Originally when looking at the title of this passage and reading through the first few lines I thought that it would be about Brooke having multiple affairs with women and ultimately never finding true love. But then about in the middle, I realize that this is not what he is talking about; but it is more about some of the material things that he enjoys in his life—this really took me by surprise.
These I have loved:
White plates and cups, clean-gleaming,
Ringed with blue lines; and feathery, faery dust;
Wet roofs, beneath the lamp-light; the strong crust
Of friendly bread; and many-tasting food;
Rainbows; and the blue bitter smoke wood;
And radiant raindrops couching in cool flowers;
And flowers themselves, that sway through sunny hours,
Dreaming of moths that drink them under the moon;
Then, the cool kindliness of sheets, that soon
Smooth away trouble; and the rough male kiss
Of blankets; grainy wood; live hair that is
Shining and free; blue-massing clouds; the keen
Unpassioned beauty of a great machine;
the benison of hot water; furs to touch;
The good smell of old clothes; and other such—
The comfortable smell of friendly fingers,
Hair’s fragrance, and the musty reek that lingers
About dead leaves and last year’s ferns… (lines 26-43)
In these lines Brooke is referring to some of the simple things in life that we do not normally notice. I found it really inspiring to “stop and smell the roses.” What I like most about this passage is that he refers to all of his senses as he describes the things that he enjoys; for example, he talks about the smell of clothes, the patterns on the plates, and the feel of blankets on his skin. I enjoyed how he was able to really capture the beauty in things that we see everyday and give new insight into their features. For some reason I love readings that capture the beauty in things that are naturally overlooked in our busy everyday lives. There so many things on this earth that have been created with such perfection and splendor… I admire writers who are able to put them in words on paper in such a way that it causes readers to actually feel, see, or hear everything that they have experienced. I definitely think that Brooke captured it all in this passage.
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Trenae,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on having completed your 20 posts!
And you provide a very perceptive and well-written closing post in this entry, with an engaged and well-supported exploration of Brooke's poem.
I have very much enjoyed reading your blog!
I really liked this poem. Although I was kinda critical of Brooke in my own post, as he had never actually seen battle, I really really enjoyed his poetry. I like the passage you've picked out here, too, with the simple things in life. It's amazing how we have so much technology and so many gadgets and gizmos...yet I still relate to many of the simple things he loves, too.
ReplyDeleteI agree it can be perceived that he is talking about a lover but through his representation of such simple things as raindrops, flowers and familiar smells he is appreciating the simple things in life. Although some writers wright about the simple things in nature I found it interesting that he went as far as to focus on the blue brim on plates.
ReplyDeleteI can agree with seeing the title of the poem and what the story is about. I agree that it is the little things in life that should be loved cause when those things are gone, the world is not the same at all
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