"A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom." Who said this? It is none other than poet Robert Frost. I have found an interview from http://parisreview.com/media/4678_FROST.pdf with Robert Frost and I would be discussing some of the excerpts from the interview. Robert Frost said that he did not own a desk when he was young, and he still doesn't have one ! Can you imagine a poet without a proper desk to write. He says that he writes on anything, including on the sole of his shoe. Although this statement is not very significant, I think what he is trying to tell you is that an inspiration to write poems can come from anywhere, from a neat writing desk to the sole of your shoe.
In one statement, when he was asked which poet did he admire the most, he literally said "I was the enemy of the theory......that you should play sedulous ape to anybody. That did more harm to American education." He might be trying to tell us to develop our own style in writing poetry than have a "copied version" of another poet.
I think that his poems are largely influenced by his sad personal life. Since he had travelled to many different countries, he has many sources of inspirations. His poetry is usually about something not many people had realise, like this poem: A Patch Of Old Snow. Some of the poems he writes usually starts with something light-hearted, and then it goes into a deeper meaning, and ends with a pessimissic theme. There are others such as A Late Walk which has a very heartwarming end.
Robert Frost is an American poet, and was born in California. He grew up in the city and graduated from Lawrence High School and took on jobs including delivering newspapers and factory labor. He did not enjoy any and realised his true calling to be a poet. He was also a teacher in Pinkerton Academy. He credited his writing to his writing classes in high school. The places he travelled and lived throughout his life can be summarised into the poem he wrote title "New Hampshire". He has written more than 180 poems and his poems are critiqued in the "Anthology of Modern American Poetry". He passed away in January 29 1963, but his works live forever. Here is a poem which I hope you would enjoy:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Citations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Frost
http://parisreview.com/media/4678_FROST.pdf
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/robert_frost/poems/
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
My favourite poem
This is my favourite poem, which is written by Robert Frost. This is how the poem goes:
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
I have just learnt a few uses of figurative language, so I think I should be able to identify some of them here. The first one I can spot is personification (line 5): He make the horse think that to stop and watch the woods fill with snow is queer. Another one of personification is in line 10, where his horse asks if "there is some mistake". The last one I have spotted is in line 12 with the use of a metaphor. "Easy wind and downy flake", the author is trying to give us the image of the snowy forests where the wind is lightly blowing and sonwflakes are landing on him so smoothly as ever. For the use of personification, I think he is trying to indicate that a human thinks differently from that of an animal and we should not treat each humans as animals. This is from where he wants to find a house to sleep in and his horse wants to find a farmhouse where there is a shed so he can rest there. There is a different perspective in their ideal place of "rest" and the author is demonstrating the different needs of an animal and a human.
I like this poem because it gives me the image where I was in Germany when I was 10. The 'wind was easy' and the 'downy flake' drifting down. I like that image very much and this poem happens to remind me of the scene of a big area of casuarina trees laden with snow. The only difference was that I was in a bus and the author is travelling on his horse. I can imagine him in the situation and writing this poem, and this snowing scene; it gives me the image of the start of Christmas.
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
I have just learnt a few uses of figurative language, so I think I should be able to identify some of them here. The first one I can spot is personification (line 5): He make the horse think that to stop and watch the woods fill with snow is queer. Another one of personification is in line 10, where his horse asks if "there is some mistake". The last one I have spotted is in line 12 with the use of a metaphor. "Easy wind and downy flake", the author is trying to give us the image of the snowy forests where the wind is lightly blowing and sonwflakes are landing on him so smoothly as ever. For the use of personification, I think he is trying to indicate that a human thinks differently from that of an animal and we should not treat each humans as animals. This is from where he wants to find a house to sleep in and his horse wants to find a farmhouse where there is a shed so he can rest there. There is a different perspective in their ideal place of "rest" and the author is demonstrating the different needs of an animal and a human.
I like this poem because it gives me the image where I was in Germany when I was 10. The 'wind was easy' and the 'downy flake' drifting down. I like that image very much and this poem happens to remind me of the scene of a big area of casuarina trees laden with snow. The only difference was that I was in a bus and the author is travelling on his horse. I can imagine him in the situation and writing this poem, and this snowing scene; it gives me the image of the start of Christmas.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The book that impacted my mother's life
Have you ever read any books? Duh... you say. But have you read any books about Singapore politics? Erm, not too sure this time. Well, the book that impacted my mother's life was this book: Singapore: The Air-Coniditioned Nation, by Cherian George.
