Trapped by Alaina M. Coyle
I am trapped inside a nightmare I cannot wake up from
A past that can’t be rewritten or mistakes undone
No matter what I do or how hard I try and fight
My regrets wrap themselves around me every night
This pain surrounds me like an iron cage
I weep and I scream and I fill with rage
A helpless feeling keeps coming over me
As I search in vain for a way to be free
I cannot escape although I try
From this life I am living and do not know why
How did I get caught up with all of these things
This bird will never fly with clipped wings
None of the reasons I am here make sense
I run and I run but face an unending fence
Finally I lose my breath and fall to the ground
Curl up in a ball and wait to be found
This is a poem of rhyming couplets, with a set rhythm and meter. It ties in quite obviously with my theme as it speaks about being trapped in regrets, and talks about how she "fell into this snare." She uses a lot of similes, metaphors, personification and adverbs that describe the way she acts and feels in a very realistic manner. I like this poem because of the many ways it uses to describe how it feels to be trapped, and is relatable to all readers. Everyone has made mistakes, or has regrets that they cannot seem to forget or shake off and although they may not evoke emotions to this degree, we still understand how she is feeling. Even though this is written by an unknown poet, I feel as if she has portrayed her feelings in a very real and very resonant way, that causes the reader to emote along with her. This is a very good poem.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Free by Rosalyn R. Smith
Free by Rosalyn R. Smith
Coming here wasn’t easy, but when the sun rose
I remembered your smile, and
that's when
I knew that you were finally free.
Sometimes being free is being free to be from this world,
but this doesn’t mean that I won’t miss you.
Sometimes being free is leaving the one’s you love most.
The countless smiles, the years of laughter,
the tears of joy, and yes the love, all of these things I will
surely miss.
Sometimes being free is receiving a comfort that will
be everlasting because now when I look at your pain
endured here
then I understand that your comfort here was not what it truly
was, and to be truly free one must leave here and enter into a
new place where peace can be truly found with
comfort everlasting
and free.
No more pain, no more suffering, an all new,
brand new you
that awaited you
as you entered into this new place.
The all new,
brand new you
that’s not missing nothing here.
The all brand new you,
without pain.
The memories of the smile you left here,
I know it’s still there,
but the only thing different now
is that
this smile is all brand new
for the all brand new you.
For better or for worse,
in sickness and good health,
till death do us part,
I will truly miss you,
but sometimes being free is
going ahead of the one’s you love most.
This is a poem that can either be read as a free verse, or also an epitaph in its loose definition (short text on a deceased person). This poem really caught my interest because it seems to be truly written from the heart, from a daughter to a parent. It speaks of great grief and sorrow in the loss of their loved one's life, but at the same time, the joy of knowing that that person is now free from their earthly body and has moved on newer and greater things. It is written in love and affection, which is part of why it is so relatable and moving. It ties in with my theme as it speaks of someone who was trapped in life, likely someone who was ill and elderly, who was freed by their death. For this person, life was no longer a joy and gift, but a torment, and knowing that they were no longer suffering and feeling pain equalled freedom. This is a great poem, that is easy to understand, but still touching, not needing overly flowery language or metaphors and similes to evoke a beautiful mood.
Coming here wasn’t easy, but when the sun rose
I remembered your smile, and
that's when
I knew that you were finally free.
Sometimes being free is being free to be from this world,
but this doesn’t mean that I won’t miss you.
Sometimes being free is leaving the one’s you love most.
The countless smiles, the years of laughter,
the tears of joy, and yes the love, all of these things I will
surely miss.
Sometimes being free is receiving a comfort that will
be everlasting because now when I look at your pain
endured here
then I understand that your comfort here was not what it truly
was, and to be truly free one must leave here and enter into a
new place where peace can be truly found with
comfort everlasting
and free.
No more pain, no more suffering, an all new,
brand new you
that awaited you
as you entered into this new place.
The all new,
brand new you
that’s not missing nothing here.
The all brand new you,
without pain.
The memories of the smile you left here,
I know it’s still there,
but the only thing different now
is that
this smile is all brand new
for the all brand new you.
