Ripples
Shyly, I watch you in Life's
Treasured moment there,in nature's
Welcome waters, tossing line in eloquent
Fashion - in a sport of Solitude
Causing me to reflect on the paths we've taken
Each, separate in itself
Yet, in search for the same Peace.
Just like the river's rock
That stubbornly expects dancing
Ripples to move around it,
We, too, go through life
Moving around hearts of stone,
Cheating us from the steady
Flow in the stream of happiness.
A tugging on your line now
Makes me ponder how the hurts have
Pulled my heart strings and kept the
Ripples moving in a most unpredictable
Journey into Life's unknown wilderness.
“Ripples” is a very intriguing poem written by an unknown author. The poem is vague and can be interpreted in multiple different ways. Each and every time I reviewed this poem, I could picture a a different scenario in my mind which is a unique quality that not every poem contains. Sometimes I could see this poem as a young girl writing about her father, a girl or boy writing about their significant other, a girl or boy writing about a breakup, a deceased, loved one… the list goes on and on. The possibilities with this poem are endless, which I really admire. It is truly amazing to get something new simply from reading over “Ripples” just one more time.
ReplyDeleteIsn’t it strange how your brain works sometimes? Upon reading this poem, which I must admit I did several times, I felt as if I had read two separate pieces, and yet they somehow tied themselves together. Personally, I love to fish. For me, the first 7 lines really captured the experience. While i enjoy fishing, I’m not sure I would be able to go by myself. My problem is, I think too much. Especially while fishing, when if you're alone, thinking is all there is to do! Rather than splashing in the water, I find my self drowning in thoughts and instead of dancing on the ripples they thrash me around. Therefor, I always find fishing more enjoyable when I share the experience with others. There is no better place to discuss lives troubles and worries than out on the lake or near the river with loved ones.
Lines 8 through 12 were extremely thought provoking to me, and easily my favorite part of the poem. I often wonder and ask myself questions like the ones that the lines hint at. Sometimes I wonder if I take too long to maneuver around the “hearts of stone” and if my broken “heart strings” will ever form “lines” again. I am positive I am not alone in this questioning either, as it is only natural to let your mind wander and wonder.
Then I wonder, does someone see me as a “heart of stone,” solely existing to get in the way of living a happy life? Now of course when I refer to the poem with these quotes, when in relation to my life they don’t always necessarily have a romantic meaning.
“Ripples” In a way makes me feel very relaxed and calm. When I read this too myself, somehow the rhythm felt like ripples itself. However this could have been my mind playing tricks on my after reading the title. The poem washed a serene feeling over me. The more I read “Ripples,” The more I enjoy it.
I also noticed that the only three words, not including the first word in every line, were capitalized. These three words being, “Solitude”, “Peace”, and “Life.” Was this simple a typo or does it have a hidden meaning? In my mind, It is very possible that the writer is trying to say that through solitude you find peace, and peace is what is needed to live a happy life.
I think that this poem is very possibly a guide on how to live a happy life. Throughout life, everyone will meet multiple “rocks,” or people who seem to just get in your way and weigh you down. The only way to stay happy is to avoid them. When asking how to avoid these “rocks,” we find ourselves back at the topic of “Solitude.”
While my view on “Ripples” may seem a bit sad, I’m not sure thats what I would classify it as. Rather than sad or depressed, I would say that the poem was extremely thought provoking and arroused multiple emotions and memories, with a small number of them actually being “sad.” Overall, I extremely enjoyed “ripples” and I absolutely will read this poem again
Felicia, I really enjoyed how you mentioned how the fact that the poem could be interrupted in many different ways because I had a different feeling each time I read it. The poem was strange in the sense that there was more than just one concept. I too felt as if I was reading two separate pieces, but then again, they were the same poem. How is that possible? The human mind truly is an amazing thing with the ability to process such advanced thoughts as poems with two different tracks. There were also several metaphors that were used by the author. The ripples in the water don’t always show, but when the water starts to flow again, just like when people start to develop a sense of friendship and belonging, the connection, like the ripples, start to develop once again.
