Poetry Critique

"The Happiest Day" by Edgar Allan Poe

The happiest day -- the happiest hour
My sear'd and blighted heart hath known,
The highest hope of pride and power,
I feel hath flown.

Of power! said I? yes! such I ween;
But they have vanish'd long, alas!
The visions of my youth have been-
But let them pass.

And, pride, what have I now with thee?
Another brow may even inherit
The venom thou hast pour'd on me
Be still, my spirit!

The happiest day -- the happiest hour
Mine eyes shall see -- have ever seen,
The brightest glance of pride and power,
I feel- have been:

But were that hope of pride and power
Now offer'd with the pain
Even then I felt -- that brightest hour
I would not live again:

For on its wing was dark alloy,
And, as it flutter'd -- fell
An essence -- powerful to destroy
A soul that knew it well.

I chose this peom because it is of happiness, and of saddness. When I first glanced at it I thought it would be of the happiest day of his life, but it is also of the worst. The irony of the title intrigues me. He has seen the happiest day, he will see the happiest hour, and as it flutter'd--fell. As his happiness was at its peak, it had to fall at some point. Poe is focusing on happiness, to the naked eye, but also grief to those who look deeper into the poem. A wonderful metaphor is used to describe that desend from happiness to sad: "For on its wing was dark alloy, And, as it flutter'd--fell. "The venom thou hast pour'd on me Be still, my spirit!". This is to me a wonderful example of imagery.

Update later, Kelly!

Smile

Riding the bus can be a drag if you've got no one to talk with. Waiting alone at the bus stop can be much more lonesome. I am lucky enough to have some interesting characters in my neighborhood, so catching and riding the bus has never really been a bore. As we drive by countless children waiting at their bus stops, I wonder why so many look so glum. Not often a smile seen on a loner's face; us humans are truly a social race. As we were winding through one of Edina's confusing back roads, I noticed a girl standing all alone at her stop. She looked sad. Maybe she was just bored. I decided to smile at her as we drove by. She immediately looked up at me, and a smile all her own stretched across her still half asleep face. Her smile made my smile grow. Does this make you think, bloggers? It sure makes me think. What if every person you passed on the road decided to smile your way? What if every time you were walking down the hall and you saw that one person walking down the other end, nearing closer and closer, they decided to say hi instead of awkwardly ignoring you? I wish smiles were more prevalent in our daily lives. A smile can brighten a day, whether you realize it or not. I could be having a terrible day, but if I see that one stranger that decides to present me with a happy face and a quick "how's it going?", my day will be slightly better. You may view me as weird, maybe even a little creepy and awkward at times, but I simply try to be kind to those near me. You may never see me again in you life, but at least you made my acquaintance for a moment, at least you and I received positive energy.

Smile, kids.

Personal Narrative

"Taylor and I wandered around, and became friends instantly. I was glad to have met this Taylor Shcolz girl, but I didn't realize I would soon laugh at this night from seventh grade at the Weber warming house party."

I believe this needs re-wording, yes?

Titles and Such

Possible titles for my personal narrative:

A Simple Sunshine Daydream
One Fish, Two Fish, Smiley True Fish
My Best Friend, Stranger

Hello, Bloggers. The sun has poked his head out of the clouds few times today. It is muggy, but today is a good day. I got a sparkly, gold smiley face on my college essay for American Literature :). 37/40, not bad. I also received 11/11 on my Spanish quiz. Not bad at all man! I am excited to brag to the 'rents about how I am doing so well. Taylor is coming over after school for belated birthday dinner tonight, but we are playing with Louissa for a bit before. Playing in the woods, yay! My stomach is quite chatty; I cannot wait to silence him with the wonderful buffet of Seshuan Star (sp?), my favorite restaurant of all time. My family and I have gone to Seshuan long enough for the family to know my family personally. We go there for my birthday every year.
Class ends in a minute.

Peace, my friends.

Discover

"Don't leave without shoes!" My question is, why? Do you not get joy from the feeling of soil below your feet? Does the freedom to twist and curl and crack your roots not make your day like it does for me? How sweaty you must get in these prisons they call shoes, my darling toes! Now just because my feet are free to do as they please does not mean they don't give me trouble. Boy, do they give me trouble. My feet are small, hard, dirty, cracked and beyond worn (trust me when I say this; they are worn). Fetus Feet, as called by some, have blessed me with ages of service. Two days shy of seventeen, I have not yet started Drivers Ed. Why, you ask? A fair share of people i know count down the days till they can finally get behind the wheel and hit the open road. But not I. I couldn't dream of denying my friends the ability to wander. Their health may be a concern to most, but they don't mind. Like mother like daughter. "But don't your feet hurt?" people love to ask. No, I'm a bit past that. My feet are simply callouses; hard as the ground I walk on. Others may choose to conform to the need to wear shoes, but I will not need mother to be away to let my children play.