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In all honesty, this poem confused me. I really had no idea what to think of it. Based on the last three lines though I'm guessing it has something to do with time and existence. It may possibly have to do with how when we pass we leave or move from here to there, there being heaven, because it says "and for you who move away, pensively, here becomes there". And also how time does not stop, hence the words "without ceasing to be", but instead that as time goes on we are remembered for a while then our names become lost amonst the names of others who passed as well. Then our loved ones move on and are no longer distraught by our leaving, "our absent names untangle you alarms". This is all just a thought of mine based off the last stanza but I honestly did not know what to make of this.
I agree with Hayley that this poem was confusing because I think it is open to many interpretations. We are never told who the passer-by is or who the deceased is, but the speaker's goal seems to be to get people to remember those who were before us and watch and learn from their lives. Instead of being silent and stay "with that blind light as you are yet", the speaker points out that we can still see the legacies others have left before us, and we "who can still gaze" can pass them on and never forget the "rubbed-out names". Also, the first lines "passerby, these are words. But instead of reading I want you to listen" may indicate that we should pay attention and appreciate how words in poetry sound.
I wanted to know more about he author of the poem so I could learn more about the background and time period and I discovered that he is a French author, so the original French translation of this poem might sound quite different and maybe change the meaning of the poem.
I thought this poem was very interesting. Although it confused me, I still found it had a very powerful message. I thought the tone was kind of hostile and irate? But I could be wrong. I thought the imagery was very powerful. The second and third stanza had a lot of imagery in it used to describe the leaves on the tombstones and the sound of the sticks breaking as people carelessly step on them. There was a lot of imagery associated with sounds. It talked about the noise the sticks make, but it also talks about the silence. It is talking about the whispering down by the people behind the stones and that they are maybe making snide comments. The whole poem is about disrespect of the dead, and how they are neglected and turned into nothing but a tombstone. There is a lot of metaphors used and one of them goes back to the twigs breaking. It compares a twig breaking to the breaking of a relationship with someone who has died. It says that once someone dies, people feel they don’t have a relationship with them anymore, and it is just kind of like a broken relationship. Another metaphor is one where the speaker compares the audience to a happy bee. The speaker wants to make sure that the audience is going to listen, like a happy bee. The author also uses a simile in the first stanza, “Voice like that of letters eaten by grass”. This is representing a comparison between the neglected tombstone covered with grass and the voice of the speaker. The speaker wants them to listen, and not neglect them like they do with the letters on their grave. There is also anaphora used in the last stanza. The speaker begins the sentences with And to show that there is a lot to say, and the speaker is too wound up to use complete sentences. There is a lot of hostile diction, and some sarcasm in the fourth stanza. I think the theme is don’t abandon someone who dies even though they are not in your life anymore.
I feel like the poem is a personification of a tombstone literally speaking to a person who is walking by. For me, cemeteries seem like a superstitious place. The tombstones are obviously markings of where a body lies underground. To even think about a body laying underground decaying is an eerie thought. Then the poem mentions that the passer-by should listen to the "voice like that of letters eaten by grass". I feel like it's saying to listen to the people talk from underground which is incredibly creepy. However, it could also be saying that there is so much meaning to a tombstone than just a marking. It captures who a person was, their entire existence of however many long years onto a single stone. If silence is a twig breaking in your hand, it is saying that you are creating your own fears. (If you imagine standing in dead silence in a cemetery and then hearing a twig break.) Cemeteries are stereotypically a scary place where the dead gather but the poem dispels that idea, because it really is a beautiful place of rememberance.
I didn't get the sense that the poem's tone was hostile and irate. I actually thought it was more of a calm tone giving advice, but I really don't even know. I noticed that a lot of the diction related to sound imagery, as if the poem wanted to stress that is important to listen. Some of these words are voice, hear, sound, whisper, murmuring, listening, and silence. There were also a lot of plant words like grass, leaves, branches, and twig, but i'm not quite sure what to make of that. Maybe the plant diction represents life? If so, the representation of life juxtaposes the idea of a cemetary and death. I agree with Vickie that the poem is a personification of a tomb stone talking to a person walking by.
First, my apologies on such a late post - I've been having computer issues as some of you know. I somewhat agree with some of the previous posts, mainly Katie's and Lindsey's. I think the references to nature - "grass", "leaves", "branches", "twig" - are, as Lindsey said, signifying life. It creates a sense of life going on after death. Overall I think the main theme of this piece is the dead being forgotten. The tombstone is the speaker for all of those who have passed on, trying to make those passing by pay attention. The speaker believes that in death they have been, like Katie said, neglected. This theme is represented mainly by instances of imagery. For example, the "letters eaten by grass" brings forth the idea of deterioration and aging, as if the letter has been left long ago. The grass is overtaking the letter, like life taking over death. This further suggests that once someone or something has died, there is a brief period of mourning and then life goes on, leaving the sadness and the dead forgotten. In addition, the "happy bee" imagery suggests an idea of carelessness and disrespect, as the bee is flitting around the tombstone like it is playtime. The idea that even nature is unaware of the dead further conveys the theme of forgetfulness. The "absent names" line concludes the forgotten theme by suggesting that the speaker is just like anyone who has died, and the name is not necessary because they have been forgotten beyond recognition. The dead are all absent from life and memories. Overall I think the main literary devices to look at are imagery and also some diction, as these both convey the theme clearly.
