Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 by William Wordsworth

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Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!

This poem celebrates the beauty of London in the early morning. London, an industrial city as opposed to nature, is generally thought to be busy, noisy, polluted, smoky and crowded; but now, at this morning moment, London is ‘silent’, ‘calm’ and ‘fair’ with clean air, the buildings and structures are at one with nature, ‘open unto the fields, and to the sky’.

The river, which should be the Thames, can flow freely ‘at his own sweet will’ without the intrusion of factories and ships. ‘Mighty heart’ which refers to government, trade and industry is ‘lying still’ and at peace with the world of nature before it takes to runs its activities. The poet can see London through the natural perspective which is very rarely adopted by poets at his time.

“Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art” by John Keats

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Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art—
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature’s patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors—
No—yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow’d upon my fair love’s ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever—or else swoon to death.

The speaker wants to be as steadfast and unchanging as the star but he does not want to be alone watching with eyes open patiently, sleeplessly and eternally the moving waters flowing round the earth purifying the humanity like a ritual priest work or the snow covering the mountains and the moors. He wants to still unchangingly and eternally awake rest upon his lover’s bosom, to feel its softness and hear her breath; otherwise, he would rather die.

I think the purification of nature is compared to the sublimation of his lover’s love which like the nature washing away and whitening the sin of humanity, his lover makes him feel better, more like a human with feelings than a non-human subject.

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

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John是一位醫生，實際和理性，沒有信仰，害怕迷信，對不能看見和感覺不到的事情嗤之以鼻。他不相信太太Gilman真的病倒了，他以為Gilman只是暫時性焦慮抑鬱，有點輕狂的傾向而已。他認為Gilman沒有任何原因令她感到受苦。他認為Gilman只要吃點藥，呼吸新鮮空氣，做運動，而且不做任何事情，情況就會好轉。但Gilman認為做一些令她感覺舒服的事情，例如寫作，讓她心中的想法得到抒發，這樣會令她好轉。可是，John認為正正就是Gilman的想法使她不適，著Gilman 應該運用意志控制自己編造故事的傾向，因為這樣會令她產生興奮的想像力，導致她緊張焦慮。所以Gilman只能私下偷偷地寫作，不然就會遭受強烈的反對。當Gilman表示不喜歡待在他們的房間，而且覺得這間屋沒有令她好轉，可是John卻不聽從Gilman的意見，自言是一位醫生，看到Gilman胃口和膚色也漸好，認為只是Gilman 危險的想像力在作祟，不許她再胡說下去。John無法在理性判斷之外理解Gilman,一切他認為是Gilman的想像力在作怪，他認為Gilman是非理性，所以不能作出任何決定，他代Gilman決定一切的事情。

在房間內的yellow wallpaper十分影響Gilman的心理狀態，她看見有 “two bulbous eyes stare at her”，跟著她看見wallpaper有兩個pattern，有front pattern and back pattern。Front pattern可以被理解為丈夫所代表的家庭核心結構規範及社會文化的結構規範 (cultural norms)，尤以Jennie作為完美熱心的家庭主婦典範，這個規範對Gilman來說就像一所監獄，而她被囚禁於內。Back pattern 係Gilman看見有一個女人被困在pattern裏，subdued and quiet，再看看卻是一班女人也在shakes and strangles the pattern，當她們逃離之際，pattern 又再勒住她們。Gilman自己也跟著她們一樣在crawl and creep，希望可以脫離現實這個maddening system。Gilman想釋放她們，她嘗試撕開那張wallpaper，將規範拆毁，從此再沒有cultural norms 可以困住她們了。最後Gilman creep over John，代表理性的John暈倒了，Gilman 瘋癲了，得到暫時的自由。

發現經典：理想情意結之《不可兒戲》（The Importance of Being Earnest）

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文學鬼才王爾德的《不可兒戲》，背景是1890年代維多利亞時代後期的英國，這齣戲劇是關於上流社會的愛情與婚姻。兩位主角 Algernon Moncrieff (Algy) 和 John Worthing (Jack/Ernest) 皆是富有兼無聊的年輕男子。一天， Ernest 探訪 Algy ， Algy 發現 Ernest 的煙盒刻有 “From little Cecily, with her fondest love to her dear Uncle Jack” 的字樣，幾經詢問，才拆穿了 Ernest 的另一個名字叫 Jack ，而且他是一位住在鄉下的 Cecily 的監護人。 原來， John Worthing 在鄉下時叫 Jack ，但在城市倫敦卻以 Ernest 為名。因為 Jack 承擔監護人的身份和責任，事事得保持謹慎及高道德水平，可是經常這樣令他感到身心乏力。為了能夠離開鄉下跑到城市去， Jack 借故自己有一位居於倫敦卻身陷困境的弟弟，常常要去探望他，並且在倫敦自稱為 Ernest 。就這樣， John Worthing 以雙重身份（double identity）穿梭城鄉兩地。

