R.+Livingston

​Wiki Poetry Project By: Richard Livingston

**__“Richard Cory”__ By: Edwin Robinson **

Whenever Richard Cory went down town, We people on the pavement looked at him: He was a gentleman from sole to crown , Clean-favoured and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed, And he was always human when he talked; But still he fluttered pulses when he said, "Good Morning!" and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich, yes, richer than a king, And admirably schooled in every grace: In fine -- we thought that he was everything To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked and waited for the light, And went without the meat and cursed the bread , And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home and put a bullet in his head.

  __ Explication __ Edwin Robinson endured a tough childhood from birth, his parents, a couple from Maine, had always dreamt of having a daughter and neglected Edwin because he was a boy. He went unnamed until the age of six months, when a man, whom his family met on vacation, drew a name out of a hat, he then became Edwin Robinson. He led a long, dark, depressing childhood throughout the remainder of his adolescence. His life only became more depressing after the death of his brother who overdosed on medication. He went on to attend Harvard where he lived a much happier life. After college he went back to his family farm temporarily, where he endured the loss of his brother and the rejection of his multiple proposals to his sister in law. He then left the farm and moved to New York to begin his career as a writer, living in poverty the rest of his life. “Richard Corey” has a very simple rhyme scheme. Edwin Robinson used an ABAB rhyme scheme. The poem is very straightforward and provides the reader with a simple style of language which is easily comprehended. The poem describes the life of a very wealthy, well respected individual who is envied by all the town folk. He is admired in every aspect, from his walk to his talk and from his head to his toe. The people of the town went on with their lives envying him and cursing the few things that they actually had. Everyone was shocked when Richard Corey, “one calm summer night, went home and put a bullet through his head.” There is much irony used throughout the poem which allows the author to portray a very strong theme. We see the use of irony when Robinson states, “He was a gentleman from sole to crown, Clean favored and imperially slim.” After reading this line, no one would ever suspect what becomes of Richard Corey by the end of the poem. Everything we are told convinces us that Richard Corey leads the perfect life, the kind that most people only dream of. The irony in this poem is used from the beginning of the story until the last two lines without stop; it makes up a very important part of the story and suggests a very powerful theme of greed. I first read this poem in high school and have been somewhat shocked by the ending ever sense. The last line of this poem, “Went home and put a bullet in his head”, is very shocking and somewhat chilling. After reading the poem both the theme and meaning that Richardson intends to portray is very obvious. The theme is centered on greed and envy. Richardson is suggesting that people who are envied are not what they seem and that people should be happy with what they have. Most people always want more and never stop to be thankful for what they have and what kind of life they live.



__“In a Station of the Metro” __ By: Ezra Pound

 The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough.

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__Explication __  Ezra Pound was born on October 30, 1885 in Idaho. At the age of 15 he began his studies at the University of Philadelphia and then transferred to Hamilton College to continue his education. He encountered many famous poets during his life that he became friends with, such as Williams Carlos Williams and Hilda Doolittle. He was considered to be one of the main modernist leaders and developed the idea of imagism, which he named voicism. Imagism is the poetic movement which stressed the importance of precise images and clear language. Pound lived in many different places all over the world picking up writing techniques everywhere he went. Pound did not particularly care for the United States but loved his time in Paris. “In a Station of the Metro,” he seems to be describing a crowd he sees in a Parisian metro. He compares the faces in the crowd to, “Petals on a wet, black bough.” While this poem is very short and may seem to have no purpose, it is filled with powerful imagery and symbolism. The imagery in the poem truly speaks to the reader; it allows you to feel the warmth and beauty given off by the faces of the people in the metro. Two key words that are very symbolic in this poem are, “apparition” and “petals”. An apparition is a ghost-like appearance, and petals suggest a certain beauty. When these two words are combined you get a beautiful apparition full of unique faces which he probably saw from a distant glance therefore, they appeared more as a ghostly apparition. The symbolism these words represent provides the reader with a very precise view of what the people in the subway looked like. With the use of these two words Pound portrays an overwhelming image which symbolizes his new home. Pound was very nomadic during his life always jumping from one country to another picking up ideas for his literature. After learning about his background it is very easy to see that he did not particularly care for the United States but he loved Paris. We see this from the description he gives as he gets off the subway in Paris. He is describing the beauty and warmth that he sees in the people of the Parisian subway and is truly overwhelmed by what he sees. He uses the term, “petals”, which are very unique, no petal is the same and yet all petals are beautiful. By looking at what petals truly describe we realize that all the people were beautiful and yet very diverse. At this point he realizes he is in the right place and will fit in wonderfully with those around him.

