Poetry, the Stirring of Souls
This was the paper I wrote for my final exam. We had to explain what poetry meant to us. Once again please excuse the lack of indentions for paragraphs. and please DO NOT take my paper. I worked very hard on it. Thank you.
Heather Barger
12/06/02
Mrs. Dea
M-W-F 11am-12pm
Poetry, the Stirring of Souls
Poetry, the first thing that comes to mind are the poems of love. Perhaps the sonnets of Shakespeare, or the poems of the Romantics, such as William Blake (the Tyger), or Lord Byron (She Walks in Beauty). But poetry can be much more than poems from hundreds of years ago. Poetry is about what stirs the soul, and calls to that place deep inside you.
Poetry can be beautiful and bright, dark and mysterious, or can give us a new way to view the things that frighten us. Poetry can let us speak about the deepest inner workings of our minds. Like the ancient Greeks, poetry is best done to music, in song form. The ancient Greeks knew that poetry by itself, while it can be quite beautiful, when placed to music it can send waves of emotions surging through the body and soul.
The first example of poetry in the form of song, is Don’t Fear the Reaper, originally done by Blue Oyster Cult, but the version that suits my meaning is done by Unto Ashes, as they slowed down the tempo, and sing it more softly. The use of a regular guitar, and not much else give it the calming effect. I’ll let the poem speak for itself:
All our times have come/Here but now they're gone./Seasons don't fear the Reaper/Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain,/ we can be like they are./ Come on maiden/ don't fear the Reaper./Maiden take my hand,/don't fear the Reaper/We'll be able to fly,/don't fear the reaper/Maiden take my hand./Came the last night of sadness/and it was clear she couldn't go on/
Then the door was open and the wind appeared./The candles blew then disappeared/The curtains flew then he appeared,/saying “Don't be afraid./Come on maiden.”/And she had no fear./And she ran to him./Then they started to fly/ They looked backward and said good bye./She had become like they are/She had taken his hand,/she had become like they are/Come on maiden/Don’t fear the reaper.
(Lines 1-12, 15-30)
This poem tells how Death, is not something “evil”, a thing to be feared, or the end to all life as most of us in the Western culture are taught to believe. Instead, in a calming and almost motherly way it tells us that Death occurs in all things, wind, rain, sunlight, it only part of the continuing circle that we call life. Then it gives an example of a woman, who is close to dying. In gothic beauty, Death is seen to come on a blowing wind; he holds his hand out to the woman, calling her a maiden. This maiden runs right to Death and in a seemingly painless transaction, she is spirited away by him, flying, turning, and saying good-bye to her family and friends.
In my mind, there are two ways to interpret the dying woman in the second verse, she is either terminally ill, and knows her body won’t last any longer on this earth. The second way this is interpreted is a bit more morbid. The woman is young, clinically depressed, and in her mind, she cannot take the pressures of life any longer. Seeing an open window in her bedroom (a few stories high) and the final way out of her problems she hurls herself out of the window. Not caring, or feeling the moment of impact, all she sees is the handsome figure of Death, spiriting her away.
But poetry in songs can also be about the emotions that are the most primitive, the strongest emotions, and lurings of our minds, and our bodies: Love and lust together. This concept is most aptly portrayed in the song Love You to Death by Type O Negative. Using electric guitars, deep, alluring, almost vampyric vocals the lyrics flow through your brain, sending sensual images, without being sexually explicit.
In her place one hundred candles burning/as salty sweat drips from her breast/her hips move and I can feel what they're saying,/ swaying/They say the beast inside of me's gonna get ya,/ get ya,/ get.../Black lipstick stains her glass of red wine/I am your servant,/may I light your cigarette?/Those lips smooth,/ yeah I can feel what you're saying, praying/They say the beast inside of me's gonna get ya,/ get ya,/ get.../
I beg to serve,/ your wish is my law/Now close those eyes and let me love you to death/Shall I prove I mean what I'm saying, begging/I say the beast inside of me’s gonna get ya,/get ya,/ get…/Let me love you too/Let me love you to death/
Hey am I good enough for you?/ Hey am I good enough for you?/Am I?/Am I?/Am I good enough for you?
