DDCPoetry

Original poem reprinted online here: "How to Kill" by Keith Douglas Originally read: February 21, 2013 More information about the Poet: Keith Douglas The poem has a parabola rhyme scheme.  Past me drew a picture to demonstrate -- the rhyme scheme is (a-b-c-c-b-a).  Now, sonically, some of the rhymes don't fit; however, look at the words, most of the rhymes are sight rhyme or a play on the last letters of words ("long" "sang").  However, the rhyme scheme "drops" in the middle of stanza two ("ways" "his" [sonic assonance rhyme?]). In any case, the parabola rhyme scheme (as I drew in the picture as well) reinforces the idea of a grenade being thrown since the rhyme scheme creates a curve that goes back down on either the speaker or to another person. This idea is utilized in first stanza when referencing childhood (playing with a ball),  and then the following stanzas when the speaker throws the grenade. In the first stanza t...

Original poem reprinted online here: "Promenade" by Lorraine Doran Originally read: February 21, 2013 More information about the Poet: Lorraine Doran When I was reading this poem, I thought the definition of "Promenade" for this poem was "a ball."  Today, I went to check the definitions of promenade just to be sure.  The first definition, I feel also applies to this poem, "A leisurely walk, especially one taken in a public place as a social activity."  And so if this poem is the speaker walking through somewhere, that'd make sense. Because the people met on a walk don't make sense.  On the page, I tried to decipher every image and metaphor as they are connected to one another.  At least the tercets led me to believe that there's a consistent pattern going on.  What is consistent (if this is indeed a leisurely walk) is that the speaker is going in one direction describing scenes or superficially judging scenes -- there's no going b...

Original poem reprinted online here: "Apollo's Archaic Torso" by Leo Yankevich Originally read: January 5, 2013 More information about the Poet:  Leo Yankevich Update 01/25/2014 -- Just realized the poem honors Rainer Maria Rilke's Poem, "Archaic Torso of Apollo"  I'm slow.  Does this change my reading of this poem.  Yes it does.  I'll get to this someday... This Italian sonnet is awkward in an interesting sense.  There's a duality in the first part of the poem between the human body, a body sculpted, and a projected body.  I'm just going to quote the entire second stanza     still radiant, though dimmed.  If not, his bare     breast would not bind you in the silent turn     of hips and thighs, a smile not flash and burn     through groins, his genitals not ever glare. Here in this stanza the way the images are described are surreal and my mind thinks of godly portrayals of nakedness.  And the speaker,...