English For Today chapter 14: Reading for Pleasure - Poems

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Imam al-Ghazali Deathbed

Say unto brethren when they see me dead, And weep for me, lamenting me in sadness: Think ye I am this corpse ye are to bury? I swear by God, this dead one is not I. I in the Spirit am, and this my body My dwelling was my garment for a time. I am a treasure: hidden I was beneath This talisman of dust, wherein I suffered. I am a pearl; a shell imprisoned me, But leaving it, all trials I have left.

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I am a bird, and this was once my cage; But I have flown, leaving it as a token. I praise God who hath set me free, and made For me a dwelling in the heavenly heights. Ere now I was a dead man in your midst, But I have come to life, and doffed my shroud.

(1111)

Translation: Martin Lings

Glossary:

Corpse: The dead body of a person; symbolizes the end of life. Example: "The corpse lay peacefully in the tranquil setting." Talisman: An object thought to have magical powers, representing the body; symbolizes protection or significance. Example: "The talisman hung around her neck, a reminder of her strength." Doffed: To take off or remove; here meaning to leave behind the body; signifies liberation or release. Example: "He doffed his earthly ties, ready to transcend."

Study Questions:

1. How does the speaker view the relationship between the body and the soul?
2. What metaphors does the poet use to describe the soul's transition from life to death?
3. How does the poem reflect the Islamic understanding of the afterlife?

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Emily Dickinson "Hope" is the thing with feathers

"Hope" is the thing with feathers — That perches in the soul — And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all —

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard - And sore must be the storm— That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm -

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I've heard it in the chillest land— And on the strangest Sea— Yet - never - in Extremity, It asked a crumb - of me.

(1891)

Glossary:

Perches: To settle or rest on something elevated. Example: "The bird perches on the branch." Gale: A strong wind; often refers to a storm. Example: "The gale made the trees sway." Abash: To make someone feel embarrassed or ashamed. Example: "He felt abashed by the criticism." Chillest: The coldest; can refer to temperature or atmosphere. Example: "It was the chillest winter in years." Strangest: Most unusual or unfamiliar. Example: "He had the strangest dream last night." Extremity: The furthest point or limit; can also refer to severe conditions. Example: "In extremity, she found her strength." Crumb: A small piece or morsel of food. Example: "She offered him a crumb of bread."

Study Questions:

1. How does Dickinson use the metaphor of a bird to represent hope? What qualities of the bird convey the nature of hope in the poem?
2. What role do the imagery of weather and nature play in enhancing the poem's theme? How do they reflect the challenges and resilience associated with hope?
3. What is the significance of the line "It asked a crumb - of me"? How does this line contribute to the overall message about the nature of hope and its relationship with the individual?

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Pablo Neruda Bird

It was passed from one bird to another, the whole gift of the day. The day went from flute to flute, went dressed in vegetation, in flights which opened a tunnel through the wind would pass to where birds were breaking open the dense blue air— and there, night came in. When I returned from so many journeys, I stayed suspended and green

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between sun and geography - I saw how wings worked, how perfumes are transmitted by feathery telegraph, and from above I saw the path, the springs and the roof tiles, the fishermen at their trades, the trousers of the foam; I saw it all from my green sky. I had no more alphabet than the swallows in their courses, the tiny, shining water of the small bird on fire which dances out of the pollen.

Glossary:

Vegetation: Plant life; greenery. Example: "The forest was thick with dense vegetation." Suspended: Hanging; not moving. Example: "The swing was suspended from a tall tree." Telegraph: An old method of sending messages, often metaphorically used to suggest rapid communication. Example: "The message travelled through the telegraph quickly." Foam: Bubbles formed on the surface of water or liquid. Example: "The sea was topped with white foam as the waves crashed."

Study Questions:

1. How does Neruda use the metaphor of birds to explore the passage of time and the interconnectedness of life? Consider the roles that nature and the environment play in the movement of the day.
2. What is the significance of perspective in the poem, especially with regard to the speaker's observation of the world "from above"? How does this viewpoint alter the way the speaker perceives both the natural and human-made environments?
3. How does the poem challenge traditional notions of language and communication through its imagery of "feathery telegraph" and the "alphabet" of swallows? What might this suggest about the limitations of human language compared to the communication found in nature?