I had a really great discussion in class today with all of you. I will post the next poem we're looking at here soon.
For the time being though, I have found a song by Enya with the same title "Evacuee" which is written from a personal point of view. Perhaps you would like share your thoughts on this song and comment on how the change of tone (from a rather impersonal one in the Shilling's poem to the personal tone in Enya's song) affected your reading of the song.
For the time being though, I have found a song by Enya with the same title "Evacuee" which is written from a personal point of view. Perhaps you would like share your thoughts on this song and comment on how the change of tone (from a rather impersonal one in the Shilling's poem to the personal tone in Enya's song) affected your reading of the song.
Evacuee
by Enya
Each time on my leaving home
I run back to my mother's arms,
one last hold and then it's over.
Watching me, you know I cry,
you wave a kiss to say goodbye,
Feel the sky fall down upon me!
All I am,
a child with promises
All I have
are miles full of promises of home.
If only I could stay with you,
my train moves on, you're gone from view,
Now I must wait until it's over.
Days will pass, your words to me,
it seems so long; eternity,
but I must wait until it's over.
7 comments:
1. I think that the most obvious difference, to me, when the impersonal tone is used is that we sort of feel like we're just observing what the character is doing rather than actually experiencing things from the person's perspective. Am I right or wrong?
I say that the impersonal tone makes us feel like observers or witnesses because when I read the poem "Evacuee", I felt as though I was only able to watch the little girl as she moved from one place to the next. For example, in the second stanza, "she walked unshaded down streets, climbed a train and watched the receding lamps of platform faces." I think I feel like an observer because the poet did not state how the girl felt at any point of time, whether she was lonely or just traumatised by the war and I do not know how she really feels. Is this the poet's attempt to emphasise our helplessness towards the girl?
On the contrary, when a more personal tone is used, like in the song "Evacuee", I feel like I'm looking at things from the child's perspective, as if I can feel her mother's warmth when they have "one last hold".I think the 1st person pronoun does help to give a more personal tone, although I do not think that using the 3rd person pronoun means the the tone must be impersonal.
I am really not sure whether my comments make sense, or whether I was just thinking too much.
I'm sorry I forgot to say that I'm Natalie.
The personal tone used in this song limited me in the sense that there was not as much room for imagination.
The lyrics illustrated more coherent details to me, stating rather clearly the emotions of the evacuee at that instant. No longer was the evacuee a little generic character. She had taken the shape of an individual character. Hence when reading the lyrics, I only emphatise with the girl at an individual level. The effect was different from the poem. It was not that far reaching.
I agree with nat and norine because the use of 1st person singular pronouns such as 'you' or 'i' does give the poem a different feel and gives the reader a personal reaction. The reader can then see and feel what the character is feeling at that point in time. As for the poem, the impersonal tone allows the reader to understand that it works as a representation and does not achieve or make the reader have a very personal reaction to the persona.
MDM CHIA!!!! ADD ME AS A CONTRIBUTOR!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT A PAST POEM!!!!!!!!!
oh and if there are no poems or text posted to be discussed, the blog starts going dead again. MORE POEMS OR PROSE!((:
Yes, yes I know!!!
Give me some time.
I am trying!!! :)
Good words.
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