For better or for worse,
in sickness and good health,
till death do us part,
I will truly miss you,
but sometimes being free is
going ahead of the one’s you love most.
This is a poem that can either be read as a free verse, or also an epitaph in its loose definition (short text on a deceased person). This poem really caught my interest because it seems to be truly written from the heart, from a daughter to a parent. It speaks of great grief and sorrow in the loss of their loved one's life, but at the same time, the joy of knowing that that person is now free from their earthly body and has moved on newer and greater things. It is written in love and affection, which is part of why it is so relatable and moving. It ties in with my theme as it speaks of someone who was trapped in life, likely someone who was ill and elderly, who was freed by their death. For this person, life was no longer a joy and gift, but a torment, and knowing that they were no longer suffering and feeling pain equalled freedom. This is a great poem, that is easy to understand, but still touching, not needing overly flowery language or metaphors and similes to evoke a beautiful mood.
If you could see into God's Mind by Ada Gu
If You Could See Into God’s Mind……
By Ada Gu
Why did I do it?
When I think back, it seems to be all for nought
It seems to me that for my part, violence brings what violence ought
And I hope that that first bite was delicious
Although had you abstained, I now have full confidence in the stupidity of man
Why did I do it?
Create a paradise; create a world where man could be free
Where dreams could come alive, and there was no impossible
I gave my only son, only to watch him die in vain, so much for practice what you preach
When preachers are sinners and sinners are teachers
Why did I do it?
Create an Eden, a Babylon, a Troy, empires, and great cities
Only to watch them fall at the hands of man, gold crumbling into dust
The alchemists never had a chance, they would have done better to become soldiers
It seems to me that when Noah made his ark and saved humanity, he was heralding the beginning of the end
Why did I do it?
I once had hope in the minds of yesterday,
But I see now that when you give them knowledge, they make atomic bombs, just as when you give them freedom, they make slavery
But of course, slavery is necessary, dirt shows up more clearly on white hands
Why did I do it?
There are third world countries, and then there are Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone
There is structure, and then there are North Korea and Saudi Arabia
But I shouldn’t feel too bad, because at least the world is protected by mutually assured destruction
Why did I do it?
I give man sunshine and laughter, yet his heart beats to the drum of the stock market.
He dies to find peace, but peace is for the living, he can roast in the inferno
Dante was right; one level is not enough for the sin in his heart
Maybe I should tell the devil to invest in a high-rise, depression makes for a great market
Why did I do it?
Create a land where Lucifer’s influence far surpasses dark corners and neon signs
A land where it takes more than a murder to get on the news, so I apologize to you aspiring actors,
Unfortunately not all of us are cunning enough to build a multi-million business like Conrad Black then be gluttonous enough to steal more for a lark
Why did I do it?
If you stand far enough away from the action, you won’t even get blood on your shirt, that wine stain will come out with some Tide-To-Go
If you’re unlucky enough to be on the field and are still alive, count your blessings, wait you can’t, you’ve only got two fingers, but thank god for that morphine (you’re welcome)
So why did I do it?
Maybe because I hoped and believed
In the goodness of man, and in the future of humanity
Or maybe, and it’s likely, I was distracted by the sign that said “free wings until Tuesday.”
This is a free verse I wrote. Therefore, it has no meter or rhyme. It's written how
I would imagine god thinking to himself, after looking back on his creations. This poem is quite satirical and mocking and talks about a lot of the problems that humanity and man have created and faced. It was really really amusing to write, and is actually one of my favourite poems as I was able to use a lot of modern knowledge, news and sarcasm to write it, which made it a lot of fun. It ties in with my theme of being trapped as it demonstrates how man is connected to his stupidity, and we will never really advance as a species as all we have been and ever will be will crumble if we continue on in the violent and ineffectual way we have always acted. I tried to capture problems from different areas of the spectrum such as war, economics, religion etc. to make it versatile and somewhat relatable.
By Ada Gu
Why did I do it?
When I think back, it seems to be all for nought
It seems to me that for my part, violence brings what violence ought
And I hope that that first bite was delicious
Although had you abstained, I now have full confidence in the stupidity of man
Why did I do it?
