Hello again. It turns out that I've been writing a lot recently it seems. :) Anyway, this is a pair a of poems that I did for English, but unlike many of my assignments, pretty much the only restrictions on these was that they be short, and contrasting in perspective. So, they are below, and then I will explain some of the nuances I put in them, since I don't want to make anyone work to find them (not that I actually think any of you would, which is actually largely why I'm explaining them ;-)).
The Tree
Now pluck the leaves, build the nest!
Now break the twigs, mustn’t rest!
This tree will do
Until I’m through,
Until next batch
Of eggs does hatch.
On the tree is hardly a leaf,
But enough for me, what a relief!
Barren and brown, before’t does die
I must build my nest, or I will cry!
The Birdies
Upward toward the sky I’ve spread my limbs
And in my leaves the breeze sang gentle hymns.
With leaf and branch I’ve given nest
To many a bird for its rest.
Hundreds at a time would stay
And I would give my leaves away.
But now the time has come for me to fall;
I hope that happiness is what I gave to all.
Alright, as I said before, these poems go together. It is hopefully pretty obvious that the tree in both poems is the same, and that they also occur at the same time. The first thing I would like to draw your attention to is the pace of the poems. The Tree is (hopefully) rather hurried and urgent, almost frantic, while The Birdies is much more flowing, laid back, and reflective. This relates to how focused on the moment the bird is, and how encompassing the thoughts of the tree are.
The next point to notice is how self-centered and heartless the bird is, and how caring and giving the tree is. This is where you would speculate on the relation between being rushed and selfishness, the bird's relation to modern society, what it might represent, and what my views on the subject might be. You could also speculate on what the tree symbolizes. If you are wondering why I'm not saying, there isn't necessarily anything specific that they stand for. You get to interpret and apply as you think is appropriate to the poems.
One last thing I will mention (since it is the last even semi-subtle meaning pointer there is in the set). You may have been confused by the titles of the poems. After all, The Tree is clearly about a birdie, while The Birdies is clearly about the tree. As you may recall, the poems are intended to emphasize the selfishness of the bird, and the generosity of the tree. To this end, the title, "The Tree," is meant to emphasize the they way in which the tree is being abused by the bird. Similarly, "The Birdies," is meant to emphasize the unconditional generosity of the tree toward the birds that live, and have lived, in it.
Well, that is all! I hope you enjoyed them (even if the stuff after was drawn out and boring!) :)
The Owner, Heirron
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Blue Roses are Cool
Blue roses are cool. They signify mystery, secrecy, rarity, and so forth. Now, having read differing accounts, I am not sure if blue roses never occur naturally in nature, or if it is just extremely rare. But regardless, pretty much the only way to get a hold of one is to engineer it to have a blue blossom. I've always thought these flowers have a rather fantastical quality to them, and I like deep, rich shades of blue (which is obviously the color a blue rose would be if it did occur naturally :roll:).
All this is to say that I was thinking about it last night, and then wrote this because I felt like it. The lines are in iambic pentameter, and in the course of writing this, I figured out why some of my sonnets sound so awkward. To make them flow nicely, there should be a regular emphasis pattern (iambs for example). Anyway, before I bore you to death, here is the little five line ditty I wrote.
Shrouded in Shadows
The rose that blooms in shades of deepest blue
Does glisten in the silver moonlight due;
A flower that secrets hides within its hue,
Among the trees is seen by wond’ring few;
The rose that blooms in shades of deepest blue.
The Owner, Heirron
All this is to say that I was thinking about it last night, and then wrote this because I felt like it. The lines are in iambic pentameter, and in the course of writing this, I figured out why some of my sonnets sound so awkward. To make them flow nicely, there should be a regular emphasis pattern (iambs for example). Anyway, before I bore you to death, here is the little five line ditty I wrote.
Shrouded in Shadows
The rose that blooms in shades of deepest blue
Does glisten in the silver moonlight due;
A flower that secrets hides within its hue,
Among the trees is seen by wond’ring few;
The rose that blooms in shades of deepest blue.