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<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;">__//“A Pact”//__ By: Ezra Pound

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Bodoni MT Condensed','serif'; font-size: 20pt; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">I make a pact with you, Walt Whitman-- I have detested you long enough. I come to you as a grown child Who has had a pig-headed father; I am old enough now to make friends. It was you that broke the new wood Now is a time for carving. We have one sap and one root-- Let there be commerce between us.

<span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">__ Explication __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Ezra Pound as discussed previously was very nomadic during his life moving around from place to place. He learned many different writing techniques from different people along the way. One person Pound was not fond of was Walt Whitman,who was known as a great American poet. Whitman was big into the transcendentalist movement and was very much a realist. Pound was quite the opposite he was considered the founder of imagism, a movement that pushed the use of precise image and language. Vivid imagery and clear language sharply contrast to Walt Whitman’s works. Whitman’s works are more interpretational, they do not provide a clear image of what he is portraying. Due to their differences and a degree of jealousy for Walt Whitman’s fame, Ezra Pound “detested” Whitman for quite some time. This is somewhat trivial considering that Walt Whitman died when Pound was only seven. The poem begins by Ezra Pound blatantly stating that he hates Walt Whitman. He talks as though he is a grown boy speaking to his father. He states, “I am old enough now to make friends.” Meaning, he has now reached an age where he will go out into the world on his own to meet those who will become his friends. He then discusses the correlations between the two using creative writing techniques. Pound uses symbolism in the last three lines of the poem to express the relationship between Whitman and himself. He states, “It was you that broke the new wood, now is a time for carving.” This line is very symbolic; Pound is stating that Walt Whitman has simply defined literature in a way that Pound can now take this literature and carve it into the masterpiece in which he desires. Pound then suggests that both he and Whitman’s literature both originated from the same place when he states, “We have one sap and one root-.” This poem can be quite controversial, it was difficult to analyze and come up with a true meaning without being familiar with both transcendentalism and imagism. I have concluded that, by the end of the poem, Pound has overcome his hatred towards Whitman and will now use his ideas as inspiration. He will go out into the world with this knowledge that he has learned from Whitman and incorporate it into his own works and ideas. After determining the actual meaning of this poem I was able to appreciate the significance between these two authors.

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__**"A Bag of Tools"**__

By: R.L. Sharpe <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'msoBidiFontWeight; text-align: center;">Isn't it strange how princes and kings, and clowns that caper in sawdust rings ,and common people, like you and me, are builders for eternity? <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'msoBidiFontWeight;">Each is given a list of rules; a shapeless mass; a bag of tools. And each must fashion, ere life is flown, A stumbling block, or a Stepping-Stone <span style="font-family: 'Academy Engraved LET'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">.

