Musings inspired by ENGL 2393
We were doing a poem called “Lines Composed A Few Miles from Tinturn Abby” by William Wordsworth in my poetry class today. I remember doing it last year in my Literary Traditions class with Deborah Kennedy. She was the best prof. I’ve ever had here at SMU, and I can’t wait to take her Restoration class next year. Anyway, our prof asked us a bunch of questions to get us in the mood of the poem. She didn’t give us nearly enough time to answer them properly, but they were really thought-provoking. Because I didn’t get to write what I wanted to, I decided that I’d take the time now and just finish what I started in class…plus it gives me a chance to write some more, which is always good practice.
Because the poem was written as Wordsworth was reflecting on his past experiences, she asked us to remember back to five years ago, and wanted to know where we were and what we were doing. I said that I was fifteen years old, living at home, and going to junior high school. It wasn’t until a few minutes passed that I realized when I was 15 I started at JL. It’s hard to believe that just five years ago I would have been in my second term of my first year of high school. So much has happened since then that it feels like it’s been a lot longer.
Then, because Wordsworth talks about nature so much in his poem, being somewhat of an environmentalist, the prof. asked us what our favorite outdoor spot was back then. I had a hard time remembering, so I just answered with “the frog pond near my house”, but now that I think about it, I’m not sure it was. I mean, I really liked going there, but I don’t think I liked it back then as much as I do now. Then I got to thinking…did I like being at “the shore” down by my summer place in Ingomar best, or did I like being in Point Pleasant Park, or maybe it was the area around my house? I just couldn’t remember, and for the most part, I still can’t think of what it would be. It just dawned on me, however, when I was writing that last sentence that the place right across the street from my house may have been my favorite spot. I can’t remember how old I was when I went in there, but as a younger child, I used to go there all the time with the Goulden’s. There was this little area with a boulder, but there were trees around it so it was nice and shaded, but the boulder was flat enough that you could sit on it. I think that was my favorite spot. It’s gone now. They bulldozed it down to put in the new “pocket park”. Well, they tore it up and put this really bad smelling bark mulch down when I was around 13 so they wouldn’t have to use the lawnmower as often. The city is lazy. But, the grass grew up through the smelly mulch, so that was some justice for me. Anyway, I still find myself missing that place. I don’t know why people can’t just leave well enough alone. It used to be a thriving piece of forest, as small as it was. It even had apple trees. And now all of that is gone, replaced by concrete pavers (Kelly, you know the kind), a lamp post, grass sod, and some benches. It really looked better before. Stupid progress!
The next question we were thrown was, “what mattered the most to you”? I was torn between family and friends, but I went with family. I think this one was prompted because Wordsworth wrote this particular poem for his sister Dorothy. They were really close as children, apparently, and then got separated for eight years while they went to school. I can’t help but think if Matthew and I were separated for that long when we were younger our relationship now would be very different. I’m just not sure I’m happy with my answer. Well, I shouldn’t say happy, more like satisfied. In all honesty the thing that mattered most to me back then was probably getting good marks in school and trying to fit in. I was a bit of a loner all through junior high, and I wanted to change that in high school. I eventually did, but I ended up becoming a part of the group that was slightly different from the other cliques around school. I didn’t mind that one bit, and I actually really enjoyed it. I felt like I finally belonged somewhere, and I met people with similar views and interests to me. It was amazing. Again, sorry for the digression but now back to the subject at hand. So, it was either family and friends or trying to fit in. Family and friends has always been the most important thing in my life as far as I can remember. I would do anything for a family member or friend, so perhaps my original answer is the truest one. You know what they say, go with your gut feeling.
Obviously the next logical thing was, “who was the most important person in your life at that time”? I said it was my mom or brother, and I would normally be happy with that answer, but I got to thinking…who helped get me to the person I am today? The answer to that would be Gena Holly. She was the one who introduced me to wicca, and she was the one who introduced me to Lindsay, who then introduced me to Melissa Schnare, who then introduced me to “Mac’s Room”, and the rest is history. Without that one person I would be nowhere near the person I am today. I don’t even think she knows that…
The last and final question was, “what’s changed since then”? What a loaded question that is! Going from fifteen to twenty is a huge difference. Lots can happen in one year let alone five, especially at that time in your life. This was the question I got hung up on. All the losses and gains, the experiences, and people who have come in and out of my life are almost hard to believe. I met my best friends (I can’t have just one), lost touch with some of the most important people in my childhood (and I miss them so much), traveled around the world (maybe not that extensively, but enough so say that), and just grown as a person. All the experiences one has are hard to fathom. My grandfather passed away, Brian passed away, my grandmother passed away, and my great uncle passed away…my uncle got married. Intense...but it doesn’t stop there. I became pagan, started working at the best retail job in Halifax, learned how to ski and loved it, started listening to different types of music, and traveled on a plane for the first time. Then there’s the wild and wacky world of romance. I’ve yet to have a relationship, but I have (just within the past year) gained some experiences in that department despite the fact. It’s mind boggling the stuff one does. I could sit here for hours and remember places I’ve visited and things I’ve seen and done.