DeleteI also noticed that several words were capitalized. There wasn’t necessarily a specific reason that was implied, but, in my opinion, that was just another way the author left the poem up to other’s interruptions. There were many questions that arose in my mind while reading “Ripples”. Like you, I felt more of a sad and longing feel when reading it, but I also sensed some happiness with the opportunity for hope to peak through. Just like the poem says, no one knows what will happen in the future, therefore, the ending could be happy as well as it could end in sorrow. Good work Felicia!
Felicia,
DeleteI really enjoyed your blog! I like that you brought that the poem could mean several different things, whereas in my blog I focused on one viewpoint. I know exactly how you feel when you said that you think too much when you are alone. I do the same thing, but I quickly get bored with myself. We have conversations about silly little things like trying to find out if the present is the present or if it is the past because we just experienced the present. I know that is what you think about a lot, and I do as well. Please never think that you are a "stone" in the way of someone else's happiness. A person is not the reason someone is unhappy. We all determine our own happiness. Some just find an excuse to be unhappy, and that is quite depressing. Don't think that I am saying that someone can not hurt us, because they do. But I believe they are never the sole reason we are hurting. It all just depends on how we take their "bullying."
I have to say that my favorite part was when you mentioned the part of the three words "Solitude," "Peace," and "Life." I was wondering the same about it being a typo, but I never thought to make the connection you did. It made me see the poem in a completely different way. Thank you for that! Awesome job!
Ripples by an unknown author is a poem of several different meaning, depending on your background and how you view it. For me reading this piece for the first time, I truly felt a sense of serine peace as if I was there with the author. Being out in nature fishing in a river, that is slowly moving along, just seems so peaceful. Like a place in your mind that you can go to release the stress of today's standards. The constant conformity of people expecting things of you that can't be provided or shown. To me being out in nature is the only way to relax, just to get lost in the woods is relaxing. Everyone has their own preference of how to relax. Whether it be listening to music, getting lost in a good novel, practicing a sport, or writing out ones feelings in a journal we all have our own way to relax. But after rereading this piece several times I kept finding different scenarios in which to apply this poem. If there was an author to this piece I'd love to read more of their piece, especially if they are this thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteIt's sort of humorous how puzzling this poem can become depending on your background and perspective. One thing this poem does for me is gives me a scenario in order to relax. Being out in nature undisturbed by modern society, just relaxes me to a point where I wouldn't care about anything or anyone. When only scraping the surface of the poem's meaning, it seems to be describing a fishing trip on a calm river. Don't get me wrong I love to fish but it's more fun when there is more people along. But we can dive deeper in, one could interpret this poem as someone reflecting on their past an being drawn into drama by a "ripple" in their life.
Everyone is just a "rock" in the river we call life, in which we all choose our own path to follow down river. To "reflect on the paths we've taken", every person is different in their own special way. This is what makes our paths in life special, no one else thinks as the person beside them. Then when trouble strikes we all deal with it in our own way, another thing that makes us different.
In our paths we will run into those moments where our hearts turn to stone, or we run into people who has a "heart of stone." Simply we will run into people who have given up on life or those who shut everyone out of their lives. Then there is always this "cheating us" trying to make life easier for them but harder for others. Then the last three lines tell us how he wonders how he got mixed up in the drama of this world. The "unpredictable" "ripples" that got him caught up in the situation that he wound up in.
In my personal life I try to avoid drama, but when it is unavoidable I face it head on. For example in Ridgway I was bullied for not being different in terms of clothing or choice of hobbies. I use to get done with my work and just write to escape the world of high school. I'd write what was on my mind or just my feelings into "emo" poetry, which is what I was judged for. Also for my choice of sport, swimming over football, was abnormal from everyone else. So when it came to facing them I turned them into jokes such as "Yeah, while your dreaming of making it to the NFL I will be at the Olympics" or "You go break some bones for pity, and I'll go to my pool and stay whole."
"Ripples" is truly a unique poem that can be interpreted to the eyes of the reader in different fashions. I simply see it as a person reflecting back on his/her life and how he got to his current situation. To me it's either a scenario of relaxation in nature, or it polar opposite of my days of being bullied in Ridgway. So in the end this piece is all in the eyes of the beholder.