Create a paradise; create a world where man could be free
Where dreams could come alive, and there was no impossible
I gave my only son, only to watch him die in vain, so much for practice what you preach
When preachers are sinners and sinners are teachers
Why did I do it?
Create an Eden, a Babylon, a Troy, empires, and great cities
Only to watch them fall at the hands of man, gold crumbling into dust
The alchemists never had a chance, they would have done better to become soldiers
It seems to me that when Noah made his ark and saved humanity, he was heralding the beginning of the end
Why did I do it?
I once had hope in the minds of yesterday,
But I see now that when you give them knowledge, they make atomic bombs, just as when you give them freedom, they make slavery
But of course, slavery is necessary, dirt shows up more clearly on white hands
Why did I do it?
There are third world countries, and then there are Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone
There is structure, and then there are North Korea and Saudi Arabia
But I shouldn’t feel too bad, because at least the world is protected by mutually assured destruction
Why did I do it?
I give man sunshine and laughter, yet his heart beats to the drum of the stock market.
He dies to find peace, but peace is for the living, he can roast in the inferno
Dante was right; one level is not enough for the sin in his heart
Maybe I should tell the devil to invest in a high-rise, depression makes for a great market
Why did I do it?
Create a land where Lucifer’s influence far surpasses dark corners and neon signs
A land where it takes more than a murder to get on the news, so I apologize to you aspiring actors,
Unfortunately not all of us are cunning enough to build a multi-million business like Conrad Black then be gluttonous enough to steal more for a lark
Why did I do it?
If you stand far enough away from the action, you won’t even get blood on your shirt, that wine stain will come out with some Tide-To-Go
If you’re unlucky enough to be on the field and are still alive, count your blessings, wait you can’t, you’ve only got two fingers, but thank god for that morphine (you’re welcome)
So why did I do it?
Maybe because I hoped and believed
In the goodness of man, and in the future of humanity
Or maybe, and it’s likely, I was distracted by the sign that said “free wings until Tuesday.”
This is a free verse I wrote. Therefore, it has no meter or rhyme. It's written how
I would imagine god thinking to himself, after looking back on his creations. This poem is quite satirical and mocking and talks about a lot of the problems that humanity and man have created and faced. It was really really amusing to write, and is actually one of my favourite poems as I was able to use a lot of modern knowledge, news and sarcasm to write it, which made it a lot of fun. It ties in with my theme of being trapped as it demonstrates how man is connected to his stupidity, and we will never really advance as a species as all we have been and ever will be will crumble if we continue on in the violent and ineffectual way we have always acted. I tried to capture problems from different areas of the spectrum such as war, economics, religion etc. to make it versatile and somewhat relatable.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Bound
by Chuck Maddock
On this Earth, I am bound
Trapped by gravity, to the ground
I look to the sky, and wonder why
An infinite possibilities, do apply
With the heavens full of places grand
Trapped on one planet, I don't understand
Here I await, to be released from this fate
To soar among the stars, before it's too late
I started in Eden a long time ago
Now, quite aged, as time go
I was left to report, to another of sort
Now forgotten, with no resort
I am afraid this Earth
Will be my final berth
This poem is written in the form of a ryhming narrative and is not in iambic pentameter. This poem was written by a relatively unknown poet, and I find it refreshingly unpretentious and straightforward. I like how he speaks of being trapped on earth, of being afraid of never traveling and seeing the rest of the universe. The meaning is very clear and also very relatable as I am sure that many people are afraid of being limited by Earth. Space travel is no longer an abstract idea, and the thought of being able to see and travel to other planets excites the voyager in us all.
by Chuck Maddock
On this Earth, I am bound
Trapped by gravity, to the ground
I look to the sky, and wonder why
An infinite possibilities, do apply
With the heavens full of places grand
Trapped on one planet, I don't understand
Here I await, to be released from this fate
To soar among the stars, before it's too late
I started in Eden a long time ago
Now, quite aged, as time go
I was left to report, to another of sort
Now forgotten, with no resort
I am afraid this Earth
Will be my final berth
This poem is written in the form of a ryhming narrative and is not in iambic pentameter. This poem was written by a relatively unknown poet, and I find it refreshingly unpretentious and straightforward. I like how he speaks of being trapped on earth, of being afraid of never traveling and seeing the rest of the universe. The meaning is very clear and also very relatable as I am sure that many people are afraid of being limited by Earth. Space travel is no longer an abstract idea, and the thought of being able to see and travel to other planets excites the voyager in us all.