And so this concludes my “stream of consciousness” writings. I’m sorry you guys had to put up with that, but I’m glad I could actually think things through and stick them on some virtual paper.
I’m actually just passing the time before I have to go meet with someone to discuss stuff for an hour long presentation we have to do. I’m off to go searching around on facebook or something. Until next time!
Because the poem was written as Wordsworth was reflecting on his past experiences, she asked us to remember back to five years ago, and wanted to know where we were and what we were doing. I said that I was fifteen years old, living at home, and going to junior high school. It wasn’t until a few minutes passed that I realized when I was 15 I started at JL. It’s hard to believe that just five years ago I would have been in my second term of my first year of high school. So much has happened since then that it feels like it’s been a lot longer.
Then, because Wordsworth talks about nature so much in his poem, being somewhat of an environmentalist, the prof. asked us what our favorite outdoor spot was back then. I had a hard time remembering, so I just answered with “the frog pond near my house”, but now that I think about it, I’m not sure it was. I mean, I really liked going there, but I don’t think I liked it back then as much as I do now. Then I got to thinking…did I like being at “the shore” down by my summer place in Ingomar best, or did I like being in Point Pleasant Park, or maybe it was the area around my house? I just couldn’t remember, and for the most part, I still can’t think of what it would be. It just dawned on me, however, when I was writing that last sentence that the place right across the street from my house may have been my favorite spot. I can’t remember how old I was when I went in there, but as a younger child, I used to go there all the time with the Goulden’s. There was this little area with a boulder, but there were trees around it so it was nice and shaded, but the boulder was flat enough that you could sit on it. I think that was my favorite spot. It’s gone now. They bulldozed it down to put in the new “pocket park”. Well, they tore it up and put this really bad smelling bark mulch down when I was around 13 so they wouldn’t have to use the lawnmower as often. The city is lazy. But, the grass grew up through the smelly mulch, so that was some justice for me. Anyway, I still find myself missing that place. I don’t know why people can’t just leave well enough alone. It used to be a thriving piece of forest, as small as it was. It even had apple trees. And now all of that is gone, replaced by concrete pavers (Kelly, you know the kind), a lamp post, grass sod, and some benches. It really looked better before. Stupid progress!
The next question we were thrown was, “what mattered the most to you”? I was torn between family and friends, but I went with family. I think this one was prompted because Wordsworth wrote this particular poem for his sister Dorothy. They were really close as children, apparently, and then got separated for eight years while they went to school. I can’t help but think if Matthew and I were separated for that long when we were younger our relationship now would be very different. I’m just not sure I’m happy with my answer. Well, I shouldn’t say happy, more like satisfied. In all honesty the thing that mattered most to me back then was probably getting good marks in school and trying to fit in. I was a bit of a loner all through junior high, and I wanted to change that in high school. I eventually did, but I ended up becoming a part of the group that was slightly different from the other cliques around school. I didn’t mind that one bit, and I actually really enjoyed it. I felt like I finally belonged somewhere, and I met people with similar views and interests to me. It was amazing. Again, sorry for the digression but now back to the subject at hand. So, it was either family and friends or trying to fit in. Family and friends has always been the most important thing in my life as far as I can remember. I would do anything for a family member or friend, so perhaps my original answer is the truest one. You know what they say, go with your gut feeling.
Obviously the next logical thing was, “who was the most important person in your life at that time”? I said it was my mom or brother, and I would normally be happy with that answer, but I got to thinking…who helped get me to the person I am today? The answer to that would be Gena Holly. She was the one who introduced me to wicca, and she was the one who introduced me to Lindsay, who then introduced me to Melissa Schnare, who then introduced me to “Mac’s Room”, and the rest is history. Without that one person I would be nowhere near the person I am today. I don’t even think she knows that…
The last and final question was, “what’s changed since then”? What a loaded question that is! Going from fifteen to twenty is a huge difference. Lots can happen in one year let alone five, especially at that time in your life. This was the question I got hung up on. All the losses and gains, the experiences, and people who have come in and out of my life are almost hard to believe. I met my best friends (I can’t have just one), lost touch with some of the most important people in my childhood (and I miss them so much), traveled around the world (maybe not that extensively, but enough so say that), and just grown as a person. All the experiences one has are hard to fathom. My grandfather passed away, Brian passed away, my grandmother passed away, and my great uncle passed away…my uncle got married. Intense...but it doesn’t stop there. I became pagan, started working at the best retail job in Halifax, learned how to ski and loved it, started listening to different types of music, and traveled on a plane for the first time. Then there’s the wild and wacky world of romance. I’ve yet to have a relationship, but I have (just within the past year) gained some experiences in that department despite the fact. It’s mind boggling the stuff one does. I could sit here for hours and remember places I’ve visited and things I’ve seen and done.
And so this concludes my “stream of consciousness” writings. I’m sorry you guys had to put up with that, but I’m glad I could actually think things through and stick them on some virtual paper.
I’m actually just passing the time before I have to go meet with someone to discuss stuff for an hour long presentation we have to do. I’m off to go searching around on facebook or something. Until next time!