As I sit, reflecting on the previously examined poetry in hopes that by some divine providence a light from the heavens will open and I will be magically stricken by the image of the poem which I should pursue in my explication essay, it occurs to me that perhaps I should revisit those from the textbook. I begin with Dario. I am quickly reminded that I initially took a liking to his writing; to his beautiful imagery and flowing descriptions; but I am unconvinced of my everlasting draw to his metaphoric connections with swans..
I must first acknowledge, however, those poems of his which I specifically and quite still find a particular beauty with. I have a profound admiration for "Sonatina". His slashing of the typical hopefulness and ridiculously unrealistic expectations of fairy tale endings is brilliant. Truly, who has ever had the gumption to squash a fairy tale, and in such beautifully descriptive ways. While using the same images a typical fairy tale would use to convey charming, flowery, and happy little lives, Dario instead offers the under side to this tale. The princess is sad; bored of her life of unearned luxury and expectation. She wants to break free. Traditionally, the fairy godmother is the symbol of hope in achieving one's dreams and ambitions (all of which usually revolve around a brave and handsome man), but here, even she promises nothing more than the status quo of "the prince who wins and woos and kisses with "true love"-the expectation; as godmother "hushes" the princess from allowing her thoughts of boredom to breed into something "outside the box."
I am equally impressed with "To Roosevelt," "I Seek a Form," and "Fatality." "Fatality" in particular struck my fancy with its simplistic, yet rounding implication. A tree, which is grounded, stable, unmovable, when personified with these attributes barely perceives anything. People of this kind are not phased by a little trouble coming their way; they can be happy amidst it all. A hard rock, personified, is stubborn, strong, hardened to the tribulations of life and as such is happier because it/he/she feels nothing. The point Dario is making throughout the rest of the poem is that these are the attributes required in order to be happy in light of the realities of this life and eventual death...or perhaps his point is that these are the fatalities.
Both, "Blazon" and "Leda" I find to be bordering the line of pleasure and pain to read. It shouldn't be; they are beautiful words, beautifully crafted into beautiful images of symbolism. Quite honestly though, I tire of the swan. It feels too cliche to me. And let's be real here, swans are overrated as a thing of beauty. Have you ever actually checked out a swan? They're really nothing more than a glorified duck. And to that I say: if it looks like a duck and swims like a duck, it must be a duck. Therefore, Dario's insistent fascination with the swan is an invalid image. And that is the gospel according to Amy.
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