Which Way? by Ada Gu
Which way?
by Ada Gu
Dusk merges into night, the sky aglow
The night is deep, silence reigns
The moon sits still, quiet, all alone
I’m trapped, not knowing which road to take
This is written in the Chinese form of jue ju, and the original is in chinese as seen in my calendar but my computer cannot type Chinese so I only have the English translation. This poem is meant to have 5 or 7 syllables when read in chinese and typically has four lines. It usually portrays a setting or mood, and in this case, it represents a mood of indecision and being lost. It has to do with my theme as the traveller is alone and trapped in his lack of direction. I love chinese poems, especially when read in the original language because fewer words can speak so many more ideas and thoughts. Where in english 5 or 7 syllables is usually an incomplete phrase or thought, in chinese, it is enough to express many complete ideas in a beautiful and lilting fashion.
The adjectives and nouns describe a quiet, deep setting, with a somewhat dark but beautiful mood. The man is unsure of his fate, of the road he should take and his only witness is the dark and the lonely moon.
by Ada Gu
Dusk merges into night, the sky aglow
The night is deep, silence reigns
The moon sits still, quiet, all alone
I’m trapped, not knowing which road to take
This is written in the Chinese form of jue ju, and the original is in chinese as seen in my calendar but my computer cannot type Chinese so I only have the English translation. This poem is meant to have 5 or 7 syllables when read in chinese and typically has four lines. It usually portrays a setting or mood, and in this case, it represents a mood of indecision and being lost. It has to do with my theme as the traveller is alone and trapped in his lack of direction. I love chinese poems, especially when read in the original language because fewer words can speak so many more ideas and thoughts. Where in english 5 or 7 syllables is usually an incomplete phrase or thought, in chinese, it is enough to express many complete ideas in a beautiful and lilting fashion.
The adjectives and nouns describe a quiet, deep setting, with a somewhat dark but beautiful mood. The man is unsure of his fate, of the road he should take and his only witness is the dark and the lonely moon.
I'd Rather Die Than be Your Love by Ada Gu
Parody of the pastoral: The Passionate Shepherd to His Love
I'd Rather Die Than be Your Love
By Ada Gu
Come live with thee and be thy love?
And be all but a wingless dove?
Freedom knocks and choices thrive
Why would I leave, my soul deprive
My life meant to soar to heights
Beyond thou measly, tasteless plights
Slowly will my thoughts surrender
And to failure I’ll grow tender
Roses hath thorns, their beauty lies
Their petals wither, fragrance dies
A cap askew, dress stained with soil
Embroidered with our blood and toil
Thou cannot make a gown from dreams
Or sew with non-existent seams
A shawl against the bitter cold,
The money from my mother’s gold
No belt with clasp to call thy own
No amber studs, no skills to hone
These pleasures hardly make me move
I’d rather die than be your love
With thee no time to dance and sing
Awake with dread each May morning
Freedom as a soaring, winged dove,
I would not trade this for thy love
This is a parody of the pastoral: The Passionate Shepherd to his Love. It is written in iamic petameter and the couplets rhyme. I was inspired by Sir Walter Raleigh's parody, but I decided to take it one step further. My parody imitates the pastoral less, but is more sarcastic and rebuking. I have never liked the The Passionate Shepherd to his Love. It is flowery, overly passionate and cause for mocking. I cannot imagine any woman who would be won over by the "Passionate Shepherd's" flattery. In my mind, the passionate shepherd is quite impoverished, and the idea of living with him would be quite repulsive, and literally a living hell of farmwork and the opposite of luxury. It ties in with my theme, as in this version, being the shepherd's love would mean buying into a life of labour and servitude, less fun than tedious. It would be like a cage or prison of which there was no escape.
