Christmas Poems! & Shape

Hey All,

I know most of us are enjoying the holidays, so I will make this entry brief. First of all, Happy Christmas and Boxing Day to all!

I mentioned Spoken Word poems last time and I really want to draw attention to something that written poems have over spoken poems and that is their shape on the page. Great poets can really manipulate when a line break happens and force you to ask why the line broke then and there. It is another tool, like punctuation, that they can manipulate to create meaning. It is honestly a lot of fun when you get the hang of it. Interestingly enough, our master of syntax, e.e. cummings, is also a pretty savvy guy with shape.

Let me show you what I mean:

[little tree]
BY E. E. CUMMINGS

little tree
little silent Christmas tree
you are so little
you are more like a flower

who found you in the green forest
and were you very sorry to come away?
see          i will comfort you
because you smell so sweetly

i will kiss your cool bark
and hug you safe and tight
just as your mother would,
only don't be afraid

look          the spangles
that sleep all the year in a dark box
dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine,
the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads,

put up your little arms
and i'll give them all to you to hold
every finger shall have its ring
and there won't be a single place dark or unhappy

then when you're quite dressed
you'll stand in the window for everyone to see
and how they'll stare!
oh but you'll be very proud

and my little sister and i will take hands
and looking up at our beautiful tree
we'll dance and sing
"Noel Noel"

So at first glance, yes, the poem is shaped like a Christmas tree and that is fun. I enjoy it a lot. However, I want you to dig deeper. There are two large gaps that mr. cummings leaves in his poem mid stanza. What do they have in common? 

Perhaps their preceding words? 

"Look" and "See." 

Why does he do that? What does it add to the meaning of the poem? I think those are great questions. I would say he does it to draw attention to something. He wants us draw in on those two words, looking and seeing. He wants us to notice something, or maybe his speaker in the poem needs to notice something. Maybe we need to pay closer attention to these beautiful family moments like the one described in the poem. 

Just some ideas. 

Now another one. You may need to equip yourself with Feel First. This poem goes to some stranger places. 

Sonnet in the Shape of a Potted Christmas Tree

BY GEORGE STARBUCK

O

fury-

bedecked!

O glitter-torn!

Let the wild wind erect

bonbonbonanzas; junipers affect

frostyfreeze turbans; iciclestuff adorn

all cuckolded creation in a madcap crown of horn!

It’s a new day; no scapegrace of a sect

tidying up the ashtrays playing Daughter-in-Law Elect;

bells! bibelots! popsicle cigars! shatter the glassware! a son born

now

now

while ox and ass and infant lie

together as poor creatures will

and tears of her exertion still

cling in the spent girl’s eye

and a great firework in the sky

drifts to the western hill.

Now this is a fun poem, however once again the shape is playing a role and applying meaning. What happens at the 'stem' of our tree? Where is the tone shift and why is it significant? 

Things to ponder friends. 

Happy Holidays and enjoy rest while you have it!

Ror