Does the title sound catchy enough? The book talks about the importance of unity in the nation and how we unite. Air-Conditioned, hmmm, it actually talks about how Singapore has been governed by PAP and why it is so successful in making Singapore such a peaceful country. My mother says that this book impacted her life because it reminds her the importance of racial harmony. She was not too bothered or a fan of this racial harmony thingy that was emphasised so frequently by the government. This was a long time ago. A rule was imposed that in every level of HDB flats, the residents should consist of people of all races. She only realised the importance of racial harmony after the book described the effects of the absence. Since Singapore is such a small country, we cannot afford to have riots happening in our daily lives, where there is social unrest.
Another aspect that impacted her life her thinking of the grass is always greener on the other side. She had always wanted to migrate to one of the Oceania countries. However, the book emphasised that Singapore was where we are all born in and we should pledge loyalty, where we should have a sense of belonging. It said that " All would be treated fairly with respect as a citizen and a human being". I am starting to find that too. Actually I have never thought of leaving Singapore and I would have not idea where to migrate to go.
Haha, this is the end of the post. Would you like to migrate or not? Or is racial harmony that important? Share your thoughts with me.
Does the title sound catchy enough? The book talks about the importance of unity in the nation and how we unite. Air-Conditioned, hmmm, it actually talks about how Singapore has been governed by PAP and why it is so successful in making Singapore such a peaceful country. My mother says that this book impacted her life because it reminds her the importance of racial harmony. She was not too bothered or a fan of this racial harmony thingy that was emphasised so frequently by the government. This was a long time ago. A rule was imposed that in every level of HDB flats, the residents should consist of people of all races. She only realised the importance of racial harmony after the book described the effects of the absence. Since Singapore is such a small country, we cannot afford to have riots happening in our daily lives, where there is social unrest.
Another aspect that impacted her life her thinking of the grass is always greener on the other side. She had always wanted to migrate to one of the Oceania countries. However, the book emphasised that Singapore was where we are all born in and we should pledge loyalty, where we should have a sense of belonging. It said that " All would be treated fairly with respect as a citizen and a human being". I am starting to find that too. Actually I have never thought of leaving Singapore and I would have not idea where to migrate to go.
Haha, this is the end of the post. Would you like to migrate or not? Or is racial harmony that important? Share your thoughts with me.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Hello readers, I would like to introduce you to this book VBTS and today I would be blogging about that. It is actually about a family with dysfunctional parents and how the eldest children have to take on parental roles to support the family.
I would like to talk about my favourite part about the book. I would say that this book is a fairytale story for early teens but it is also somewhat true in potraying the images of city and rural life from different points of view. I will be telling you my favourite part of the book and I hope that you would love this book too.
My favourite part of VBTS is actually when Hari goes to Bombay in search of work. It is when Bombay is seen as the majestic financial capital of India and also how it is like when you take a look at the dark alleys and the people that roam around. This is where Hari realises the experience to work and how a big city so foreign to ask is unveiled to our eyes. I feel that that is exactly how we feel everytime when we search for something new and discover the goodness and badness in it. We are blinded by the splendour when we first step in but are soon disillusioned when things start to happen. This is the same for Hari. He was looking forward to the trip to Bombay but realised the city at its ugliest. It reminds us to be cautious at all times and do not be blinded by what we see first see and thought.
I also like the part when he finally goes back to Bombay and realises and appreciates what he has in his hands. This also prevents us from coveting and learn to appreciate what we have. Apart from the fairytale side of the story like how coincidences fall in so randomly, this is book worth reading and is also certainly a brain-bender. There are many themes in the story and you could just list out all the pros and cons about this or that.
As usual, for readers of this book, please comment and also tell me which part of the story you enjoy reading the best :)
I would like to talk about my favourite part about the book. I would say that this book is a fairytale story for early teens but it is also somewhat true in potraying the images of city and rural life from different points of view. I will be telling you my favourite part of the book and I hope that you would love this book too.
My favourite part of VBTS is actually when Hari goes to Bombay in search of work. It is when Bombay is seen as the majestic financial capital of India and also how it is like when you take a look at the dark alleys and the people that roam around. This is where Hari realises the experience to work and how a big city so foreign to ask is unveiled to our eyes. I feel that that is exactly how we feel everytime when we search for something new and discover the goodness and badness in it. We are blinded by the splendour when we first step in but are soon disillusioned when things start to happen. This is the same for Hari. He was looking forward to the trip to Bombay but realised the city at its ugliest. It reminds us to be cautious at all times and do not be blinded by what we see first see and thought.