與此同時，原來 Algy 亦借故自己有一個居於鄉下、身體異常虛弱、名叫 ‘Bunbury’ 的朋友，作為推卻 Aunt Augusta 的邀約、不時逃離城市跑到鄉下的藉口。 Algy 認為在婚姻生活當中， Bunbury 是不可或缺，因為這樣他才能夠抵受婚姻生活的沉悶，可是 Jack 卻認為只要能夠迎娶 Gwendolen ，婚姻生活自然美滿，根本不需要 Bunbury 那樣的藉口。

兩位主角對自己的真正身份都不算是認真，或者這樣的不誠實、不認真，某程度上減輕他們的生活壓力和沉悶。現在世界全球化、交通發達，同樣的事情也可能發生在我們身邊，例如：以雙重身份出沒不同國家或地方，在虛擬世界以不同身份結識別人等等。

Jack 和 Gwendolen 一直愛著對方，可是 Gwendolen 愛上 Jack 的原因卻是因為她一直希望愛上一位名叫 ‘Ernest’ 的男子。同樣地，當 Algy 裝作自己是 Jack 的弟弟 Ernest 與 Cecily 會面時， Cecily 亦表示自己愛上 Algy 的原因是基於她的少女夢想就是愛上一位名叫 ‘Ernest’ 的男子。當 Gwendolen 和 Cecily 發現大家也跟同一位名叫 Ernest 的男子訂婚之後，她們變得敵對起來。當誤會冰釋後， Jack 和 Algy 也不約而同想接受洗禮，並獲得 ‘Ernest’ 這個洗禮名，藉此滿足佳人的要求！洗禮是一件神聖和認真的事，他們卻令洗禮好像訂購貨品一樣，沒有認真看待洗禮，令洗禮變得世俗化。同樣地，如洗禮一樣，愛情和婚姻應該是神聖和認真的事情，但她們的愛情卻是基於別人的名字而不是品格，這樣的現代愛情和婚姻還是神聖和認真嗎？另外， Algy 和 Jack 都是不誠實地以假名來追求佳人，可是 Gwendolen 卻不以為然，認為 ‘In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing’ ，這樣，真誠似乎對 Gwendolen 而言並不是那麼重要，好像名不符實也沒有所謂。這樣的現代道德觀在我們這個城市也是這樣嗎？

這套戲劇的全名為《The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People》。劇名中的 ‘Earnest’ 與劇中主角名字 ‘Ernest’ 語帶雙關，皆以「認真」為名。劇名諷刺維多利亞時代後期的英國對「認真」這個流行價值觀的狂熱和推崇：對瑣碎小事十分認真，對重大事情卻不那麼認真對待。劇名好像在提醒觀者「認真」的重要性，同時亦以喜劇形式邀請觀者（正人）以輕鬆的態度觀看此閒劇，去嘲笑劇中不那麼「認真」但又希望「認真」的角色和當時社會對所謂「認真」這種理想價值的盲目追捧。此劇發人深省，令人對「不可兒戲」會心微笑。

(轉載自大專基督徒日報：https://collegechristiandaily.wordpress.com/2018/03/12/the-importance-of-being-earnest/ )

To Hope by John Keats

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When by my solitary hearth I sit,
And hateful thoughts enwrap my soul in gloom;
When no fair dreams before my “mind’s eye” flit,
And the bare heath of life presents no bloom;
Sweet Hope, ethereal balm upon me shed,
And wave thy silver pinions o’er my head!

Whene’er I wander, at the fall of night,
Where woven boughs shut out the moon’s bright ray,
Should sad Despondency my musings fright,
And frown, to drive fair Cheerfulness away,
Peep with the moonbeams through the leafy roof,
And keep that fiend Despondence far aloof!

Should Disappointment, parent of Despair,
Strive for her son to seize my careless heart;
When, like a cloud, he sits upon the air,
Preparing on his spell-bound prey to dart:
Chase him away, sweet Hope, with visage bright,
And fright him as the morning frightens night!

Whene’er the fate of those I hold most dear
Tells to my fearful breast a tale of sorrow,
O bright-eyed Hope, my morbidfancy cheer;
Let me awhile thy sweetest comforts borrow:
Thy heaven-born radiance around me shed,
And wave thy silver pinions o’er my head!

Should e’er unhappy love my bosom pain,
From cruel parents, or relentless fair;
O let me think it is not quite in vain
To sigh out sonnets to the midnight air!
Sweet Hope, ethereal balm upon me shed,
And wave thy silver pinions o’er my head!