<span style="color: #3e3ea8; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">__Explication__ I had trouble finding much biographical information on R.L Sharpe. I was able to determine that this poem was published in approximately the early 20th Century. This gives us insight to the fact that his poetry was probably more contemporary. Sharpe used a simple AABB AABB rhyme scheme. This poem consists of two stanzas, each consisting of four lines. He talks about how, “princes and kings” are the same as “common people", discussing that everyone can determine their fate in eternity. It is surprising that these people being so different all have the opportunity to spend eternity in heaven. Sharpe’s religious beliefs are very obvious; we can easily tell that he is a Christian. He then describes the Bible as “a list of rules; a shapeless mass; a bag of tools.” Each person can determine their own fate, it can either be "A stumbling block, or a Stepping Stone." Symbolism is the main literary technique used in this poem. Every line has some form of symbolism. The lines stating,“Each is given a list of rules; a shapeless mass; a bag of tools” symbolize the Bible, the physical human body, and the gifts in which we are able to perform in God’s grace. He uses the words, “A stumbling block, or a Stepping-Stone.” to represent Heaven and Hell. The terms he uses to represent these eternal places are very appropriate and very straightforward. Being a very faithful Christian, as I read this story, it portrayed a very powerful theme. Sharpe points out the very important belief that no matter whom you are or what you do, important or not important, everyone has the same opportunity to know and love God. It is an individual’s decision as to what they are going to do with the Bible and how they will interpret it. Everyone will determine their own fate; at the end of their earthly life they will either find that their faith has become a “Stumbling Block” or a “Stepping Stone.”<span style="font-family: 'FreesiaUPC','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">



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<span style="color: red; display: block; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 12pt; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;"> **__<span style="color: red; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 22pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“FIRE AND ICE” __**<span style="color: red; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 22pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> By: Robert Frost <span style="color: black; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;">Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favour fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">__ ExplicatioN __ <span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-shadow: auto;">Robert Frost is a very famous poet who is known for the emotion he puts into his works. He once said, <span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; text-shadow: auto;"> “Young poets forget that poetry must include the mind as well as the emotions.” In his earlier years he went without success, his poems were over looked. He moved to England at the age of 38 and began to gain assistance with his poems. Not long after his arrival he published two volumes of poetry, making him an instant success. When he returned to the United States he was highly recognized. He began a career teaching in some of the most prominent colleges and universities. He won the Pulitzer Prize four times. He was also asked to recite a piece of his poetry at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. Structure and emotions were two of his most distinguished characteristics in all of his poetry. In the poem, “Fire and Ice” Frost is portraying a very powerful meaning. The term “Fire” is symbolic for desire and the term “Ice” is symbolic for hatred. Frost is saying the world will come to an end by one of those two ways, “Fire” or “Ice”. He does not literally mean the world will be destroyed by a huge fire or a terrible ice storm, he means that the world is going to be destroyed by people’s desire and wants or their hatred towards one another. Frost states that, “ <span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-shadow: auto;">From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favour fire.” Meaning that he would rather his own life be taken over by love rather than hatred. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; msobidifontstyle: italic; text-shadow: auto; textshadow: auto;">Symbolism is prevalent within frost’s poem. As previously stated, the terms, “Fire” and “Ice” mean desire and hatred. Both of these terms are also representative of sin. He also uses satire in this poem, he is joking about a very serious matter which could affect everyone, the end of the world. I have always enjoyed Robert Frost’s poems. They usually come off as simply a sarcastic set of lyrics without much meaning. But in fact, this is quite the opposite once you begin to analyze his works. Something that particularly struck me was that the term “Fire”, was representative of desire. Once I began to think about desire, I realized it is an overwhelming want or love of something. This is quite the opposite of hatred. Frost states that he will side with “Fire”, it’s apparent that he has hope that he can overcome all the hatred people have. In today’s world desire and hatred are two major problems, people need to learn to be happy with who they are and what they have and respect other people. Hatred and desire consume people every day and slowly one by one begin to consume their entire lives.

Sources for Background Information and Photos: -http://www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf/edwin_arlington_robinson_2004_9.pdf -http://www.helium.com/items/804920-poetry-analysis-in-a-station-of-the-metro-by-ezra-pound -http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/148672/ezra_pound_walt_whitman_and_other_quarreling_pg2_pg2.html?cat=9 -http://www.worsleyschool.net/socialarts/poemsofrobert/frost.html -http://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi -http://www.poemhunter.com