I also like the part when he finally goes back to Bombay and realises and appreciates what he has in his hands. This also prevents us from coveting and learn to appreciate what we have. Apart from the fairytale side of the story like how coincidences fall in so randomly, this is book worth reading and is also certainly a brain-bender. There are many themes in the story and you could just list out all the pros and cons about this or that.
As usual, for readers of this book, please comment and also tell me which part of the story you enjoy reading the best :)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Where is the air-con remote controller? Why is the computer lagging? Where did I park my car?
Hmmm, industrialisation? Progress? How should they help us? Convenience? Luxurious living? Is it necessary?
Let us take a closer look into the topic of progress: Is it ALWAYS beneficial for the society?
VBTS (Village by the sea) says no. How can it be always beneficial when bullock carts are more useful in terms of its functionality than trucks? How can it be possible when progress will bring
more harmful effects such as excessive pollution to the environment when it can be avoided?
Well, I feel that while progress will definitely bring us convenience, it also makes us feel more disabled. Needs are created. We suddenly feel we are in need of something we don't. Moreover, it makes us spend money.
Progress is the developmental activity in science, technology, etc., esp. with reference to the commercial opportunities created thereby or to the promotion of the material well-being of the public through the goods, techniques, or facilities are created, according to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/progress.
Where progress is necessary at times, I feel that it may not be needed and it could lead to the rise in unemployment where the people living in the countryside are unable to adapt to city life. Their way of life will be changed dramatically and this would not be good news. How can a fisherman suddenly be able to work machines? Or how can a farmer suddenly be able to drive trucks? I am trying to say here that while we have progressed for a long while, let us not be so carried away and let the people at the countryside, who have provided us food for all the years, continue working in their slow-paced, casual life.
Thank you for reading this post and feel free to comment, especially if you have some disagreements or something which I have missed out.
Hmmm, industrialisation? Progress? How should they help us? Convenience? Luxurious living? Is it necessary?
Let us take a closer look into the topic of progress: Is it ALWAYS beneficial for the society?
VBTS (Village by the sea) says no. How can it be always beneficial when bullock carts are more useful in terms of its functionality than trucks? How can it be possible when progress will bring
more harmful effects such as excessive pollution to the environment when it can be avoided?
Well, I feel that while progress will definitely bring us convenience, it also makes us feel more disabled. Needs are created. We suddenly feel we are in need of something we don't. Moreover, it makes us spend money.
Progress is the developmental activity in science, technology, etc., esp. with reference to the commercial opportunities created thereby or to the promotion of the material well-being of the public through the goods, techniques, or facilities are created, according to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/progress.
Where progress is necessary at times, I feel that it may not be needed and it could lead to the rise in unemployment where the people living in the countryside are unable to adapt to city life. Their way of life will be changed dramatically and this would not be good news. How can a fisherman suddenly be able to work machines? Or how can a farmer suddenly be able to drive trucks? I am trying to say here that while we have progressed for a long while, let us not be so carried away and let the people at the countryside, who have provided us food for all the years, continue working in their slow-paced, casual life.
Thank you for reading this post and feel free to comment, especially if you have some disagreements or something which I have missed out.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
my most hated character in VBTS is...
Biju? Hari's father? Billu? Which one? I shan't tell you, but continue reading on and find out!
Okay, firstly let's analyse Biju's character. At first glance you would say that he is the proudest man on the surface of this earth and deserved to be hated to the core. His ill-treatment to his workers cause us to feel for the workers and make our hate swell towards him. He boasts about his boat, has the most amount of bullock carts and even has a television set which doesn't work. How odd! He has a serious ego problem. BUT if you look more closely.... what is the yelling all about to the guard? He was protecting the village! He had an ego problem nonetheless, but he managed to use his egoism to make the villagers have a sense of belonging and they could depend on themselves and not others.
Hmm, now its time for Hari's father. He drinks toddy all day long, beats his wife and children, caused the death of the family dog, sold the family boat and made his eldest children carry the burden of sustaining a family. Obviously they cannot do a good job, who can if you are just in your so young and immature? He "recovers" nearing the end of the story but I think that the family has suffered a lot already. Perhaps if I were Anita Desai, I would complete it with the father doing something good for the family like getting a job or something of that sort.
Lastly, lets take a look at Billu. He looks really kind at first sight, tossing Hari a coconut to drink to quench his thirst. Really a nice guy right? Good man at heart right? Wrong, wrong and wrong again. Teaching Hari to disobey his parents, tell him to be a loner and that there is no help in the world. The world is full of rich people who doesn't help the poor and he was one of those who was helpless. This is really morally wrong and I hope all of you would not heed his advice even if you felt that your situation was worse than Hari.
