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Sonnet 130, Modern translation- Aameliyah Jamison

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Sonnet 130, Modern translation- Aameliyah Jamison

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My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun; coral is far more than her lips are. If snow is white, all I can say is that her breasts are a brownish grey colour. If hairs can be compared with wires then black hairs grow on her head. I know what pink, red and white roses look like but I don’t see any roses in her cheeks. And there’s more pleasure in some perfumes than there is in my mistress’ reeking breath! I love her voice although I know that music is more pleasing to the ear. I admit I’ve never seen a goddess walking; when my mistress walks she treads firmly on the ground. And yet, by heaven, I think that my love is as unique as any woman who is the subject of a romantic poem.

My Take: I think this poem is about Shakespeare and his opinion of his lover. Throughout the poem, he compares his lover and her characteristics to characteristics of women accepted as beautiful. My Interpretation of the story is that although Shakespeare’s lover may not be socially accepted as beautiful, he loves her anyway. We see this when he states, ”And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare as any she belied with false compare,”

My overall take on this poem is that it is the opposite of other romantic-type poems. In other romantic poems, we often hear the speaker talk about how unique and attractive his lover is but he does the opposite of that in this poem. Instead, he talks about how even though his woman doesn’t smell like perfumes, isn’t as rosy as a rose, and her skin isn’t as white as snow she is still beautiful. I think this poem hints that women don’t need to be “perfect” and flawless in order to be beautiful.

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My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;

Coral is far more red than her lips' red;

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

I have seen roses damasked, red and white,

But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

And in some perfumes is there more delight

Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know

That music hath a far more pleasing sound;

I grant I never saw a goddess go;

My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.

And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare

As any she belied with false compare.

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The danger of a single sided story- Aameliyah Jamison 

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The danger of a single sided story- Aameliyah Jamison 

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I think the danger of a single-sided story shows us the obliviousness we, as a consuming audience, can have when it comes to the other side of the story that is never displayed in media. Just like the author's roommate, I bet many people still think that Africa is a place of no running water, crime, and total poverty when in reality they just think that because none of the good parts of Africa are ever portrayed in world-renown media. I think because of the fact the America controls such a huge part of mainstream literature, we are much more responsible for the telling of one-sided stories and need to take responsibility so we can finally change our actions. I also think one-sided stories cause us to look down on the people the stories portray without ever getting to know a full, well rounded concept of who they are.

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The reason why this poem is one of my favorites is because I like how the 2nd and 3rd to the last line of every stanza are repeated, giving the story a nice rhythm. I also like the symbolism of Athena and the Raven. The presumably white sculpture of Athena and the dark feathered bird show contrast, as well as Athena representing logic and wisdom while the Raven represents the unknown. I also like how  Poe shows the internal debate between the narrator as he loses his grasp on logic, he knows that the bird won't have any answers about his lover Lenore in the afterlife, but he still expects them from the bird anyways. Lastly, I like how this poem can relate to anyone who has had trouble dealing with grief to the point of depression. The setting of the story is a bleak, cold December. The speaker and the Raven are in the speaker's house where he lives alone and everything around him is described as dreary. The theme of the story is being overcome with grief, as well as dealing with the unknown. The theme is delivered with an overall mood of misery and sadness.

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Why I Think Everyone Should Read The Odyssey. 

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Why I Think Everyone Should Read The Odyssey. 

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The Raven- Edgar Allen Poe: My Favorite Poem 

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The Raven- Edgar Allen Poe: My Favorite Poem 

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The Raven

BY EDGAR ALLAN POE
Year: 1845

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—

Only this and nothing more.”

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

“’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—

This it is and nothing more.”

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—

Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?”

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”—

Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.

“Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice;

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—

’Tis the wind and nothing more!”

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—

Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,

Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”

Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

With such name as “Nevermore.”

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—

Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before—

On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”

Then the bird said “Nevermore.”

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster

Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—

Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore

Of ‘Never—nevermore’.”

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore

Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er,

But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,

She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.

“Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee

Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”

Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—

On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—

Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”

Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!

By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”

Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

“Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting—

“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”

Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted—nevermore!

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This is a picture of my baby cousin and a polaroid of my friends and I at Six Flags. 

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Even though spring break only lasted one week I was able to do many exciting things. The first thing I did was go out to dinner with my family. It was very fun because the restaurant was one of those places that cook your food right in front of you. The next thing I did was go to Six Flags. I went with five other friends and rode many rides for the first time including the Viper and Tatsu. Right before closing, some of my friends and I went on one last ride called Jet Stream and got stuck on the ride after it broke down! We were stuck in the cramped canoe boats for thirty minutes, and although it was uncomfortable, I still had a fun time being stuck with my friends. Lastly, over the break I also spent a lot of time with my baby cousin. She is three years old and very hyper but fun to be around and I always enjoy getting to spend time together. Overall, I had a lot of fun over the break and in my opinion I think it went by too quick!