After reading the poem "Ripples" several times, I realized I did not get the same feeling each time. The first time, I just thought it was about the way a person feels when fishing. It explored the peaceful setting of calm waters and the overactive thinking that comes along with a solo fishing trip. The second time I read the verses, I found myself pondering the idea that everyone travels different roads, but we are all looking for the same outcome: success and happiness. It doesn't matter who you are and what you do, we all experience ripples that prevent us from our wants and needs. The third and final time I retread the poem, I began to question my own life. Did taking shortcuts ever rob myself of happiness? I would certainly hope not, but I got the feeling that the bumps and hardships of the paths I have chosen make living all that much better, and that by skipping over a few, I have lost some opportunities. This thinking must sound crazy, it definitely doesn't sound sane as I'm typing this, but every ripple brings with it a whole new experience.
ReplyDeleteThe main emotion that I felt while reading "Ripples" was hope. Through each and every hardship, hope is the only thing that can truly keep a person going. Even if you go back to the fishing scenario, a person is hoping to catch a nice dinner or hoping to drain their stress and problems. Hope is the center of success in this world; you can never overcome a difficulty if you have no hope. That all turns into the occasion of the poem. The author was writing to get people to believe in a better tomorrow, despite whatever ripples in the water they have to pass through to get there.
This poem reminds of the relationship I have with my brother, Scott. Now let me tell you, we rarely ever get along. We fight with each, annoy one another, and constantly complain about the little actions the other performs. Yet despite our arguments and teasing, I only want the best for him, and vice versa. Whenever something goes wrong in his life that has nothing to do with me, I feel like these events also affect me. I also think about how the ripples in his life cause ripples in mine.
To the naked eye, the poem "Ripples" would appear as one reviewing the way life throws you different paths with different endings. But to an intellectual and keen eye, the ripples of life go far beyond that. For instance, "Causing me to reflect on the paths we've taken each, separate in itself yet, in search for the same Peace," (5-7) is referring to how people travel along different paths yet hope for similar outcomes. Each path may include different consequences and opportunities, but the travelers end up in the same place. Another example is "Just like the river's rock that stubbornly expects dancing ripples to move around it, we, too, go through life moving through hearts of stone, cheating us from the steady flow in the stream of happiness" (8-14). These lines represent the practicality of dealing with life the right way. When you take shortcuts, cheat, or avoid difficult situations on purpose, you are not receiving all of the benefits that a specific path entails. This brings me back to the fishing analogy. When fishing alone, you are left to the solitude and peacefulness that comes with it, but you are more likely to be like the river rocks and wait for life to work around your schedule. Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way. Instead, we should look forward to the "unpredictable journey into Life's unknown wilderness" (18-19). You never know where the ripples and bumps in life are going to take you, which is part of he excitement of living.
Natalie, I am in awe of your post. This was excellent, and I connected with it on deep levels. Your idea that every ripple brings a new experience and that by skipping past some hardships you miss things that could have forgiven you a richer life were very deep and poignant. You might've thought it It was cray, but I understood it. Sometimes when we cheat ourselves by choosing to cut corners we are depriving ourselves of the ability to face every obstacle head on. I don't think that skipping a few will rob you of all your happiness, but I believe that it will take time to learn these things.
DeleteIt's wonderful how your mind saw hope in this poem, when I saw quiet longing for things gone past. I guess that really shows how everyone shapes their own experience when it comes to poetry. If I think hard, I can see where you see the hope shining through in that poem. But, you are that kind of girl, always one to see the bright outlook.
The fact that you connected it to your brother gave me even more to consider. Having two sisters of my own I can relate to the feeling that any ripples in their lives cause ripples in my own, yet, I feel like they are smaller ripples than my sisters experience. Yet, now that they are at college, I experience less ripples from them.
Your analysis showed me things that I hadn't thought about, and also showed differences in our thinking. I like how you interpreted the rocks that are unwilling to move as choosing to live life stubbornly. Also, I think you truly understood the line about unexpected life and how things are always changing and that we need to allow them too. Great work.
