forty-sixth memory - westerberg high

[obliviomancy]

One paper down, two to go.

I don't get it. A poem's a poem. You can't understand it because you'll never know what the poet was thinking. Great. So what are you supposed to say?

I still have to study for history and algebra, too. What a mess.

Comments

[awillowywitch]

But history and algebra are easy! You'll do fine.

[obliviomancy]

History, maybe. But I'm definitely going to need more than memorization to get through algebra.

[awillowywitch]

You're not mathematically inclined?

[obliviomancy]

Not exactly. I can memorize all the formulas. It's just kind of tricky to figure out where to apply them.

[commoneresque]

What are you trying to infer from the poem? The general meaning or something more specific than that?

[obliviomancy]

Whatever covers eight pages works, I guess. I still don't know why poets couldn't just say what they meant.

[commoneresque]

I think a lot of poets did say what they meant, just in their own ways. Depending on what kind of poetry it is, or if it's in its original language, and other things, I can certainly see how it can be problematic to analyze. They're a challenge but I've always liked--- but not impossible.

[obliviomancy]

Not if you listen to all the stuff the critics wrote. None of them seem to agree on anything.

[copulae]

You know I'm always here to help if you need it.

[obliviomancy]

Yeah, I know. But you've got exams, too.

[copulae]

We can study together.

[obliviomancy]

Works for me. What do you have left to study?

[absinthe_eyed]

It doesn't matter what the poet wanted to say. Interpreting poetry is simply a matter of finding your own ideas in the poet's words; provided you can support your interpretation sufficiently, you can't be wrong.

[obliviomancy]

... basically, as long as I pretend I know what I'm talking about, it'll work?

[absinthe_eyed]

Exactly.

There's a trick to every subject.

[obliviomancy]

I knew all that stuff they told us about hard work had to be a trick.

[one_that_leads]

I have to write a poem.

I'm not sure if that's better.
Or worse.

[obliviomancy]

Well, you could write a poem, tell me what it means, and I could analyze it for my paper.

But I'm pretty sure that's worse.

[one_that_leads]

It's for Mr...Ms. Sutcliff.
I'm supposed to find a muse.
A girl I like.

And then write a poem.

[obliviomancy]

... do you have to find a girl to write a poem?