Vincent Millay

Great poem! One of my favorite literary works that has been discussed this semester. I thought that the poem was similar to some other works that we have read this semester. I felt the undertone of the poem was sort of a "carpe diem" or seize the day mentality. Love and death are both inadvertently discussed in the poem. Sex is also very prominent in the poem as there are several references hat are sensual and erotic. Millay was a very respected poet who lead a unique lifestyle and I really enjoyed reading her works.

I liked the poem and wish we would have read a few more like it.

The Raven

The Raven is a truly classic tale of literature that I have studied many times. The allegory takes a man who is rather calm and has a great feeling of loss and makes him a frantic panicking man who is very grief stricken. The man continues to ask the Raven questions even though he knows the Raven will only say "Nevermore". This poem has a very basic rhyme scheme. This tale has a few different refernces tied into, such as the bust of Pallas or some bible references. The Raven starts off very slow and by the end of the tale is quite exciting and has the reader on the edge of their seat. I really enjoy Thr Raven everytime I read and look forward to discussing it in class.

The Sick Rose

This poem was brief and to the point. It was about a rose that has neared the end of its lifespan as winter nears. If you look deeper into the poem you will find that it is also talking about life, death, and love. There many strange references that can be interpreted in different ways. The worm, the crimson joy, and the howling storm. I believe that the poem is more life and love, and if you do not love someone while you are living your life then you will die alone, old and lonely.

I thought the poem was interesting, but a little hard to interpet and could be read in many different ways depending on the reader.