(Lines 1-29)
This song shows the love of a man to a special woman. He sees her in a romantic setting, with “one hundred candles burning” (line 1), candles being often used in a prelude to love making, or just for romantic lighting for some time alone. The excess of candles figuratively shows his feelings for his woman as extremely romantic. His thoughts as he examines her breasts, he sees her sweat sliding down, and the sway of her hips as she moves, and he feels a “beast” inside her. The beast, of course, represents the list she feels for him.
The candles also seem to be lighting a dinner of some sort, thus the reference to the glass of red wine. The remainder of the lyrics explain that this man loves this woman so much, he will do anything for her. He will “serve” her, to show his devotion.
As he watches her black, lipstick covered lips move, in conversation or prayer, he feels the words stir his emotions, thus the “beast” changes to love, waiting to consume her love. Finally, we get a glimpse into the back of his mind, that prickling doubt whenever one finds a new love, wondering if we are truly good enough for this person. It leaves us with this question to answer for ourselves, is this man truly good enough for this woman?
But poetry can also be non-musical; it can be just plain poetry. This kind of poetry has to be something, in my mind, profound, well thought, and meaningful. It can be simple or long. It can be mundane or religious. Religious poetry has always held a special place, especially when it is explaining, more than dedication. When most people think of religious poetry, the Book of Psalms or the Song of Solomon come to mind. But poetry is about religions other than Judaism or Judeo-Christianity. It is found in the pagan religions of Paganism, and Wicca. The two most profound poems are “The Charge of the God” and “The Charge of the Goddess”. Both were written by an anonymous author. Both of these poems express the beauty of the two poles of Nature, the Divine Source, and the way in which some people view their Divine.
Listen to the Words of the Horned God,/Who was of old called among men/Adonis, Tammuz, Dianus, Herne,/Bran, Beli, Lugh, Gwyn,/Dionysus, Osiris, Cernunnos, Pan,/And by many other Names./O Secret of Secrets,/That art hidden in the being of all that lives,/Not Thee do we adore,/For That which adoreth is also Thou./Thou art That, and That am I./I am the Flame that burns in the heart of every being,/And in the core of every Star./I am Life, and the Giver of Life,/Yet therefore is the Knowledge of Me/The Knowledge of Death and Resurrection./I am alone, the Lord within ourselves,/Whose Name is Mystery of Mysteries./I am the Horned God./I am the Lord of the Universe,/The Father of all living,/The All-Devourer and the All-Begetter./I am He Whose Seed lies strewn/As glittering Gems across velvet darkness/Within the Womb of the Mother./I am the Lord of the Shadows/In the darkness of the Underworld,/For I am the Midnight Sun./I am the Light of the Stars,/And the Spark of the Spirit Eternal,/For I am the God Within./I am the Horned Leader of the Hosts of Air,/The Leader of the Wild Hunt,/The Judge of Gods and of Men./I am the Hidden God,/Who ever yet remains,/For I dwell within the secret seed./I am the seed of grain,/I am the seed of flesh,/I am the Seed of the Stars./I am the Lord of the Heights,/I am the Lord of the Depths,/God of forest, of flock, and of field./I am the Hunter and Hunted,/I am the wolf and the Shepherd,/I am the vine and the grain./I am a Guiding Star above you,/I am a bright Flame before you,/I am a smooth Path beneath you./I am the Light of Life./I am the Flame of Love./I am the Horned God!
(Lines 1-52)
The author tells of the role of the God in the Pagan tradition, how He is the Source of all life, death, and rebirth, how this Deity is both an ending and a beginning to life, harvest and seasons. It describes how the God is present everywhere, above, and below. It tells of the God being the harvest and the crops. It tells that the god is the seed of all life, from Earth, to man, to the heavens. It tells of His many names that He has been given though out history, and how all these names are, in the end, the God.
