Thursday, July 15, 2010

Ode to Enchanted Light by Pablo Neruda


Under the trees light
has dropped from the top of the sky,
light
like a green
latticework of branches,
shining
on every leaf,
drifting down like clean
white sand.

A cicada sends
its sawing song
high into the empty air.

The world is
a glass overflowing
with water.

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This is the poem that got my attention among the other poems from which I was able to choose. The other poems were good too, but it wasn't difficult to pick this poem as the one that I like the most.


Response to the formal aspects of the poem
First of all, this poem uses several poetic devices that help a lot to make this poem more beautiful and appealing to the imagination. The first one is the vivid imagery device, that can be seen clearly on the first two stanzas: "latticework of branches" and "shining on every leaf". Mean while "a cicada sends its sawing song" appeals to the hearing, and there can be considered as the use of sensory imagery. On the other hand "a glass overflowing with water" is a metaphor because it's making a statement while comparing two unrelated things. And lastly, this poem also uses similes in two different ideas “like a green latticework of branches” and “drifting down like clean white sand”, which can be easily identified for its use of the word like when making a comparison.


Response to the meaning or theme of the poem
This poem is an interesting play of metaphors and similes that are simple and easy to unravel. The light which has been dropped from the sky under the leaves is the sun light or sun rays, telling us this is happening in a sunny day, probably spring or summer since the leaves described are still green. The latticework refers to the intricate work of craftsmanship of branches and leaves that nature is able conjure, painting for us a big and healthy tree. Next, the simile “drifting down like clean white sand”, plays with the imagery of a windy day, that makes the sun rays slide down to earth the way sand would if released on the mysterious currents of the wind.

The cicada mentioned on the next stanza corroborates the speculation of summer time, since this insects can be heard clearly on still, hot mid-days, afternoons, and nights in various places around the world, revisiting the idea of stillness with the imagery of empty air. On the other hand "a glass overflowing with water" is a metaphor that refers to the abundance and lavishness of nature full of life: water overflowing suggests the opulence of nature in all of its splendor in summer days.


Response to the memories or thoughts you have while reading the poem
This poem evokes in me, memories of my childhood while running and playing with my sisters. We would run under the sun or stay under the trees to protect ourselves from its glare during noon. We would also lie down sometimes under said trees, to listen to the soft rustling sound of the leaves and to find shapes of different things in the white clouds that passed over us.

It also reminds me of a book, “El Sol de los Venados” (The Sun of the Deer), a beautiful book that makes me cry every time I read it. I’m reminded about this book in particular because it starts with the main character as a present time narrator describing the rays of sun coming through the windows in her house, all golden and playful, shinning brightly with the motes of dust that her mother lifts up while she sweeps the room they are in. This image is very evocative for me because I used to watch the exact same thing in my mother’s room during the summers when the light was able to come over the high wall behind her chambers. I would imagine that it was fairy dust sprinkling down on me as a gift from this magical creatures.

All in all, it just strikes me with happy and calm feelings, feelings that I associate with the days of my younger carefree days.

44 comments:

  1. Seems like the poem that reminds people of their childhood can TOUCH their heart better than another kind of poem.

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  2. I agree too! This poem is amazing.

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  3. i just read this in class today..!!!
    4-14-11 :) its a really awesome poem.!!

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  4. this is an amazing poem!!

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  5. My teacher sucks he won't explain this to us. I don't get it ):

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  6. i hate this poem its stupid get a life

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    Replies
    1. your a gay douche u dick

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    2. I bet you don't even grow melons you little punk, you cant even drink 3 gallons of milk in 37 seconds. People these days :/

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    3. be nice you just have to understand the poem

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    4. dude, some people just want to read a poem so dont be a jerk and let us live our lives

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  7. nom nom nom eat my crumpets!!!!!!!

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  8. my name is Pablo too!

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  9. i AM WRITING A RESPONSE AND THIS YOUR COMMENTS HELOED ME

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  10. The white sand makes me want to go surfing!!

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  11. I could definetly go for some
    surfing right meow

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  12. I also like the fair!!!

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  13. Mother nature sheds her light representing hope with the only outcome of goodness.

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  14. this helped me with my response to literature essay, thanks

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  15. I still don't understand what the theme is

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  16. fuck this stupid shit

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    Replies
    1. What's wrong with you? It's a beautifully written poem, show some respect to literature

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    2. I bet you don't even grow melons you little punk, you cant even drink 3 gallons of milk in 37 seconds. People these days :/

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    3. AGRREE!! respect, pls

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    4. watch your language

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  17. it has such soothing words and I like how he uses such vivid imagery

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  18. pablo kiss my ass from the back

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  19. LMFAO @ these comments

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  20. jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj

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  21. The picture above the poem looks like Hayao Miyazaki drawing ;)

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  22. fuck
    I rly don't like this poem, but I do see why people do, I like the feeling it conveys, I feel it is poorly written tho
    fuck

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  23. ALRIGHT YOU 'CULTURED' ASSHATS! HERE'S MY FUCKING OPINION ON THIS POEM AND YOUR SNOBBY, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY ATTITUDES TOWARD THIS POEM. FIRST OFF, FUCK YOU, SECOND, THIS POEM IS SHIT. PABLO CAN GO DIE. ALL OF YOU WHO CAN GET A GOOD MESSAGE OUT OF THIS POEM, GOOD for FUCKING you! That's your own self-made opinion though. I get this author is a chill dude who had a special childhood or whatever the fuck, but holy shit. I mean HOLY SHIT! This is some fucked up shit that makes no real sense. Call me uncultured, say whatever the hell you want to, but the thing is, I GIVE ABSOLUTELY ZERO SHITS. I would keep my ranting bullshit to myself, but my professor assigned us nonsensical questions on this poem. Given, it is immature to take it out on y'all, and you might ask why I do this when I know it's immature. FUCK YOU PABLO NERUDA! THAT'S FUCKING WHY.
    Thank you for your time.

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  24. Hitler did nothing wrong

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