Blog Assignment 2

A poem is good for conveying abstract thoughts or emotions that one may not be entirely comfortable relaying as a plain sentence. It provides an outlet for creative thought as well— it allows one to rhyme and create a certain Arcadian rhythm that would not be possible in a paragraph. The hardest thing about writing a symbolist poem is dancing around the idea, rather than outright stating it. The poem must allude to something rather than making the concept obvious. It uses metaphors and and smilies and symbols that may not entirely make sense. Originally, I struggled with the concept of symbolism, for I myself am a realist, and do not believe in “beating around the bush” per se. It took a few tries, but I believe I may have accomplished the challenge of writing a symbolist poem. With the concept of the swallow, the poem is meant to convey a sense of freedom and carelessness, yet the poem is tinged with a sense of urgency. Faster. The boy beneath the bird is rooted to the ground, yet longs for the freedom. It signifies how we, as a species long to be carefree and “flying” in a sense, so we move faster in our time in order to reach it. Many times we never do.