Natalie,
DeleteEverything you pointed out I agreed with. I like that you did not even mention the poem about two people that love each other. You thought about life with each of your examples. When you mentioned that the poem made you wonder if you "robbed yourself of happiness" it opened my eyes. Most likely, we all have probably sold ourselves short, but how will we ever know? Honestly, it is probably best that we do not even think about the past negatively. We all have regrets, and we have to live with them. Accept them. But those regrets we have now will mean nothing later on. We are to young to have huge regrets.
When you related "Ripples" to your relationship with your brother it made me wonder what it would be like to have a brother and/or sister. I have always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling. I will always wonder that. I guess this poem is a way for me to see what others feel.
You mentioned in your last paragraph that cheating yourself out can lead to a negative outcome. I completely agree with you. I hate seeing others doing just that to themselves. They learn nothing! Also, people could get hurt in their goal to avoid situations. I feel they need to suck it up and deal with it. Simple as that. Great job!
"Ripples" is an excellent poem that can relate to anyone. I had to read it through a few times until I felt that I had fully grasped the poem and what it signifies. Then, I had to stop and take a break because it reminded me of a time during my life when I felt exactly like the author of this poem. This poem really evoked some exhaustive emotion in me and made me remember feelings that I haven't experienced in quite a while. The way this poem is written makes it rhythmical and it has a nice flowing tempo to it, much like how a river flows, steady and continuously always beating against the shore and the rocks intermittently interrupting the steady flow of the water.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I only fished with one person. My father. On the weekends when I visited him, we would go fishing in little creeks and ponds where I could catch tiny rainbow trout that I was too scared to unhook and return the sea. I trusted my father to do that for me, the only time when we really interacted during these trips. Otherwise, he stood at one point along the bank and I stood at another, spending time together in companionable silence, waiting for the other to get a bite at the line. We coexisted happily and that was what we did. Yet as I grew older, our situation changed. Now, reading that poem, it makes me miss the simple times when my father was just that, my father. Now, as I read this poem, I feel emotional and I crave those long lost times when our lives were connected by more than the occasional birthday card. We are ripples in each other's lives. Once in a blue moon, I will receive news of him that affects me in some small way, or vice versa. But it is no more than that. The people in my life now are so much more. They are like tsunamis that constantly change the flow of my life, altering it and me in ways that shape me and who I am, just as tsunamis do to the land around them. Now, how I got all that from a poem really astounds me. This poem, those simple nineteen lines evoked more emotion in me over those past moments than I've felt in years. Poetry is so amazing. It can evoke tears and happiness and love and all other emotions with just a few lines and simple words.
I believe that the author of the poem felt that they were an observer of someone else. The poem makes me feel as though the author had a close friend or acquaintance with whom they were extremely intimate until small decisions slowly separated them. They're different choices brought them to different, yet similar points in their lives. They will encounter each other during certain things, but never truly interact, not like they once did. Now, the author feels an inkling of yearning for that lost connection. The author feels the hurt of the previous separation and knows that it will never be the same, yet that life will continue as unexpectedly as it began.
The most noticeable thing about this poem, technically, was the certain words that begin with capital letters. "Life", "Solitude", and "Peace" (1, 4, 7) are all capitalized within the lines, unlike the words at the beginning of the lines which also have capitals. These three words are made into their own entities. These are the things that those two people hold in common. Each is living their life, going through the motions, living every day by the choices they made that separated them. Yet, they both still retreat to this special place where they feel peace, or at least believe that they are in a place where it is closely achievable. And, together, they find solitude. Neither wishes to have company, yet neither wishes to be truly alone either. The author mentions "hearts of stone" (12) signifying that there are people who constantly disturb and push against those around them, forcing themselves through life instead of flowing with the life they have been given. They place themselves permanently in one spot and refuses to move until the constant wearing away of life finally forces them to move.
DeleteThis is definitely one of my favorite poems that I have had the experience to read. It is simple, but it also holds so much depth in its few lines, just as the river does.
