February ... Cat = Human

February was easily my favorite poem out of the collection we read this week. My favorite part was the truth she spoke about the Winter months. I would also have to say that I liked her extended comparison of cats and humans through out the poem. I believe that the poem is based around this metaphor. In the beginning of the poem, the cat expresses his indifference towards the human. I also think that humans can have this indifference too. To me, indifference is not a very good thing. I feel that we should all care about decisions and what is happening in out lives and in the lives of others, but unfortunately, this mind set is a reality in the human race. Atwood expresses that if humans were treated the same way other animals were treated (snip humans, or humans eat their young), life would be much easier. "But it's love that does us in. Over and over again." This might be my favorite part of the poem because it shows how humans have true and honest feelings that make us who we are and no matter what, love is what dictates our life.

Bright Star

#11

This whole new section of poems that we are studying is centered around figurative language. I found it very fitting that the first poem to study was a huge apostrophe. The speaker it directly addressing a star throughout the poem. He speaks of all the qualities he likes about being a star and how great it would be to be steadfast, but he doesn't want to be alone like the bright star. He wants to be steadfast only if he can have his lover forever or die at the peak of their love. I found his worry of being alone kind of ironic though. Everyone always says that stars are countless and there are millions of them. Why was this one star thought to be alone?

Linda

" Linda was nine then, as I was, but we were in love. And it was real. When I write about her now, three decades later, it's tempting to dismiss it as a crush, and infatuation of childhood, but I know for a fact that what we felt for each other was as deep and rich as love can ever get." (pg. 216)



When I started reading this section, I became very confused about why he would randomly start talking about his nine year old love at the end of a war book. The stories he told about her were elementary school adorable, but he talked about her so maturely. He said that at nine years old he knew he was in a true love with her. Not infatuation or a crush, true love. I found it touching that he was positive that he loved her.

I don't know how many times I have heard, "You don't even know what love is!" At my age, I am even confused about the word love in general. When does someone know they are truly in love and what age do u have to be to know what love is? I don't think there is a certain age and by the way it looks, I think Tim would agree with me. I just hope one day I can be as positive as Tim was about truly loving someone else.