Alright, that brings me to the end of character analysis, its time to name the man. Who would it be? None other than Hari's father. Surprising? Not really. Let us take a look at Biju. He did not affect Hari much. Just some demoralising. What about Billu? Hari would not have met him if his father was responsible! Thats why I made Billu seem as if he was such a terrible man. It was all Hari's father's fault. Get it now? Even if he made some"amendments" I think it would be too late. That is also why I wrote that if I were the author, I would write something nicer about Hari's father to absolve himself from the blame. Alright, quite a long post, it would be yours truly signing off......
Okay, firstly let's analyse Biju's character. At first glance you would say that he is the proudest man on the surface of this earth and deserved to be hated to the core. His ill-treatment to his workers cause us to feel for the workers and make our hate swell towards him. He boasts about his boat, has the most amount of bullock carts and even has a television set which doesn't work. How odd! He has a serious ego problem. BUT if you look more closely.... what is the yelling all about to the guard? He was protecting the village! He had an ego problem nonetheless, but he managed to use his egoism to make the villagers have a sense of belonging and they could depend on themselves and not others.
Hmm, now its time for Hari's father. He drinks toddy all day long, beats his wife and children, caused the death of the family dog, sold the family boat and made his eldest children carry the burden of sustaining a family. Obviously they cannot do a good job, who can if you are just in your so young and immature? He "recovers" nearing the end of the story but I think that the family has suffered a lot already. Perhaps if I were Anita Desai, I would complete it with the father doing something good for the family like getting a job or something of that sort.
Lastly, lets take a look at Billu. He looks really kind at first sight, tossing Hari a coconut to drink to quench his thirst. Really a nice guy right? Good man at heart right? Wrong, wrong and wrong again. Teaching Hari to disobey his parents, tell him to be a loner and that there is no help in the world. The world is full of rich people who doesn't help the poor and he was one of those who was helpless. This is really morally wrong and I hope all of you would not heed his advice even if you felt that your situation was worse than Hari.
Alright, that brings me to the end of character analysis, its time to name the man. Who would it be? None other than Hari's father. Surprising? Not really. Let us take a look at Biju. He did not affect Hari much. Just some demoralising. What about Billu? Hari would not have met him if his father was responsible! Thats why I made Billu seem as if he was such a terrible man. It was all Hari's father's fault. Get it now? Even if he made some"amendments" I think it would be too late. That is also why I wrote that if I were the author, I would write something nicer about Hari's father to absolve himself from the blame. Alright, quite a long post, it would be yours truly signing off......
Friday, June 5, 2009
Country rat? City rat? Which would you rather be? Let's weigh the plusses and minusses of being a country rat and city rat:
Starting with the country rat, we would realise that our resources are widely available as long as you are financially inclined. Modernisation is a 100% yes in the city and there would be continuous developement to make life more convenient. Higher literacy level and all of that sort.Sounds great? Then what about these: The cost of living is high, the living standards are high, crime rates are high...... there you have all of these. People have much knowledge in managing but what is knowledge? City=More jobs? That is quite right but you would realise that people are more densely populated and competition for resources are high, thus city also= more people! Now think about it: If you have a low literacy level, poor financial state, then you would be more of a beggar roaming the streets than a person leaving in a mansion with many servants and the latest gadgets and a large plot of land and a big business to run...... How would it be?
Next with the country rat, let us weigh it out, starting with the positive: Slow-paced lifestyle, easy to cope. Resort to farming and fishing as your way of life and financially stable. You work for yourself, you are the boss. You control your income. No external interferences. Absolutely fantastic. Wait. Are you sure it is fantastic? Traditional way of life, always useful? Medical clinics easily available? Check. Learning centres easily accessible? Check. Slow-paced=less stressful, Can we contribute significantly to the society? How is it possible then? Purpose of life is to fish and farm. So is slow-paced lifestye=fulfilled life?
To summarise, you can only cope in the city if you have a stable and high-paid job. You can survive in the country in any conditions. So would you like to know if I would rather be a city rat or a country rat? Honestly, I would like to be a city rat. This is because I am not that sort of a slow-paced person. I like competition. It is by human nature. I would like to compete my way in the city. I would not always win, I would have fought hard enough. That is certainly what I want. But for the country rat, I would just like to go to the countryside for holidays or something of that sort but certainly not to live there. Its just a direct opposite.
So care for any comments? Share your views!