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DeleteHannah,
DeleteOne of the things that really stood out to me in your blog was how you compared the people from your childhood to a ripple and the people in your life now to a tsunami. I know you're not saying that all of the people that you encounter change your life significantly, but your closest friends do and your classmates and your family. I totally agree with you on that. Are the people from our childhood ripples because they are less important? No, they are more like ripples because we are younger and understand less. That was easily the most thought provoking thought for me, as you could tell.
I read your comment on my blog and then started to compare our blogs and it's interesting how we could get such different responses to the same poem. Even though we agree with each other what you said wasn't my initial response and, likewise, you did not respond the way I did at first. I loved how you compared the poem to a river, though, because it does flow and, because if where the lines begin and end, seems to twist and turn. The best part of your analysis, for me, was the "definition" of solitude as it is used in this poem. I feel like you manages to capture the whole spirit of the poem when you said "Neither wishes to have company, yet neither wishes to be truly alone either." Anyway, as you can tell I really liked the ideas you formed through your blog. Great job!
Hannah,
DeleteFirst of all, I would like to say that I really missed reading your blogs! Glad to have you back in action!
Your second paragraph was my favorite. It was really thought provoking as to how you related your relationship with your father to just being ripples in your life. It's like when he comes around you feel thrown a new ripple to overcome, but you also have to deal with the ripple of him not being there all the time. It was really cool how you compared the people in your life now to tsunamis. It's a great analogy that I think anyone could relate to, including myself.
Your analysis was on point. It was great to see how you perceived the author of the poem, and why he wrote it. It's funny how different our minds think, yet after reading your blog I definitely agree with what you said. When you talked about how the three capitalized words being what the two people have in common, your logic really clicked for me.
Overall, this was a wonderful blog! I really enjoyed reading your perspective and learning about how you look at minor details in a poem compared to how I see them. Great work!
This poem made me feel peaceful and reminiscent. I imagined my life as a river when I read this and the rocks were the challenges I had to overcome in life. This made me think of some of the things I have experienced that have been hard for me. One of the hardest things I've gone through that this poem brought to mind was when I moved to St. Marys in fourth grade. The rocks in my life at that time were my own shyness and the tight bonds that were already formed between my new classmates because they had known each other for years. The thing about rocks in a river, though, is that they erode. Eventually I came to know those who are my closest friends today and it didn't matter that I did not share their childhood memories. During middle school we all faced so many changes that the previous friendships were crushed and reformed and it was easier for me to find my place amongst the people I have come to trust and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteBecause this poem made me think of such a personal experience I felt as if the author was also referring to an experience of their own; perhaps their life journey as a whole. I think that there is a kind of reliability in the poem because we are all just ripples in the river of life. At the same time, I think that some of the lines make specific reference to relationships and heartbreak, particularly "...how the hurts have/ Pulled my heart strings..." So perhaps this is also a poem about the way love and lives change throughout the course of life because of the obstacles we encounter.
In the beginning of this poem the author says that they are "shyly" watching someone else's life unfold separately from her own. Her mention of the "paths we've taken" insinuates that, at some point during the speakers life, the two crossed paths. However, seeing the other person causes the author to "reflect" so it seems as if the two have not seen each other for a while and that their private searches for "Peace" took them "separate" ways even though they were essentially looking for the same thing. It is unclear whether the author sees her relationship with the other person as a "rock" in her life or whether all of their relationships are rocks because they change us in one way or another. Life, however, is a river and a "wilderness." Obviously, the other person has had an impact on her "unpredictable" life.
The poem as a whole feels like a series of memories which makes sense because, early on in the poem, the author says that they "reflect." I see it as being applicable to several different places in life; old age, coming of age, and a great change in life. All of theses situations are times when we have or will be forced to "reflect" upon the effects we have had on other people and what they have done for us. Is there such thing as perfect happiness? The author says that the rocks of life are "Cheating us from the steady/ Flow in the stream of happiness." However, I do not think that we could find happiness without the rocks that disrupt our easy lives and force us to collide with other ripples in the river.