I didn't think of the perspective of it being a talking tomb stone. Interesting. That makes some sense. I felt like it took place in a graveyard, given the mention of the stones, but I did not see it that way at all.
I didn't see it as being hostile and irate though. "Passer-by, these are words. But instead of reading I want you to listen: to this frail Voice like that of letters eaten by grass."
I see that as more calming. When I read it, I hear a soft voice say it in my voice, not an angry one. It matches well with the light imagery and soft sounds. It sounds more like a request than it is a command. And if it is a grave, the speaker talking to us through the dead then the tone can change everything...an angry, bitter ghost or a satisfied speaker wishing to help the world above?
I also agree with a lot of what the others have already said, especially Amy. Rather than having the perspective of the tombstone, I thought it was the deceased who lies in the grave. It was more of a sarcastic tone that stemmed from the bitterness of being neglected and forgotten.
In the first stanza, the speaker says, “Passer-by, these are words”. Once again, it can either be a form of sarcasm, because if a person is reading, they must know that it’s writing that’s inscribed on the stone. Another way that this could be interpreted is that the words are unseen because the stone has aged and weathered over a great period of time.
Also, in the second stanza, the speaker says “It flits between two sprays of leaves, carrying the sound of branches that are real to those that filigree the still unseen”. I also that it was sarcastic and upsetting, especially “the sound of branches that are real” which makes me believe that the “two sprays of leaves” are fake plastic ones that people leave at graves (“that filigree the still unseen” – that cover the dead) when they don’t have time to visit often. Although it’s a gift with good intentions, the plastic flowers feel really cheap and impersonal.
I mostly agree with Lindsay. The speaker is trying to get someone to listen to them. The tone seem mainly desperate. The person in the tombstone has been forgotten for so long, they are yearning for someone to notice them. "I want you to listen", "Lend an ear".
Although the person reading the stones will probably forget the names shortly after, the anonymous voice will be satisfied for now. This can also relate to real life. Some people who are not noticed or do not get very much attention appreciate the little things people do to notice them such as taking the time to listen or simply saying hi.
9 comments:
In all honesty, this poem confused me. I really had no idea what to think of it. Based on the last three lines though I'm guessing it has something to do with time and existence. It may possibly have to do with how when we pass we leave or move from here to there, there being heaven, because it says "and for you who move away, pensively, here becomes there". And also how time does not stop, hence the words "without ceasing to be", but instead that as time goes on we are remembered for a while then our names become lost amonst the names of others who passed as well. Then our loved ones move on and are no longer distraught by our leaving, "our absent names untangle you alarms". This is all just a thought of mine based off the last stanza but I honestly did not know what to make of this.
I agree with Hayley that this poem was confusing because I think it is open to many interpretations. We are never told who the passer-by is or who the deceased is, but the speaker's goal seems to be to get people to remember those who were before us and watch and learn from their lives. Instead of being silent and stay "with that blind light as you are yet", the speaker points out that we can still see the legacies others have left before us, and we "who can still gaze" can pass them on and never forget the "rubbed-out names". Also, the first lines "passerby, these are words. But instead of reading I want you to listen" may indicate that we should pay attention and appreciate how words in poetry sound.
I wanted to know more about he author of the poem so I could learn more about the background and time period and I discovered that he is a French author, so the original French translation of this poem might sound quite different and maybe change the meaning of the poem.
I thought this poem was very interesting. Although it confused me, I still found it had a very powerful message. I thought the tone was kind of hostile and irate? But I could be wrong. I thought the imagery was very powerful. The second and third stanza had a lot of imagery in it used to describe the leaves on the tombstones and the sound of the sticks breaking as people carelessly step on them. There was a lot of imagery associated with sounds. It talked about the noise the sticks make, but it also talks about the silence. It is talking about the whispering down by the people behind the stones and that they are maybe making snide comments. The whole poem is about disrespect of the dead, and how they are neglected and turned into nothing but a tombstone. There is a lot of metaphors used and one of them goes back to the twigs breaking. It compares a twig breaking to the breaking of a relationship with someone who has died. It says that once someone dies, people feel they don’t have a relationship with them anymore, and it is just kind of like a broken relationship. Another metaphor is one where the speaker compares the audience to a happy bee. The speaker wants to make sure that the audience is going to listen, like a happy bee. The author also uses a simile in the first stanza, “Voice like that of letters eaten by grass”. This is representing a comparison between the neglected tombstone covered with grass and the voice of the speaker. The speaker wants them to listen, and not neglect them like they do with the letters on their grave. There is also anaphora used in the last stanza. The speaker begins the sentences with And to show that there is a lot to say, and the speaker is too wound up to use complete sentences. There is a lot of hostile diction, and some sarcasm in the fourth stanza. I think the theme is don’t abandon someone who dies even though they are not in your life anymore.
