Benjamin+Fraser



[] media type="youtube" key="ILL-YvV-dwk" height="344" width="425" align="right" And hath at once both ease and Rest, My waking eyes were open kept And so to lie I found it best.
 * By Night when Others Soundly Slept || ||
 * By night when others soundly slept

I sought him whom my Soul did Love, With tears I sought him earnestly. He bow'd his ear down from Above. In vain I did not seek or cry.

My hungry Soul he fill'd with Good; He in his Bottle put my tears, My smarting wounds washt in his blood, And banisht thence my Doubts and fears.

What to my Saviour shall I give Who freely hath done this for me? I'll serve him here whilst I shall live And Loue him to Eternity. || To me, this poem is about Bradstreet unwinding after a hard day and she is bringing her troubles to God. In the first stanza, she says that while others have gone to bed she finds herself awake and to lie in bed is the best thing to do (Bradstreet 1). In this stanza, the reader knows that something is on Bradstreet’s mind that she wants someone else to know about. In the following stanzas, she lets “him whom my Soul did Love” (Bradstreet 2) know what is on her mind. Some might question who this “him” might be but I think that it is God because Bradstreet says, “My smarting wounds washt in his blood” (Bradstreet 3). When Jesus died he took on our sins and wrongdoings in order for us to live in eternity with him and that is exactly what Bradstreet says she will do at the end of this poem. With all the struggles and obstacles that Bradstreet had in her life, some of them were certainly bigger than herself and I think that she wrote this poem to thank God and let other people know to turn to him when their problems seem bigger than they can handle.



Born in 1753 in the country Gambia, Phillis Wheatley was an African American poet that helped shaped the voice and image for African American literature everywhere. Enslaved at the age of seven, Wheatley made the dangerous journey across the Atlantic and then was taken in by a sympathetic family who raised her and taught her how to read and write. During this time, Wheatley came to know the bible very well and in her poems she often refers to God and her Christian beliefs. Most of her poems deal with the atrocities of slavery and her attempt to persuade others to join the abolition movement. **To the University of Cambridge,** in New-England by Phillis Wheatley

WHILE an intrinsic ardor prompts to write, The muses promise to assist my pen; 'Twas not long since I left my native shore The land of errors, and Egyptain gloom: Father of mercy, 'twas thy gracious hand Brought me in safety from those dark abodes. Students, to you 'tis giv'n to scan the heights Above, to traverse the ethereal space, And mark the systems of revolving worlds. Still more, ye sons of science ye receive The blissful news by messengers from heav'n, How Jesus' blood for your redemption flows. See him with hands out-stretcht upon the cross; Immense compassion in his bosom glows; He hears revilers, nor resents their scorn: What matchless mercy in the Son of God! When the whole human race by sin had fall'n, He deign'd to die that they might rise again, And share with him in the sublimest skies, Life without death, and glory without end. Improve your privileges while they stay, Ye pupils, and each hour redeem, that bears Or good or bad report of you to heav'n. Let sin, that baneful evil to the soul, By you be shun'd, nor once remit your guard; Suppress the deadly serpent in its egg. Ye blooming plants of human race divine, An Ethiop tells you 'tis your greatest foe; Its transient sweetness turns to endless pain, And in immense perdition sinks the soul.

http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/pwheatley/bl-pwheatley-totheuniv.htm In "To the University of Cambridge, In New England" poem, Wheatly writes to Harvard University to try to appeal to the students’ emotions on the topic of sin. To the untrained eye, some people might see this poem at Wheatly’s warning that sin will lead you into a bad standing in God’s eyes and will lead to endless pain. However, given the context and the time period, after closer examination you can infer that Wheatly is trying to tell young adults that engaging in slavery/slave activity is sinful in nature and that sin’s “transient sweetness turns to endless pain” (Wheatly 421). I think that Wheatly was trying to say that even though engaging in slave activity may seem like an easy and habitual thing to do, later on it’s evil nature will grow inside of you an sink your soul. She also tells the students to use their knowledge while they can to take action against the atrocities of slavery “or good or bad report of you to Heav’n” (Wheatly 421). Wheatly believed, according to the bible, that sin left un-repented leads to hell on judgment day. An ambiguity that I found in this poem was in the first stanza when Wheatly says “Father of Mercy, ‘twas Thy gracious hand” (Wheatly 421). Some might cross this and say to themselves, “Is she serious? It was God who sent her into slavery to begin with.” Others might say that it was by God’s mercy she was taken in by a supportive family who fostered her education. Overall, I think the poem was written to discourage slavery and try to add followers towards the abolitionist movement.



