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Red, White, and Green
| Critical Analysis #2 |
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Red, White, and Green |
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gourdmad Member
since 2003-12-01
Posts 136Upper Ohio Valley |
Red, White, and Green 1 I feel lost, sometimes, in the Bushes all the rationalizations I have read mere ring of truth but not black and white has left me feeling down and blue blood of any, spilt, is the same red whether on sand or in the Bushes that’s too real to gloss over q uite tho many seem to, feeling True Blue can aid, even humanitarian, cover up the red? doled to those huddled under flags of white after hiding in basements ditches and Bushes unable to sleep as in their towns bombs blew I long for some different red some time other pure and white an uncrisscrossed sky of blue view, unobscured by Bushes 11 Small abundant flakes of snow fly up while passing the window wind caresses Grandfather Fir so big male cardinal rides a bobbing twig past the window snowflakes the wind's up current takes in fir tree resting wings branch of red cardinal swings snowflake laden wind squeezes between glass and fir waving redbird's perch 111 March, In; April! 2003? Sugar maple buds On southern slope cherry blooms U S elm blossoms |
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Astro Member
since 2003-01-08
Posts 69Ca. |
Well, I must say, I enjoyed this poem more than any other I've read from modern poets -- very experimental. I'm sure there is tons of stuff going on with the meter and rhyme scheme, but I especially picked up on the descent of "Bushes", from line to line, through the first stanza -- perhaps a tone of hope that Bush will descend out of office? The second stanza was such a change in scene that I couldn't understand it, although, in itself, I loved it. I was reminded of Lake Arrowhead, which is almost all burnt down now, from the fires. I believe the Grandfather Fir is symbolic of something, as you make reference to the U.S. in stanza three. This must be the ambiguity you are comparing with my own "Ode on Structure". Thanks for the time you took to share with me. Sight is an always awful beginning |
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gourdmad Member
since 2003-12-01
Posts 136Upper Ohio Valley |
Tx for commenting. The other thing besides the descending Bushes was substituting read-uite-blew for red-white-blue in sequence, last verse first part the fully natural sequence. The first is of course very epemeral in context; in 10 or twenty years the reference to the opening months of the Iraq war will be totally obscure, tho I try to keep it somewhat accessible by using the in by using the months and year in the 3rd part header and by capitalizing Bushes. The last verse first part laments for a more peaceful time/space, which is the segue to part 11 - the answer to the lament. Part 1 was reality viewed thru the glass window of the TV. Part 11 is reality with attention turned to the view thru my window, where there literally was this cardinal riding out a late season snow storm on the branch of the fir tree. Whicich gives the shift from the psuedo patriotism of Bush wrapping himself in nationalistic fervor, red, white, and blue, to red (bird) white (snow) green (tree). Green hopefully being seen as the color of environmentalism, which is more universal in world outlook as opposed to the nationalistic jingoism so rampant at the time. Yes, conifers are used by earth centric cultures as symbol of hope – it being still green during the seeming dead time of winter. Hijacked by contemporary Christians in the form of the Xmas tree. Also in part 11, I did the same idea three different ways, each more condensed, ending with haiku. So, looking thru the glass of TV, the glass of the window, Part111 is actually going outside and walking around. Again haiku form, using modularity so parts 11 and 111 could stand alone, more timeless pieces contrasting the specificity of Part 1. Now it is perhaps too subtle for urban readers, but maple blooms are red, the first cherries that were blooming on south slopes that time of year, white, and American (U S) elm are green, so the same red, white and green sequence. The overall point being that bushes are generally shorter lived than trees,. Even in dark times there is hope, higher things going on yadda yadda yadda. Also I had fun using bud-bloom-blossom sequence in final haiku, as they are both verbs and nouns. [This message has been edited by gourdmad (12-04-2003 11:16 AM).] |
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