DDCPoetry

Original poem reprinted online here: "Camma" by Oscar Wilde Originally read: September 27, 2013 More information about the Poet: Oscar Wilde Italian sonnet. (abba. cddc, efgefg).  Again I focus on the structure of the piece first, why?  The structure informs some hints on how to read the poem -- the Italian sonnet having more of a question (first stanza) and answer (second stanza) approach with a turn (volta, line 9 usually).  In any case, the poem is more about playing on allusions, established references. "As one who poring on a Grecian urn," I thought this would be an allusion to Keat's "Ode to a Grecian Urn," and perhaps it is, but the next couple of lines refers to the shape of gods, "Scans the fair shapes some Attic hand hath made, / God with slim goddess, goodly man with maid,"  Note the comparison with a God with a slim goddess, and a goodly man with maid -- bringing the divine back down for something more tangible. "And for thei...

Original poem reprinted online here: "A Vision" by Oscar Wilde Originally read: May 9, 2013 More information about the Poet: Oscar Wilde From the beginning I noticed two things.  One, that the poem is an Elizabethan sonnet.  Two, I tried my best to pin the images to allusions.  Why?  The poem doesn't make sense to me if the lines don't allude to certain things.  But at the same time, I have to take the poem as is if I can't pinpoint the allusion. For example the first line, "Two crowned Kings, and One that stood alone" is a very narrative and heavy line.  First, there are kings, and second the focus in the "One" that stood alone.  Past me wrote "Dante?" But that doesn't make sense because Dante wasn't a king, nor did he aspire to be one. The entire time Past Me thought Antigone reading the description.  But this isn't the case.  The focus is of the third "one"  (not the third king past me wrote).  And look at the...