The Hero Cromwell

Milton's poem "To the Lord General Cromwell" is more tribute than anything else. For a man that saved the parliamentary system, and England from a monarchy (for the time being). The poem runs down the accomplishments of the "Lord Protector" Cromwell, like the toppling of towers or walls, things that did little but stand in his way. He is a hero of their time, a celebrity without the taint of slandering paparazzi, lifted atop a pillar as "God's trop[y]" (6).

The first part of the poem describes Cromwell, and gives a description of the man's faith and fortitude. Then, once the hero has been given his heavenly attributes, Milton glories in his accomplishments. Charles I's beheading is the springboard for Cromwell's greatness, the beginning of his reign. Milton raves on, "And on the neck of crowned Fortune (Charles I) proud ... While Darwen stream with blood of Scotts imbrued ... And Dunbar field resounds thy praises loud" (7-8). The poet is basically giving the qualifications for Cromwell's position. Moreover, after reading the poem, I started to not only see a rhythm in the words, but also a form.

The poem starts by forming the head of Cromwell: his attributes. Then Milton moves on to the body: his accomplishments. Lastly a picture of the general's feet or boots crushing the animalistic enemy: the victory, the breaking of the chains. The poem forms a man, an organized man, and a general. Milton painted a picture with words, from head to foot.

For Thursday...

Please respond to either (or both) of the Milton poems for Thursday if you didn't post for Tuesday. This time I'm not going to post any prompts; I'm going to leave the responses entirely in your hands and see what you make of the poems. (You can also respond to the section on the Civil War as well.)

See you tomorrow.

Herrick Rolling Over

OK... so I would have to agree that Herrick might role over in his grave for us rewriting his poem, even though I think what others have written is actually really good. My thoughts on the other hand were not so good. I know for a fact that Daniel will give me the new found insight to the endearing sentimentality of this poem, but all I saw when I read this poem was fashion, lust, sex and a rap song. Not that I'm going to suddenly create a rap song, but I will say what song it reminded me of... If Herrick didn't role over in his grave before, I'm sure he will now,it reminded me of the song by Flo Rida



"Shawty had them apple bottom jeans
boots with the fur
the whole club was lookin at her
she hit the flo
next thing you know
Shawty got low low low low low low low."



For me Herrick's poem changes the tide of romance, he shows love has become more material,with consintrating on cloths. Even though the poem tends to create feelings that there is more to Julia than her silks and satins; that what truely sends him is what lay hidden from the eye.

Thoroughly modern Julia ;)

So, I decided to follow the crowd and rewrite "Upon Julia's Clothes". When I read through the poem with the prompt in mind, I couldn't help, but be reminded of a specific decade . . .

When I see Julia on the dance floor
I think, how her moves accentuate
The shimmer of those rhinestones
As they catch my eye
Under the splendor of the disco ball
O how it raptures me!

Upon Julia's Clothes

So I was actually not planning on responding to these prompts but intended to wait till after Tuesday to blog. However, I became interested in the challenge of modernizing Upon Julia’s Clothes even before I had read it. However, after reading it I was no longer sure if I was up to the challenge! It’s really hard to do considering its brief length, and the fact that it contains very little “story” but instead is basically just imagery. Furthermore, the imagery is so great and concise that you don’t really want to mess with it. Furthermore, I did some research on the poem and it seems that while many critics disagree on the exact meaning of the final lines, they do all seem to comment on the very subtle fishing metaphor of fisherman, bait, and prey. To an extent I think that this qualifies the poem as metaphysical but makes it very difficult to try and change anything. I also don’t really know how to “modernize” imagery language as modern language tends to be a tad barren in that regard. In the end, I don’t know how successful I was in putting it in basic modern language but I did try and make it a little more of a prose narrative. So I decided that my main challenge was to try and somewhat modernize the poem while still retaining the ambivalence of the ending and the fishing metaphor. Thus, here is my feeble attempt . . .

. . . And I have no doubt that countless people are rolling in their graves . . .

Upon Julia’s Clothes

While dressed in silks, Julia passes by. I cannot help but notice the shimmering liquid flow of her clothes. I cast my eyes and see it trembling as it breaks free; and I am lost in the splendor.

As a side note, I wrote this last night and then logged in this morning and saw all the other great rewrites and seriously considered not even posting mine! You guys even made yours rhyme!

All right, I've decided to go with a 'modernization' of Upon Julia's Clothes. Here goes:

(To be read with a Brooklyn or Jersey accent)

When this broad Julia, ya see, when she wears them silks, right
I think to myself that them clothes, they drape themselves all watery-like
And I can't help but think that the dame is wearing some kinda liquid
So I look away (my peepers get tired pretty quick-like, awright?), and then I look back
And her movement this way and that, ya see
It makes me all weak in the knees, right

Sheesh.

Dames.

"Upon Julia's Clothes," by Julia:)

I have loved this poem for years, not only because it has my name in the title, but also because it is written with elegance and passion. So, i will attempt to modernize the poem the best way i can, although it may not sound as graceful as Robert Herrick wrote it.

When Julia walks in silks of red,

Oh then, i think, she swiftly flows

In the beauty of her clothes.

Then, when i look at her i see

her body sway in my arms til three;

Oh, how her beauty mystifies me.

So, that is the best i could do. I don't think i have written any poetry since my creative writing class last summer. That was my best shot, i hope it sounds decent to post on the blog! ;) I definitely can't wait to talk about the poem! See you all in class tomorrow!