Starting with the country rat, we would realise that our resources are widely available as long as you are financially inclined. Modernisation is a 100% yes in the city and there would be continuous developement to make life more convenient. Higher literacy level and all of that sort.Sounds great? Then what about these: The cost of living is high, the living standards are high, crime rates are high...... there you have all of these. People have much knowledge in managing but what is knowledge? City=More jobs? That is quite right but you would realise that people are more densely populated and competition for resources are high, thus city also= more people! Now think about it: If you have a low literacy level, poor financial state, then you would be more of a beggar roaming the streets than a person leaving in a mansion with many servants and the latest gadgets and a large plot of land and a big business to run...... How would it be?
Next with the country rat, let us weigh it out, starting with the positive: Slow-paced lifestyle, easy to cope. Resort to farming and fishing as your way of life and financially stable. You work for yourself, you are the boss. You control your income. No external interferences. Absolutely fantastic. Wait. Are you sure it is fantastic? Traditional way of life, always useful? Medical clinics easily available? Check. Learning centres easily accessible? Check. Slow-paced=less stressful, Can we contribute significantly to the society? How is it possible then? Purpose of life is to fish and farm. So is slow-paced lifestye=fulfilled life?
To summarise, you can only cope in the city if you have a stable and high-paid job. You can survive in the country in any conditions. So would you like to know if I would rather be a city rat or a country rat? Honestly, I would like to be a city rat. This is because I am not that sort of a slow-paced person. I like competition. It is by human nature. I would like to compete my way in the city. I would not always win, I would have fought hard enough. That is certainly what I want. But for the country rat, I would just like to go to the countryside for holidays or something of that sort but certainly not to live there. Its just a direct opposite.
So care for any comments? Share your views!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Hello all, this is the Monday Interview! Today, our grand interviewee will be.... my father! Ok, just a brief introduction. This interview is to understand the reading habbits of my father and you would be interested in how he answers his question. Off we go then!
What is the title of the book that you are reading? Why are you reading it?
Glycerine. I am reading it for scientific purposes and for my researches in the laboratory. I do a lot of lab work, so this book will come in handy, especially if I am doing a project about it.
What are the criterion that you use to select a book title?
It must be topics of my interests and I would like to read books which are in the form of movie trailers. One of such is The Da Vinci Code. Other criterion that I choose is that the book must work-related.
Do you think it more important to read for leisure than for work?
Yes, because I think that reading is more of a form of leisure and even though I read books that are related to work, I find it rather relaxing as work is also a form of leisure for me.
How does reading benefit you? (for relaxation? for learning new knowledge? gaining literature insights?)
It is more for relaxation and to expand my vocabulary. It is also for my leisure activities.
Which book has the greatest impact on you? Why?
Animal Farm by George Orwell. It reminds me as a parent especially to be fair and transparent always or my children (my siblings and I ) will be mad at me!
Can you recommend some books you have read in your childhood that you think is suitable for us to read?
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Another one is Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy.
If your shelf caught fire, which book would you take?
Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I usually read this book to sleep and the thought-provoking mysteries prevent my mind from overworking.
Overall, I think that my father reads quite a fair bit but if may seem that he is quite a workaholic. The fact that he reads most of his books related to work makes me feel that way. Alright, the interview has ended. Hope you enjoyed it and I will try to have an interview weekly until the end of the holidays.
What is the title of the book that you are reading? Why are you reading it?
Glycerine. I am reading it for scientific purposes and for my researches in the laboratory. I do a lot of lab work, so this book will come in handy, especially if I am doing a project about it.
What are the criterion that you use to select a book title?
It must be topics of my interests and I would like to read books which are in the form of movie trailers. One of such is The Da Vinci Code. Other criterion that I choose is that the book must work-related.
Do you think it more important to read for leisure than for work?
Yes, because I think that reading is more of a form of leisure and even though I read books that are related to work, I find it rather relaxing as work is also a form of leisure for me.
How does reading benefit you? (for relaxation? for learning new knowledge? gaining literature insights?)
It is more for relaxation and to expand my vocabulary. It is also for my leisure activities.
Which book has the greatest impact on you? Why?
Animal Farm by George Orwell. It reminds me as a parent especially to be fair and transparent always or my children (my siblings and I ) will be mad at me!
Can you recommend some books you have read in your childhood that you think is suitable for us to read?
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Another one is Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy.
If your shelf caught fire, which book would you take?
Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I usually read this book to sleep and the thought-provoking mysteries prevent my mind from overworking.
Overall, I think that my father reads quite a fair bit but if may seem that he is quite a workaholic. The fact that he reads most of his books related to work makes me feel that way. Alright, the interview has ended. Hope you enjoyed it and I will try to have an interview weekly until the end of the holidays.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)