I'm doing questions on the poem called "You are reading this too fast", by Ken Norris, and I need help with some of the questions.
Here is the actual poem:
You are reading this too fast.
Slow down, for this is poetry
and poetry works slowly.
Unless you live with it a while
the spirit will never descend.
It's so easy to quickly cut across the surface
and then claim there was nothing to find.
Touch the poem gently with your eyes
just as you would touch a lover's flesh.
Poetry is an exercise in patience,
you must wait for it to come to you.
The spirit manifests in many guises;
some quiver with beauty,
some vibrate with song.
What is happening?
Slow down, slow down,
take a few deep breaths,
read the poem slowly,
read the lines one at the time,
read the words one by one,
read the spaces between the words,
get sleepy, this is poetry,
relax until your heart
is vulnerable, wide open.
One of my questions is that : How does this poem suggest poetry should be read? Make a list.
Here the list I have got(so far)
-slowly
-calmly
-gently
I need other words, can you please help. I can think of sentences, but not lists of other words to describe how poetry should be read.
The other question is: What do you think the author means by the word "spirit" which is repeated twice in lines 5 and 12(repetition is always significant in writing)
I wrote:
I think that the author is trying to point out that if you read poems with a cool mind and open heart; you will begin to like and develop a better understanding of them.
Can someone please add to this, I don't know how to make the correct usage of the word spirit in my answer, all you help will be appreciated, thank you very much:-)
Some other words you could use would be carefully, insightfully, passionately and open minded.
It might be stretching it a little bit, but when you talk about spirits, you usually talk about connections (like connections to the spirit world or connections to something you may have been in a past life, connecting to someone on a deeper spiritual level, etc). When it's used the first time, the author's sort of saying that unless you slow down enough to truly read poetry, you wont be able to understand it because you won't feel a connection to the author. The second time it's used, its just the way for the author to say that by slowing down, you will feel more connected to the poetry and see more hidden meanings that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Hope this helps =]
To describe how poetry should be read, here are more words you can add to your list:
- Deliberately
- Attentively
- Thoughtfully
- Reflectively
- Contemplatively
As for the meaning of the word "spirit" in lines 5 and 12, it seems the author is referring to the essence or soul of the poem. By urging the reader to slow down and live with the poem, the author suggests that the spirit of the poem will slowly descend upon them. This can be interpreted as the deeper meaning or emotional impact that can only be fully experienced if the reader takes the time to engage with and soak in the poem. The repetition emphasizes the importance of allowing the spirit of the poem to reveal itself through patient reading.
Certainly! Here is a list of words that describe how this poem suggests poetry should be read:
- Patiently
- Thoughtfully
- Attentively
- Deliberately
- Intimately
- Reflectively
- Mindfully
- Contemplatively
- Sensitively
Regarding the meaning of the word "spirit" in lines 5 and 12, your answer is on the right track. The word "spirit" can refer to the essence or soul of something. In this poem, it seems to symbolize the deeper meaning or emotional resonance that poetry can offer. By asking the reader to slow down and engage with the poem, the author suggests that only through a patient and open-hearted approach can one truly connect with the spirit of the poetry. So, you can revise your answer by adding that the author's use of the word "spirit" implies that poetry needs time and acceptance to reveal its true essence and evoke a profound emotional response.