In the long vista of the years to roll,
Let me not see our country’s honour fade:
O let me see our land retain her soul,
Her pride, her freedom; and not freedom’s shade.
From thy bright eyes unusual brightness shed—
Beneath thy pinions canopy my head!

Let me not see the patriot’s high bequest,
Great Liberty! how great in plain attire!
With the base purple of a court oppress’d,
Bowing her head, and ready to expire:
But let me see thee stoop from heaven on wings
That fill the skies with silver glitterings!

And as, in sparkling majesty, a star
Gilds the bright summit of some gloomy cloud;
Brightening the half veil’d face of heaven afar:
So, when dark thoughts my boding spirit shroud,
Sweet Hope, celestial influence round me shed,
Waving thy silver pinions o’er my head!

The poet is full of gloomy thoughts and his life is like a wasteland. He beseeches Hope to anoint his head and light him up, to chase his sorrow and despair away, to cheer him up. He writes poems to keep away from the darkness at night. He wishes his country and the court to retain her soul when oppression and freedom are tensely at odds, that she can fly once again with wings in heaven. Even though things remain gloomy, Hope will protect him from being overcome by darkness.

I like this poem very much because I am in the same condition as the poet. Sadness, sorrow, disappointment, despair, hatred, dark thoughts surround me. Yet, I believe there is still hope which wave its silver pinions over my head and in the long years ahead.

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud by William Wordsworth

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I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed- and gazed- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

The poem is a beautiful one. It has an ABAB rhyme scheme. I feel like it is spring and summer time with the lake, hills and trees around. The daffodils are giving delight to the nature view like the stars on the sky and the sparkling waves. The poet is happy about what he sees and the nature view imprints in his lonely heart. When in solitude, the poet recalls the daffodils and feel harmonious with the great view.

The poem makes me feel like seeing the sakura in Hookaido, Japan. The sakura was dancing in the wind. The whole Maruyama Park was planted with sakura trees which made visitors and local people there filled with pleasure.

I Stepped From Plank To Plank by Emily Dickinson

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I stepped from plank to plank
So slow and cautiously;
The stars about my head I felt,
About my feet the sea.

I knew not but the next
Would be my final inch,–
This gave me that precarious gait
Some call experience.

I suppose the speaker is walking along a hanging bridge made up of planks. His movement is very slow and cautious because the way is unsafe and dangerous. The speaker feels like setting out his way across the sea at nighttime when stars are above his head. So he cannot see his way ahead very clearly and he might drown into the sea any time if each of his step is not careful enough. Although the setting seems like threatening, the speaker has his dream which is signified by the starry night above his head. The speaker does not know when will be his final step. But before his final step, the manner of walking dangerously along the planks gives the speaker the valuable experience.

 

 

 

I do not love you except because I love you

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I do not love you except because I love you;
I go from loving to not loving you,
From waiting to not waiting for you
My heart moves from cold to fire.

I love you only because it’s you the one I love;
I hate you deeply, and hating you
Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you
Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

Maybe January light will consume
My heart with its cruel
Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.

I like this poem very much especially the first line because of the paradox of love and hate in relationships. It is just complicated. The poem conveys that when you love someone deeply yet are not returned the same favour, you will hate that person as well. However, the poem goes on to say that love prevails/overrides hate finally because of the passion of love itself.

Passers-by

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On the phone
we leave some words,
some messages.
On the road
we leave some footsteps,
some traces
under the Sun
we cast our empty shadows.
We pass each other by,
brush off each other’s shoulders
and continue our journey road.
I get off and walk away to my workplace
You get on the next train to your next station.
I see you
You hear me
but we don’t know each other.
We say goodbye to some old friends
and say hello to some new people.
We all come and go
and let things pass
in our everyday life.

24/2/2018

Blackberry Eating by Galway Kinnell

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I love to go out in late September
among the fat, overripe, icy, black blackberries
to eat blackberries for breakfast,
the stalks very prickly, a penalty
they earn for knowing the black art
of blackberry-making; and as I stand among them
lifting the stalks to my mouth, the ripest berries
fall almost unbidden to my tongue,
as words sometimes do, certain peculiar words
like strengths or squinched,
many-lettered, one-syllabled lumps,
which I squeeze, squinch open, and splurge well
in the silent, startled, icy, black language
of blackberry — eating in late September.

I like this poem very much because it plays with the sounds of words like “black blackberries”, “to eat blackberries for breakfast”, “the black art of blackberry-making”, “many-lettered, one syllabled lumps”, “squeeze, squinch, splurge”, “black language of blackberry” etc. When I read the poem aloud, I feel the oral and auditory experience of language. The poem compares words to blackberries. So eating the blackberries is like orally tasting language itself. But sometimes language could be quite “prickly” because it is like black magic which is not made for good. And there are peculiar words which you have to taste thoroughly in order to understand its unusual quality.