Response to Gerald Stern

Gerald Stern has an incredibly interesting character, which shines through in his poetry. Another Insane Devotion is a perfect example of that character. Not only is the imagery of the poem fantastic but it also reflects the mourning for youth and the compassion of the woman he left in Rome. The unfulfilled desire is palpable made worse by his inability to contact her. The vivid imagery of the cat makes clear the connection he feels in their devotion and passion. But also the conflict with the cat could mark an inner conflict between Stern and his own passions within him. Though he craves his lover he is well aware of the issue of morality in his clandestine affair. His clear imagery is marvelous at creating lasting images in the minds eye.

Li Young Lee Response

After reading some of Li-Young Lee's poetry, the relationship between himself and his father appears everywhere. I almost seems that every poem is an anecdote , if only for a moment, about his father. Through Lee's use of language and the musicality of his words the anecdotal becomes poetic. His rhythm and pacing establish his musicality quite clearly. Even on the page it is clear by his unique use of punctuation how the Lee intended the poem to be read. But his language is poetic beyond the musicality of the verse for the imagery is poetic as well. The metaphor within the imagery as well is poetic. For instance
"Wrens are small, plain birds,
yarn is what one knits with.
Wrens are soft as yarn.
My Mother makes birds out of yarn.
I loved to watch her tie the stuff;
a bird, a rabbit, a wee man"
The way Lee presents the imagery and what it means in relation to the poem as a whole defines the poetic nature of Lee's poetry.

Response to Billy Collins

The poetry of Billy Collins has a refreshing amount of humor. Through his tackling everyday processes with humor Collins provides a new lens for his audience to view the world of the mundane. Beyond his humor, however we find a revealing amount of personality in his poetry. It is as if his thoughts are laid bare and we can clearly see how he views the world. This untainted perspective into the poets mind is rare as poets often use their poetry to cloud their ultimate message. This casual approach to poetry is readily accessible to all audiences. Which again is refreshing for it breaks from the typical veiled poetry which leaves things vague and unclear.