I Can't Get Started

For the unpack-a-poem assignment, I have chosen to analyze "I Cant' Get Started" written by Ira Gershwin. The reason I chose this particular poem has to do with the fact that none of the poems in my textbook spoke to me. We read a few poems in class that I liked, but I wanted something I hadn't already read before. I found this poem in a book that I got from my local library. I actually checked out most of the library's 20th century poetry selection and spent a great deal of time searching. One book that I checked out which I found immensely interesting was called "Poets of WW2". It is a collection of poems written by soldiers on the battlefields during WW2. Alot of the poems inside were unlike any I had read before. They were very dark and intense, some were even quite graphic. Although I found these poems interesting, I thought they were awfully dark and I wanted to analyze a happier poem. A great deal of the poems we read in class were dark and I was tired of downers. I needed something that would bring a smile to my face.

As soon as I read through "I Can't Get Started" I knew it was the right one. It was kind and lighthearted. Just the right type of story I was looking for. Now technically, "I Can't Get Started" is a song, but the lyrics are poetic (and it is in a book called "American Poetry") so I assumed it qualified as a poem. I find the fact that it is a song to be helpful when analyzing it, because I can listen to artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, and Billie Holiday sing the words and this will help me derive a different meaning to certain phrases and words. You get a different perspective on the poem when you get to hear it sung.

Cathedral

The short story Cathedral by Raymond Carver was a unique story with a very intriguing ending. While I was reading the story, I thought it was just another boring tale about an awkward incident in the narrator's life. However, the last few lines changed that. I was left with an interesting final thought to ponder. I like stories where the ending is ambiguous and the reading is forced to really think about it.

This story definitely made me think. Specifically, the blind man went against some of my basic assumptions of blind people. I never thought about a blind man smoking before. Not only did I not think it would be feasible, I just never considered the possibility that a man who could not see would engage in a dangerous habit. One thing that crossed my mind when I first learned of the blind man's smoking was I wondered if he had ever been burned by the cigarette, and if so, how often.

Another aspect that impressed me about the blind man was his ability to eat his food without any trouble. I assumed using utensils would be very difficult for the man, but the story makes it sound like he was having no trouble whatsoever. Thinking about it now, it does make sense that he would be able to use a fork and knife so well. He likely has been using them all his life. Although, I still wonder how he knows where the plate is and how he is able to bring the food to his mouth without spilling.

One thing not mentioned in the story which could hold all of the answers to these questions is that it is never mentioned how blind the blind man is. Perhaps he is not completely blind and in fact is able to see a few blurry spots of light.

Drugs, specifically marijuana, are present not only in this story, but in Entropy by Thomas Pynchon too. This fact surprised me a little bit because the stories were written in the 1980's, not the 1960's. Not that drugs weren't still prevalent in the '80's, its just I always associate drug use with beat writing from the '60's. Also, the use of drugs in Cathedral did not seem to fit with the story. I felt that the characters did not seem like the type who would use drugs. Whereas in Entropy, each character more or less fits the persona for drug use. I attribute this to the detail of the descriptions of the characters. The husband and wife in Cathedral are not described in perfect detail, so it is hard to truly get a reading on what type of people they really are. Entropy on the other hand describes the characters a little better (it doesn't necessarily come right out and give clear description, but based on actions and dialogue, one can imply each character's physical description and personality.) and it is believable they would be involved with drug use.

A Journey Through the Supermarket

The most interesting part of the poem “A Supermarket in California” by Allen Ginsberg, in my opinion, was when the author spotted Walt Whitman “poking along the meats in the refrigerator”. It is such a random event, that doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, yet it somehow works. It fits in and flows with the rest of the story. It makes sense that Ginsberg would've chosen a supermarket as the setting. A supermarket is a gathering place for all kinds of people, because everyone needs groceries. The author also mentions coming across Garcia Lorca, a famous Spanish poet, which, like with Whitman, is also a symbolic meeting. I like the idea of walking through the supermarket and coming across the people who inspire you. For me, it would be like running in to Clint Eastwood, J.P. Morgan, and John Steinbeck at my local Kroger.

The author talks about following Whitman and later walking with him. I take this to mean that he is engaging in a conversation with Whitman, finding out more about his life and what inspired him. I am kind of curious to know what really gave Ginsberg the idea to write this story. It is an interesting concept. One idea I have for the source of inspiration comes from the fact that people I know of in Los Angeles sometimes come across celebrities at their local grocery stores. Perhaps Ginsberg as aware of this and thought it might make for an interesting story.

Corson's Inlet

I found “Corson's Inlet” by A.R. Ammons to be a highly thought-provoking poem. It really makes the reader stop and think about their own life. The reason for this is because to a degree, the events in the poem are relatable. I think walking along a beach and thinking about life is something a lot of people are familiar with.

In the last two stanzas, Ammons analyzes the world around him as he walks along the shoreline. One theme that stands out to me is “freedom”. The author uses phrases such as “limited tightness”, “widening scope” and “all possibilities of escape open” to continually emphasize the existence of freedom. The birds that fly above him are free as well as the ocean flowing next to him is a big symbol of freedom. In a way, the author's haphazard thoughts are also an example of freedom. To me, the purpose of this story is to talk about the pleasures that come from a stress-free, driftless life

Big Sur

“Big Sur” by Jack Kerouac. This was one of the more interesting stories I have read all year. I read just an excerpt, but now I want to go back and read the whole thing. At times I felt the story was a little hard to follow, but that is simply based on the writing style. This was a story written during the 1960's when the group known as “the beat writers” were becoming popular. The beat writers had a distinct writing style, which was in part due to their alternative lifestyle.

The story, as far as I could tell from the excerpt, was about the author (Kerouac) taking a road trip with a friend to visit another friend. This sort of story always appeals to me. This is because traveling has always been an interest of mine. Ever since I was young, I have been venturing across the the globe. The next book I plan on reading, after I finish John Grisham's “The Firm” is John Steinbeck's “Travels with Charley”. I think stories which center around traveling have a higher chance of appealing to the masses because when someone travels, there is a lot that goes on as opposed to when someone remains within one location such as a city. When a character takes a journey, they go to multiple places, meet a lot of interesting people, and through the process of moving from point A to point B, the character is involved in a series of very interesting adventures. The movie “Easy Rider” comes to mind when I think of interesting adventures. There is a movie chalked full of interesting tales from the road.

I had never read anything by Kerouac before, but I had heard a lot about him. I had no idea his writing style was so incoherent and difficult to follow. This fact has not discouraged me from wanting to read more works by Kerouac though. His style is just different from others and in this case that is a positive thing.