I'd Rather Die Than be Your Love
By Ada Gu
Come live with thee and be thy love?
And be all but a wingless dove?
Freedom knocks and choices thrive
Why would I leave, my soul deprive
My life meant to soar to heights
Beyond thou measly, tasteless plights
Slowly will my thoughts surrender
And to failure I’ll grow tender
Roses hath thorns, their beauty lies
Their petals wither, fragrance dies
A cap askew, dress stained with soil
Embroidered with our blood and toil
Thou cannot make a gown from dreams
Or sew with non-existent seams
A shawl against the bitter cold,
The money from my mother’s gold
No belt with clasp to call thy own
No amber studs, no skills to hone
These pleasures hardly make me move
I’d rather die than be your love
With thee no time to dance and sing
Awake with dread each May morning
Freedom as a soaring, winged dove,
I would not trade this for thy love
This is a parody of the pastoral: The Passionate Shepherd to his Love. It is written in iamic petameter and the couplets rhyme. I was inspired by Sir Walter Raleigh's parody, but I decided to take it one step further. My parody imitates the pastoral less, but is more sarcastic and rebuking. I have never liked the The Passionate Shepherd to his Love. It is flowery, overly passionate and cause for mocking. I cannot imagine any woman who would be won over by the "Passionate Shepherd's" flattery. In my mind, the passionate shepherd is quite impoverished, and the idea of living with him would be quite repulsive, and literally a living hell of farmwork and the opposite of luxury. It ties in with my theme, as in this version, being the shepherd's love would mean buying into a life of labour and servitude, less fun than tedious. It would be like a cage or prison of which there was no escape.
Wrong by Ada Gu
Wrong by Ada Gu
The acrid smell of burnt food wafting out
The bread has been in the oven too long
Memories fading, crumbling to dust
Time has flown too freely, the years too long
The madrigal has forgotten her song
She stayed silent, quelled for too long
The melody is played, then comes silence
The piece is too short, the page is too long
The little boat seems to sputter and die
The sun vanishes, the river is too long
God cries, Ada, his will I do ignore
I have tried to do right for much too long
This poem is written in the Ghazal tradition, which is currently practiced in Iran (Farsi), Pakistan (Urdu) and India (Urdu and Hindi). Ghazals have been set to music and have often been used in recordings and in movies. A traditional Ghazal consists of five to fifteen couplets, typically six or seven. A refrain appears at the end of the second line of each couplet. The lines are of approximately the same length and meter. In the final couplet, the poet usually uses his or her name in second or third person to give a more direct declaration of thought or feeling to the reader. This poem ties in with my theme as I wanted to portray the idea of being trapped into doing what is right, rather than following your heart or your own ideas. It speaks about being trapped in silence, in time, of finding yourself coming up short, or finding yourself running out of time. You could interpret this poem in many ways, but mostly, I wanted to embody the feeling of being trapped in life, and losing what is important due to trying to do what's right.
The acrid smell of burnt food wafting out
The bread has been in the oven too long
Memories fading, crumbling to dust
Time has flown too freely, the years too long
The madrigal has forgotten her song
She stayed silent, quelled for too long
The melody is played, then comes silence
The piece is too short, the page is too long
The little boat seems to sputter and die
The sun vanishes, the river is too long
God cries, Ada, his will I do ignore
I have tried to do right for much too long
This poem is written in the Ghazal tradition, which is currently practiced in Iran (Farsi), Pakistan (Urdu) and India (Urdu and Hindi). Ghazals have been set to music and have often been used in recordings and in movies. A traditional Ghazal consists of five to fifteen couplets, typically six or seven. A refrain appears at the end of the second line of each couplet. The lines are of approximately the same length and meter. In the final couplet, the poet usually uses his or her name in second or third person to give a more direct declaration of thought or feeling to the reader. This poem ties in with my theme as I wanted to portray the idea of being trapped into doing what is right, rather than following your heart or your own ideas. It speaks about being trapped in silence, in time, of finding yourself coming up short, or finding yourself running out of time. You could interpret this poem in many ways, but mostly, I wanted to embody the feeling of being trapped in life, and losing what is important due to trying to do what's right.
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