I feel like the poem is a personification of a tombstone literally speaking to a person who is walking by. For me, cemeteries seem like a superstitious place. The tombstones are obviously markings of where a body lies underground. To even think about a body laying underground decaying is an eerie thought. Then the poem mentions that the passer-by should listen to the "voice like that of letters eaten by grass". I feel like it's saying to listen to the people talk from underground which is incredibly creepy. However, it could also be saying that there is so much meaning to a tombstone than just a marking. It captures who a person was, their entire existence of however many long years onto a single stone. If silence is a twig breaking in your hand, it is saying that you are creating your own fears. (If you imagine standing in dead silence in a cemetery and then hearing a twig break.) Cemeteries are stereotypically a scary place where the dead gather but the poem dispels that idea, because it really is a beautiful place of rememberance.
I didn't get the sense that the poem's tone was hostile and irate. I actually thought it was more of a calm tone giving advice, but I really don't even know. I noticed that a lot of the diction related to sound imagery, as if the poem wanted to stress that is important to listen. Some of these words are voice, hear, sound, whisper, murmuring, listening, and silence. There were also a lot of plant words like grass, leaves, branches, and twig, but i'm not quite sure what to make of that. Maybe the plant diction represents life? If so, the representation of life juxtaposes the idea of a cemetary and death. I agree with Vickie that the poem is a personification of a tomb stone talking to a person walking by.
First, my apologies on such a late post - I've been having computer issues as some of you know. I somewhat agree with some of the previous posts, mainly Katie's and Lindsey's. I think the references to nature - "grass", "leaves", "branches", "twig" - are, as Lindsey said, signifying life. It creates a sense of life going on after death. Overall I think the main theme of this piece is the dead being forgotten. The tombstone is the speaker for all of those who have passed on, trying to make those passing by pay attention. The speaker believes that in death they have been, like Katie said, neglected. This theme is represented mainly by instances of imagery. For example, the "letters eaten by grass" brings forth the idea of deterioration and aging, as if the letter has been left long ago. The grass is overtaking the letter, like life taking over death. This further suggests that once someone or something has died, there is a brief period of mourning and then life goes on, leaving the sadness and the dead forgotten. In addition, the "happy bee" imagery suggests an idea of carelessness and disrespect, as the bee is flitting around the tombstone like it is playtime. The idea that even nature is unaware of the dead further conveys the theme of forgetfulness. The "absent names" line concludes the forgotten theme by suggesting that the speaker is just like anyone who has died, and the name is not necessary because they have been forgotten beyond recognition. The dead are all absent from life and memories. Overall I think the main literary devices to look at are imagery and also some diction, as these both convey the theme clearly.
I didn't think of the perspective of it being a talking tomb stone. Interesting. That makes some sense. I felt like it took place in a graveyard, given the mention of the stones, but I did not see it that way at all.
I didn't see it as being hostile and irate though.
"Passer-by, these are words. But instead of reading
I want you to listen: to this frail
Voice like that of letters eaten by grass."
I see that as more calming. When I read it, I hear a soft voice say it in my voice, not an angry one. It matches well with the light imagery and soft sounds. It sounds more like a request than it is a command. And if it is a grave, the speaker talking to us through the dead then the tone can change everything...an angry, bitter ghost or a satisfied speaker wishing to help the world above?
I also agree with a lot of what the others have already said, especially Amy. Rather than having the perspective of the tombstone, I thought it was the deceased who lies in the grave. It was more of a sarcastic tone that stemmed from the bitterness of being neglected and forgotten.
In the first stanza, the speaker says, “Passer-by, these are words”. Once again, it can either be a form of sarcasm, because if a person is reading, they must know that it’s writing that’s inscribed on the stone. Another way that this could be interpreted is that the words are unseen because the stone has aged and weathered over a great period of time.
Also, in the second stanza, the speaker says “It flits between two sprays of leaves, carrying the sound of branches that are real to those that filigree the still unseen”. I also that it was sarcastic and upsetting, especially “the sound of branches that are real” which makes me believe that the “two sprays of leaves” are fake plastic ones that people leave at graves (“that filigree the still unseen” – that cover the dead) when they don’t have time to visit often. Although it’s a gift with good intentions, the plastic flowers feel really cheap and impersonal.
I mostly agree with Lindsay. The speaker is trying to get someone to listen to them. The tone seem mainly desperate. The person in the tombstone has been forgotten for so long, they are yearning for someone to notice them. "I want you to listen", "Lend an ear".
Although the person reading the stones will probably forget the names shortly after, the anonymous voice will be satisfied for now. This can also relate to real life. Some people who are not noticed or do not get very much attention appreciate the little things people do to notice them such as taking the time to listen or simply saying hi.
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