The Owner, Heirron
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Literary Endeavors
Needless to say, it has been a while since I've posted anything. By this point, probably the only person who will ever read anything on here again is Jenn, who's user name I've forgotten by now (sorry Jenn). Anyway, as per request, I'll be putting up some writing in the hear future. It just so happens that such said future is close enough that I can include my writing on this very post. First is a poem I wrote the other day. I really like the cadence in it. Next is an essay on intelligence v. wisdom that has as yet to be titled.
Whither Will it Go?
How sad’s a verse when it is doomed
And in a grave it is entombed;
When he that gave it birth does naught
Because he’s killed without a thought.
When strivings cease and wars do end
Will these losses that offend
Be made aright and all return
From every grave and every urn?
Or will they better things then do
Than write a human line or two?
Will they better things compose
Than their missing rhymes or prose?
It is not for me to say
What will happen on that day,
When they rise and walk again;
Those who fell into death’s den.
But of this I can be sure:
There will be peace both bright and pure,
And in that glow devoid of strife
They will at last have joy and life.
[Insert Essay Title Here]
Intelligence alone is for fools, while wisdom is for those who have understanding. It is important to note that intelligence coupled with other qualities can be good, but by itself it is close to worthless. It is therefore important to make clear the distinction between wisdom and intelligence since they are often confused or assumed to be synonymous. Many people do not understand the meaning of the words, “intelligence,” and, “wisdom,” causing them to miss the difference between a stockpile of facts, and a well developed ability to make wise decisions.
Intelligence and wisdom, while somewhat similar at their root, are very different in application. Webster defines intelligence as, “The ability to learn or understand from experience; ability to acquire and retain knowledge; mental ability…use of the faculty of reason in solving problems…generally, any degree of keenness of mind, cleverness, shrewdness, etc.” Webster defines wisdom as, “Power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience, understanding, etc.” From this, intelligence is nothing more than accumulating knowledge and the ability to solve logic puzzles. Conversely, wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge and thereby make a good decision. Intelligence falls short of wisdom because it exercises only memory and, in some cases, self-centered shrewdness.
Intelligence can be useful, though without question its scope is very limited. No matter how smart a person is, and no matter how much knowledge a person accumulates, there will always be mountains more to be learned. Thus, any application of intelligence is limited to the relatively small portion of knowledge any given person has managed to retain. Even so, there are a number of topics that most people are familiar with, including pop culture, government, world events, educational subjects, and so forth. Since some people naturally excel at retaining this sort of information, they frequently appear to be more intelligent than other people. This can lead to one of the single greatest pitfalls of intelligence: arrogant self-reliance. A person who is generally considered to be smart will always be tempted to think too highly of himself. This is a rather unfortunate situation for a person to be in, for as the Bible tells us, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him,” (Proverbs 26:11-12). But if intelligence is not the same as wisdom, how does a person become wise and avoid pointlessly heaping up knowledge, or becoming an arrogant fool?
Wisdom, though fervently sought for, is difficult to attain. What then enables a person to find it? Before this question can be answered, it is important to understand that wisdom is the ability to make the right decision. The distinction between right and wrong requires a moral foundation, and of course, a solid moral foundation will allow a person to make Godly decisions. Returning to the question, Proverbs 9:10 states quite clearly where wisdom comes from: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Thus, to seek out wisdom, a person must first seek out God. This leads to one of the main contrasts between intelligence and wisdom: intelligence labors for the sake one’s self, while wisdom labors for the sake of God. This will in turn promote a number of internal qualities that are necessary to make wise decisions. These include self-control, patience, humility, and an ability to accept instruction, to name only a few, (Proverbs 10:19, 19:11, 11:2, 21:11). With a fuller understanding of what wisdom is, it becomes apparent that it is much more than merely memorizing facts. Instead, wisdom is an accumulation of virtues that leads a person to make morally correct decisions.
It is entirely possible to have a vast intellect and no wisdom whatsoever. If a person knows every point of etiquette, but becomes irate when another makes a faux pas, he has no wisdom. If he snaps at a person slower to understand intricate points of grammar than he, he has no wisdom. If he laughs at correction, he has no wisdom. If he looks down on anyone less intelligent, he has no wisdom. Intelligence comes with pride, and pride comes before humiliation; wisdom comes with humility, and humility comes before honor.
