Read, Learn, and Shine

Hi Everyone

I thought it was time to find you a poem.  I sat thinking of one which had made me think over the years.  Then I got talking to my daughter about her studies and how the teachers interpret poem and writings, then expect her opinion which doesn't actually matter if their opinion is too strong to understand hers. 

I knew all too well a tutor's impression/interpretation of  writing through this poem.  While studying this one in one of my papers a year ago, I had an argument with my tutor.  I had read interviews by Seamus Heaney and then analysed particular lines and stanzas of 'Digging'.  Hence when I gave my analysis I was wrong!  Even though it was Heaneys writing and interpretation taken from his interview quotes.... It was not my tutors interpretation.  It became a good talking point between my tutor and I as we became more in touch with the writings.  This poem ended up giving us both insight into Seamus Heaney, more than the poem. 

My daughters point was 'what if the poet has just written and enjoyed the poem and play with words.  What if we don't need to make a deep analysis because there is none, the poet was just writing and enjoying words and language.  What if we are just to enjoy it, not analyse every word and stanza until the poem is dull'. 

I agree, mainly due to 'Digging'.  I love to analyse deep within a piece of writing, but I also like to just enjoy words too.  Especially poetry.  I like to read it sometimes, and just take the joy I gain from the first reading.  I like to hear the sounds in the words, especially those within 'Digging'.  I like the visionary that I gained from my first reading of 'Digging ', before I had to tear it apart and analyse it.

I enjoy poetry from many angles depending on my mood and place in life on a particular day.  What do you make of poetry?  Do you analyse and try to make an interpretation?  Do you just enjoy the words from the first meeting with the poem? 

Happy reading