincoln's death. In the Orthodox Church, placing a banner with a star on it over the coffin was tradition. This allowed acceptance into the stars (Heaven), to be a successful and complete one. I also find it awe inspiring when Whitman chooses lilacs. To choose a flower with such beauty and use it to resemble death is awkward compared to his usual writing style. I do however, give kudos to Whitman for telling a story of compassion and delight while respecting the patriotic context. I liked this poem. P.S. For those of you reading this...I can't spell so please excuse this. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
10:18 am	Direction with Lilacs Upon reading Whitman, I found myself wondering if his work would ever make sense or if I would be immensley failing the first exam. You can only imagine my suprise when skimming over "When Lilacs Last" that I was able to comprehend the surface words with just one read. I beleive I might have even splashed water on myself to relieve the pure shock of understanding WHITMAN! From there, along with the discussion from class, insight of the symbolic meanings came easily. For Whitman to be writing with emotion just stuns me. I love that he used the romantic ideas of lilacs, birds, and stars. Each one has many symbolic meanings. Besides from those we discussed in class, the use of stars as a symbolic meaning could have been Whitmans acceptance of Lincoln's death. In the Orthodox Church, placing a banner with a star on it over the coffin was tradition. This allowed acceptance into the stars (Heaven), to be a successful and complete one. I also find it awe inspirering when Whitman chooses lilacs. To choose a flower with such beauty and use it to respemble death is awkward compared to his usual writing style. I do however, give kudos to Whitman for telling a story of compasion and delight while respecting the patriotic context. I liked this poem. P.S. For those of you reading this...I can't spell so please excuse this. (Comment on this)