Born in 1807, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a teacher, philosopher and poet who saw the value in working with pre-established forms and traditions of early American Literature. Although he was popular for the challenges he posed to his reading public, “Longfellow took pride in his cosmopolitanism and transatlanticism” (Norton Anthology 644). Longfellow worked with a large range of sources dating back to the early times of Homer and Virgil. Even though he enjoyed great success and fame, Longfellow lost his first wife due to miscarriage and his second wife due to fire (645). Although his life ended with tragedy, his popularity has endured centuries thanks to his awards and achievements in poetry.  code WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN SAID TO THE PSALMIST.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream! For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each to-morrow Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act,--act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time;--

Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait. code http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/longfellow/12187 I think that //What the Heart of the Young Man Said to the Psalmist// is a poem about how life is worth living no matter what and to chase your dreams because if you don’t your life will surely be an “empty dream.” Quotes like, “Life is real—life is earnest—And the grave is not its goal” (Longfellow 645) are an inspiration for people to get out of bed and live because in life it is not enough to just dream things—you have to chase them too! For those that live in sorrow, Longfellow suggests to “act, that each to-morrow find us farther than today”(Longfellow 645). I think that Henry is trying to say to let everyday build on itself so that the progress that we made today, will only build in the future. My favorite part of this poem lies in stanza seven because it reminds me of a quote by Edmund Burke: “What man is a man who does not want to make the world better? The only way for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” Match this with “Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime, and, departing leave behind us footsteps on the sands of time” (Longfellow 646) and you can see that they both kind of go together. Both of these quotes say that leading a good life leaves “footsteps” for others to follow in our tracks. Overall, this poem inspires its reader to be the best that he can be and to live a life of productivity.

Edgar Allen Poe once said, “Poetry should appeal only to the sense of beauty” (Norton Anthology 674). However, his life and the subject matter of most of his poems are anything buy beautiful. With both of his parents dead at the age of two, the Allans took him in and raised him even thought they never adopted him legally. Forced out of his education due to debt, Poe became an alcoholic. Drinking his jobs away, Poe reverted to women and poetry to satisfy his life. However, his wife died of tuberculosis and most relationships went sour. His poetry is marked by his tragedies and that is unfortunately how he is most remembered by. Even though his personal life was in shambles, poems like “The Raven” made Poe an international sensation and a poet who will always be remembered.

It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of ANNABEL LEE; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me.
 * Annabel Lee**

I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea; But we loved with a love that was more than love- I and my Annabel Lee; With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago, In this kingdom by the sea, A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling My beautiful Annabel Lee; So that her highborn kinsman came And bore her away from me, To shut her up in a sepulchre In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven, Went envying her and me- Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea) That the wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love Of those who were older than we- Of many far wiser than we- And neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride, In the sepulchre there by the sea, In her tomb by the sounding sea.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/annabel-lee/ Like most of Poe’s poems, Annabel Lee is designed to be a love poem. However, the language and imagery that is used in Annabel Lee makes it very emotional, powerful and at times dark. The poem starts by Poe telling his readers that he and his love, Annabel Lee, are very much in love and that the angels of heaven are envious of their love for each other (Poe 678). However, one day “the wind came out of the cloud by night, chilling and killing my Annabel Lee” (Poe 678). Some may interpret this sentence differently but I think that the wind symbolizes tuberculosis coming in and killing Annabel Lee. After all, Poe’s first wife did die of tuberculosis. In the poem, Poe blames the death of Annabel on the angels who envied his love for her and her love for him. Another message the poem contains is that Poe claims that even though his love is physically dead, no angels or demons can ever pry his soul from the soul of Annabel Lee (Poe 679). This is Poe’s testament to how deeply in love with this girl he truly was. Overall, I think the main message of this poem is everlasting love. When you love somebody that dies, it is hard to just move on with life. In this case, Poe tells his reader that by “night tide, I lie down by the side…In her tomb by the surrounding sea”(Poe 679).    

