Did anybody read a poem "News" by George Bowering?
Every day I add an inch
to the pile of old newspapers
in the closet
In that three foot pile now,
a dozen airliner crashes,
one earthquake in Alaska,
seventeen American soldiers
face down in Asian mud.
I could go on enumerating
like newsprint-we record
violent death&hockey scores
&keep the front room neat
In front of me, on the table
my empy coffee cup, somewhat melted
butter, carbon copy of an old poem,
familiar things, nothing unexpected
A plane could crash into the kitchen-
a fissure could jag the floor open-
some olive faced paratrooper bash
his rifle butt through the window-
It would be news, somewhere.
Ok, what does 3rd stanza mean? And can you give me examples of irony and juxtaposition? What points do the irony and juxtaposition make about human nature, mass media, and the world we live in today? Juxtaposition- is contrasting images side by side by suggesting a conflict.
This is just one of the many poems by the clever, prolific, "first poet laureate of Canada." At one time he wrote a poem for every letter of the alphabet, as well as one poem a day for 365 days! Because his wife suffered from multiple sclerosis he entertained her with his poems.
The 3rd stanza he is referring to the many newspapers, lists of facts, and the fact that he has put them in a closet, thus keeping the room fairly neat. To ennumerate simply means to list.
irony = look for words that seem to imply the opposite of the literal meaning. This is usually humorous or sardonic
juxtaposition = look for two (or more things) placed side by side.
Let us know what you find in this poem and someone will be happy to critique that.
Sra
In that three foot pile now-irony
one earthquake in Alaska,
seventeen American soldiers- juxtaposition
The third stanza of the poem "News" by George Bowering depicts ordinary and familiar objects in the poet's immediate surroundings. The empty coffee cup, melted butter, and the carbon copy of an old poem are all mundane and expected items. The stanza suggests a sense of normalcy and routine in the poet's life, as if everything is unchanged and predictable.
In terms of irony, one example can be found in the contrast between the pile of old newspapers in the closet, which contains numerous reports of violent death and tragic events, and the neat front room. The irony lies in the fact that despite living in a world filled with distressing news, the poet tries to maintain a sense of order and cleanliness in their immediate environment.
The juxtaposition in this stanza occurs between the ordinary, uneventful objects on the table and the possibility of unexpected and dramatic events taking place. The potential crashing of a plane into the kitchen, a fissure jagging the floor open, or a paratrooper smashing through the window with a rifle butt are conflicts that contrast with the serene and commonplace scene described earlier. The purpose of this juxtaposition is to highlight the unpredictability and potential for chaos that exists in the world, even within the confines of one's own familiar setting.
In terms of the poet's commentary on human nature, mass media, and the world we live in today, the irony and juxtaposition suggest a disconnect between the mundane routines of everyday life and the often tumultuous and shocking events reported in the news. The poet implicitly criticizes the tendency of individuals to become desensitized or detached from the harsh realities of the world, often summarized and categorized by mass media. The contrast between the poet's personal environment and the news of tragic events implies that the significance of these events is diluted or overlooked in the midst of our daily routines. The poem raises questions about the impact of mass media on our perception of the world and the way it shapes our understanding of distant tragedies.
In the third stanza of the poem "News" by George Bowering, the narrator describes what is in front of him: an empty coffee cup, melted butter, and a carbon copy of an old poem. The narrator considers these things familiar and not unexpected.
The irony in this stanza lies in the contrast between the mundane and unremarkable objects on the table and the potential for extraordinary and shocking events to occur. The mention of a plane crashing into the kitchen, a fissure opening in the floor, or a paratrooper breaking the window with his rifle butt suggests unexpected and violent scenarios. Despite the possibility of such events, the narrator perceives them as unlikely or even far-fetched, emphasizing the disconnect between the routine and normalcy of everyday life and the potential for dramatic and newsworthy events.
The juxtaposition in this stanza is between the ordinary objects on the table and the hypothetical extraordinary events. By placing these contrasting images side by side, the poem highlights the tension between the banality of daily life and the potential for sudden disruption and chaos. It suggests that while we may go about our daily routines with familiar objects and events, the world is capable of throwing surprises at us at any given moment.
In terms of the points made about human nature, mass media, and the world we live in today, the irony and juxtaposition in this stanza illustrate the indifference and desensitization that can occur due to the overwhelming presence of news and information. The poem suggests that the constant exposure to news about violent deaths, disaster, and conflict can desensitize us to the potential for these events to affect our own lives. The ordinary objects on the table symbolize the everyday routines and distractions that help us cope and detach from the constant barrage of news. By juxtaposing these ordinary objects with the potential for catastrophic events, the poem invites us to reflect on the ways in which mass media inundates us with information, often dulling our perceptions and emotional responses to the world around us.