Well, there you have it folks! Err, folk.
Whither Will it Go?
How sad’s a verse when it is doomed
And in a grave it is entombed;
When he that gave it birth does naught
Because he’s killed without a thought.
When strivings cease and wars do end
Will these losses that offend
Be made aright and all return
From every grave and every urn?
Or will they better things then do
Than write a human line or two?
Will they better things compose
Than their missing rhymes or prose?
It is not for me to say
What will happen on that day,
When they rise and walk again;
Those who fell into death’s den.
But of this I can be sure:
There will be peace both bright and pure,
And in that glow devoid of strife
They will at last have joy and life.
[Insert Essay Title Here]
Intelligence alone is for fools, while wisdom is for those who have understanding. It is important to note that intelligence coupled with other qualities can be good, but by itself it is close to worthless. It is therefore important to make clear the distinction between wisdom and intelligence since they are often confused or assumed to be synonymous. Many people do not understand the meaning of the words, “intelligence,” and, “wisdom,” causing them to miss the difference between a stockpile of facts, and a well developed ability to make wise decisions.
Intelligence and wisdom, while somewhat similar at their root, are very different in application. Webster defines intelligence as, “The ability to learn or understand from experience; ability to acquire and retain knowledge; mental ability…use of the faculty of reason in solving problems…generally, any degree of keenness of mind, cleverness, shrewdness, etc.” Webster defines wisdom as, “Power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience, understanding, etc.” From this, intelligence is nothing more than accumulating knowledge and the ability to solve logic puzzles. Conversely, wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge and thereby make a good decision. Intelligence falls short of wisdom because it exercises only memory and, in some cases, self-centered shrewdness.
Intelligence can be useful, though without question its scope is very limited. No matter how smart a person is, and no matter how much knowledge a person accumulates, there will always be mountains more to be learned. Thus, any application of intelligence is limited to the relatively small portion of knowledge any given person has managed to retain. Even so, there are a number of topics that most people are familiar with, including pop culture, government, world events, educational subjects, and so forth. Since some people naturally excel at retaining this sort of information, they frequently appear to be more intelligent than other people. This can lead to one of the single greatest pitfalls of intelligence: arrogant self-reliance. A person who is generally considered to be smart will always be tempted to think too highly of himself. This is a rather unfortunate situation for a person to be in, for as the Bible tells us, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him,” (Proverbs 26:11-12). But if intelligence is not the same as wisdom, how does a person become wise and avoid pointlessly heaping up knowledge, or becoming an arrogant fool?
Wisdom, though fervently sought for, is difficult to attain. What then enables a person to find it? Before this question can be answered, it is important to understand that wisdom is the ability to make the right decision. The distinction between right and wrong requires a moral foundation, and of course, a solid moral foundation will allow a person to make Godly decisions. Returning to the question, Proverbs 9:10 states quite clearly where wisdom comes from: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Thus, to seek out wisdom, a person must first seek out God. This leads to one of the main contrasts between intelligence and wisdom: intelligence labors for the sake one’s self, while wisdom labors for the sake of God. This will in turn promote a number of internal qualities that are necessary to make wise decisions. These include self-control, patience, humility, and an ability to accept instruction, to name only a few, (Proverbs 10:19, 19:11, 11:2, 21:11). With a fuller understanding of what wisdom is, it becomes apparent that it is much more than merely memorizing facts. Instead, wisdom is an accumulation of virtues that leads a person to make morally correct decisions.
It is entirely possible to have a vast intellect and no wisdom whatsoever. If a person knows every point of etiquette, but becomes irate when another makes a faux pas, he has no wisdom. If he snaps at a person slower to understand intricate points of grammar than he, he has no wisdom. If he laughs at correction, he has no wisdom. If he looks down on anyone less intelligent, he has no wisdom. Intelligence comes with pride, and pride comes before humiliation; wisdom comes with humility, and humility comes before honor.
Well, there you have it folks! Err, folk.
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