Regent University School of Udnergraduate Studies

Friday, January 25, 2008

Poetry...

This week, at least in my life, has been all about poetry. I'm taking British Literature from the 19th Century through the 21st Century and so far I am loving every minute of it. Not only is my professor fantastic, but the poems we are reading in class are amazing! I have never been much of a poetry connoisseur, however now I find myself reading poetry that is not assigned reading... and really enjoying it! I think that's because there are so many ways to interpret poetry. Each time you read something it can have a different meaning, or you can view it in a different perspective.

I bought a poetry book at a garage sale a few years ago. It has been collecting dust in my bookcase, but last night I felt the urge to take it out and read a bit. I read In Love for Long by Edwin Muir and have been thinking about it ever since. I know some people don't enjoy reading poetry... either that or they think it is "fake" and "mushy nonsense with no meaning". I think many of these attitudes have to deal with the cynicism of the world view now. These poems I have been studying lately... some were written about 200 years ago. Many of them deal with social injustices, religion, and love. The same issues that we all deal with today. There is a reason people still read them. There is a meaning in them that cannot be overlooked. Here are a few lines from the poem I mentioned above. Strip away the rose colored glasses of the world for a moment... and truly consider what these words mean to you....

This love a moment known
For what I do not know
And in a moment gone
Is like the happy doe
That keeps its perfect laws
Between the tiger's paws
And vindicates its cause.

- In Love for Long
by Edwin Muir

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