Ann, you took the poem a whole new direction when you envisioned yourself as the river instead of a person quietly observing another individual. With how powerful and strong you are, I can totally envision you as a powerful river cutting through the land with strength and speed, overcoming everything in your way. Your mention of how rocks erode have a great significance in many people' slices, because so many people find spacer gain obstacles that they feel like they can't overcome, but through even the smallest efforts and perseverance, they will overcome.
DeleteI remember middle school and all the trivial things that re shaped our lives during that time. I was there as you fought your way into our lives despite being from somewhere else, and you definitely created ripples in all our lives. Also, once you quoted those lines in your second paragraph, I could envision the poem through the broken heart of a person who'd lost someone because they sought happiness in different ways.
Your analysis of the poem was thought provoking and I agree with everything you said. However, when I reflect on how the relationship seems to be, I think it isn't really a rock that stood against the current, more like one of those skinny flat rocks that you find in the middle of the river that you only find by swimming or wading out deep until you find it. It is totally hidden, but the river flows over it in the shallowest of depths. It is a prominent part of the person, but not common knowledge. Doing these comments has allowed me to reflect even more on the poem and I think I've learned quite a bit about poetry.
Ann, I’m glad I wasn’t the only one that had to read the poem several times. There really is a hidden underlying meaning. However, I was not a big fan of the rhythm in which it was written. It was distracting to me and made the poem harder to understand in my opinion. But we always have had different tastes in rhythms and things such as them. Your second paragraph made me tear up a little to be honest. You’re right on so many levels. Not only can I relate when it comes to missing the simple life style when we were younger, but also how so much can be said in silence. There’s a quote I found a while ago that has become one of my favorites. It is “it took me a while to realize that everything can be said in a silence”. I don’t know who said it, but your blog reminded me of it.
DeleteYour last paragraph is also along the lines of my thoughts. It’s amazing how one author’s words can be so relatable to others who were not involved or even knew anything about the other situation. I think we all have that one friend that we used to be really close with and now are almost strangers. It’s not that we wanted it to be that way, it’s just that with every day that passed by, something was or wasn’t said and actions were taken in the wrong way, causing best friends to become strangers. However, it’s equally as strange how those who were strangers can become close friends the same was as best friends become strangers. It’s a weird world we live in where nothing is guaranteed and the future and it’s events are reveled or promised to anyone. Excellent job, Annie
I had to read this several times. And as someone of my other classmates said as well, I got something new out of it each times. The first time I was kind of confused. I read it and thought about a person who lost a close friend. The original friend thinks back on what he/she did to make the second friend want to change their way of thinking. The narrator tells about the heart strings that are being pulled in an attempt to symbolize the hurt they felt knowing they couldn’t change the outcome. The second time I read through it, I still had the same idea of the first, but to me the poem took the spin of a break up. A boy and his girl friend broke up and she is ignoring him. She’s being silent and he’s waiting for things to change and the “ripples” to start again. The third time, I had a very different view on the piece. I went to fish in the water causing the ripples and the seasons changing. The atmosphere seems to be different throughout the fall than it does in the winter, summer, and spring. They’re more silent in the winter because the birds are down south and they don’t wake up the world with their chirping. The heart strings are being pulled as the warm weather fades away and the cool air approaches. But, life still goes on as the seasons change, just as the ripples continued and the journey of life went on and on.
ReplyDeleteNostalgia was the one emotion that hit me really hard when reading this poem. I felt several different feelings, but melancholy was definitely the main one. The longing for something that wasn’t there any more is very relatable to many people. We all want what we can’t have, right? It was strange, the poem made me think back to what happened in the past. It made me think how things could have ended differently. Because of these questions and emotions, I was able to connect with the narrator when it came to thinking back to the different paths. What if those words hadn’t have been said? What if those actions wouldn’t have been completed? Would things have turned out differently? Would our hearts be more open to things rather than being like stone?
