Ballon

I read this story several times and I honestly just don't get what in the world the message is I suppose its just going right over my head. If someone would care to explain that would be great or I suppose I'll find out in class soon enough.

A & P

I liked this story very much mainly because I worked in a grocery store myself and this situation sounds exactly like something that could very easily have happen to me. This story was enjoyable to read I liked how he used animal references when referring to the customers. It was funny once he spotted the girls he followed them all through the store from his cashier position with his eyes. Ironically, I was the same age as this character when I worked in a grocery store too because every pretty girl that came in as a guy you was just hoping they would come through your checkout line hoping to find out more. It was noble standing up to his boss for the sake of the girls but probably not the smartest thing to do considering the girls didn't even see him do it. I think once he realized in the parking lot what he had just happen it must have dawned on him how he overreacted.

Theodore Roethke

After reading the selections of this author they were both interesting in their own way. As his bio indicated I thought some of his poems were perhaps a reflection on lessons learned from his alcoholic experiences.I did like how he described the river in every aspect and it gives the reader a chance to maybe picture what the river really looks like. I thought his attention to detail made the poem easier to understand and visualize the river. As for the "My Papa's Waltz" I was under the assumption that he's was referring to being beaten by a drunken father. I suppose it safe to say that his home life experiences probably had an influence on his own alcoholic problems. While briefly looking at some of his other poems those seem to be very detailed oriented as well and they too describe different aspects of nature or whatever surroundings he happens to be in that inspires him to write.

Allen Ginsberg

All I can say about this guy is WOW! what a drastic change compared to all the others I read so far. I suppose this poem "Howl" was written from the experiences of Carl Solomon in the mental institution with people he evidently meet during his stay. Man! did he have some crazy things to say and I don't think he held back on anything. I mean he just let it all hang out in this poem and it was certainly an interesting read. He certainly didn't hold back on talking about possible controversial subjects. I didn't really fully comprehend his reference to Moloch and what it all meant. In the third segment of the poem when he said to "Carl Solomon! I'm with you in Rockland I wasn't sure if that was the name of the institution or was that a reference of something else.

Frank O' Hara

After reading the chosen selections I liked the casual and relaxed style he used in the poems. I thought all the poems were interesting in their own ways because each one seem to describe a situation he may have encountered at some point or maybe his mental state at a given time I think helped him develop these poems. I noticed he seem to show much interest in New York City due to the fact that all the poems seem to have some kind of reference to New York in the context. To me he just seem like a writer who just enjoyed the simple things NYC has to offer on any given night like fine dining and some good jazz music and visiting the art galleries too. I thought he took those experiences of living in NYC and just expressed his personally feelings in poetry without controversy involved. I noticed he also tends to use colors in some of his work to represent an implied message to the reader maybe the color is an overall symbol of what he's trying to express.

Gwendolyn Brooks

After reading some of her background prior to reading the poems it really helped me to better understand the why she wrote the way she did. I suppose in some ways she was probably considered to be an extension of the Harlem Movement writers because she employed some of their techniques as well as her own. For example, she brings in racial status to some of her selections. I found her style to be interesting though because it was as if she was writing about specific situations within the south Chicago community. In the first chosen selection "of DeWitt Williams on his way to Lincoln Cemetery" I got the impression this was maybe written during the boys funeral possession or sometime thereafter or perhaps this could have been some kind of eulogy someone delivered at his funeral as well. Either way I appeared it be a reflection of his life and the places he most frequently visited during his days. I didn't think this poem displayed an racial comments with the exception the reference to the old slave song "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" or maybe that song is always sung at the funerals in African American communities don't know I can't speak from experience. The other selection looked to be written about someone she may have known who's live was cut short in a tragic way. This poem may have been written based on a personal experience.

Elizabeth Bishop

In the chosen pieces I inferred a sense of depression,loneliness or perhaps self-esteem issues. I noticed she uses some kind of animal references in several of the pieces in the text. Could it be that she uses animals instead of humans perhaps to represent a certain message in each of her selections. I could be completely wrong, but for example in "The Man-Moth" the character acts as though he is suffering from some insecurities maybe of low self-confidence as well. To me this poem signifies a man who is extremely lonely and perhaps is just bored with life because of maybe doing the same routine everyday. The other selection "One Art" gave be a sense of negativity because the whole thing talks about nothing but losing at what not sure maybe life I suppose. If i read this selection while in a good mood it might just bring me down a notch or two due to the depressing vocabulary used. I liked both poems, but they just both seemed so dreary and depressing to me. One thing I did appreciate was her style of writing her works were very descriptive which helps most readers understand the content better sometimes. In reading some of her bio she did have a great deal of turmoil during her younger years maybe that has a direct connection or translates into some of the poems.