In the counter-part of this poem there is The Charge of the Goddess, which describes the Goddess’s role in life, and religion, and the way She is to be honored.
Listen to the Words of the Great Mother,/ Who was of old called among men/ Artemis, Astarte, Diana, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride,/ and by many other Names./
At My Altars the youth of most distant ages gave love, and made due sacrifice./
Whenever ye have need of anything,/ once in the month, and better it be when the Moon is Full,/ then shall ye gather in some secret place and adore the Spirit of Me,/ Who am Queen of All Witcheries./ There shall ye gather, ye who are fain to learn all Magick,/ yet have not yet won its deepest secrets:/ to these will I teach things that are yet unknown./
And ye shall be free from slavery;/ and as a sign that ye be really free,/ ye shall be naked in your rites./ And ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love,/ all in My Praise. For Mine is the Ecstasy of the Spirit,/ and Mine also is Joy on Earth,/ for My Law is Love unto all beings./
Keep pure your Highest Ideal;/ strive ever toward it;/let naught stop you or turn you aside./ For Mine is the Secret Door which opens upon the Land of Youth;/ and Mine is the Cup of the Wine of Life,/ and the Cauldron of Cerridwen,/ which is the Holy Grail of Immortality./
I am the Gracious Goddess,/ Who gives the Gift of Joy unto the heart of man:/ on Earth, I give the Knowledge of the Spirit Eternal;/ and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom,/ and reunion with those who have gone before./ Nor do I demand sacrifice, for behold:/ I am the Mother of All Living, and My Love is poured out upon the Earth./
Hear ye the Words of the Star Goddess:/ She in the Dust of Whose Feet are the Hosts of Heaven,/ Whose Body encircleth the Universe./
I, Who am the Beauty of the Green Earth,/ and the White Moon amongst the Stars,/ and the Mystery of the Waters,/ and the Desire of the heart of man, I call unto thy soul:/ "Arise! And come unto Me!"/
For I am the Soul of Nature,/ Who giveth Life to the Universe/: from Me all things proceed, and unto Me all things must return./ And before My Face, which is beloved of gods and men,/ thine innermost Divine Self shall be enfolded in the Rapture of the Infinite./
Let My Worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold:/ all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals./ And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion,/ honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you./
And thou who thinkest to seek for Me,/ know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not,/ unless thou knowest the Mystery:/ that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee,/ thou wilt never find it without thee./For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning;/ and I am That which is attained at the end of Desire.
(Lines 1-61)
This poem tells of the Goddess, and how She too is the Giver and Taker of life, how all things are born through Her, and all things must unfailingly return to Her. It tells how the moon is Her symbol, and how She will be the most available when the moon is at it’s fullest, to reveal the Great Mystery of life to all who seek it. She is the Queen of all magick. It tells that all acts done for the sake of true love, are Her rituals, and in honor of Her. It tells how when we love, we are performing a rite in honor of the Goddess, who is love personified. It tells that if you do not find Divinity winthin yourself, no amount of searching outward will bring that which you seek. It tells of Her many names, which She has been, honored with through out history, my men of all nations, and that in the end, all these names are the Goddess.
These two poems are beautiful, and tell of one person’s understanding of the ancient energies that created all things in existence. How everything in life, even death, has a divine purpose, and it’s expressed in a way that, when viewed with an open mind, calms and awes the mind and soul.
Poetry can be many things from songs, to works of prose to honor the Divine Source, they may be sonnets, or Japanese haiku. But in the end, poetry is really about what stirs out hearts, our minds, our emotions and our souls. Poetry is one of the most powerful things man ever had the genius to figure out.
Copywrite Heather Barger
Fly Me Home