In my last paragraph, I mentioned a feeling of longing. This is referring to a friendship I had that disappeared. It was an effort between the two of us, but it still haunts me to this day. Whenever I hear something about this person, or even seeing the name even if it’s not referring to them, it pulls on my heart strings, making the ripples of pain and sorrow start again. Sometimes I wonder if the person feels the same pain, if they consider a different course of action they could have taken. The beginning of the poem is a very good description of our current relationship. I see them living their life, treasuring the moments. This again relates to the feeling of longing because I used to be the one they shared those moments with.
The beginning of the poem starts out with “Shyly, I watch you in Life's Treasured moment”. This tells of the narrator standing back and allowing the person they are longing for to live their life without any interruption from them. in a sport of “Solitude causing me to reflect on the paths we've taken Each, separate in itself Yet, in search for the same Peace.” The narrator speaks of leaving them alone in peace, and thinking back to the things that went wrong. The author capitalized the first letter of words randomly throughout the piece to emphasize various thoughts. Peace was capitalized because there are different ideas of peace for dissimilar individuals. The last few lines of the poems are greater story than appears on the surface. It leaves the reader’s mind to wonder and speaks of an “unpredictable journey into life’s unknown wilderness”. No one knows what is going to happen in the future. The tone is very sorrowful and full of depressing ideas, but it also has a sense of happiness throughout the piece. This poem leaves the reader with a sense of hope that the ripples will continue and things will change for the better.
Jessica,
Deleteyour second paragraph was on point! I agree completely. As soon as I read “Nostalgia,” I shot up. The perfect word! I feel the same exact way, and I agree with every single sentence. I wonder the same questions that you ended the paragraph with. It can be so frustrating thinking of all of the different paths you could have gone down depending on one simple word or action. I drive myself crazy just thinking about it, and at least I’m not the only one!
Your analysis in your last paragraph was very thought out as well. What you mentioned about the first line, “Shyly, I watched you in life’s treasured moments,” was so smart! I hadn’t even thought of that. The first time I read it, I pictured a young child admiring their dad or grandfather on a fishing trip rather than how you described it. Now that I read it though, I can imagine that as well! It is amazing how this poem fits the molds of multiple scenarios. It was so interesting to read what you had gotten from the poem, and even more interesting to compare it to my own experience.
I think you did an excellent job analyzing the poem. As always, your thoughts were well organized and laid out. I always enjoy your posts because our thoughts always seem to either be identical, or polar opposites! There is almost never and in-between. I love it! Once again, good job.
Jessica,
DeleteI also had to re read the poem several times, with each time giving me a different opinion. I didn't even consider the poem to be about a person losing a friend, which I thought was something I missed. I also thought it was nice to see you explain your different thoughts on the poem, especially your third response. The great detail that you wrote was on point.
The emotion that you felt was much different than mine, but I can definitely see where you are going with it. Nostalgia reminds me of regret sometimes, and I can relate that to looking back on the ripples crossed. Like you said, I am always asking my self, what if? But at the end of the day, you just have to have confidence in your choices and hope for the best.
Your story to how the poem reflects something in your life was really eye-opening. It reminds that despite the benefits you think are going to occur when making a decision don't always make up for what is lost. In your case, a friendship. Longing is definitely a great word to describe this feeling.
Your analysis went along perfectly with your take on the poem. Our minds work differently, and I can see that when I compare your analysis with mine. I thought it was great that you pointed out the random words capitalized in the poem to emphasize on those feelings, which was something I missed.
Overall, this was a very thought-provoking blog! I really liked the way I could see you as a person in your writing and opinions. Great job!
"Ripples" brought a sadness within in. It made me think that it was written with a feminine voice. In my opinion, I feel that this poem was written to explain a relationship that was beautiful by nature, but when it ended it tore the speaker apart. I think the breakup was one sided. The speaker's partner did not want her anymore, but the speaker is unable to reside in the fact that she no longer has her love. "Causing me to reflect on the paths we've taken/ Each, separate in itself" (5-6) had me really thinking. Maybe my feelings were wrong. These two lines told me that the speaker and her partner do love each other, but they had no choice but to go their separate ways. However, I keep rereading those two lines along with the whole poem and feel that the speaker did not want the love to end, but now realizes it had too.