Born in 1874, Robert Frost saw tragedy at a very young age when his father died when he was 11 years old. Even though he finished his schooling at Harvard and Dartmouth, he could not escape more “personal tragedy: a son committed suicide, and a daughter had a complete mental collapse”(Norton Anthology Vol. 2 775). As a writer during the modernist era, on the surface Frost’s poems look very simple and natural, but deeper looks into his poems bring obscurity and difficulty in drawing concrete conclusions. Often referred to as nature’s poet, Frost paints images of nature through his poetry especially in poems like “Nothing Gold Can Stay” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”

 by: Robert Frost || And made dust and dropped stove-length sticks of wood, Sweet-scented stuff when the breeze drew across it. And from there those that lifted eyes could count Five mountain ranges one behing the other Under the sunset far into Vermont. And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled, As it ran light, or had to bear a load. And nothing happened: day was all but done. Call it a day, I wish they might have said To please the boy by giving him the half hour That a boy counts so much when saved from work. His sister stood beside him in her apron To tell them "Supper." At the word, the saw, As if it meant to prove saws know what supper meant, Leaped out at the boy's hand, or seemed to leap - He must have given the hand. However it was, Neither refused the meeting. But the hand! Half in appeal, but half as if to keep The life from spilling. Then the boy saw all - Since he was old enough to know, big boy Doing a man's work, though a child at heart - He saw all was spoiled. "Don't let him cut my hand off - The doctor, when he comes. Don't let him, sister!" So. The hand was gone already. The doctor put him in the dark of ether. He lay and puffed his lips out with his breath. And then - the watcher at his pulse took a fright. No one believed. They listened to his heart. Little - less - nothing! - and that ended it. No more to build on there. And they, since they Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs. ||  || http://www.internal.org/view_poem.phtml?poemID=109 I think that Frost’s “Out—Out” is one of his most shocking pieces in the sense that the poem involves the death of a young boy. However, the poem also brings forwards the financial hardship that was going on during that time. Frost notes that “big boy doing a man’s work, though child at heart” (Frost 786). Things must be very hard financially if a boy is handling a wood saw alone in a barn. When the boy’s sister comes to tell him that supper is ready, Frost uses personification to describe how the saw “leaped out at the boy’s hand, or seemed to leap” (Frost 786). The use of this literary device places the blame on both the boy and the saw for the boy’s lost hand. If he stayed focus on what he was cutting instead of his sister announcing supper, the boy could have possibly saved his hand and his life. The boy screams in terror to his sister pleading that the doctor not cut off his hand. However, it is to no avail and while the surgery ensued the boy lost his life in the process. The ending of the poem is a little confusing when Frost says, “since they were not the one dead, turned to their affairs”(Frost 786). Upon first glance it sounds like the boys family could care less, but in reality the family is working with one less worker so they must work even harder than before to keep up their productivity levels. I think that the overall message that Frost is trying to portray in this poem is that life can end abruptly. As Shakespeare says in Macbeth, “Life’s but a walking shadow.” Nobody knows when their time is up on this Earth so they better start living for today and each day afterwards.
 * || **"Out, Out - "**
 * The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard
 * The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard

Works Cited Bradstreet, Anne. __ Anne Bradstreet__. //The Norton Anthology American Literature Volume 1//. Eds. Nina Baym, Wayne Franklin, Philip F. Gura, Arnold Krupat, Jerome Klinkowitz, Robert S. Levine, Patricia B. Wallace, Mary Loeffelholz, Jeanne Campbell Reesman. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. 97. Print.

Bradstreet, Anne. “By Night When Others Soundly Slept.” Copyright 2002. February 26, 2002. http://www.annebradstreet.com/by_night_when_others_soundly_slept.htm

Frost, Robert. “Out—Out.” //The Norton Anthology American Literature Volume II//. Eds. Nina Baym, Wayne Franklin, Philip F. Gura, Arnold Krupat, Jerome Klinkowitz, Robert S. Levine, Patricia B. Wallace, Mary Loeffelholz, Jeanne Campbell Reesman. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. 775-786. Print.

Longfellow, Henry. “What the Heart of the Young Man Said to the Psalmist.” //The Norton Anthology American Literature Volume I//. Eds. Nina Baym, Wayne Franklin, Philip F. Gura, Arnold Krupat, Jerome Klinkowitz, Robert S. Levine, Patricia B. Wallace, Mary Loeffelholz, Jeanne Campbell Reesman. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. 643-646. Print.

Poe, Edgar. “Annabel Lee.” //The Norton Anthology American Literature Volume I//. Eds. Nina Baym, Wayne Franklin, Philip F. Gura, Arnold Krupat, Jerome Klinkowitz, Robert S. Levine, Patricia B. Wallace, Mary Loeffelholz, Jeanne Campbell Reesman. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. 671-679. Print.

Wheatly, Phillis. “To the University of Cambridge, In New England.” //The Norton Anthology American Literature//. Eds. Nina Baym, Wayne Franklin, Philip F. Gura, Arnold Krupat, Jerome Klinkowitz, Robert S. Levine, Patricia B. Wallace, Mary Loeffelholz, Jeanne Campbell Reesman. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. 496-512. Print.