To paraphrase Edward Hirsch’s quote, “Reading a poem is part attitude and part technique,” I feel like I could say that “approaching a poem requires a combination of ways of thinking and methods.”
Edward Hirsch’s assertion that one’s approach to poetry is influenced by one’s way of thinking and the skills one has developed applies. The mindset and attitude I bring to a poem often sets the tone for how I receive it. When you approach a work with openness and curiosity, you find that you can become more immersed in the world the poet has created. On the other hand, techniques that involve understanding poetic devices, structures, and nuances increase the depth of my appreciation and interpretation. There were times when I was enjoying my time alone, thinking of the words of great people from the past. It’s embarrassing haha.
A good example is “The Island of Innisfree” by William Butler Yeats. The poem’s longing for solace and its vivid depiction of nature resonate deeply with me. This sentiment especially connects with me because in today’s fast-paced world [which can also be described as the speed of human progress], the yearning for peace and simplicity is even stronger. The line “”And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,” speaks to my own desire for tranquility and a slower pace of life.
4 thoughts on “module 9 Yuki Ichiki”
It’s a really deep poem. The speaker seems to reside in a metropolis, but his heart is somewhere entirely else, as the saying goes. Home is where the heart is. The speaker wants to travel to the perfect location in his mind and establish a home there. I don’t blame him for wanting quiet and tranquility—I would also enjoy it. But it seems like he does. Most of us eventually become weary of living in chaotic towns and even crave spending time outdoors.
Despite living in a metropolis, the poem reflects a profound longing for calm, pushing the speaker to go deeply into their thoughts and make it their home.
Hey yuki Ichiki i agree with you thoughts that we have to take breaks in this fadt face life it is very hard for us to do continous work. But i don’t like the poem it is quiet depressing he his hard for us to understand what you think.
Well done on your response it was excellent. In the poem, the speaker is living within a major metropolis. A big city filled with much noise and distractions. The speaker yearns to be a place of peace, somewhere calm and quiet and create a life much more peaceful. Many dream to live such a life as it can be draining being surrounding constantly by the busy streets, cars and large crowds of people walking every which way.