ReplyDeleteAs the poem begins, it is longing and wishing for things that can not be. Near the end, the I felt angry. Why are cruel people "Cheating us from the steady/ Flow in the stream of happiness." (13-14)? People will always feel the need to put others down even if they do not have a reason. Someone I love could turn on me at any moment without me even realizing it. Hearts are fragile, and many people protect theirs by hurting others. I know that many people that I loved have pushed me away. Some were petty reasons, others just happened. It still hurts, though. I know how the speaker feels when she is longing for something that she has lost. I understand why the poet used nature as their main theme. It is only human nature that we lose people. Through life we all lose people who are close to us, but that is what "Pulled my heart strings and kept the/ Ripples moving in a most unpredictable/ Journey into Life's unknown wilderness." (17-19).
Personally, I have been hurt by people. We all have been, but I have come to realize that those people that hurt me do not matter. The only thing they have taught me is to stay strong and find the light in the darkness. If someone feels the need to make fun of something about me I try to find it humorous. That way the "bullies" can look like the idiots while I smile at their poor efforts. I found that my I am much happier with my life when I care less on what people think about me, and care more on what is more important at the current moment. Right now I am focused on getting into the best school for me. I am not as scared of the "unpredictable journey." Iffy to enjoy it.
"Ripples" can be seen in various ways, but this is my point of view. The speaker watches someone they have lost from a far. She is not sure of what she wants to do with her feelings when she sees this person. She reflects on the past and special memories when she sees them. She comes to the realization that their paths are "Each, separate in itself" (6). However, they both are "Yet, in search for the same Peace." (7). Due to life's unwanted unpleasantries they are both stuck shuffling around other people who do not care for them. They make it a struggle for either of them to find happiness. But now, the one she loves is finding their way without her. She wonders how she could go on for so long without them in a "Journey into Life's unknown wilderness." (19).
Kaitlin,
DeleteI totally thought a girl was writing it, too! And I agree that part of the poem was about a relationship that ended and that it had been romantic, but it didn't feel as "one sided" to me. In fact, I didn't have any feelings about how it ended, just that it had once been and was no more. I thought that was kind of funny because, as you know from creative writing, I'm the romantic one yet you found a different maybe deeper meaning than me. It was interesting to contemplate that. In fact, I found your whole blog interesting because we totally disagreed! You thought the end was angry, I thought it was tranquile. You thought it was sad and longing, I thought it was peacefully reminiscent. So, after reading your blog, I went back and reread the poem while trying to keep your ideas in mind; it was like reading a different poem. That doesn't mean my opinion has changed, but through considering yours I think I found more meaning in both of our interpretations.
Another difference between us would be your third paragraph. I relate to your pain, being hurt by other people, but I think that those people who hurt us are some of the most important because we learn from them. That sounds so cheesy, but I mean it. So, because our opinion on that is so different, I began to wonder if that contributed to the variances in our reactions to the poem. What do you think? I guess I'm too much of an optimist sometimes so that could be why I chose to see the poem as a gentle reflection. You're right, though, your blog was yours and mine was my own. It was a pleasure to read yours and see how opposite our reactions can be. Good job!
Kaitlin, I found myself agreeing with the majority of your blog. While the poem seemed to being a positive feeling to most, it also did spark a sadness within me. I think our past experiences absolutely played a large part in the opinions though.
DeleteAnn and Kaitlin, I pictured a girl too! For the most part, at least. I wonder why that was? I thought that I was doing it because I’m a girl, so maybe it was just a girl thing to do! Maybe it is a psychological thing because it seemed that all of us could relate the poem to a situation in our own lives, so we thought of ourselves as the narrator. I wonder if Devyn had thought of the poem from a boys point of view or from a girls as well?
Back to Kaitlin’s post, your third paragraph was my favorite. People and their bad attitudes truly are like rocks in the water. While they might hold us back, it is only for the moment. Before we know it, they are in the past all alone while we are being propelled even further. I am happy that you know to stay with the flow and are focused on your school! Congratulations, and good luck on your studies!