War Poetry - Mollie

The scope of war poetry is wider then I originally perceived it to be. I had little knowledge of what this genre of poetry is and therefore would’ve previously considered my self a skeptical reader. War poetry is often a misunderstood genre of poetry; this often leads the audience to be more skeptical in classifying poetry as “war Poetry.” In order to understand the tendency for readers to be skeptical of war poetry we must first understand its wide scope and variety in subject matter. When you approach the following poems: “Monday Poem” by DJ Renegade and “Sunday Morning” by Wallace Stevens. The poems differ greatly in not only their approach but also subject matter and yet they are both considered to be apart of the war poetry genre. Through this differences the skeptical readers begin to raise their objections.

The poem “Sunday Morning” has been determined to be an allusion to World War I where “Monday Poem” is seen as a response or an almost counter Wallace Steven’s poem. The skeptical reader may view “Monday Poem” as a commentary on our society rather than a war, however the poem speaks directly to Steven’s and his poem, “wonder if Wallace Stevens ever held a gunshot friend and watched his eyes leak light”(Renegade). Skeptical readers could view this in various ways thus creating the confusion that is widespread throughout what defines war poetry. Often people do not understand what war poetry truly is, they view it as only poetry regarding battles or other significant wartime events this causes them to be skeptical to deem other works as war poetry.

What makes “Monday Poem” a war poem then? There are many different ways it can be classified as a war poem in whatever way a skeptical reader would approach it. The poem can be viewed as a commentary on inner community violence, and gang wars. A reference to community or gang violence is made within the line, “carnations taped to the stop sign/ or the empty wine bottles arranged around it”(Renegade). The skeptical reader may claim that gang violence or intercommunity violence is not defined as a war but when you understand all that war poetry can represent, for example conflict and all the emotions that are connected to it. These can be contextualized within poetry and thus defined as War Poetry.

Furthermore while the skeptical reader may continue to claim that the poem cannot be categorized as war poetry because it does not depict a specific battle it can be argued the term “death” within both war and battles is the same within this poem. In war we often deal with unfair, or unnecessary deaths, the same can be seen within DJ Renegades poem as well. The deaths they seem to commentary on were unnecessary and maybe viewed as they would be in wars seen in the line, “I remember Ronald shot on his front steps…and say the same logic which produced that poem/produced the mushroom cloud over Nagasaki”(Renegade). The skeptical readers claim can be countered with this argument that the deaths of the people in the community are parallel to that of the deaths during Japan in World War II, almost senseless and unnecessary.

The skeptical readers come from having a limited knowledge on the extent and scope of war poetry and all that it can be. When we look at it through a wide lens and draw parallels between themes within the poems the objections can easily be countered.

Responding to Waldrop - Mollie

The piece “Alarms and Excursions” by Rosemarie Waldrop has a defined audience of those interested in the purposes and effects of poetry on our society today. I think it is important to look at the second thesis, “it can make the culture aware of itself, and unveil hidden structures. It questions, resists”(Waldrop 215). Within this section the author’s purpose is reviled. The information the author presents within this section aids in supporting her thesis. She proceeds to examine the role poetry has played in our social and historical lives. One important source she uses is the work of Edmond Jabes to support her thesis and further it to a clear and concise understanding.

One excerpt of Edmond Jabes that Waldrop quotes is extremely useful in the defining of the terms. “Did I already know that opening and closing my eyes, lying down, moving, shrinking, dreaming, talking, being silent, writing and reading are all gestures and manifestations of subversion”(Waldrop 215)? This an important input on the behalf of Waldrop because it indicates a stream of consciousness between the author and the audience. One tactic the Waldrop uses is her ability for us to see poetry as something that is attainable. “Poetry has social relevance. It is not just an ornament or just private, an expression of personal emotions”(Waldrop 215). It is within this excerpt that we see poetry has a form of expression and not something that we should keep to ourselves.

Through this Waldrop is clearly defining terms of an audience of poetry. We are often conflicted with the fact that poetry must be something ornate that only few can reach it. Waldrop addresses these concerns in this piece by defining poetry as an outlet for emotions, a way of expression something that everyone is capable of. In many ways this information is useful to the audience in breaking down the barrier one often feels towards poetry and providing information for the audience to become poets themselves.

The format of this essay by Waldrop is one that is very unique for the average reader, the authors collaboration of poetry intermixed with academic disciplines is extremely successful in portraying poetry has a living art and not one of the past. I believe that the thesis I have stated above is so powerful and important because it transcends the way we see poetry today, illustrating the power of poetry in our society. The author is able to do this by incorporating modern day examples or problems with in her essay. She deems poetry as a social function, just as does society, “writing becomes action through this unveiling”(Waldrop 215).

In sum the work of Waldrop in this essay puts poetry on par with what we are able to achieve. We can attain it, understand it, and enjoy it when we see it as a personal expression of emotion, feelings and echoes of society. Poetry can become a verb when it is unveiled. Waldrop’s use of speaking to the audience in the format of a conversation is extremely important in defining her purpose of writing the piece. We need to see poetry as a living being rather then an art of the past.